A team of eight people from the LOVE WALES ministry, based in Ebbw Vale, Wales, went on mission to LEMA (Life Edifying Ministries Africa), Busia, on behalf of Comfort International, to teach pastors and leaders Evangelism and about Faith. We also held outreach crusades, which saw many come to Jesus.
The first Sunday, 10th September, I was asked to go and speak in a church. Little did I know what lay ahead! When nearing the destination, I realised, we were in a very poor slum area of Busia called Sofia. I saw many children and, after enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit, brought by the praying of the people, I turned to view the area and the congregation. I was significantly surprised to see many children, and a few adults.
Following the close of the service, I was blessed to spend time with the pastor and his wife. It was then, I learned of the great needs in the area. The thirty to forty children in the church, were ‘street children’. Twenty four hours a day, their lives are lived on the streets, the main goal for them, being to find food, no matter the cost! The church was not held in a physical building, but on a small rented area of concreted ground, with tarpaulin sheets, with holes, for roofing, and rented plastic chairs. The torn tarpaulin roof resulted in church being cancelled when there was rain. As a team, we were able to replace the tarpaulin, and the rented chairs with wooden benches.
I noted that among these children, there were only a handful of girls. My thoughts that the girls must be taken into sex slavery, were sadly confirmed. Sofia is a border town with Kenya, and many of the girls on the street, are taken into ‘house slavery’ in the capital, Nairobi. As a border town, the trailer drivers can easily take the girls away or rape and abuse them, then leave. Two young boys have recently been stoned to death, by a local mob, after attempting a house burglary, in order to steal food or something to sell, in order to get food.
I left the pastor and his wife, knowing I couldn’t walk away, I had to try and do something. My thoughts of a ‘night shelter’ have rather inevitably ‘mushroomed’! By God’s grace & mercy, we open LEMA Hope Centre for twenty five children on Friday 1st December, thirteen boys and twelve girls. These were chosen out of one hundred and thirty plus children, who, when it was heard of the opening of the centre, arrived to see if they could be considered.
Thank you for reading this and for supporting the ministry, in prayer or finances.
Grace and peace to you.
Lea Shaw.