Memory Lane

Again today I was packing. I was packing up my office at home.

I came across my notebook from when we started working with children and youth at risk here in Kigali.

 

I was so amazed as I read through the notes from my first meetings with some of the kids. 

 

Daniel - lives under the bridge by the church, multiple health issues, just hoping that he is going to wake up alive each day

 

Today - Daniel is a house commissioner (real estate agent) and has lived on his own for the last years and is always dressed very well. He has helped us multiple times over the last years find houses for our interns, long term missionaries and other missionaries coming to Rwanda.

 

Sibomana - no place to live each day. maybe he could be a construction worker someday.

 

Today - Sibomana owns his own welding shop. He calls Serge on a regular basis to check in and wonder when we are going to send him some youth at risk to him so he can train them in welding.

 

Finiyas - doesn't even know why he is alive today. no idea that he can dream or hope for the future.

 

Today - Finiyas has a full time job. He rents his own home and goes to school in the evening.

 

I was most grateful that God allowed me to read through these notes again. How their lives have changed - from hard hearted street youth to godly men who are integrated well into all areas of society. We have been part of that.

 

As I read through my notes though, I was also very aware of  the youth who are still living on the streets. Not that they haven't had a chance to go to school, get off the street, gain life skills ... they have made a choice not to. We pray that the seeds we have planted will grow and they will desire change in the future.