This month we’re talking about the power of community.
RaeLynn DeFalco of 2015 Z Squad saw its impact on the streets of Uganda, where a group of street kids living in community stole her heart.
Dozens of boys live on the streets in the slums of Uganda.
They left their homes in rural villages thinking life would be better in the capital city of Kampala, only to discover a life even more difficult than the ones they’d left.
If they are spotted on the streets, the police might beat them. The community hates them, leaving these boys unwelcome, unwanted, and unloved at every turn.
Many don’t even know what love looks like.
My team partnered with Raising Up Hope, a ministry begun by a man named Patrick, who grew up on the same streets. He rents a house in the slums for 25 of these boys in hopes of their rehabilitation.
My team was completely overwhelmed and unprepared for the amount of pain that met us the first couple of times we went to the slums. The sight of 10-year-old boys so high they could barely walk was almost unbearable. We questioned whether we could make a difference, and almost didn’t go back.
But we felt the Lord was at work there, so we decided to continue going as long as Patrick would take us.
After all, Patrick grew up there. He was a street kid. And he went back to help the next generation.
Even so, I didn’t look forward to returning the next time my team went to ministry there.
The second I stepped out of the car on my third visit, a sense of peace washed over me. I was not afraid, but ready to share Jesus’ love with these kids. Patrick met us in the area where the boys usually gather with sad news:
The police had been rounding the kids up and taking them to the children’s prison, where they were basically being used as lab rats for medical testing.
Over 100 boys had been arrested so far.
When I heard this, an odd, protective instinct came over me. I thought, “Um, don’t mess with my boys. Let’s get them out of here and over to the safe house.”
I didn’t really know how to interpret this feeling, because just 10 minutes earlier I was afraid of them.
So we rounded up as many boys as we could find and walked with them to the safe house. Along the way they held our hands and talked with us. The first time I visited, I really, really did not like holding their hands. It made me very uncomfortable.
This time, however, I found myself reaching for their hands, letting them know that they are important, worthy, and deserving of love.
After about a 10 minute walk, we arrived at the safe house where I began doing medical outreach. Soon after, Patrick came out asking if anyone spoke French. A French-speaking family was inside and he needed to gather some basic information about them.
I was the only person who knew even a little bit, but it had been 3 years since I last studied the language in school. I was not confident in my French at all, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try, so I went inside. My French was terrible and elementary, but I was able to learn their names, ages, where they came from, and a little bit about their story, and then relay the information the Patrick so he could figure out how to help them.
This was an incredible moment for me. Being able to help in such a tangible way was one of the most meaningful things I have done all month. I could tell that the older boys in the family appreciated being able to communicate their story, even if just a little bit.
After handing out food to the kids, it was time for us to leave. I was actually so sad to leave. I walked away feeling so alive and energized. I felt so much love and protection for those boys that could literally only come from the Lord.
This change is such a testament to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I felt the Lord telling me on that first day that he had something to teach me in the slums. I am so thankful for how he gave me eyes to see and a heart to love the boys as he does.
At first, all I saw was drug addiction, abandonment, rejection — and my own fear and inability to make a difference. But after spending time with those boys and knowing their names, I’ve seen so much more: hope for their future and most of all, a glimpse into the depths of God’s love for them.
*All photos by Hannah Henderson
When have you seen God work through you in an unexpected way?
Do you feel called to share hope with those who need it most? Click HERE to find out how to go on the World Race in 2016!
