I live at the boundary of two communities on the edge of one of Africa’s great cities, Nairobi, Kenya: To one side of my home lies Karen, one of Nairobi’s wealthiest suburbs, named for Karen Blixen, the colonial aristocrat whose story many westerners know. To the other side lies Dagoretti, an indigenous community where almost everyone is very poor, where there is no proper shelter and few sustainable jobs. Not many westerners know their stories.
For the last six years I have worked with street children in Dagoretti. Our organization meets children on the streets of Dagoretti, helps them get an education or a job, which in many cases means getting free from addictions (such as glue) that control their lives.
One of the most important words in my life is “patience.” So often I have come close to running out of patience, and giving up on a young person.
At one of our leadership gatherings hosted by CTM, I talked about a young man who used to peddle drugs in our community, and all the effort we had invested over several years to help him improve his situation. One thing (among many) that we did was to help him start a small business in the market to sell sugar cane. Some of my colleagues strongly disagreed with the choice to help him in this way, because it cost us a great deal of money. But I was sure that he could succeed, so I talked everyone into supporting the project.
After our big investment of both time and money, the business never came close to succeeding. It seems like this guy is just too lazy to work. His entire life he has survived by selling drugs, and doesn’t really know how to do real work. So what does he do now? He has promised not to go back to a life of drugs, and yet he doesn’t know any other way. And now he has lost our money, and he is ashamed.
So what does he do? He hides from me. And I worry about him. Our community is hard on young men like this. Just three weeks ago armed gangsters shot down a police man in Dagoretti, and so the guy who replaced my friend in the drug business was, in turn, shot by the police. My friend cried when he heard that, because he knew it could easily have been him.
I’ve wanted to give up on this guy – and others like him – so many times. But for some reason it appears that God has given me love and commitment for them. And so we remain patient, and hope for a change. I don’t really know why, because this guy may never change. But I think that this kind of patience is a special gift from God. And for that I am grateful – both to God, and to the young people in Dagoretti who God uses to help me become more loving and patient.
James Njoroge
is one of the leaders of Dagoretti 4 Kids
The bottles above the window represent kids that D4K has helped to give up sniffing glue.
He has lots more bottles packed away in boxes.
And he has lots of wonderful stories to tell.
Comments (3)
James,
As I read your reflection, and gaze upon the glue bottles on your shelf...all I can muster to say is "Thank you."
Keep sharing your stories with us my brother.
Posted by El Mexicano | August 26, 2007 6:28 AM
Posted on August 26, 2007 06:28
James,
I was in Kenya last June with the Mile High Ministries team and I saw both of those communities. I saw Karen and its large houses and I walked through the slums with some of your leaders. I saw many young people that day who were on that glue, so seeing those glue bottles of those who have given up shows the tremendous work you all are doing. I thank you for not giving up on people even though everyone else does or wants too. Its because of people like you that people still have hope. (Tumaini) D4K are truly some real heroes that we need to hear more about. May God continue to bless your work done there.
Posted by Vince aka Chente | August 27, 2007 7:22 AM
Posted on August 27, 2007 07:22
Dear James,
Thanks for such encouragement. I participated in a drug rehab ministry helping Chinese speaking durg addicts. Yesterday I had lunch with a person who returned to take drug after clean for 2 years. I know that is a norm, somehow, I felt discouraged, thank God for your testimony.
I will ask for the gift of patience.
Esther
Posted by Esther Fan | November 16, 2009 11:11 PM
Posted on November 16, 2009 23:11