“The single most important influence in the life of a person,” Paul Shafer once observed, “is another person…who is worthy of emulation.”
Horizon International was launched on November 7, 2001 with the conviction that the only long-term solution to solving the HIV/AIDS pandemic is to introduce the orphans left behind to the person and influence of Jesus Christ.
This is why Horizon recently sponsored the “Made in the Image of God” Student Discipleship Summit.
The Summit was held from October 2-6 at the Villa Guest House on Sunset Beach in Capetown, South Africa.
Participants included fifteen kids, ages 14-21, who are sponsored by Horizon through Ikwezi Development Projects in Langa Township. Also attending were four teenagers from nearby St. John’s Church where Cecelia Elrick, Ikwezi’s Project Director, is a member.
The Summit was designed and led by Doug Ehrgott, Horizon’s Global Team Builder.
Conference materials were developed around the theme of Jesus’ challenge, “Go and make disciples,” a direct command of our Lord to his followers to restore God’s image in the lives of humankind by modeling his teachings.
Each of the participants was deeply impacted. All received a Bible, and felt comfortable by the end of the Summit in finding scriptures in the Bible. Many also commented that they understood the importance of being made in God’s image, and were determined to be an image-bearer of Jesus in their community.
Early in the Summit, two girls prayed to receive Christ as Savior. And at the end, a young man made a decision to renew his commitment to God. He and one of the adult caregivers were baptized in the ocean.
Horizon is committed to restoring God’s image in the lives of the orphans it sponsors by teaching them the ways of Jesus. And one of the methods we will deploy in the future is “Made in the Image of God” Student Discipleship Summits.
