Off the Street and into the Family

Pastor Mupepe and two street boys who now attend his church, Jacque and Reagan.

At ECM, one of our most important ministries is our outreach to street children.  Ministry to street children is one of the most difficult ministries that an organization can be involved in.  The life issues that these children face are extremely complicated, and either contribute to the reason they live on the streets, or are a direct result of living on the streets without a home or a family. In the past couple days I have met six boys who live on the streets, but who have received assistance from ECM staff here in Congo.  Let me introduce them to you:

• Henok is working now as a carpenter’s apprentice, a three year program that will prepare him to open his own shop.  His participation in this program is a result of ECM’s ministry in Kinshasa.
• Jerry completed his apprentice program recently and now has his own shop near his trainer. 
• Jeancy and Gloire are working as mechanic’s apprentices.  This program is also three years and will allow them, upon completion, to get jobs as mechanics.  Like the carpenter’s apprentice program, the mechanic’s program is part of ECM’s ministry to street children.
• Jacque Bombele is an albino child.  His family abandoned him because of his albinism, and he was forced onto the streets, where he was constantly ridiculed and discriminated against.  He was taken in by the church of Pastor Mupepe, where he was introduced to Jesus through the loving actions of the church members.  He accepted Christ as his Savior and can be found in the church every Sunday.  Actually, he can be found there every night, since the building serves as his “bedroom” as well.
• Reagan was kicked out of the house when he became a Christian, by his parents, who adhere to traditional African religion.  Out on the street, with no where else to turn, he was taken in by Pastor Mupepe’s congregation.  Like Jacque, he sleeps in the church building, since he doesn’t have a home to go to. He accepted Christ as his Savior, and plays the drums in church every Sunday morning.

Each one of these boys found hope and a reason for living in Christ; but that hope was made real through the loving actions of Christians.  Hearts are softened to receive the gospel when we live out our faith through our actions!  These boys face countless problems as they go through life, but with a loving family to help them, and a Savior who will never abandon them, they have a chance to make something of their lives.  Reagan and Jacque even expressed a desire to go out on the streets and help other children who once, like them, lived without hope.  To all of you who have helped ECM bring hope to the forgotten children of Africa, THANK YOU!!

Sunday School at Pastor Mupepe's church. A great way to welcome street kids into God's family!

One in Twelve Million

Some of the ECM Kinshasa staff.

I felt different.  Of course, I might be expected to feel different, being one of only a handful of Caucasians in a vast sea of Africans.  But today I felt different for a reason other than my skin color.  Sitting in a traffic jam, which is how I have spent much of my first few days in Kinshasa, a city of twelve million people, and, seemingly, twelve million cars, I could literally reach out and touch the van full of children that was “parked” next to us.  Since we could not converse, we just looked at each other.  I smiled, and the kids smiled back.  Then one of them took his thumb and forefinger and placed them on his nose, and proceeded to pull his fingers away from his nose, as if to say to me, “My, what a long nose you have.”  I’ve never given much thought to the length of my nose, but after his little charade, I couldn’t help but think how my nose was different from his.  In a sea of twelve million short and sometimes pudgy noses, mine certainly did seem out of place.

When you live in a different culture, you can’t help being different. You think differently, you act differently, you look different; you just are different.  But in Christ, our physical and cultural differences ultimately mean nothing.  We are all one in him, becoming children of God through faith, having been baptized into Christ.  To paraphrase Paul, there is neither American nor African, black or white, short nosed or long nosed, for we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26-28).  As I spend time with my new Congolese brothers, I am grateful for this truth. I am grateful that though I may be one in twelve million, I am a part of the family of God, united with those of every race and tongue.  What a blessing it is to have been adopted into his family, and to be a full heir with Jesus! Like the old song says, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God!"

This is my first trip to Kinshasa, and my first chance to meet the ECM staff who

faithfully serve here.  It is so good to finally meet them!

No Greater Joy

"I have no greater joy than to know that my children are walking in the truth."  3 John 1:4

Georgina was just seven when she, her siblings, and her mother moved to the capital city of Accra in Ghana in search of a better life.  But the elusive “better life” they sought was not to be found, and their lives became even more difficult than before.  While just a young child, she was forced to sell water on the streets, and to take responsibility for her siblings and even her mother, who could not care properly for the children.  They slept out in the open, on the streets.  A healthy meal and comfortable bed were just distant dreams.

Within a year, Georgina was found by ECM staff and invited to Bible studies and Sunday School.  Eventually, because of her great need, she was brought to Haven of Hope, where she, for the first time in her life, had enough food and clothing, and a nice bed to sleep in.  She received a Christian education and began to succeed academically.  Most importantly, she learned more about Jesus, and today, now in high school, continues to walk with Him faithfully, committed to helping others in the same way she had been helped.  She says, “I’m really happy because I have Jesus, and I know that he wants me to serve Him.”

Like the apostle John, we have no greater joy than to know that these children are walking with God. Georgina is just one of the many ECM children who has benefited from your generosity over the years.  But as these children get older and progress in school, their education and living expenses continue to rise.  Basic sponsorship covers only a fraction of the cost for our older children.  That’s why we’ve created the Secondary School Scholarship Fund.  Donations to this fund will allow us to make sure that Georgina and other ECM secondary school students are able to continue on the life-changing journey that ECM has helped begin.  Click here to make a donation to the scholarship fund today!