Transformation of Street Boys in Kenya through Business and Church Planting
"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."
- Galatians 6:10
In 2015, we held a church planting and international leadership training for church leaders in Kisii, Kenya. Training resources for simple church multiplication were provided and blessed the people with knowledge that changed their way of doing church. Kefa Moirore is one of the church leaders who attended this training. In this story, we will see how this training influenced Kefa and started helping the street families in Kisii town.
After the training Kefa realized that street families are some of the unreached people groups in society who need a lot of help. They are often forgotten by the church, the government and their other families.
REACHING STREET BOYS LIVING IN KISII TOWN
Kefa started to reach out to some street boys in Kisii town and provided them with food and clothing from his income in his Loafstar Bakery. He also shared with them the gospel on the streets where they live. At times, he helped some youth to earn money for themselves instead of begging on the streets by giving them some income-generating activities. This has included the selling of coffee using a large thermoflask, carry bags or papers and selling groundnuts in the streets of Kisii town. Kefa also offered opportunities and employed them in his bakery. In the process, he encouraged them to learn how to bake doughnuts in the bakery so that they can start their own business if they get an opportunity.
Kefa has even brought some street boys to his home, especially those who had shown signs of changing their lives and abandoning the street. Kefa hoped that when these young men decided to move out from the street, they will have the skills to run the same kind of business on their own or any business that they think they can do. He also discipled some of them on how to become God-loving Christians so they will become self-reliant and good citizens of the country.
Kefa assisted the street boys in venturing into business and gave them some training on how to manage the business properly; training that Kefa himself learned in the Pioneer Business Planting training. He provided each interested boy with money and started their business. In return, these street boys accepted the change in their lives and became followers of Jesus.
Kefa was entrusted with the Kisii Town Church and he made sure that the objective of taking the gospel to the unreached people is taken care of. When he found the street children in Kisii town and started a fellowship with them, the response was very encouraging. The town residents appreciated what Kefa was doing and some joined them as church members.
STREET BOYS RESCUED AND HELPED
Among the street children, Kefa took two of them (Kevin and Daniel) to his home and stayed with his family. After a while, he managed to take Daniel to his uncle who lives and works in Nairobi. They talked about Daniel’s case and agreed that he should go back to school. When they went to Daniel’s former school, Gesiaga Primary School, his former teachers shared with them that Daniel was a bright pupil. Although, they had to take him to a special school for some special attention because of his character of creating problems now and then. Since Daniel is a changed person, the teachers gave them a recommendation letter and got them an approved school for him.
The other boy, Kevin, did not know about his home but he remembered his mother’s home. While they searched for his mother, Kevin continued to stay with Kefa’s family.
Kevin and Dennis
At present, these two street boys’ lives are changed including the other two that are rescued from the streets, Nelson and Dennis. Kevin and Nelson were employed as a conductor of matatus plying (minibus in Kenya). Daniel is a changed person and pursued his education. Dennis got a job as a guard at a hospital and is now married and lives in Nakuru with his wife. All of these four boys did an amazing transformation and are doing well in their lives.
Kefa was able to bring out good results for some people even with the challenges in helping out the street children in Kisii town like financial constraints, and resources like land, residential houses, bed, food and clothing. During the period of Covid, these street families are affected in many ways by the risk of exposing themselves to the virus as they are not capable to provide for them facemasks and sanitizers. The county security also chased them around for containment. Even in the period of Covid, God has protected them as none of them tested positive for the virus.
About the author: Jonathan Nolan is the International Business Director for All Nations International. In this role, he helps church planters in Asia and Africa become self-sustainable and help use business to make disciples. He has been part of All Nations since 2008 and has been doing church planting and business planting in Cambodia, Spain and The Netherlands.
https://allnations.international/b4m
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