Crying in Africa.

Today, one of my best friends at Agape went home. He was the first boy I brought off the street.

Abel and I were down by the lake doing our usual rounds when Abel saw a child. Abel called to him, and Jacktone came. We sat down by a abandoned Hotel, and Abel started talk a 1,000 miles a hour in Lou or Kiswahili. I dont know which. I just sat there, praying that whatever Abel was saying, this young ninja (self given name for the street boys) would listen and understand. My prayers where answered, Jacktone Nimaly became a Agape boy that day. And my life at Agape would never be the same.


Jacktone would greet me almost every morning. Giving me a update on what had happend since I left. "Steve, a boy jumped, someone has made Enos mad, and I slept well." This happend right as I walked through the gate. He and I were good friends for his first 5 weeks at Agape. Then, something change inside him. He got in fights, he started stealing things from other boys, and he started fighting me. This went on for at least three weeks. Instead of giving me a report, he'd give me what he wanted that day, he would bite me, he would kick me, he would hit me. Now. Anyone that knows me, knows that I live in a big family, so getting hit and kicked wasn't a big deal. But how he had been acting was a problem. About week two of this new Jacktone, I prayed, I said "God, Jacktone needs help. Please help him." Nothing happend, except talk of Jacktone being taken to the ramand center. Finally I sat down with Jacktone.

"Jacktone" (me) "yes" (him) "Are you ok? Did something happen? Can i help you?" "Hakuna" (him, and that means nothing)

The next day same thing, and the answer was the same.

A few days later he came up to me. He started hitting me. I don't know why I did this, but I grabbed him and put him in a headlock. He started freaking out. I picked him up, (he is still in a headlock) and walked with him to the fence. I looked down at this boy, a boy that has been truly hungry. A boy that has been truly scared for his life. A boy that didn't have a home. I almost started to cry, instead i sat down let him out of the head lock and watched as he ran, faster then i have ever dreamt of running in my entire life, away from me. Later that day he came up to me. "Steve, why did u kill me?" "Um, if I killed you, you would be dead" "Oh"

After i went home, i was scared. What if he jumps the fence tonight because i did that to him? What if i just ruined that boys life? But then I felt God saying, "That was the right thing to do"

The next day, i walked through the gate and saw Jacktone instantly. "Steve"  "Yes?" (preparing to get punched in the gut)  "No one jumped last night, I gave George his beads back, I gave a t-shirt back to Steven, and Kevin has his tuk tuk's again."

From then on, Jacktone and I were always be each others side. He knows English fairly well, so with my limited Kiswahili he and I could talk easily. He would know what I wanted before I siad it. (Two boys about to fight) A split second before I yelled"Stop!" Jacktone started going off on thes two boys"Somethingsomethingsomethingsomething." (The boys stopped and walked away) Me-"What'd you say?" "That if they hit each other, you were gonna hit them both." "Oh.... Great..." We talked about everything, he knows about almost all my good friends back home and has seen their pics on my iPod. He knows who Jack Johnson is and can sorta sing the courus of Better Together.

But now, he is not at Agape, he is home. I know not where that is, I know not wether he will stay or run back to the streets tonight. All I know is that he is one tough kid, and this kid loves Jesus with all his heart. And i know this kid, will always be in my heart.

Jacktone has taught me things that i will use for the rest of my life, patience,  endurance, love, hate, and joy. This 12 year old child showed me that the love of Jesus CAN CHANGE anybody, into anything.

So, join me tonight as I pray for this child of God. Pray that he would STAY HOME, that he would love his family and that his family would love him.

Today, was the first day i cried in Africa.