After raising three kids, an 18-year-career, and the death of my husband, I began to feel restless with the status quo. At first I thought it was just a mid-life thing, or at the very least a fleeting desire for change after my three children had married and started families of their own. I was wrong.
In 2004 I began to pray and seek God to discover what this was all about. I invited a few close friends to join me. Over the next two years God revealed that His desire for me was full time ministry. Thus began a process of surrender and exploring.
My journey began safely; I started by checking out several familiar ministries that matched my comfort zone. God was patient. He waited until I said, “Whatever, whenever, wherever,” and meant it. In the summer of 2007 it was clear. Africa. Go.
When I connected with Africa Inland Mission the Lord opened doors at such an amazingly fast pace that there was no doubt He was leading me. My desire was to work with children-- specifically orphans, affected by HIV/AIDS. In Windhoek, Namibia, such an opportunity arose. I left my home in Orlando, Florida, in October, 2008, and began working with Family Hope Services (FHS), a sanctuary for children impacted by poverty, tough home environments, and HIV/AIDS. At FHS children who are labeled “orphaned” or “vulnerable” can get a hot meal, receive educational assistance, hear the Word of God, and find love.
FHS has a total of 450 registered children, fifty of whom have been blessed with individual sponsors who pay their annual school fees, purchase their school uniform and provide personal care items such as toothpaste and soap.
And so God is doing an amazing thing in my life. He is enabling me to make a difference by using my gifts. My love of writing and photography is put to good use through the monthly FHS Newsletter that I write, publish and distribute through email each month. I have come to know and love many of the children through interviews with them as I write their stories for the newsletter.
These published articles have resulted in every child that has been featured receiving a sponsor.
Administratively, God has used me to develop and manage the sponsorship program for the families who are unable to pay their child’s school fees.
