Earlier this year, Cindy and I traveled to Africa to meet with program leaders and visit Tomorrow Clubs in Zimbabwe and South Africa. It was incredible to witness firsthand what God has accomplished in our newest programs over just a few short years. I wish there was a way to convey the complete experience, but as I’ve reflected on the trip, I want to share two impactful stories and our vision for the future.
Singing in the Rain
January marks the peak of the wet season in Zimbabwe. After last year’s drought, this year’s heavy rains raise hopes for a bountiful harvest and an end to the famine. The rain can make travel difficult however, as we learned on our way to visit a club one afternoon.
It started raining as we turned off the main road onto a dirt road that would have been challenging even in good weather. Soon, it was pouring, transforming the potholes into lakes and the road into a muddy river. The rain fell even harder. I was sure the club meeting would be canceled, but it was too late to turn back.
Kids gather for Tomorrow Club meeting after the train.
Miraculously, we arrived at a clearing in the village where the Tomorrow Club meets. No one was there, but as the rain began to subside, we heard kids talking and singing in the distance as they made their way toward us, trudging through a field where the water was knee-deep in places. The first group was small, but they kept coming until about 80 kids had gathered, despite the weather, for their weekly outdoor club meeting.
TC Farming Program, Zimbabwe.
In the most primitive setting imaginable, the club director, a humble schoolteacher, told us how much the Tomorrow Club has meant to the community. He took us to the plot the village leaders had given for the kids to learn gardening and showed us the goats they were raising. But he was most grateful for the opportunity he and the club leaders had to share the Gospel and the love of Christ with the children in his village.
Dazzled in Delft
Pastor Alan serves in Delft, a community plagued by gangs and drugs, known as the crime capital of Cape Town. Three years ago, we launched South Africa’s first Tomorrow Club in the makeshift tent where his church was meeting.
Over lunch, Pastor Alan shared what had happened since, and we nearly fell to our knees right on the spot. He told us that, because of the Tomorrow Club, more than sixty families who had never stepped inside a church before are now part of his congregation! As the gospel worked in the hearts of the kids, their parents took notice and began showing up at the church.
Pastor Alan in front of the tent church in Delft, South Africa.
We’ve heard countless stories like Pastor Alan’s over the years. When children learn to follow Jesus in their Tomorrow Club, they become disciple-makers who influence family and friends and go on to become godly leaders. As the Gospel overflows into the community, it brings repentance, reconciliation, church growth, and even reduced crime and substance abuse. It’s powerful!
Despite the challenges in the difficult areas we serve, more children than ever before are receiving the life-changing message of the Gospel and learning to follow Jesus in Tomorrow Clubs. A year ago, 20,000 kids were attending weekly Tomorrow Club meetings. Now, that number has surpassed 38,000!
Tomorrow Club meeting in the tent church in Delft.
Our 2030 Vision: Reaching 100,000 Kids for Christ
The doors are wide open; local churches are waiting to partner with us. That’s why we’re committed to a bold vision: by 2030, we envision 100,000 kids and teens learning to follow Jesus as Tomorrow Club members!
It’s a big vision, but God has been faithfully raising up volunteer leaders committed to bringing long-term Christ-centered discipleship to communities where hope is scarce and the need for Jesus is great. In just a few years, this self-sacrificing army of disciple-makers has grown from 3,000 to nearly 5,000 members!
Join us in fulfilling the Great Commission!
A billion kids in the world have never heard about Jesus. That’s hard to comprehend. But Jesus gave His followers a simple command: Go and make disciples of all nations. That was God’s plan to reach the world then, and it’s still His plan today! Here’s how you can partner with us in the Gospel:
- Pray with us for the children we serve, the volunteer leaders on the front lines, and the resources needed to reach 100,000 kids by 2030.
- Sign on as a Ministry Partner sponsoring 30 or more kids for only $1 per child per month. Your monthly support ensures our long-term commitment to the communities we serve.
- Make a one-time gift to move us closer to the 100k finish line. Your gift will expand the reach of the Tomorrow Clubs into new communities, equip more volunteers, and provide life-changing discipleship to more children.
Together, we can build God’s kingdom from the bottom up, changing lives, families, and whole communities for eternity!
PAUL MARTY
Tomorrow Clubs International