Imagine five guys, 70 days, and one bus—a school bus. Now add 26 states and 20,000 miles. Sound like your idea of a dream vacation? It did to 18-year-old aspiring filmmaker Scott Brookens of Zeeland, Mich.
Last summer Scott joined forces with Nathaniel Elliott, a fellow 18-year-old who founded Living Hope, a nonprofit organization to raise money to bring education and AIDS relief to African children. How? By touring the United States in a bus, speaking to his peers about the overwhelming facts of AIDS. (Read more about Nathaniel in “Young Visionary.”)
Scott heard about Nathaniel’s ministry through World Vision. “When I found out about the Living Hope bus trip to raise money for AIDS and build schools in Africa, I was pumped,” Scott says. “My only question was, ‘When do I pack my bags?’ ”
Called to the Quest
Scott has always had a heart for the people of Africa. And in 2005, he took a trip to Lesotho and created a documentary called Crossroad Africa. “I was able to go along with another church group and film for three weeks,” he says.
When he returned home, Scott edited the film and released it for publication three months later. He began showing it at local churches and speaking on AIDS, and he expanded that mission by showing the film on the Living Hope tour.
“We traveled around speaking to our generation,” Scott says. “Not just to raise money for AIDS, but to inspire them to get passionate about something, to speak up, to do something.”
Scott and Nathaniel—along with Tommy Francovitch, 17; Chris Franklin, 21; and Derick Henderson, 23—spoke at conferences, conventions, youth centers and to youth groups. Their goal was to raise $250,000 in order to build schools for African children infected with or orphaned by AIDS. But the even bigger goal is to set their generation on fire for God.
“We shared our testimonies and then challenged listeners to start living out the message of love of Jesus Christ—to carry out whatever He's leading them into.”
The Road Rolls On
Over the course of the summer, the guys raised nearly $41,000—short of their goal but enough to build a three-room school in Zambia. They also attracted lots of attention.
“We made it on CNN, Fox News and many other national stations” Scott says. “It's sweet to get this kind of publicity for doing something for God. But the coolest thing is to see what God's doing through us to reach our peers.”
The response was phenomenal. “Everyone's talking about doing something,” Scott says. ”One girl who used to do drugs is even starting a group to help others.”
Living on a bus had its challenges, but the guys made the best of them.
“When one of us got down, someone else picked him up,” Scott says. “It was hot and exhausting, but when we reached the next destination and saw what God did with our testimonies, it made it all worth it.”
The team studied the book of Ephesians while on the road. “That book is so powerful,” Scott says. “It really hit home for this trip because it talks a lot about unity and how we are all different, how we all mess up but how we’re still all accepted by God.”
All five Living Hope guys now are back in school, but their message will continue.
“My fight against AIDS won't end with this tour,” Scott says. “Just like making films, AIDS and the African people are some of my deepest passions. So I know I'll continue to raise awareness and money and pray.”
Scott also plans to return to Africa next year with his buddies from Living Hope. 
