One of the most striking examples of sharing and witnessing came from Felix Ngao Nzioka, a member of the Catholic Lay Missionaries (CLM) of Kenya.  He described how CLM work though SCCs for change. Some of the CLM members live in communities in Nairobi’s slums areas as well as in some remote parts of the country such as Marsabit, Turkana and Garissa. He told this story:

One of our lay missionaries served in a slum in Nairobi, Kenya. He coordinated an informal school that also provided meals to children within the slum. They formed a jumuiya (Swahili for “Small Christian Community”) for children who met after school for both prayers and a football game. One day a young girl approached the Catholic Lay Missionary just after prayers and told him that there was a matter she needed to share with him.

The worst had happened to the poor child. Everyone had noticed a change in her disposition, and all attributed it to the recent death of her mother. What nobody realized was that the girl had been sexually abused by her father and this began a few weeks after the family had buried the mother. The Catholic Lay of course took the necessary action and the girl and her siblings were put in a better environment.

The girl could have walked to the coordinator’s office anytime or spoken to any of the volunteer teachers. But she chose to go to her CLM friend in the small community after they had prayed. Such is the impact I find in the SCCs and how informal, friendly and helpful the SCC members are.

Author Country :Kenya
True Story
Location :Nairobi, Kenya
Year of Publication :2016/ Publication :Tangaza Journal of Theology and Mission
Sub Theme :Community, Friendship, Missionaries, Prayer, Sexual Abuse/
Author Name :Felix Ngao Nzioka/
Author City :Nairobi

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