Project Status: We have completed the first phase of our work in Bangladesh. Thirty-five Bengali Christians attended the training in Dhaka. We are now working with their leaders to help them implement what they have learned.

The Challenge: The Christian community in Bangladesh is a small minority – only 1% of this impoverished, officially Islamic nation. While the country allows for freedom of religion, radical Islamic groups pose increasing pressures and potential persecution to Christian youth. There is a critical need to provide mature Christian mentoring to troubled Bangladesh youth in the church community.

The Opportunity: Christian Association of Youth Mentoring (CAYM), helps churches and ministries develop safe and effective youth mentoring programs, has committed to help start a mentoring ministry to Bangladesh youth. In the next few months, a seasoned leader of CAYM plans to travel to Bangladesh to train leaders from Inter-Church Youth Camp Committee (ICYCC), a national organization that equips and challenges Christian youth of Bangladesh. The goal is to give troubled and persecuted youth individual support and guidance from mature older Christians to help them grow in all aspects of life and faith. Our work in Bangladesh will continue through 2017 as we work with ICYCC to help them establish a safe, effective and sustainable mentoring ministry.