Is Africa Praying for You?

By Emilie Schreiber and Kent Reinhardt
Nov. 12, 2020

You may have prayed for Africa, but is Africa praying for you? The story of one Young Life alum’s transformational experience.

Matt Santen, pastor, former Young Life kid, leader, staff person, parent to Young Life kids and leaders, and a regional team leader for Kenya would say “Yes!” “My friendship with James Mungai (senior regional director in Africa South) has been really good for me. James is someone who is outside of my regular church ministry that I can call on to pray when things are hard.” In 1983, this unchurched sophomore in high school would never have predicted Young Life impacting him for the rest of his life. Matt went to Young Life club because a senior girl invited him. Today, he stays because he gets to see kids changed for eternity in his hometown and across Africa.

Young Life Africa/Middle East began in 1999 in Ethiopia. Last year alone, in 27 countries, 1.3 million teens were reached through volunteer leaders sharing Jesus's transformational love with them right in their own neighborhoods.

When one travels to Africa, just like in the U.S., you see Young Life leaders investing deeply in the lives of kids (contact work), as well as engaging in club, camp and Campaigners. But when looking at adult involvement across Africa, there are drastic differences. In most areas in the U.S., there are local committees where adult volunteers give their time to serve the local Young Life work within their community. But, on the continent of Africa, that is most often not the case; committees often do not exist locally, but rather in the form of regional teams here in the U.S.

Regional teams are mission communities of dedicated volunteers and staff working together to help fund and support Young Life’s ministry aiming to reach every teen in Africa and the Middle East for Jesus Christ. Through the actions and prayers of regional team members (like Matt), staff and countries are sponsored, camps are funded, friends are invited, and the ministry both grows and thrives.

Jess Rabuck is a mom of three school-aged kids, a high school science teacher, local YoungLives committee member and the regional team leader for Zimbabwe. ​ Although there wasn’t Young Life at Jess’s high school when she was a kid, Jess and her husband, Josh, got involved supporting Young Life in Africa and their local area. Today, she partners with Sharon Intauno and Sthandazile Moyo, the regional directors in Zimbabwe, to lead the regional team. “It is such an honor to serve with a group of people from all over the country toward a purpose that is so much bigger than any one of us could understand. To be able to be a small part of a ministry that is changing eternity every day is humbling and exciting. I feel so lucky that I get to have special glimpses into what God is doing in Zimbabwe through Young Life that I wouldn’t have if I didn’t serve on this team.”

Why would you want to join a regional team? David Osteen, pediatrician and regional team member of West Africa says, “Regional teams are a chance to connect with international leaders on a more personal basis and expand your view of how God is working in the world. Regular Whatsapp messaging and monthly regional team Zoom meetings have been an amazing way to see our leader's faces and hear their stories and prayer requests when they're half a world away in West Africa. The regional team has been a way for us to go deeper and more consistently with specific leaders and countries. We've walked through difficult times with our West African leaders such as Ebola, COVID-19 and difficult elections, but also celebrated tremendous growth of the ministry and personal life events such as weddings and new babies.”

So, what is one way for Young Life alumni and friends, who have a passion for ministry overseas yet don’t feel called to move there, serve and make an impact? Regional teams! To learn more, contact us at YLRegionalTeams@gmail.com.