World Wide Message Tribe meets South African street children

TOP CHRISTIAN band the World Wide Message Tribe took time out during a recent visit to South Africa to meet some of the country's street children and learn about life in the townships. The visit was part of a youth discipleship video project the Tribe are working on with Tearfund.

The Khayalethu project, run by Youth For Christ in Pietermaritzburg, works to reunite street children with their families. Khayalethu ("our home" in Zulu) also provides accommodation, food and training for some of the town's 800 street children. Cameron Dante, the band's frontman, said. "The project was like a shaft of light in an area that really needed light."

Members of the Tribe spent time with the boys and shared with project staff some of their own experience of working with disadvantaged youth at their Eden Project in Manchester. Denis Drennan, the local Youth For Christ director, said. "It was a privilege to meet the Tribe - we were thrilled to see the rapport the children developed with them."

Following on the heels of the band's successful 'Get God' videos, the new pack, 'Desire', will focus on the themes of prayer, evangelism and justice. As well as tracks by the Tribe and teaching, it will show Christians at work in these fields in the UK and South Africa. Andy Hawthorne, leader of the World Wide Message Tribe, said, "We're praying the whole project will teach young people not just to beat their friends over the head with the Bible, but earn the right to tell them life-changing truths by the way they live."

Tearfund Youth Director David Westlake said. "This is an exciting new video package to answer young Christians' thirst for teaching, and action, on justice." 'Desire' is due to be released for Easter 1998.