Africa is a young continent. 43% percent of Africa is under the age of 15. The Population Reference Bureau estimates that by 2050, Africa’s population will nearly double (1), until one out of every three children in the world are born in Sub-Saharan Africa. That’s a lot of children. Africa’s youth may one day be the largest “people group” in the world.

It is in these formative years that a person is most likely to come to Christ. A Barna Group study shows that children between the ages of 5 and 13 have a 32% likelihood of placing their faith in Christ, but that drops to just 4% between the ages of 14 and 18, and settles in at 6% for adults. Globally, over 80% of all Christians became so between the ages of 4 and 14.

This demographic is known as the four-fourteen window—a “window of opportunity” for reaching people with the Gospel when they are most receptive to its message.

“What you believe at age 13 is pretty much what you’re going to die believing” —Barna (3)

In many African countries, it is legal, and sometimes mandated, to offer religion and Bible classes in the government schools. This is a tremendous open door for reaching Africa’s youth with the Good News of Jesus Christ, and through their sheer numbers, impacting Africa as a whole.

AIM is looking for volunteer teachers to come to Africa, for a year, or two, or more—teachers who not only love to teach, but who recognize that the classroom is more than a classroom.

This is a mission field.

(OFM’s latest video Mlango ni Wazi, was filmed in Northern Kenya on this trip I took with Zach. He helped out as a “grip”)

Cited
(1) http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2013/2013-world-population-data-sheet/data-sheet.aspx
(2) https://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/196-evangelism-is-most-effective-among-kids#.U1-jta2SyGs
(3) http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/july/37.53.html