Project Samuel
Project Samuel Touching Lives
- Details
- Written by Timothy Vowell
As I got out of the car after arriving at the Project the only thought on my mind was, “where were the children”. For the first time in over twelve trips I had a different purpose in traveling to Zambia and visiting Project Samuel. In times past I pulled up on site to see construction or to check on some part of the development of the Project, but for the first time since 2005 I was coming to see Project Samuel "do" what it was called to "do", touch the lives of orphaned children!
As I rounded the corner of the children's house there stood Christina our House Mom and playing at her feet were two
cute, little, 7 year old twins, Susan and Sylvia, the first two orphans to arrive at Project Samuel. There is no way I can describe the joy of seeing so many years of praying, working, fund raising, and plain ole worrying come to fruition. Christina introduced me to the other two children that were there at the time, Dorthy a quiet 9 year old and Zavier, an 8 year old boy full of energy and a love for football (soccer). Over the next few days two more children would come to live in the children's home, Webby, a 10 year old boy and Castro a 12 year old.
It was Castro that especially touched my heart. Scott and I went to the home where Castro was staying to interview his caregiver, his maternal grandmother who was taking care of several other orphans besides
Castro. The living conditions were some of the worse I have seen in the village and in spite of the fact that Project Samuel was like heaven in comparison, Castro couldn't help the sadness he felt leaving the only person he had know since his mother’s death. For several days Castor walked around in silent sadness, struggling to adjust to a new family in a new home. Everyday Christina, the house mom would update me on how Castro was adjusting. The first couple of nights were hard ones, but after a week he was running and playing with the others...still a little quiet, but not as sad as before!
The word tells us that we are justified and receive salvation through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, and like us these little children are rescued through faithfulness...your faithfulness. In fact, I have come to realize that that is just one more way in which we are found to be Christ-like...being faithful. Thank you so much for your faithfulness to this ministry. And like Christ, let us all be found faithful to the end...till the last child is given a home and the last soul receives the rest it so desperately needs!
