GOMA, DR CONGO
From Hunger to Hope: When Children Became the Ministers
A Sunday We’ll Never Forget
This past Sunday was one of the most powerful days in the history of our ministry. The courtyard filled with the sound of laughter, worship, and the shuffle of hundreds of footsteps. We had just received our second major shipment of food through the Million Meal Program with Serv International, and the team was ready to serve.
Over the past few months, this food has provided nourishment not only for the 200 children in our care, but also for 12 other orphanages and thousands of families in the surrounding community. In this region, more than two million people face extreme hunger every day. The need is staggering, yet through God’s provision, we are reaching families no one else can reach.
A New Kind of Leadership
What made this day extraordinary wasn’t just the amount of food we distributed. It was who led the effort.
Every child in our care once arrived on the edge of survival. Many came to us starving, sick, or completely alone. On Sunday, those same children became the ones serving others. They welcomed guests, guided them to their seats, and handed out hot meals with smiles that spoke volumes.
This wasn’t just about meeting physical needs. It was about restoring dignity. While many feeding programs around the world distribute food from lines or tents, our children created a table. They offered warmth, joy, and community. Each family not only received a meal that day but also enough food to last for three or four weeks.
Worship in the Midst of Need
After the meal, the children gathered to perform a short program for the community. The younger ones sang and acted out a skit that brought laughter and tears. Then the older children began to lead worship.
Rose, one of our girls who joined the home in 2020, lifted her hands in song, her face wet with tears as she worshiped. Soon, music filled the courtyard. Drums began to beat. Voices rose in praise. Those who had come burdened by hunger and exhaustion began to dance, sing, and celebrate.
What began as a feeding program turned into a moment of joy and revival.
The Power of the Kingdom
That is the difference between simple aid and Kingdom transformation. Every time we look into the face of a child here, we see not just a life in crisis, but a future leader capable of changing their community.
At Children’s Refuge, we believe every act of compassion should point to hope. We feed bodies, yes, but we also nurture souls. We see God’s love made visible when a child who once needed rescue becomes the one doing the rescuing.
Hope That Lasts
As the sun set that evening, our team watched with gratitude. What began with hunger ended in hope. What started as survival became ministry. This is what happens when love meets need. Lives are restored, communities are strengthened, and faith grows.