My name is Jim Kramer, 59+ years old, and for 34+ years I’ve had the privilege of working extensively in missions focusing mainly on children and teen ministries here in the US through my local church, the inner cities, Appalachia and in 22 countries. In the last couple of decades, that focus has been directed at caring for handicapped and at risk children primarily orphans. I make no claims on being an expert in orphan care ministry. What is written below is simply from the heart, making an honest attempt to share my observations and feelings about the ministry at the Village of Hope. It is also in no way meant to be the final say in orphan care work and/or ministry. Simply something from my heart about the work God has led Ben and Kathleen to start in Zambia.
In the world today, we are looking at, depending who you talk to, between 143,000,000 and 176,000,000 orphans. They are by far the fastest growing, most vulnerable, and most neglected people group in the world today. There needs to be radical thinking and new models of ministry if we hope to make a significant impact for Christ with these precious children.
In many government run orphanages around the world, we see the children aging out at 16-18 years of age and as many as 90% ending up in prison, drugs, and prostitution within a year. This is roughly the same statistic for children in foster care in America.
As we look at the Orphan Care Ladder you will notice Orphanage Care and Adoption on different rungs of the ladder. There really is not a rung there for what we see at the Village of Hope. I would place the Village of Hope model of ministry on a rung called Permanent Care, as there is no plan to adopt these children out or for them to age out. They are family.
Village of Hope in Zambia is a part of a new wave of ministry that God is using and has the potential to make a real impact in orphan care ministry throughout the world, going beyond Orphan Care; yet by doing so, making Orphan Care more effective and far reaching.
Let’s step back and look at Orphan Care, the three main emphases being:
• Local, National, and International Adoption.
• Orphanages where the goal is for the children to be adopted.
• Orphan Care facilities where orphans are taken in and raised with no goal of adopting them out.
Each of these models of ministry is desperately needed, effective, and important tools for making sharing the love of Jesus with these precious children. Every Church and Christian needs to be involved in Orphan Care as mandated in James 1:27.
What we will be examining today is the third model in which the Village of Hope fits-- taking children in with no goal of adopting them out.
What is it that makes the Village of Hope model of Orphan Care Ministry so effective?
First off, it is a Holistic Ministry; going beyond basic care and education for the children but with very deep roots in the community. The children are being raised as Africans integrated in African culture but with one major difference, they are being raised as strong African Christians, saturated with the love of Jesus and deeply rooted in His Word. They are being trained as leaders and role models for their nation and beyond. The potential here is beyond anything we could ever imagine. These children are our future leaders in Africa.
Our Ministry is to the Orphans, why get involved in the community?
They too need Jesus, is the easy answer. This is where the children grow up, where most likely many will be living as they grow older. God is using the village to impact the entire area with the love of Jesus. As a result of their Hope Club, where many of the children help minister now, as many as 130 children come from the neighboring village, and on Sundays there can be as many as 100+ children at church.
A personal note, I’ve always believed a very effective way to plant a church is to start a children’s ministry. If you minister to adults, they will drag the children to church with them, but if you are ministering to the children, the parents will gladly come to see why their children are be so loved.
How is God using the Village to minister to adults in the Community?
One way is as they develop small micro businesses and partnerships with local businesses and villages. The Village is becoming self-sufficient and providing jobs and income for locals, where before there was no work, today small businesses are being started. There is training in farming and construction and lives are being changed as many, for the first time, are receiving pay checks and, more importantly, for the first time are hearing about Jesus. One great example of that is the Chimwemwe (Happy) Ladies Ministry, where as the ladies make bags, necklaces, etc., they are studying the Word of God.
Again, this is Orphan Care - why get involved in the community and why businesses?
Each day after school the children ages 9 and up go and work 2 hours in one of the businesses, farm, etc. creating a work ethic and giving them business skills. As they grow older, these businesses will provide a livelihood for those who stay in the area or with the skills taught them, the children can start their own businesses.
These businesses are also helping the Village of Hope to be self-sufficient as they grow their own food, raise chickens and beef, supplying them with good nutritious food, providing jobs for those in neighboring villages, and income to support the Village as they sell produce and meat to local markets. It just makes good sense, giving the children every opportunity to succeed both spiritually and in everyday life as they are given the tools, confidence, and opportunity to make a difference
Why not give money/funds to needy folks in the local villages instead of pouring all these dollars into caring for these children?
Our goal should always be to share the love of Jesus first; life on earth is only for a season followed by eternity. It is very easy to lose that focus and focus on trying to make life “better” for folks now, especially as we see so much suffering and pain in front of us. We must always remember that while we are to follow God’s command to minister to the poor, our primary goal is always to be His Hands and Feet, loving them as He did us. We must be wise as serpents and gentle as doves doing all we can to help, letting them “see the Gospel” as we gently wash their feet with His love.
What better way to minister to folks in the local Villages is there then to train our children up in the way that is right and send them out to share His love with those around them, sharing His love to all they meet? Thus adding another dimension to Orphan Care; using the children to share His love, training them at an early age to minister and serve with joy, striving towards the goal of setting Zambia, Africa and the world on fire for Jesus. Using what Satan meant for evil to share the love of Jesus in the most effective way possible. Again keeping our eyes focused on the goal of bringing folks to Jesus, making that our primary focus in all we do.
How can God use this one Village model to make a difference in Orphan Care around the world?
What God has led Ben and Kathleen to do can be duplicated in other areas. Plans are now being made for two more Villages of Hope in Zambia.
The Village of Hope is openly Christian. There is a sad tendency in ministry today to hide what we are about to try to get funding through various foundations. In James, God commands us not to look to the rich. We need to pay careful attention to that command. Piles of money coming in are not necessarily God’s best for a ministry. God doesn’t need our help, but commands our obedience. Could it be the reason for the current economic problems in America is because God’s people have chosen to use the great wealth He has given us on ourselves, buying nicer homes, setting up retirement funds, etc., instead of using it to further His Kingdom, refusing to give a cup of cold water to those who need it?
The Village of Hope Model of Ministry looks to God, not man. Just as George Mueller did praying and trusting God and God alone. Village of Hope is a “Daily Manna Walk”, as Ben calls it. When you take those kinds of steps of faith, God allows us to trust Him even more and walk ever deeper steps of Faith. This type of ministry can be scary as we have to depend on God for leading and provision instead of our wallets and abilities. We need to always remember that without Faith, it is impossible to please God, and that with the faith of a “mustard seed,” mountains will jump into the sea.
With man this orphan care crisis and this type of ministry is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible.
I firmly believe with all my heart that this model of ministry is of God and pray fervently trusting that He is going to use it to help transform the lives of a million orphans as this model is reproduced and copied in Zambia, Africa and beyond.
Then as these rescued children that have been given this cup of cold water grow and mature in the faith, the Lord will use them, the least of these, to reach out and minister to a lost and hurting world, touching the lives of untold millions with the love of Jesus. God’s ways are not our ways and He uses the weak to confuse the wise.
Please be praying for Ben and Kathleen, All Kids Can Learn International, Villages of Hope Zambia, and for us, the church, to commit to doing all God commands us to do in reaching out to a lost and hurting world with the love of Jesus.
Until Every Child Knows,
Big Jim
Matt. 19:14
James 1:27
