Drs. Jennie Cerullo and Marcia Ball

HOPE celebrates Birthdays: Jennie - June 30 Marcia - November 20 HOPE partners Kerus Global Ministries HOPE mobilizes Click here for more information about short term mission trips through Discover the World.

Fighting the spread of the AIDS virus with education

Ministry Team: AIDS Initiative and Global Justice

Drs. Marcia Ball and Jennie Cerullo, former professors at James Madison University and Azusa Pacific University, are internationally recognized educators in the field of character-based education and HIV/AIDS prevention. Together they founded Kerus Global Ministries. In 2004 Kerus published It Takes Courage, a resource guide of information and activities for adults working with youth. In 2006 the It Takes Courage Drama Series: Magogo’s Village was launched in Mozambique; and a Pastors Vision Conference was launched in Swaziland. To date the It Takes Courage program affiliates have already trained 1500 pastors and youth pastors who are reaching over 30,000 youth with the curriculum. Their newest project is an Orphan Care Center in South Africa. Marcia and Jennie travel extensively around the world, primarily throughout Africa and they hold their offices in Arlington, VA.

They have been supported by Cherry Hills since 2000.

Kerus Global Ministries

The Greek word Kerus means “of the heart” or “to do something with passion.” This word captures the spirit and vision of Kerus founders Dr. Jennie Cerullo and Dr. Marcia Ball, who share a common goal: to offer hope and better health through practical, character-based programs. Their diverse backgrounds make them uniquely suited for this exciting outreach.

Marcia Ball, Ed.D.

  Before co-founding Kerus Global Educational Services, Dr. Marcia Ball was a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has 11 years of experience in higher education and has written and directed numerous state and federal grant projects related to you th risk behavior. She also served on the Governor of Virginia’s Maternal and Child Health Council’s Subcommittee for Teen Pregnancy Prevention.

Jennie A. Cerullo, Ph.D.

Dr. Jennie Cerullo holds academic degrees in education, human resource leadership, and cross-cultural education. She has worked as a principal in a Vietnamese refugee camp in Hong Kong, taught in private and public schools, and served as an administrator for an English language development program in California. Dr. Cerullo has also taught in the graduate education program at Azusa Pacific University. She regularly consults internationally in the areas of character education and adult learning methods.

Programs and Services

Since 1995 the founders of Kerus Global Education have equipped a variety of organizations to effectively meet the challenges of the HIV/AIDS pandemic around the world. Kerus provides strategic consulting for governmental and nongovernmental agencies, professional training for educators and other health and human services professionals, and educational curricula used in public schools and community outreach projects as well as churches and para-church organizations.

Kerus’ programs and services work toward the ultimate goal of molding the character of adolescents, helping them to learn crucial life skills and maximize their potential. This involves training them to avoid behaviors that can lead to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, alcohol and other drug abuse, and unhealthy risk-taking behaviors. These methodologies are carried out within the broader context of Kerus’ overall purpose of not only individual but community life-change, achieved by: 1) Building Character; 2) Creating Hope; and 3) Transforming Communities.

Kerus' efforts promote character-based abstinence education have reached over 36,000 professionals, 800 pastors and youth workers and 3.5 million students in over 50 nations.