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Mission Society missionary Michael Agwanda coordinates Life for Children Ministry (LCM) in Kenya, which he founded. This outreach provides food, housing, healthcare, education, and spiritual nourishment to the children with whom it works. Through LCM, orphans are reintegrated into loving homes with their extended families.

Here, a LCM staff member shares a story of the rescue of a street child and the hope he now has for the future.

Smith and his three siblings were born into a hard-working family. His father toiled in the fishing industry, while his mother undertook a small business of selling vegetables. But, like thousands of other children in Kenya, Smith and his siblings became orphans, and life dramatically changed for all of them.

Smith had once had hopes and dreams. He had performed well in school and desired to further his education. However, how could he pay the required fees for school when there was no money even for food?

Smith’s uncle and aunts later separated the four children and took them into their homes to care for them. Smith went to live with an aunt and continued his education. After Class 8, he moved up to Secondary, hoping his tuition fee would be paid. However, his aunt did not have the money, and Smith was not able to go to Secondary. Smith desperately wanted to pursue an education, so he relocated to a village to live with another uncle and aunt. Quite often they were without food, and there was no money for Smith’s school fees.

The frustrations and tough circumstances prompted Smith to seek an alternative life, and he found himself living on the streets of Kisumu when he was 16 years old. It was surely God who led him to the Street Feeding Program sponsored by Life for Children Ministry. There, he was given a hot meal to fill his stomach and a message to feed his soul. He learned about God’s love, and God’s plans to prosper him, plans to give him hope and a future.

It was at the Street Feeding Program that Smith met Tonny, LCM’s street minister, and Smith shared his story. Tonny was so moved by Smith’s story that he reported it to the director, Michael Agwanda, and the LCM staff. They, in turn, communicated with some LCM supporters who reached out to help Smith attain his education by paying his school fees and providing his uniform.

Smith has not disappointed his new “family.” When the results for Form 4 National Exams came out, Smith had earned a grade of B overall with 69 points. With these grades, Smith should be invited to a university, tuition free! Tonny beamed that this was a startling performance for a boy who had lost hope and given up on life. Smith now has high hopes of entering a university to pursue a bright future. He is praying that he can further his education and be both a challenge and a testimony to many.

Smith said, “I want to take this time to express my heartfelt gratitude to God and the director of LCM for believing that, with the help of God, even the less fortunate can soar high and do better in education.”

The Street Kid Program, started in 2010, lacks the funds to continue feeding the street children of Kisumu. Please join us in praying that God will raise up donors to help keep this vital program going.

To make a donation, go to http://streetkidsofkenya.org/ or Life for Children Ministry.