Today was a banner day at the Boys detention center at Shikusa. What at time Garth and Danielle and Val and I had. First we met for an hour with the entire staff of Shikusa. We have never done this before and I really felt I had a word. They were deeply moved and so were we. I so admire this group of people who are working in this remote place trying to shape the character of boys who don’t know the meaning of the word. As I began my comments to them I commented to them that I would never have the opportunity in America to speak to a group of prison guards about the Lord Jesus Christ. These kinds of open doors are one of the reason this I so love it here.
After our time with the staff we spent the next hour and a half with the boys. Our driver had dropped us off and ran back to town to pick up a full band and a bunch of gift for the boys. I already had a number of basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and even an American football to give them, but they have not seen a roll of toilet paper in over a month. They were out of soap and disinfectant! Don’t asking what they were using when they went the bathroom, I don’t even want to think about it. We had a tremendous time of worshipping and celebration with the boys. One of the boys is now the worship leader among the boys and he is really something. He speaks perfect English, has a great voice and knows a lot of great songs. What a God send! Dr. George was the MC and he felt inspired to have our piano player, a thin young man named Wycliff, come up and give his testimony. Little did George know what he was unleashing in the room. Wycliff gave one of the most powerful and gutsy testimonies I have ever heard. When God found him he was a drug addict, a thief and totally immoral. On a certain day a pastor felt an overwhelming urge from God to come to his house. He marched right in the door and began to share the gospel with him. Wycliff said, I had always hated this stuff, but on this day God gave me a gift! “It all made perfect sense to me and I fell down on my knees and gave my life to Christ. He continued to encourage the boys and then he asked “How many of you are saved?” About 1/3 of the hands went up in the room, then he boldly said “How many of you are not saved? After a long silence a few hands began to go up. Then Wycliff said; O.K.! If you would like to receive Jesus come up here and get on your knees. More than 25 boys jumped to their feet, ran to the front, fell on their knees and received Christ with weeping. Not the subtle approach you and soft sell you and I are used to, but believe you me, even I wanted to get on my knees and pray!
After this all of us on the team shared with the boys. Each one had a great word. I then presented our gifts to them. They were very happy about the balls, but I think even more happy to see 200 rolls of toilet paper. It’s the little things that matter.
We then prayed with several of the boys who were having spiritual problems. One poor boy who had arrived just today and was scared out of his mind, he needed prayer, assurance and love and he found it in Valerie’s loving touch. Another boy was having psychotic problems because several months before a group of policeman grabbed him and made him climb a tree and cut down a man who had hanged himself. They didn’t want to do it themselves so they made this poor boy do it. The PTSS of this event had touched off all kinds of terrible things in his mind. We prayed for his deliverance and for his healing. We believe he was really touched by God! We’ll ask about him later.
We wound everything up with tea with the Commandant, who was beyond appreciative for our coming. What a great day in Kenya!
All our love,
Richard and Val