The office of Lutheran Hour Ministries—Kenya, known locally as Nuru Lutheran Media Ministry, gets its share of visitors—but for Nuru Director John Maina, a recent visit from three women was particularly meaningful.
"They came in with a lot of hesitation—three ladies looking for an address," he says. "You could perceive their anxiety about institutions. But you would not blame them if you knew their histories. They were keen to meet with our co-workers Christine and Rhoda here, in a less restricted environment; all of their previous meetings had taken place in prison.
"They were all mothers and had participated in a Nuru program called Prison Mums," says Maina. "They had only recently left the Langata Women's Prison, where they had met."
Young mothers who have been convicted of petty offenses are separated from their children and incarcerated at the Langata detention facility. Since Kenya has no social programs designed to provide adequate foster care, many of the children of these women end up among the thousands who walk the streets of Nairobi and other cities.
"Nuru's Prison Mums program reaches out to these young mothers, shares the Gospel of Jesus with them, reunites them with their children as quickly as possible, and helps them begin a process that will equip them to earn a legal living wage," says Maina, who adds, "Our aim is to keep even one more child from having to try to survive on the streets.
"For Rachel, Ruth and Rael, this was a visit to people who meant a lot to them. Nuru's Prison Mums workers—Rhoda and Christine, together with the ministry's volunteers—had introduced them to the Gospel. And the Gospel had changed their lives."
The women's visit means that the change in their lives is set to continue: in this second phase of the Prison Mums program, the women will participate in a support group that will help them make the transition back to society and connect them to Christian congregations.
"Pray for us and our efforts to share the Gospel," says Maina, "and please pray also for Rachel, Ruth and Rael as they seek to rebuild their lives with Christ at the center!"
To learn more about LHM's Nuru ministry, visit http://nurulhm.blogspot.com.