Our Children

We have three plus three kiddos!  The Lord has blessed us with three wonderful biological children.  And those three lovely children hand picked three children to add to our family.  The three “extra” kiddos obviously don’t live with us.  They don’t claim our last name.  They don’t even live in our country.  Their pictures are proudly displayed on our fridge at home (in the states), we pray for them nightly (like we do our own children), and their well being is certainly very concerning to us.  

Our three “extra” children are our sponsored children through the Father’s Heart Program of Family Legacy Missions.  

We are proud to announce the names of our three kiddos:  

Simon

Agness (known as Aggie)

Martha

We were able to visit two of our kiddos this weekend.  We plan on visiting our Simon next weekend.  We went to the local supermarket and bought  food for the children’s families.  We took all three kids and gave them carts and we divided the food among them equally.  Another gal, Robin, joined us b/c she has sponsored children in the same area as our girls.  

We are leaving the market with carts FULL of food.  Kapenta (dried fish-yuck), tomatoes, sugar, cabbage, onions, beans, frozen chicken, mealie meal (to make nsheema), eggs, etc.  We spent 400,000 on each child.  🙂  But 400,000 Kwacha is equivalent to $80 US dollars.  Still having trouble saying “a thousand” for small money exchanges.  

Our beautiful Martha and our Little Miss.  Martha’s Discipleship Leader told us that when Martha’s Uncle brought her to the CRC (Community Resource Center) at 9:30am, she cried and attempted to run home.  She was fearful that she would be left there.  The DL told her that her Muzungu (white person) was coming to visit her.  She failed to tell our sweet girl our names.  She did not know what was going on!  We were late so when we did finally arrive, 2 hours later, that little girl ran around the corner and embraced me.  I kissed and kissed her soft cheeks.  I saw  her three weeks ago at camp but this reunion was super super sweet!  And after hearing her agony that morning, the reunion was extra special.  

Martha hopped on the bus with us and we went to her house to deliver the food. 

We finally found Aggie!  The DL found her mom’s house but apparently she has been staying with her father and( not so nice) step mother.  WE found out later that she has been mistreated by her step mother.  Not sure of the severity of all of this.  Our Pumpkin did discover a big and nasty burn on her leg.  We tended to the sore using my wee little first aid kit.  Agness would never tell us what happened other than she got burned.  

This is inside Martha’s wee little house.  It is basically a 11×11 room.  There is a thin pallet on the floor, a cook stove (a tin can on top of coals, and clothes hanging up on a line).  No electricity.  Martha shares this abode with her grandmother and 12 year old cousin, Esther.  The grandmother was apparently away “farming” and the 12 year old cousin is tending to 7 year old Martha.  

Martha standing in her doorway. 

Pumpkin gave Aggie a jacket.  She was so proud! 

Our family with Aggie, her sister, Anna, and her mother.  The mother is not able to support the children so she is forced to send the kids to live with their dad and step mother.  I am greatly concerned about what we found out.  We are praying for wisdom in what steps we take to help this sweet girl and her family.  

We had a great family day visiting our sponsored children. It was definitely one of our favorite days here in Zambia so far.  I am impressed with the services offered through our Father’s Heart Program.  Of course keeping up with sponsored children and their whereabouts is challenging!   Even with the flaws (dealing with the Zambian culture), I see the good $40 per month can do.  And hearing all of the goals/dreams for the program, makes me more excited for the possibilities for sponsored children, esp. in the area of education.  

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE consider being a sponsor for a Zambian child.  We have so many children close to our hearts that we can match you up with.  Let us know if you want more information!