A Life For The Street Kids
In Bogotá, Colombia

Thoughtful Angelika... Yet I know her: she is a real happy person!

Angelika Walker grew up in a small town in southern Germany together with 2 more siblings. Already as a 5-year old girl she wanted to become an educator for children and it turned out to come true. At the age of 8, she had the impression as if she should go into the mission field. Yet she didn't know that it was God who had put this desire into her heart. But in 1987, it became tangible: Through a vision God talked to her and said: Don't only pray for the kids in Colombia - go and help them personally! After 7 years of preperation, time had finally come. In February 1994, her church back then in the city of Duisburg sent her out to Colombia . Every beginning is difficult. This was also true for Angelika. Getting to know the language and culture, loneliness, feeling misunderstood - all of that had to be overcome. Sometimes it was only the assurance of God having sent her there that kept her going and she wanted to be obedient. Yet God gives more to those who are loyal in small things.

A little later in 1994, Angelika accomodated the first 2 youths - kids that nobody wanted to care for. There are thousands of them in Colombia. In the beginning of 1995, the ministry of Mercy Mission was officially accepted by the government and thus brought into being.

Children and youths should get a new home. One mother for the many - this word began to be fulfilled: 57 kids and youths have already been living in two houses and one appartment! Right now, there are about 35 kids living there. Many have already finished school or other education and are able now to take care of themselves.

It is important for Angelika as the leader and founder of this ministry to form a team of staff and train them, in order to deploy them according to their gifts. Her heart beats for the body of Christ to take up their responsibility for the weak, abandoned and orphaned.

This is one of the typical slum areas in Colombia. They are called "pueblos de lata" -
"tinned villages"... I guess I don't need to explain why...

Most of the kids living in Mercy Mission come from slum areas like this one. At some point though, they even lost this kind of dwelling which made them go to live on the streets. In the reports on the kids you'll learn what they had to go through like this: sleeping in phone booths or brothels alone or with one parent as money wasn't enough for anything better. Cardboard boxes, part of the canalization system or sometimes only the naked pavement of a street is the only thing many kids can sleep upon...