Sensing the need, and seeing children going hungry, without parents, clothing or shelter, out of school and grieving, AFnet launched the humanitarian arm of the ministry; AFnetAid. That was 12 years ago. Today, we are seeing the fruit, as the first among our orphans have started graduating from High School. Some even through College and University! Our hearts are filled with joy and admiration for the effort of each child, as they have climbed from a position of deprivation and no hope, to responsible pre-adulthood, with every much a chance at succeeding in life as the next.
Among those who just completed High School are: Annie Mwape, Mildred Bwembya, Bertha Mofya, Agness Kaleya, Martin Cabala and Loveness Bwalya. Of course, each one has a story about being left without support, without parental guidance and without the safety net of a family. Each one can tell about arriving at the Center; hungry, without clothing or shelter, out of school and grieving. But now they can leave with heads held up high, a High School diploma in hand and a family at the Center who continues to love and respect them.
While each child’s story is unique, and worthy of being told, space allows for only one. Kasuba Chanda arrived on Pastor Henry’s doorstep in 2009 after his father, a refugee from the Congo, died, and left his mother with 6 children to take care of. Taking pity on the boy, Henry took him in, personally supporting him through what the local church could do. And thus Kasuba became the inspiration for us to establish an Orphan Center in Zambia. The Icisubilo Ca Bana Orphan Center opened in 2010 with just over a 100 children.
Sensing his early call for ministry, and seeing his active involvement in the local church, we, with all his care providers have confirmed Kasuba’s desire to become a Pastor. And so in early January 2016, Kasuba was accepted into the Ministerial program at Kaniki Bible University. Upon completion of his studies, Kasuba plans to come back to Mansa to possibly work under the local church, and to help out at the Orphan Center for a year before he would venture into his own work. Kasuba is clearly pastoral at heart and also does well in leading people in Praise and Worship.
But we grieve for the millions of AIDS Orphans still living without hope. Please allow your heart to be challenged by this cry for a response. More than ever we need on-going support commitments to enable us to adopt long-term responsibility for the 1000’s of Orphans around us. Will you help us further help children like Kasuba?
