by: Mike Krick | Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships (originally published in 2014)
World Orphans partners with two churches in South Africa. It has been a joy to watch these churches provide wholistic care for the children they serve. They are truly bringing hope to the hopeless by providing food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, counseling, and most importantly, the gospel of Jesus!
Our partners face daily heartache because of the immense love they have for the children in their care. Allow me to share a letter and a modern day psalm from one of the pastors:
We are honored to partner with dynamic people who are moved by the compassion of Jesus Christ. We praise the Lord for this divine connection, that in his omniscience, he has chosen a partner that cares for those that are broken and mangled. We consider you treasured friends who honor God’s Word and reach out to touch the lives of innocent children. We submit before the almighty God and express from our spirits our gratitude for his favor in this Godly partnership. We thank God daily for allowing his faithful servants to provide help to our AIDS infested area. We firmly believe that the hand of God, through precious and selless souls, will help rescue the orphans of South Africa.
Every day, children in our care that leave their homes for school say a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for our partners.These innocent children that are supported by our partners are unable to give anything in return, yet they in one accord raise their voices praising the Lord for their friends that have made a difference to their lives. Many of the children have been sexually abused and are now infected with AIDS themselves.These children are wonderful children to be with, yet AIDS has robbed them of life. It is such a painful thing to see them suffering, but we are trusting in God’s goodness.
It is a tremendous privilege to co-labor with a pastor such as this. A pastor who daily sees abuse, neglect, disease, and sorrow. But yet, a pastor who also sees the goodness of God through it all and clings to the promise of our heavenly Father: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” God’s love conquers even the worst evil that this pastor so often sees.
2023 Update // BY MIKE KRICK
Ten years later, many South African children continue to struggle with abuse, poverty, HIV/AIDS, abandonment, and trauma. However, South Africa continues to be blessed by churches that are on the front lines making a difference. One of those churches is Christian Life Centre, just outside of Durban. The pastor of this church wrote the article above, and he and his wife continue to faithfully serve this same community where the Lord has placed them.
The ministry in this community has consistently grown and impacted children and families. Just last year, they were burdened to start a new ministry through the church. The specific goal of the ministry was to provide hope to young women who are at high risk of falling victim to the sex trade and prostitution.
Christian Life Centre identified ten at-risk young girls in their community. They are between the ages of 15 and 18. The program exists to help provide educational assistance, emotional support through trauma counseling, and ensure that they are in a safe living environment and physically healthy. One of the more unique parts of the program is economic assistance. This is not in the form of a “handout,” but rather in the form of empowering them to become all that God created them to be. The church is actively working with caregivers who are providing real-life skills training so they can see the value in working with their hands as a result of God-given gifts and abilities.
More importantly, because this is all done through the local church, these young ladies are hearing the transformational hope of the gospel. As a result, their stomachs are not the only thing being fed; their souls are being fed. They are being mentored and discipled. Their young lives are being transformed because they have been seen and heard by a church that is alive and active. A church whose heart is broken for the things that break the Father’s heart. A church that is not content to sit down and watch, but a church that has decided to get up and move.
This article was originally published in the World Orphans Fall Insight Magazine 2023.