WHITE HOUSE GUESTS VISIT WHI-ZAMBIA

About 1500 youth were in attendance April 4-5 in Lusaka, Zambia, at World Hope International’s “Purity Beyond Abstinence” rally. This two-day event, sponsored by World Hope International – Zambia, was part of the HopeFest series of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention events. These events are designed to educate and motivate African youth to protect themselves from contracting HIV.

Jay Hein, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, was a guest of honor at the event on behalf of President Bush. He had many positive words for the HIV/AIDS work that is being done in Zambia and was impressed by the resolve of the youth to take a stand against this crisis.

The rally challenged the teenagers to live a life of purity, not just for the sake of AIDS prevention, but because it pleases the heart of God. In the midst of singing, dancing, laughing and prayer, hundreds of teens took a stand to live a life of purity. The rally taught that in order to face the cultural stigma caused by HIV/AIDS and the sexual pressures caused by poverty, African teenagers must take control of their lives with the help of the Holy Spirit. The event also introduced the attendees to Reach4Life, a year-long AIDS prevention discipleship program conducted in schools and churches throughout southern Africa.

The next HopeFest will be in June, 2008. To learn more about WHI’s HIV/AIDS prevention work through Reach4Life, click here. To see all of WHI’s programs in Zambia, visit our Zambia country page.