December Prayer Requests

Prayer Laborers,

As you may remember, the school year in South Africa begins in mid-January and ends in mid-November yielding a two-month summer vacation that also includes Christmas and New Years.  Please join us as we look back with gratitude on the school year just ended and look ahead with anticipation to the year ahead. 

~ Courage Youth Lead Team, Life Coaches & Management Committee

The team during this year's annual planning session. For more pics please be sure to follow us on social media! LINKS TO ALL SOCIALS HERE

WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR…

Learners.  Over 1,100 Courage Youth Members this year--learners who’ve participated in Courage Youth Club and signed the Courage Youth Pledge--across our seven schools.  See Courage Youth Pledge at link below.

Discipleship.  Discipleship has become increasingly central to the day-to-day ministry to learners.  About half of the Members participated in Discovery Group Discipleship (DGD) sessions, with many making decisions for Christ over the course of the year.  See Life Coach DGD Handbook at link below.  

Staff.  We have a talented, committed, experienced staff:  18 Life Coaches, a Social Worker, and our Lead Team--Managing Director Chris, Program Director Tumi, and Administrator Mpumi.

School Support.  We have incredible support from School Management Teams at all of our schools.  This traces to many things, among them  teaching our Life at the Crossroads (LATC) curriculum in school Life Orientation Classes, schoolwide campaigns on teen pregnancy and substance abuse, and observable changes in behavior and academic performance of Courage Youth learners. Outline of LATC curriculum at link below.

Annual Planning Meetings.  Our week of annual planning meetings (APMs) 3-7 November was the best ever.  We have incredible staff retention, so staff know the drill, enabling us to efficiently review outcomes from the current year and plan for the year ahead.  See staff picture from the APM at the link below.  

Courage Youth Camp.   We had  90 learners for this year’s camp, up from 60 last year, held 27 Nov - 1 Dec. While there were many fun camp activities, please pray for the ongoing impact of profound group sessions and individual learner-Life Coach encounters dealing with the trauma, grief, and family dysfunction that are a way of life for many of our learners.

Donors.  The entire Courage Youth program this year was funded by $210,000 of gifts from committed donors.  We pray for them the blessing of II Cor 9:13-14:  They will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

WE’RE PRAYING FOR…

Festive Season.  Health, safety and joy for learners and families over the Festive Season holidays.

Member Retention. Plans for Life Coaches to connect with returning Members over the holidays and welcome back activities upon their return to school in January.

Expansion.  Expansion underway of pilot tests of the Courage Youth program at Thabisang Primary School (younger learners) and Thuto-Mfundo Community Learning Centre (learners who have aged out of traditional schools).  Pray especially for recruiting and apprenticeship of five new Life Coaches and one additional social worker to facilitate this and future expansion. 

Courage Youth Pledge.  Member Pledge - 24 Aug 21

Discovery Group Discipleship Handbook.  1 - CY DGD Life Coach Handbook - Print Dup.pdf

Life at the Crossroads.  LATCOverview.doc

 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and 

do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9