I share some my reflections on the joys, challenges and experiences of following God in MTA as the MTA Coordinator...

The beginning of 2008 was a dark moment for Kenya as post-election chaos threatened to tear apart a country that had all along been seen as a beacon of peace and hope. Most of the people who actively took part in the looting, killing and destruction were the youth. Then in March 2008 the world watched in horror at the sham elections in Zimbabwe which threatened to drown whatever little hope was left. Again the key players at the practical end were the youth. May 2008 ushered in the brutal xenophobic attacks in South Africa against non-South Africans. Once again the actual perpetrators of the hennious killings and displacements were the young, jobless people. July 2008 saw the return of terror in Kenya as a wave of chaos, destruction and even death erupted spread across Kenya's secondary schools. Who were the "face" of this terror? Again it was the youth.

These are just a few examples which have left me reflecting seriously about the fate, place and role of the African youth. I am currently asking myself: is there a future for Africa given the intensity of frustration, anger and hopelesness among her majority population - the youth? Politicians have been blamed for paying lip service to the youth - only promising them to be "leaders of tomorrow", yet "tomorrow" never comes. When will the African youth "taste power" when we have "dinosours" as presidents for life? No wonder it seems, as Africa's marginalized youth, we have decided to "taste power" our way - through uncontrolled violence, drug abuse, illicit sex, etc. We seem to have perfected the art of deception since we have been very good students of our older "leaders".

Some are blaming parents for the youth crisis across Africa (and the rest of the world). They argue that the older generation African leaders who took over from colonial masters forgot their families for the pursuit of wealth and power. Sadly, when they finally settled down to enjoy their wealth and power, their familes (and especially children) were nowhere! They discovered they were not there when their children took their first step, had their first periods or wet dream, had their first date and sexual encounter, etc. As parents they were not there to pass on values and morals to the emerging Generation X. It was a life of "chasing after the wind". Post-independent Africa witnessed a generation which pursued succes at whatever cost; sacrificed values at the altar of materialism. Most families were separated as the fathers worked in the city while the mothers were left to single-handedly bring up children in the rural homes. The children grew without role models; completely ruderless and simply longing for the "Second Liberation" when they would do things "radically different" from the "old baboons". Indeed, the number dysfunctional families of Africa's leaders is testimony to this calamity.

Interestingly now, the Generation X African leaders are fighting to wrestle power from these "old dinasours". A few are now in key leadership positions. Though it is too early to judge, they seem to be turning out to be worse than their fathers! Looting, grand corruption, arrogance and hedonism took up new definitions. Even the so-called Christian African leaders are miserably failing the test. They seem to live the adage: "When you go to Rome, do what the Romans do"!

And so into the scene has emerged Africa's Millenials or Generation Y (those born between 1977 and 2002). Majority are teenagers and early 20s with the oldest having just hit the 30s. They are a disillusioned lot. Astronomical unemployment, cancerous corruption, jungle-like survival for the fittest, and unfettered access to information has resulted in a restless, ruthless and lethal generation. Something has to be done yesterday if the unfolding youth crisis is to be addressed.

The Church in Africa cannot escape from blame in this grand fiasco.While it is commendable that the Church played a significant role in education and health sectors across Africa, it seemed to have forgot to give serious attention to the emerging youth crisis. Very few churches allocate any significant resources to their Sunday School and Youth ministries. Instead, most of church resources go to serve adults. It is such a sad state; a case of the older generation squandering the inheritance for the youth! Most church-sponsored schools were handed over to the governments. Lack of spiritual guidance and counselling for the youth is shocking. The older church generation leaders, like their political counterparts, have clinged on to leadership "for life" thus denying the youth opportunities to emerge and develop as leaders. In most theological training colleges training church leaders, there is hardly any sustantive courses on youth and children. Thus most African church leaders are out of touch with the Millenials. Christian parents are busy making ends meet thus leaving the youth to grow up rudderless. Pop stars (both local and western) are the youth's role models. Due to the unbelievable competion for any available few jobs, there has been incredible pressure put on Millenial students to perform at whatever cost. The resulting robot-like graduates are a product of this unfortunate system.

It is with the above in mind that we at MTA strongly believe that for the future of mission in and from Africa (and the future of Africa as a whole), some serious soul-searching and attention must be given to Africa's youth. By God's grace we want to be a breath of freshness to the African youth.

• Instead of our youth languishing at home waiting for years to join college after high school, we want them to serve various communities through cross-cultural mission.

• Instead of worshiping pop idols as their heroes, we want them to have close encounters with older mission leaders who are willing to deliberately give their time to mentor the youth.

• Instead of mono-track, robot-like graduates, we want to see an emerging generation of African youth who have experienced life in its fullness - lived across cultures, done things they would have otherwise not have done, etc.

• Instead of the middle class African youth living in the seclusion of their parents' mansions, we want them to cross the bridge and experience life in the slums and some of the forgotten rural villages. And instead of those from poor backgrounds growing with bitterness at the rich, we want them to confront life among the middle class are reflect biblically on such experiences.

• Instead of leaving Christian ministry to social and academic failures (like our parents' generation), we want to see a stream of reliable, competent and adequately trained Christian workforce emerging from the African youth.

• Instead of the traditional concept of missionaries as westerners and/or those in "full-time ministry", we want to nurture a new generation of African youth who will embrace God's mission wherever God places them in life - as students, professionals, immigrants, etc.

Like Martin Luther, I have a dream. A dream of a new wave of mission-minded, mission-exposed, mission-trained, mission-mentored and mission-resourcing generation of African youth. We may not answer all the complex questions of the African youth but I believe that we can make a significant contribution. Would you join us in this vision? If so, please Contact Us.