Page 73 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 3

ISSUE THREE | NOV/DEC

friend told me to decide what to do but during the long holidays they I don’t know! That’s God’s
after my studies because if I were also go home to their parents. The business. When it started I also
going somewhere we would need initial number grew from 5, until at had no idea how this would work,
to release the house we were some point there were 30, now the because I also don’t like to ask
staying in. I really started to pray to number is down to 18. Some ran people for money. And I told God,
know whether this could be where away, some were expelled from if you want me to do this, this is
God wanted me to be. So in May school. Not everybody wants to be too big for me anyway; but what I
2012 I came for a week, just to see helped somehow. realized is if God gives you a task,
if I could imagine staying here for He will finance this task. Friends
longer and a lot of things came Yes, I think that’s true. So would come in when I didn’t expect
together which just really proved you’ve been doing this for over them to. One time, my mom went
this was really God’s will for me. six years now. What would you to cook at a youth camp and she
say has been the positive effect met one of my friends and he
Tell me about Mwamba Fels. of the work with the boys? asked her how I was doing, so she
Mwamba has a bit to do with the Sometimes I also ask myself told him what happened with the
home. I decided to serve at the this question, because the home and he was just pushed by
home for one year to see how transformation was really slow. I God somehow to send money and
God would lead me. Deep inside started helping them when they the money was enough for two of
I knew it would be a longer thing were 14, 16, and even 20; at this the boys for whom I was looking
but I didn’t want to decide to leave age changes come slowly. A lot of for money so that they could finish
Switzerland for good. After two them are traumatized, but I can Form Four (their final year). He
weeks of being there, I realized say, especially for the ones I had catered just enough for their school
that something in the home was from the beginning, they have fees for the last year. Sometimes I
not right, but I couldn’t find out started to take responsibility for say to God, “I don’t know how to
what. However, 10 months later, themselves, for their actions, they pay all the school fees.” Like this
two of the boys told me that they also take responsibility for others time, there were three days left
were being sexually abused and they are growing in faith in and a lot of money was lacking
by the director. Suddenly all of their relationships with God. Two to pay for school fees and then a
my questions were answered, of them got baptized, one this friend of mine sent me the whole
because for me it was obvious, year, the other one last year or amount. And when I wrote him and
psychologically I could prove it. two years ago. For me it was nice, told him “You’re really an answered
Everybody told me not to report because when they were in the prayer, thank you very much.” He
it because they could change the other home, they were told ‘either told me, “Don’t thank me, God told
case and turn it against me, but you get baptized or you can go’, but me I should send you that money.”
I said if I know things like these, now they decided to do it because Sometimes it is last minute but it is
I can’t go home and pretend that they believed. When somebody never too late.
everything is okay. So I reported was forced once and then now
to the children’s officer and to the they make a decision, they really So what would you say is the
police. I said, if I say A - I also have to have a relationship with most critical challenge you have
have to say B, so that if these boys God to do that again. One of them faced in working with the boys?
come out of the home, they don’t even encouraged others from the I know that some of the boys
end up on the streets. So it’s like I church to get baptized. These are have problems with drugs. One
was thrown in [to Mwamba]. really nice things to see. of the boys once broke into my
I had always said that I wanted to Another of the boys I supported is room when I was in Switzerland
work with kids not with teenagers, a father now, he has a wife and he and stole a lot of money. For me
but these boys became teenagers! works. Others you have to push a it’s the trust, I cannot trust them,
I started to help the ones who bit because it’s not easy to find a you never know. Sometimes they
came out so that they could either job or internship. I just had three tell you the transport money is
go back to school or start school. young men who finished everything such and such and you know it’s
At the beginning there were five and now they are looking for not. This for me is a challenge,
then one by one they came. I jobs. They are not supported by because I know how important
tried to reintegrate them into their Mwamba anymore which I think is trust is. That your self esteem can
families, but some of the boys’ also an improvement. grow when you are trusted. That’s
homes are too far to travel to one thing. And the other thing
during the holidays, so I started to How have you been able to is that these are actually young
rent another house for them where manage financially to support men. I now have some younger
I live. We have three who stay these guys over the past six boys again, but most of them are
here when they are on holiday years? between 18 and 23. How much

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