Mercy Akello from the Abim district among the Karamojong is a 26-year-old missionary reaching out to the Karamojong children in Kampala, Uganda.
Reaching out to street kids doesn’t need only passion, but also persistence since these kids often become unruly.
Mercy has been facing many challenges though God has been faithful to her.
Reaching out the Karamojong from the streets to the school, Mercy is volunteering
to teach the Word of God through the chronological booklets. The students’ love for the Word of God in the booklets is great. Adit Perez, a 15-year-old, narrates her story:
“I have never known anything except war. Being born in a war zone in Kotido, my father used to be a thief and the entire village knew him. The government was always looking for him in all corners of Uganda.
One day, I remember my mother talking to him about stopping to steal cows because that would claim his life. Reluctantly, he replied that he would stop only if he would no longer have this source of income. He would lead a team of thieves as far as among the Turkana and the Samburu in Kenya.
Four years ago, my father was killed when he went to steal in a nearby village in Karamoja called Agile. The government was waiting for him, and my father was caught, killed with a gun. Later, villagers stormed into our home with the remains of my late father, having cut him into small pieces before burning him.
We were forced to leave as they also burned our house down. Since then, I do not know where my mother and other sisters are. I had four siblings.
I lost hope in life. I wanted nothing except to die. I just started walking, and after a time, a man carried me in his truck to Kampala.
For three years, I lived on the streets of Kampala. During the day, I walked on the streets looking for food, and at night, I slept under porch awnings.
Now, I have the Word of God. I have hope to love and live again. I want to be in the good tribe, God’s tribe. I want to show love to others by sharing with them the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If only my father had known the Word of God, he could have changed and made the best decision. We would not have been struggling in Kampala. I would be in school as my passion is to be a social worker and share the Gospel to the lost Karamajong.”
Together, the class wept because the story of this girl is similar to most of their stories. Thank you for great hope given to the Karamojong children on the streets of Kampala through the chronological booklets
Mercy Akello