I've especially noticed how bright some of the boys are. I know that God has some amazing plans for these boys, but there's just one problem. A lot of them are stuck in the cycle. The cycle of being brought up believing that they must act a certain way. That they must fend for themselves, that they must be cool enough, that they must be tough. Too tough. Very often when boys in this area of South Africa reach just the age of thirteen, they are expected to grow up. But at thirteen and even older ages, many do not know what it means to truly grow up. Growing up means caring for others and taking responsibility, not just gaining power. Many boys are encouraged to seek this power in any way possible. This is just one of the many things that contributes to the cycle of a fatherless culture filled with terrible consequences such as AIDS.
These boys deserve so much more. They deserve to grow up having loving fathers in the household, and eventually to become great fathers and leaders in their communities. Pray that the after school program would continue to grow and bring more of these boys in. Pray that they would realize their worth and the importance of their leadership. Pray that they would realize that growing up doesn't mean just gaining power; it means to lead by serving. Pray that they would continue to grow in the right direction, and that they would continue to yearn to learn and grow. Pray that they would never lose sight of the talents and personalities that God has given each of them. Pray that they would come to understand their own personal value in Christ. That they would begin to understand just how much God loves them.