At a recent meeting of the Christian Reformed Church’s Latin American Advisory Council held in Valle de Angeles, Honduras, the focus was on helping at-risk youth get back into their communities.
One of the strategies for accomplishing this goal is the use of IMPACT clubs. “IMPACT clubs focus on spiritual development, skills development, community development, and values,” said Caspar Geisterfer of Christian Reformed World Missions. “It is geared toward incorporating at-risk youth back into their communities as valued members.”
IMPACT clubs encourage youths to become community problem-solvers instead of problem creators by discussing values for community betterment.
“How do we organize problematic youth who have nothing to do?” asked Mark Hilbelink, pastor of Sunrise Community CRC in Austin, Tex. “It’s helping them come up with their own solutions rather than feeding it to them. The main thing is to empower youth and help them identify problems and find solutions themselves,” he said.
IMPACT clubs have been in Honduras for about three years. Churches in the United States are seeking to incorporate the concepts into their youth programs.
About the Author
Estefania de León is the Banner’s regional news correspondent for classes Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone.