Truth & Lies

11/29/2013 04:15:00 AM sendtheroths 1 Comments

Note: we have changed the names in this post to protect the privacy of the child. 

A section of the Vision Book that the Peacemakers in our program are making is titled 'Truth and Lies'.

The kids are instructed to divide one page of their book in half and think about the negative things that people have spoken over them and what they have said about themselves.

"I am evil like Satan" Mkubwa wrote under the lies section of his book. "I am a Peacemaker" under the truth section of his book.

We ask them if these words are making them into a better person, how those words make them feel and if they believe God thinks the same way. We are slowly trying to teach them about the character of God as not being condemner but a redeemer.

The children write the lies that are spoken over them on one side of the paper. And on the other side to write the Truth about themselves.

In one village, while this was being taught, the mother of one child came to the little shack that we were teaching in.

“He’s a Kadogo! All he does is fight, he’s just going to kill us all.”

The boy freaked out and began storming out of the room. One of the team members stopped him and gently pled with him to sit down, while another one went out and quieted the mother.

He put his hands on his head and looked down.

"Look what this woman is saying about me," he said, continuing to mutter things that I need not repeat on this blog.

Andrew and the team told him that this is an example of what he's learning right now.

"It's a lie," said Andrew, "now put what we are talking about into practice and say what you want to be."

Andrew put the pencils back into Mkubwa's hand.

"Write down what she's saying... Now, write what you are. YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. A CHILD OF PEACE."

The mother was settled down and Mkubwa continued working on his Vision Book.

I can't say that there's been a happy ending to Mkubwa's story, except that Andrew and the team sat with him for 'processing' this week. He listened intently and even prayed with the group.  Mkubwa is a Muslim and he's not ready to become a follower of Christ yet.

He is just one of the many boys in our program who are facing extremely harsh conditions in his home, his society and within himself.

We are learning from social workers and child protection professionals how we can better help boys like Mkubwa by bringing reconciliation inside of himself as well as with him and his community. Terminologies like case management and community based mechanisms aren't so spiritual but they are necessary in making lasting transformation.