(1) A HUGE NEED
According to the United Nations over 70 percent of the general population of Latin America is under the age of 25
There are countries like El Salvador and Guatemala where today over half of the population in under 18 years of age.
A study sponsoder by SEPAL in Mexico showed that although 43% percent of population is between the ages of 13-26, only 24% of the population of the protestant church is in that age range.
Research done by Dr. Jorge Gómez in Costa Rica revealed that three of every five youth who grew up evangelical had left the church.
According to UNICEF there are 1.5 million teenagers living under extreme poverty in the Hispanic World.
(2) AN AUDACIOUS PLAN
An increasing number of denominations and local congregations are actively looking for help as they try to meet the needs of their teenagers and support parents who are crying out for help with their adolescents. This is one of the factors in what we consider to be a movement of the Holy Spirit which has allowed for growth in support for ministry with youth through publishing as well as informal, non-formal and formal training.
With the recent increase in informal training through conferences and seminars, there is a growing demand for a formal continuation. Leaders, both full time and bi-vocational, long to find the tools which will enable them to take their ministry to new heights of effectiveness.
(3) AN EXHILIRATING CHALLENGE
There is an appalling lack of formal youth ministry training venues in Latin America and there are none which are poised to meet this need. The few that exist either do not have the platform or the vision necessary to generate the momentum needed to raise up a new generation of leaders who can make disciples of the more than 200 million Spanish speakers under the age of 25 in Latin America.