Meet Bhandera. His full name is Steve Bhandera but everyone calls him Bhandera. He is 24 years old and is one of the guys we’ve been living with this month. The first thing you will notice about him is his encouraging, affable nature and his friendly laugh. When he was 16 he went to the streets because his mom couldn’t provide for him. He dropped out of school and would beg to make money. At first it was on-and-off because his mom would come find him and bring him back home, but eventually she allowed him to do as he wanted.
Meet Samaritan’s Trust. Samaritan’s Trust is an organization which finds orphans and vulnerable/abused children and offers them education and trade skills. They provide a bed, food, and fellowship, and teach basic subjects like mathematics and trades like brick-making, tailoring, and carpentry. A worker from Samaritan’s Trust found Bhandera on the streets two years ago and took him in. He was able to continue the education that he had abandoned for the streets: history, biology, geography, and the likes. We got to visit the bed where Bhandera slept in the dorms at Samaritan’s Trust and where he would dream “about my future” as he fell asleep. Bhandera’s dream is to come to America and manage a business that sells electronics. Although Samaritan’s Trust isn’t affiliated with a religious group Bhandera was also able to be mentored by godly men during his time here.
Meet Jarvis. Jarvis is our host here in Malawi. He is a tall man with a huge smile and carries the joy of the Lord. He is the pastor at Life Church and runs Life Child, where we are working this month. Jarvis went to Samaritan’s Trust to preach several months ago and saw how Bhandera was encouraging the other boys around him. He invited Bhandera to come work at Life Child since his education at Samaritan’s Trust was almost finished, and that brings us to the present moment. It’s about 7 pm here in Blantyre and it is already pitch-black outside. We are hosting a poetry slam and this is one of the poems Bhandera wrote for tonight:
I am searching for a better world. A world without violence where the door turns to be friends forever. War is the mother of poverty. Let’s believe in dialogue, to search for peace and justice – it’s a sign of peace. Let’s be like rainbow colours. Colours of hope, colours of peace, colours of unity: rainbow colours.
Let’s believe in togetherness. Doing things together. Reading the Gospel together. Doing charity works together. Just like rainbow colours. That’s all we need. Colours of hope, colours of peace, colours of unity: rainbow colours.
Let’s continue loving one another as our Lord Jesus Christ did to us. When one is in trouble lets provide our shoulders for those who are in trouble to lean on. When one of us is on slippery ground, let’s provide a stepping stone for her to pass through. All things like rainbow colours. Colours of hope, colours of peace, colours of unity: rainbow colours.
By: Steve Bhandera
