One of my favorite things I’ve done since I’ve been a missionary in Africa was getting to address an entire freshman class of high school students on the topic of abstinence. A counselor from a local school contacted our ministry because a large number of their student body is HIV positive, and despite the faculty’s own attempt to encourage their students to choose abstinence, or at the very least practice safer sex, their message seemed to be falling on deaf ears.
I had never given an abstinence talk before in my life. I was nervous/terrified and didn’t feel very confident that I would have a welcome audience with these students.
I could only talk about what I knew, so I shared with these students why I’ve personally chosen abstinence, hoping that as I shared the reasons for my choice, they would be persuaded to make healthier choices for their own lives.
I think there are many benefits to abstinence, but I highlighted with the students only my main reason to wait – I want to honor God with my life, and in honoring Him this way, I also honor myself. When we honor God with our lives, which includes our bodies, we recognize, acknowledge and establish our God-given value and self-worth. And we send a contradictory message to ourselves about our own worth when we live a life contrary to that truth.
I basically told these students that they mattered, that they were capable of great things, and that I believed in them.
It became apparent to me that day that most of these students had never been told how much they mattered.
They welcomed my message. I’ll never forget how after our little assembly, students chased after us as we walked back to our car so they could hug us and thank us for sharing what we did. The school faculty also gave us an open invitation to return to their school, with the request to address their entire student body on our next visit.
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During this recent visit to the States, I recalled this whole story to a friend, and out of that conversation, a God-inspired idea was born.
The Botswana government has done a fairly good job of educating its people on how HIV is transmitted, but education alone hasn’t been enough to persuade people to change their lifestyle in order to avoid the spread of this terrible disease. Botswana has one of the highest AIDS prevalence rates in the world. I believe that a lack of value and self-worth is directly correlated to the lack of urgency for prevention and change. They need to value their lives in order for a genuine desire for change to occur, and that is what we hope to accomplish with this project.
LOTW Abstinence Bracelets
Teaming up with couture jewelry designer Maria Ruggieri, of Ti Adoro Jewelry, I plan to travel back to Botswana this fall to launch a fresh new abstinence initiative, a program designed to educate students about the emotional, physical (HIV) and psychological consequences of sexual promiscuity. The bracelets made by Maria will be given to students who go through this program and make a commitment to abstain from sexual promiscuity and save themselves for marriage.
My hope is that this bracelet will serve as a powerful symbol of purity. My message is to simply make the youth of Botswana aware that they have a choice, not only to avoid the further spreading of this terrible disease that ravages their country, but to become something more – the valuable person God created them to be. I want to challenge them to believe that they are not too young or obscure or unnoticeable to begin a new legacy for their future families, and ultimately, for the destiny of their country.
I am very excited about this endeavor, and I would like to extend an opportunity for you to partner with me in spreading this message.
First and foremost, please pray for me and for this project. I believe this project is a God-inspired idea and my prayer is that God will direct and bless this endeavor and use it to really make a difference.
Secondly, I want to ask you to please consider making a donation to fund the manufacturing of the bracelets and additional start up costs to get this project off the ground.
I hope you will join me in bringing this message of hope to the youth of Botswana. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support!
If you’d like to make a donation, please send your gifts to:
Orchard Road Christian Center
8081 East Orchard Road, Suite 145
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
(Please make checks payable to ORCC with Mendoza – Abstinence in the memo area.)
All donations are tax-deductible.
