“I was hurting pretty badly, but since accepting Jesus I feel like I have been transformed.”

Paul Oleniuk
Special to Spur Ottawa

With stories of brokenness constantly displayed on social media and in the news, it is easy to become discouraged. Many people wonder whether it is really worth trying to serve others, in a world so full of pain.

Gloreiose Kagayo, a volunteer with Jericho Road Ministries in downtown Ottawa, turns the question around. She says Christians are to love and serve because that is what God called us to do.

“It’s not a big thing to say, ‘I can do something,’ to go near a person who is suffering and tell them Jesus loves them,” says the mother of four.

Kagayo has seen a lot of suffering. In her native Burundi she worked as a journalist and volunteered helping women and girls trapped in prostitution. Coming to Canada, she thought she had left all that behind. She was shocked to encounter prostitution, drug addiction, and homelessness on her first exploration of Canada’s capital.

“We talked about how Jesus didn’t hate his enemies, but forgave. I saw that she was really changing.”

“People from my church told me about someone who would show me where to share my story and tell others about Jesus,” Kagayo says.

A friend connected her with Ray Desmarais, founder of Jericho Road Ministries. Desmarais and his team host a weekly “coffeehouse” in downtown Ottawa. They offer a full meal, fellowship, music, and an inspirational message.

Originally founded in 1989, the ministry now includes alcohol and drug-free care homes for men with mental illness. They also run the Discipleship House, a successful one-year addiction treatment program.

It was through Kagayo’s work with Jericho Road that God transformed a young woman named Ulonna Onyema. When they met, two years ago, Onyema’s life was scarred with painful experiences. Although she preferred not to elaborate, she told Spur Ottawa she gravely distrusted people and often battled depression and bi-polar disorder.

Kagayo reached out to Onyema and they started meeting regularly. Today, Onyema is immensely grateful for the patience and courage Kagayo showed, encouraging her toward God.

“Progressively, we talk about how Jesus lived and his attitude toward his enemies,” Kagayo explains. “We talked about how Jesus didn’t hate his enemies, but forgave. I saw that she was really changing. It was not me. She started to open up and she was excited to listen to the Word of God.”

“I think the big problem is that we receive love and blessings from God and we want to keep them for ourselves.”

Last fall, Onyema was baptized by Desmarais. She recently completed her high school diploma and hopes to attend college soon.

“When I was at Jericho Road the first time, I felt like all the suffering, all the pain I felt, was released,” Onyema explains. “I was hurting pretty badly because of my past, but since I accepted Jesus into my life I feel like I have been transformed and I have more compassion for other people.”

Onyema often finds herself turning to the Psalms these days, to help her fall asleep at night and wake up with hope for the day ahead.

Despite the countless people still suffering, Kagayo has no regrets about her time invested at Jericho Road. She encourages Christians to actively look for ways to share with others the gifts God has given them.

“I think the big problem is that we receive love and blessings from God and we want to keep them for ourselves,” she says. “But we need to go share our love with others. People need to hear that they are loved, that they are not alone.”