SAD REALITY

"No man is an island," or so many of us have heard. Not only that, but some people are magnets, who attract love and friendship. Titus Kioko is such a person. He lived on the Eastleigh streets in Nairobi from a young age. He got along well with older guys on the streets and was favored by them, partly because he would do things they wanted. As a result, he had some control over kids his own age, and he was well treated - for the streets. He go the nickname "kibaba" or "little father" as a result of this.

Many visitors from the USA, as well as the Team of Made in the Streets, like Titus a lot. We have many pictures of Titus with visitors. He is featured on the cover of the MITS brochure that we give out so people will understand our ministry, seated on an old tire in front of the MITS building in Eastleigh, stoned on glue. In spite of his constant glue usage, and his penchant for stealing, he was well liked.

He eventually came to live with MITS at Kamulu in the boys' residence hall. He cleaned up really nicely, learned to speak English very well, and would sometimes do translation for visitors. The Team at Kamulu began to think of him as a potential leader, maybe as one who would some day work at MITS. He had natural leadership abilities that everyone thought could be sharpened so that he would be a skilled leader. His prayers were beautiful; after the local Member of Parliament forcibly seized land from MITS, he prayed regularly for the salvation of that man. One of our visitors remembers talking to Titus about preaching, and Titus

seemed very interested. He chose to study auto mechanics at MITS, but he continued to lead prayer and participate in spiritual events.

But as Titus grew older, especially as he approached eighteen, his former ways began to come out again. He began to steal again, and he began to encourage boys to run away any time they expressed displeasure with something. Various Team members counseled with him, and various disciplines were used to encourage change. After he reached 18, our Team attempted to help him find work. But when he left us, he went back to live on the streets in Eastleigh.

Last week, Titus snatched a cell phone from a Somali living in Eastleigh. As he ran away, a policeman, whom Titus had not noticed, pulled his gun and fired. Titus is with us no more, and we are sad. But we also know a great reality. Titus was given opportunity to make something good of his life, and God was there for him. We at MITS are so glad to be on that front line where people are given opportunity, and choice. We are left with sweet memories of someone we love, with sadness for someone we lost, and with renewed determination to give at least one more young person the chance for a new life.