Street Kids:
Alden and I have never walked into an experience like this! Over 300 boys are in a field huddled around 1×3 foot (round) plastic wash buckets. They are washing their 
clothes and themselves. Two times a week they gather here to eat, bathe, play together, and have chapel. For some of these boys, this will be the only time they eat this week. Others have a home but it is abusive, can’t support them, or they are told to work the streets begging for money.
The age of the boys ranges from 5ish to late teens with the older ones protecting and caring for the younger ones. We sat on wood stools around a cauldrin of Maze (corn based) soup which looked like Cream of Wheat. The boys lined up in two rows being given a plastic coffee mug for Alden and I to fill for their breakfast. Wow, feeding 
300 boys is seemingly endless! As they came up to us they were polite. Some were wearing a t-shirt for pants others did not have anything (their freshly washed clothes were hung to dry). They seem to make the best out of what they have. I did not see boys looking down on others or making fun based on any child having more or less. In a sense these street children are a family.
After eating we had one hour to play games. Alden had brought a soccer ball. He thru it to the boys and it was immediatley swallowed up by the big kids who love soccer. These guys are really good! Alden and I took many of the other children not playing soccer to the upper field. Here I tried to think of what game I could play using sign language. (My african tongue is not quite developed!) All the kids
seemed to love to be swung by their arms in a circle. I tried to explain moving back so I could swing one but they all wanted to hang on me. Finally a young boy named Danny emerged from the group. He spoke broken English but was able to get enough of what I was saying to tell the others what to do.
Danny would choose kids in the circle that he thought would work based on size and behavior. If they were patient he would pick them and if not they would just have to stay back and change. I swung and swung till I felt like I could not walk in a straight line. We laughed together till our hearts could not take it any longer. Interestingly, before each child was swung he would check their arms and make sure they felt strong enough for the pressure. A couple said that they were not strong enough. I began to realize that lack of food can have an effect on even their play.
With a sudden change, the sun turned to pouring rain and we headed for the pole building structure. With 7 children holding on to me, I could barely walk. I kept feeling them lightly poking me. I finally turned to see what in the world was going on. I put two and two together. From the play I was hot from swinging them. When they would press on my skin it would turn from a redish color to white for a
moment. Their skin does not do that.
As we headed into the condemed pole building, Danny got my attention and asked me if I would remember him. I said I surely would. He said his dream would be to attend school and learn about computers. My heart broke as I realized that these boys do not have even the chance to attend if they wanted to. This is where Africa New Life steps in. As positions open, these boys can be chosen to go for sponsorship and then eventually be picked by a family to be supported. What we see as a right in the U.S. or possibly a bummer (attending school) these children would die for the opportunity.
Once inside the pole building you will find a rough concrete floor with 7 rows of wood benches holding from 7-8 boys each. Over three hundred boys sat with zero space between each other. The older ones made sure the younger ones were on task. With only three adults over 300 boys are in full-control learning during Chapel.
They participated in singing , dancing , and praising God with the drums going. These boys love this time. As the Bible was read older boys got up and told the younger of how real life scenarios for them had taught them to trust God. It was amazing to me with so little these guys are seeing life thru God instead of blaming him.
Alden and I were called up as guest. We introduced ourselves and encouraged them thru Jeremiah 29. It is awesome that God has a plan for these boys, to give them a hope and a future. I fully believe that some of these boys thru sponsorship will rise to lead this nation. They then asked us questions: How many kids we have? What we do for work? Where we were from? and Why I look like a muslim? I told them it is a
fashion in the U.S. and then Alden piped-in that it was a bad one! The boys erupted in laughter!
After Chapel we set up for lunch. We again sat on wood benches and served corn maze with beans on top and potatoes on the side. What and emotional time we had watching something that seemed incomprehendable to my mind. Young children making the most out of very-little and Africa New Life stepping in to start the process of transformation. I am so blessed!
