Extending hope to children

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For more than 40 years, Samaritan’s Purse has partnered with Christian ministries around the globe to nurture children and help them discover the plans God has for their lives.

Whether distributing Operation Christmas Child gifts from Canadians or supporting school lunch programs and practical care for orphans and vulnerable children, our goal is to extend hope to children and remind them they are precious to God. 
 

 

 

Showing Unconditional Love

Like thousands of children around the world, Mustafa was a teenager living on the streets of Dakar, Senegal. “I had a very difficult life,” he remembered. “Often I didn’t have anything to eat.”

One day Mustafa heard about a place nearby that helped boys like him – a Christian ministry that works with Samaritan’s Purse.

“The people there took care of me and it touched my heart,” he said. “It really struck me how, although I was a dirty boy who lived in the streets, they had shown love towards me. This act was really powerful.”

Mustafa started to go regularly for meals and a bath, and he began to hear about Jesus. As the months went by, he continued to experience unconditional love and to see it showered on others who also felt discarded and overlooked.

“My own parents rejected me. Others in my country saw me as a thief. But these people welcomed and loved me.”

Although he has never attended school, Mustafa has now learned to read in French and in his native language. He is also working at a restaurant set up by our partner and supported by Samaritan’s Purse that lets boys and young men learn skills and gain work experience.

The transformation has not only been physical, but also in Mustafa’s heart. “In the future, I want to be someone who will preach the word of God,” he said. “I want to proclaim what God has done in my life.”

 

Preventing Exploitation

Trafficking and sexual exploitation of children are evils that devour the innocent and the vulnerable. In Cambodia alone, about 30,000 children are involved in the sex trade. Many are tricked into leaving their villages by someone known to their family, naively following the promise of a good job in the city.

Over the last few years, Samaritan’s Purse has helped support a pastor-created program that protects children by training community leaders about these issues. Hundreds of pastors, teachers, community leaders, and government officials have already participated.

One pastor later recalled seeing a young street boy talking with a foreigner. When the pastor questioned the boy about their conversation, the boy said the man offered to take him to a hotel—an appealing offer for a child living on the streets.

Remembering his training, the pastor counselled the boy, warning him never to accept these types of offers and advising him where he could find help if needed.

 

Building Brighter Futures

At 14 years old, Maria*already had a two-year old son and was expecting her second child. Abused by a family member, Maria was taken from her home in eastern Costa Rica to a ministry in the capital city of San Jose that provides a safe, loving environment for at-risk young mothers and their children.

Once she settled in, Maria began meeting with a Christian counselor, resumed her studies at a school, and received tutoring assistance. While she was at school, her son was cared for by the staff, along with children of other young women in the program.

Strong relationships develop between the staff and families in the program. Milestones are celebrated, including birthdays and baby showers. For Maria, celebrating her 15^th birthday and having her first birthday party was an overwhelming experience. “It was so much fun, I started to cry. I have never felt so special,” she said.

In partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, this ministry works with the young women to upgrade their education, provide trauma counseling, and teach them parenting and vocational skills that will help them re-enter society.

When her daughter was born, Maria was not alone, as one of the staff stayed with her the while she was at the hospital. She and her baby were welcomed back with open arms.

Maria has also noticed many positive changes in her son. “He has become more independent,” she said. “He never used to talk or play, but now he plays and runs and is always smiling.”

She concluded that, “This is the very best place for me. I have a home to sleep in and play with my children where I don’t have to be afraid. They give me lots of support and are helping me to grow so we can have a good future.”

*name changed to protect privacy 

Ways You Can Help
Pray Please pray for the young victims of poverty and exploitation and for our Christian partners working to help them. Pray that these children will come to know the Lord as He brings them peace and safety.		Give Help Samaritan’s Purse continue to bring aid to children who face a bleak and desperate future. Donate Here.