From Child Bride to Proud Student

“Mom!” *Peter was breathless as he took the hand of one of our children's workers. “I’ve just seen my cousin here. I’m so happy. She was to be married two years ago when she was 11 but now I see she’s in school and is doing very well.” 

Peter is a young man who is himself familiar with hardship. He was born in the same village as his cousin *Anna but after his Dad passed away, his mother remarried and moved to a distant village leaving him in the care of his elderly grandmother and his uncle. Peter did his best to be a good boy but his uncle was very abusive and by the time he was 14, he could no longer take it. One night he slipped away and ran to Kakuma, a town he had only heard of up to that point. 

Once there, Peter became one with the boys who lived in the streets. In the morning they would look for the branch of a specific tree they could sell as a natural toothbrush. They would work hard all day and try at least to get enough that they could buy some food in the evening. For months, he survived like this but one day as he was making his rounds, he had no customers and in the sweltering heat, he thought he would faint of thirst. 

Peter decided to step out in faith. He approached a small restaurant and asked the lady for a drink of water. She agreed to give him some on the condition that he washes dishes for her for several hours. Peter eagerly agreed and upon the refreshment, he went to work. After several hours, the lady not only gave him another drink but a hot meal and an offer for a job. Peter readily accepted and stayed with her family for more than years. It was here that for the first time in his life, he wore a school uniform and went to class. Here he also had the opportunity to attend church and get to know the love of His heavenly Father. It was here he found protection from his uncle when he came to town to retrieve him saying he needed Peter’s help with the sheep and goats. 

Unfortunately, after a number of years, there were changes in the family dynamic and Peter was forced to leave. He did any work he could find and stayed with anyone who would allow him, finally settling in the home of a loving Pastor who despite his best efforts was not able to afford school fees for Peter. 

At this point we came into contact. Peter would show up whenever he heard we were in town. Desperately he would beg for a chance in the sponsorship program. I promised him a chance if his grades improved and began to pray desperately that the Lord would help him. He did and Peter was admitted. 

Back in Peter’s village, change was taking place. God had raised up His Glory Ministries and given Pastor Pollard a burden for the people there. Plans were in place to build a school - the first ever and by the end of 2022, the funds had come in to build three classrooms so that close to 200 children could be educated. 

However, there was a problem. When the team went to measure the kids for school uniforms, a group of girls showed up. The girls were wearing the “shanga” or necklace symbolizing they’re to be married. The girls began one by one to remove their shanga. “We’re not getting married,” they said. “We want to come to school.” 

The Lord provided and two additional classes were built. The girls, including Anna went to school, leaving the life and mindset of the village behind them. 

Less than two years later, Anna became a part of our sponsorship program and, along with the other children, she came for our camp in Kakuma town. That is when Peter saw her and came to thank me. He told me how he heard two years ago that the family was really suffering and had decided to marry her off so they could collect the dowry payment and use it to take care of the family’s needs. When Pastor Pollard and the team came with the school, they knew the children would have a place to eat and receive hope for the future. Therefore when Christine showed determination to study. They did not fight back but allowed her to remove the shanga from her neck and canceled all the negotiations for the marriage and she joined school that term. What a blessing that she has now been there for almost two years and is doing very well. What a pleasure to be able to communicate clearly with her in swahili and soon English!