Arise, cry out in the night,
as the watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart like water
in the presence of the Lord
Lift up your hands to him
for the lives of your children,
who faint from hunger
at the head of every street.
(Lamentations 2:19)

Pr Chibuka's Story of Church-based Ministry to Street Children

We started in our sitting room, then we went to a school for about a year, then the Muslim owner chased us out, then another brother with a neighbouring church welcomed us.  The Lord enabled us to fundraise with enough money to buy this plot, so we got land of our own. 

Finding the kids: We put the small houses beside us, because there was a group of children who were a problem in this place.  they stole many things here - food, clothes.  But we thank God who welcomes all such people, so we used to evangelise these children, and it happened that after some time some of these children got saved.  But after some weeks, even though they had confessed, there was little progress because the environment had not changed. they would eat from the dustbins and go to town, and bring back some marijuana,  So God touched out hearts when we started drawing some of them to us here, and eventually we began to see some change.

Getting them out of their groups: Through the life of God, loving for them caring for them and seeing that every day their lives are being touched, they began to change.  Eventually we had to take some of them to school.  there are many issues that lead kids to go back to the streets - family problems , peer pressure, wars, such as we have had in Northern Uganda, not forgetting the scourge of AIDS.

God used some of us who went as a team.  Eventually some did not come to listen to us, because we were going empty handed.  We would bring some small things to eat, so instead of eating from the dustbins they could rejoice and realise the love of god.  eventually more came in but the place was not big enough for them.  Some have now graduated from High School and from College. We prose the Lord For that is not the work of man to bring a child from the streets and help them become of such use.  God does not discriminate. God wants to use us to touch the untouchable.

Skills training: When we came to this area we found that some of the children were old enough, we had to take them to skills training places to learn things like carpentry, welding, which are businesses in this area.  this is an area where they make gates for houses, create things for motor cars.  Many of the children have been able to get jobs. 

In addition we found we had to clothe them, care for them, provide medical care, show the love of parents.

In slum areas those children are many.  Some even go without lunch and supper and have no place to go the next day.  this is a challenge to a church

(missed part of it)

The people in the slums need their needs to be met.  We can train them in business.  that is what we need to do for them.  So as pastors and leaders, this is another way of uplifting us.  Not only looking at other people, but also giving wisdom to people,

Kingdom economics is a new term. We need wisdom. You do not pray for the need economically, but when we see it we shall pray, and for sure God will give us a plan to achieve what he would have us to do.

The Lord gave this pastor a business to help fund these street kids, selling imported health foods, in a pyramid selling scheme, that enables him to get others to sell. I will share this business that God has given me, and if you want to you can promote your income and that of the groups of churches.  One pastor here has some of his people selling, now all their incomes have been increasing.  This kind of business has been a good supplement to looking after these children.  After about two years the Lord will have helped us to achieve what we need for this ministry.  God will encourage us to care for our people economically.

Isaiah 58:7-10 these people were crying to God but God was not answering them but he was just asking them whether that was the type of fasting that he really wanted. but he wanted them to care for the poor, the needy the oppressed. That was the type of fast they needed.  So as servants of God, many things can be done as servants of God, for God looks at the poor and he will separate the goats from the sheep and he will ask those who are naked, those who are needing to be fed. As much as you did it to some, you did it to me.  And they will say where did we see you.  So this is like a wake up call to welcome those who are oopressed, those who are neglected.  God can help us to do this ministy.  Unless the church had cooperated I could not do it alone.  So I beseech you to encourage our people, to meet the people in our communities and help them as mush as is possible.

1. The Global Reality
There are estimates of 100 million street children around the world. In Brazil alone there are 8 million of these children. 4000-5000 are killed annually by police and others who do not like the violence and crime they generate.

Homelessness: 100 ,000,000 street children
Abortion: 29% of children are not born
Sexual abuse: 10 million child prostitutes (Norwegian report to the UN Working Group on Slavery)
Abusive Child Labour: 90 to 145 million (UNICEF, 1990)
Disability: 500,000 blind children each year
AIDS: 1.5 million kids with AIDS

© Viv Grigg & Urban Leadership Foundationand other materials © by various contributors & Urban Leadership Foundation,  for The Encarnacao Training Commission.  Last modified: July 2010