by Halcyon Martin from a report by Bedadi Bwagula
Good conduct, manners and work ethic are opening doors
In October we brought you stories of how a few of the Children of Liberty are now self-sufficient, although due to the pandemic some of these were struggling to keep their businesses going. Today we are able to bring more stories of how these amazing young people are doing, how they have been able, with the help of Comfort Congo, Comfort International and God, to see the truth of Isaiah 61.
Isaiah 61 is a proclamation of what Jesus came to do and how He envisaged people’s lives would change as they were touched by the Holy Spirit:
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendour. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations”.
Isaiah 61:1-4
As Jesus invited us to join Him in his ministry we also have a part to play in extending that invitation and promise to others. Comfort Congo have done just that with the Children of Liberty. They have brought these young men and women, who had suffered and experienced so much trauma and horror as child soldiers, into their care. They have treated them with dignity, love and kindness, introduced them to the love of their Heavenly Father and taught them that Jesus’ death and resurrection together with the power of the Holy Spirit, have made hope, freedom and a new future possible. Their broken hearts have been or are being healed, they have been allowed to grieve and mourn and have been comforted, they have been set free from their past life and experiences and, as many who have heard them sing know, they have been clothed in a “garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair”, they are being called out for their good manners, integrity, respect and good work ethic and they are helping to restore and rebuild their communities.
We are very proud of these young adults, of what they have become and of their influence to those around them. We are grateful to Comfort Congo and to all of the sponsors who have made this possible.
Here are their stories, sent to us by Bedadi:
SHUKURU
The good news for SHUKURU is that he has secured a job as a driver within SECOPE (service of teacher pay). This came about because he was working as a tailor in MASISI where the agents for SECOPE come for their clothes and uniforms and his good manner and behaviour impressed them so much that they suggested that he try for the SECOPE driver job. He passed a test well and was given the job of the driver for MASISI SECOPE, so now he is an employee of the Congolese government. All this was possible thanks to the input from Comfort Congo and Comfort International in his life. He also continues with his tailoring at MASISI.
OLIVIER
He is a good young man that does well in spite of some of life’s difficulties. He sells shoes and his business is progressing well. According to him since he began his business, he has not lacked anything. He hopes that in the near future he will be able to open a shop selling shoes and various other items.
PATRICK
PATRICK chose to work as a farmer. He owns and raises goats and rents a field where he grows beans. According to him he is able to look after himself well. This shows us that PATRICK is a hard worker and can fund himself without having to ask for help from other people.
MICHELLE
For a long time MICHELLE’s dream was to open a barber shop for men and thanks to the Comfort International support he now has his own barber shop today. He supports himself well. He is very happy to see how he has become responsible for himself. He is grateful that Comfort Congo is a success and is able to see the Children of Liberty project produce good fruit.
INNOCENT
Since he was child INNOCENT’s dream was to be photographer and events designer. Today, thanks to the Comfort International support he has achieved his dream. He has opened a business studio that he has called AUTHENTIC DECOR, for decoration and photography. He decorates marriage rooms, feast rooms and puts logos on T-shirts. Compared to his past, he feels very lucky to be able to succeed and to go from where he was before to be autonomous in his future life.
KEVIN
For KEVIN being a driver was his original dream but with time he has grown to like cooking and he said to himself that one day he would like to open a restaurant. Today, thanks to the sponsorship through Comfort International, he has achieved his dream to open a small restaurant. This allows him to support himself without difficulty and he is very happy with what he currently makes. He now has some regular customers because of his good way of doing things and his welcoming manner.
KEITA
KEITA is a young man who is quiet and intelligent and who takes everything that he does seriously. Since he was a child, he wanted to become a doctor and his dream is being achieved thanks to the support of Comfort International. Today he is in his first year studying to become a doctor/general practitioner. This follows a successful period studying biology & chemistry. He has three years of study and one practical year to complete after which he will be granted a Diploma in General Medicine. He has also opened a small pharmacy that allows him to earn a living while he makes progress towards a job in a hospital. Glory to God, the Children of Liberty project allowed him to be a model citizen within the society and put the bad past behind him.
HAKIZA
Since he was young and before being in the militias HAKIZA had had the ambition of being a tailor. Being part of the Children of Liberty project gave him enough financial support to be able to train at a school that teaches tailoring. With the help of Comfort International he now has his own sewing machine. Since completing his training, he works as a tailor in Tongo and has enough work to cover all his needs.
DIDIER
DIDIER says, “First, I would like to sincerely thank to Comfort Congo and Comfort International for the support that it didn’t stop, with regard to moral, psychological and also financial support. For a long time I had a dream to open a shop selling clothes and my dream has become a reality thanks to the support of my sponsor and Comfort International. Currently, in spite of difficulties due to Covid-19, we have something to eat and to put on, thanks to our work. I will never tire of presenting my deepest gratitude to Comfort Congo and Comfort International for the kindness that they have given and continue to give to me”.
I think that you will agree that these young men have made great progress especially considering what they went through before they joined the project. It is hoped that later in the year they will no longer need any financial support.
The project will continue, of course, changing lives and giving hope and a future. To be part of that transformation by sponsoring an ex-child soldier who is currently awaiting sponsorship please contact us; either email [email protected] or Sponsor Now and follow the instructions, putting Children of Liberty in the message box.