The Ward Legacy
Proving Mercy Can Move Mountains.
The Wards (John, Kim, Anna, Maggie and Evan) Merry Christmas!! It is hard to believe that 2012 will soon be coming to a close. It has been an extraordinary year for our family in many ways. As you may know, all five of us travelled to Africa for the first time in the summer of 2011 to work with orphans and vulnerable children through the ministry of Family Legacy Missions International, a non-profit organization based in Irving, Texas. We were so moved by the children we met that we decided to do something permanent to make a difference in the lives of Zambian orphans. Last Christmas, we were raising funds to build Mercy House, a residential home for orphans at the Tree of Life Children’s Village in Lusaka, Zambia. Amazingly, Mercy House is now a reality and HOME for twelve children and two house moms!
The cost to build and furnish the house was $80,000. While this was a large sum of money, it seemed like a small amount to completely transform the lives of so many children. Through a lot of hard work and the generosity of HUNDREDS of people, all of the funds were raised in just eight months. Construction for the house began immediately and on July 21, 2012 we had the privilege of moving the first group of children into Mercy House.
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Eight girls, four boys and two house moms now reside there. The children are beautiful, but the stories of their past are heart-breaking. Frances (8), Precious (6) and Concelia (3) are siblings who are double-orphans, having lost both parents to illness. Forced to live on the streets with no money, no food, no hope of education and no shelter, they were completely vulnerable to the darkness of the slum compound where they were living. Sadly, one night, Concelia was raped so violently that she could not walk for nearly six months. Thankfully, their story was discovered at Camp Life and they now have a permanent home at Mercy House. Every child who lives there has a similar story--neglected, abused, starving, sick, or homeless. All had lost one or both parents as young children and were left to fend for themselves. It is difficult to describe the joy we felt as we escorted these kids to a place where warmth, security, food, safety and love abound! (Concelia and Precious are pictured with our daughter, Anna. I would love to share the stories of the other nine children living in Mercy House. Please contact me if you are interested in knowing more!)
There are so many more children in Zambia who needed a safe place to call home. As soon as the funding for Mercy House was complete, we began helping a friend, Katy Gibson, to raise the money for a SECOND home, John Mark’s House. We are grateful that through the generosity of many people, God brought in all the necessary funds. In May of 2013, twelve more orphans will move into their new home at the Tree of Life! TWO new houses is amazing but the work in Zambia is far from over. Our goal is to continue raising money through donations & fundraisers to bring hope and HOMES to the orphans of Zambia.
Currently, we are working on a THIRD house at Tree of Life. Fundraising has already begun for Ambuya’s House. Ambuya (um-BOO-ya) is the Nyanja word for “grandmother.” This home will be named in memory of my mother, Sue Fast, who was “Boo” to our children and who had lived with our family for the past 16 years. The DAY AFTER we moved the children into Mercy House, our sweet Boo went to her new home in heaven. She had been excited about the project and urged our family to make the trip to Africa, even though she was near death and assumed the next time she would see the five of us again would likely be in heaven. Boo knew how important it was for the children to move in and for us to be there. She assured us that God would either heal her or take her on to heaven and she was fine with either option, but the rest of us needed to go on to Zambia. We feel like a home at Tree of Life would be a fitting tribute to a woman who so dearly loved her own children and grandchildren, as well as the Zambian orphans she had never met. When the funds are raised ($100,000), twelve more children will find their home in “Grandmother’s House.”
To learn more about our current fundraiser (“have mercy” t-shirts & other items) or to donate ONLINE, please visit our website at www.familylegacy.com/havemercy. All gifts are tax-deductible and contributions made on that site and from all fundraisers go directly toward the construction of Ambuya’s House. I have also included a pre-addressed envelope if you would prefer to mail your donation to the Family Legacy office. Checks should be made payable to “Family Legacy” with “Ambuya’s House” in the memo line. Finally, if you have questions, comments, or would like to get involved or learn more, please email me at momward3@gmail.com, call me at 318-548-9612, or message me on Facebook at “Kim Fast Ward.” Also, be sure to like our Facebook page “Mercy