Here is a description that John wrote about a recent street walk:
It was a rainy Thursday night and I was driving alone to downtown Lusaka to meet some street kids. I was both praying for the kids and also thinking about how crazy this whole thing is – me, halfway around the world, out alone at night, going into the city where I will be the only white face in the crowd. What am I doing here, I thought. Up ahead I saw Adam, a street boy of about 14 years that I have grown to care about. He was wearing the long sleeve shirt I gave him the week before. We hugged and talked casually for a while. Next thing I know I am retrieving the first aid kit from my truck and bandaging up several wounds. Band aids, anti infection gel, alcohol swabs. "Whatever you have done to the lease of these you have done it unto me." These kids get hurt all the time on the street, mostly cuts and scrapes. Believe it or not, I felt privileged to be the one to get to put band aids on these kids and tell them everything was going to be all right. I felt tears for these kids because they have no one to care for them or love them like they need to be loved. Then I read to them (about 15 kids in all) from a story book I brought. It was of African tales with a Biblical/moral lesson, followed by an applicable Bible verse. They seemed to really enjoy them. I wondered how long it had been since anyone read to them. I bought three loaves of bread at the store near by, we all ate together and then it was time to leave (I stayed about an hour and a half). I prayed for them all. Adam and I talked briefly afterwards as I was getting in my truck. He wants me to take him to church on Sunday. I agreed, even though inside I wondered how the church would respond. Adam wears tattered clothes, dirty shoes, and he smells bad. But then I thought of James 2:2-8 about showing partiality. I will pick him up at 10:30am on Sunday. Driving home I prayed for these kids again. As I laid down in bed I wondered what Adam was doing. He does sniff glue at times, though he knows I do not approve. He has a place by the post office under an awning where he and some friends sleep, and where he keeps the small Bible I gave him. I hope that he stays safe and warm tonight, I prayed as I curled up on my nice soft bed. I love this kid Adam. There are hundreds more just like him.
Prayer request:
That my care and concern for Adam would be moved into more action – getting him to a good center where he can go to school and church, or to be reconciled with his mother and seek family counseling if needed.
For a day and a half seminar that I will be speaking at. It is with a local church that works with street kids and I will be speaking on several ministry related topics.
For the new missionary arrivals. We will be helping with their arrival adjustment.
For the Bible study I am leading for the Zambian employees of Action. Every Wednesday for a half hour – studying a few Psalms right now.
For Noel and the kids. They are going into one of the poor compounds one day per week to read to the kids in a school that Action works with.
For close family times – movies together, devotional time, eating out, just to have good time together.
