05/23/2026
The quietness in the volunteers who had returned from their walkthrough in Enugu was almost louder than words. From their expressions alone, it was clear that something had happened along the way.
During their walkthrough, they met a 12-year-old boy named Chidera. Sadly, he has already lost both of his parents and now survives by living with a small group of boys who work as scavengers. Every day, they go out to pick scraps, which they sell to pay for food and a place to stay.
The volunteers invited Chidera to join them as they returned to the rest of the volunteers, and later that day, he joined the boys’ small group session. During the group, they focused on the theme of foundations and the importance of correcting the foundations of our lives. They asked Chidera to share his own story and share where he came from. As he spoke, everyone was shocked and deeply moved by the painful experiences he had already gone through at such a young age.
Chidera spoke about what he described as repeated patterns of madness and death within his family. Hearing these words from a twelve-year-old broke their hearts. Life had forced him to grow up too quickly and learn how to survive on his own when he should still be enjoying the safety of childhood.
Other boys joined in to share their experiences. Afterwards, the leaders of the group told them the story of the Israelites and the Midianites, and how God raised Gideon to deliver his people. By the end of the discussion, Chidera said he believed that if he could follow God, he too could become like Gideon. His faith and hope left a deep impression on the whole group.
Deep within each slum, there are young people like Chidera. Young people waiting for the chance to be seen, known, and invited into a life lived with Jesus. As the Lord speaks to these young people, he raises them as leaders in their communities, just like Gideon.
Chidera was living in a situation with very little hope until a team member connected with him one day, and invited him to a small group. Jesus met Him there, and everything changed.
His story isn’t rare. There are billions of young people around the world, waiting for someone to show up.
That might sound overwhelming, but change often starts smaller than we think. When you use what’s already in your hands, you can help a young person discover hope and purpose, too. Learn more today at
https://hubs.ly/Q04gNlXm0
