(AgapePress) - A coalition of nearly 200 local churches in Hawaii is having a dramatic impact on teenagers in that state. The churches have raised funds to allow Christian teens to give a gift to their friends that will help them come to know Jesus Christ and learn good moral values.

The gifts are known as "Student Survival Kits," which contain a Bible, Christian music CD, videocassette, book, and other literature pointing young people to Christ. More than 1,500 teenagers are taking part in the distribution on all the public middle and high school campuses in Hawaii.

Keli'i Akina is executive director of Hawaii Youth for Christ, which is organizing the effort to distribute 80,000 of the kits.

"Our community coordinators are reporting back that in some cases [that] within one hour, the entire supply of Student Survival Kits for a school is exhausted," Akina says. "Teenagers are walking around school with these bright yellow bags -- and those that don't have them are asking, 'Where's mine?' It's just getting a great reception."

And the participation by volunteers has been just as great, according to Akina. "For us in Youth for Christ, the fact that students have volunteered, have gone through training, and are carrying out the distributions is a real win -- both for student leadership and for the community at large," he says.

"We want to be about the business of raising up and mobilizing student leaders and helping them to play a significant role in their communities -- a role in which they make a difference."

Akina says the project was cleared by the Department of Education, which sent a letter to every principal in the state, affirming students' First Amendment right to distribute the Christian material to each other. The project will continue through the end of this week and extend a while longer in private schools.

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