Costa’s story shows that no matter our current circumstances, we must not lose hope. K TSHIBAKA, OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL USA From Congolese-Australian pastor and community leader, Constantin (Costa) Mukendi, comes a heart-warming and heart-wrenching memoir of resilience, faith, survival, family and love - a journey from orphan to refugee to Australian citizen and giver of hope to his people. Raised in Kasai tribe in Bakwa Ndoba village, Constantin is tragically orphaned as a six-year-old. He could become a street kid but is instead passed from relative to relative. One day something shocks Costa out of his feelings of worthlessness and into realising he might be intelligent and loved after all! A lecture from his disciplinarian brother now hits home: Your school is your mother and father. You must get an education. This becomes Costa’s mantra as he works toward his dreams, facing his inner torments, within a country troubled with poverty, oppression and violence. An experience with Christ’s love and healing reassures him God is with him. In I Could Have Been a Street Kid, Costa reveals with refreshing transparency his life from DR Congo to 11 years in a desolate and corrupt Zambian Refugee Camp to finally re-settlement in the Land Down Under. Will he rest on his laurels in Australia or will he finally be able to bless his people? What Costa does next inspires his fellow Australians and people globally to join him in a vision to alleviate poverty among the Congolese people. An acknowledgement of God’s presence …throughout the most difficult of circumstances REV DR DAVID LODER, GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT QUEENSLAND BAPTISTS This read tells a much bigger story than that of one man - that of refugees and the impacts of war, dictatorships and unrest. G KER OAM, CEO ACCESS COMMUNITY SERVICES LTD
