Updates From Zambia

We first introduced you to Jolima and her mother Elizabeth, late last year. Elizabeth is a single mother, widowed many years ago. She is in poor health due to HIV which her late husband infected her with. HIV claimed her husband, and 4 other children.

This past Saturday, July 5th, 2023, the WellSpring team invited parents to the second update of the 2023 year. This is a special day when the parents and family can come and visit with the children, and see how the children are doing physically, spiritually, and academically.

From late June until early August, that is the cold season (winter) in Zambia. During the nights the temperatures drop down into the mid-low 40’s. During the day it can warm up to the 70’s, but in the coldest weeks its normal to experience mid 50’s to 60’s for your “high” temperatures.

Saturday, July 1st, the team in Zambia celebrated our first anniversary. July 1 represents the acquisition of our first house, Clara and Naomi moving in, and the preparations starting so we would be ready to house our first girls.

A couple of weeks back our team was able to take Shilla to her grandparents for a visit. What they found broke their hearts, just strengthening the importance of Shilla being a part of the WellSpring family.

​What an exciting year 2023 has been. The ministry saw the official launch of the first girls’ home in Mufulira, assisting young men with education, uniforms, food, and mentoring “before” a home can be “opened” for them, and as a ministry reaching out to widows and vulnerable in the community assisting with food, supplies, seeds for their gardens, and sharing the gospel. It truly has been an amazing start!

This last week the girl’s house celebrated Idah’s 14th birthday. This was the first birthday party Idah ever has experienced on her behalf.

Last week the girls, with some help from the older residents, wrote thank you letters to the teachers and staff from Campus Crusade who spent a week teaching them biblical values and foundational truths.

Here are some updates from the girl’s house in Mufulira. We hope this brings more insight into what it’s like from day to day being in the house. Clara and the girls are living as a beautiful family.

Part of Wellspring’s vision is to impact widows and abandoned families that are struggling to survive. We feel it’s critical to reach beyond just the needs of the child, and when we are able we want to impact the lives of the extended families these children are coming from.