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The City of Refuge
Missionary Kim Puffpaff walked into the house called the City of Refuge, where
they housed boys who had nowhere to go. The boys sat eating their lunch, but
then Kim saw something very strange. One of the older boys, Kemar, and two
of his friends were not eating. She found this strange because she knew how
hungry boys can be! It was hard to imagine that these older boys would give
up their chicken and rice.
The City of Refuge was created by missionaries Steve and Kim Puffpaff in 2002.
Three years prior to that, God placed a burden in their hearts for the street
children in the inner city of Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. One particular
boy came to the service every Sunday. He was 15 years old, and he always wore
girl’s clothing. He would sit in the balcony and not let anyone come near to
him. But every altar call, he would come forward and cry at the altar.
Soon the boy built a cardboard lean-to next to the church to sleep in at night.
He said it was the only place he felt safe. Steve and Kim began to give him odd
jobs around the church so he could earn lunch money.
One day as Kim was walking through the church, she passed the boy. Suddenly
the Lord spoke to her in a powerful way. He said, “Feed him.” Kim knew the
Lord was telling her to give him something more than just lunch money for
the day. God wanted her to make a difference in this boy’s life. Through this
experience, the City of Refuge Children’s Home was created.
The name “City of Refuge” came from Joshua 20, where the Lord told the children
of Israel to set up cities of refuge where people could escape an avenger.
Steve and Kim felt that the children who came to the City of Refuge needed
to escape from the avenger, Satan, who wants to destroy the lives of young
children. They use Psalm 8:2 as their theme verse: “From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise, because of your enemies, to silence the
foe and the avenger.”
Steve and Kim teach the children about the power of praise and worship to destroy the enemy. They tell them that Jesus is more powerful than the devil,
and He can do anything!
Most of the children who come to the City of Refuge have been abandoned.
That means their parents have either left them or are not able to care for
them. Many of the parents come from poverty-striken areas. Some are drug
addicts or are mentally ill. Some of the parents have died, so the children have
no one to take care of them.
Kemar was among those whom Steve and Kim minister to at the City of
Refuge. He had come to the City of Refuge two years earlier, abandoned by his
mother and left in a neighbor’s yard with his little brother, Rojel. His first day
at the City of Refuge, Kemar wanted to fight everyone and acted like he was
going to be the bully on the property. He had not been to church much and
did not know Jesus.
Then one day in children’s church, Kemar asked Jesus to forgive him of his
sin and come into his heart. He was also filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus has
really changed Kemar’s life. Many times in children’s church, God will speak
to Kemar, and Kemar will share words of encouragement to the other children
and even to the staff. Kemar has a burden for his country, Jamaica, and he
wants everyone there to be saved.
But on this particular day, Kim found Kemar and two of his friends sitting in
the lunch room, not eating. “Why aren’t you eating?” she asked them. They all
said, “We are fasting, Miss Kim.” Kim had never taught them about fasting, so
their answer took her by surprise. “Why are you fasting?” she asked.
Kemar responded, “Miss Kim, I want to preach the gospel every day of my life.
I am fasting so Jesus will let me do that.” Kim was amazed. Then Kemar said, “And Miss Kim, if I am going to be a preacher, I will need a black suit. Will you
buy me one?” Her response was, “Of course! Yes! How many do you want?”
God has done an awesome miracle in Kemar’s life. Pray that he will become
a great preacher in Jamaica and that many will come to Jesus because of his
ministry. Because of your giving to BGMC, boys and girls like Kemer are being
reached with the gospel. BGMC helps to feed and clothe kids all over the
world. BGMC also helps to supply the equipment and supplies needed in many,
many orphanages around the world. Thank you for giving to BGMC!
Information for this story was provided by missionary Kim Puffpaff and is
used with permission from Assemblies of God World Missions.
©2007 The General Council of the Assemblies of God. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce and adapt lesson components for exclusive use in the local church. Any other use requires written permission. |
