Ministering To Widows And Orphans
by Lydia Schaeffer - TOA Director
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:27 - New Living Translation
 From the earliest days of Treasures of Africa Children’s Home it was always our vision to care for orphans but included a plan to be a blessing to widows as well. During the interviewing process for prospective employees at TOA it was very common for us to interview ten or more people in one day. In that group of ten, there were often four or more widows. We made it a point of prayer to ask the Lord to show us exactly which of the interviewees we should hire.
Anna, a young widow, was in the first group of employees hired just before we opened the doors to receive the children. She is a very sweet and quiet woman. Anna’s husband died over five years ago leaving her with three children to support. Anna is very grateful for the opportunity to work and to be able to provide for her children’s needs.
Anna has proven herself to be an extremely hard worker and is wonderful with the children. They all love her very much. Anna works as a caregiver but when we needed to hire someone to help with the laundry, Anna asked to be given the opportunity to take on this additional position. Since she had already proven herself to be a reliable employee, we happily offered her a second part-time job. For Anna, the extra money means so much. She is able to send all three of her children to school, pay the school fees and provide for all their school supplies. This may seem like a minor thing to some, but many children in Tanzania are not able to attend school because their parents cannot afford the school fees or supplies. And for widows with young children, that is too often the case. But through her affiliation with Treasures of Africa Children’s Home, both Anna’s fatherless children and the children living in the orphanage have the provision that they need – loving care and basic needs met.
Mella is another widow working at TOA. She has also been here with us since the orphanage opened. Mella has three daughters. All three of them are in secondary school. The fees for secondary school in Tanzania are very high. One of Mella’s family members helps to pay the school fees for her girls to attend high school, but the girls have to live with extended family members because of the distance of their school. Being far from her daughters would have been a hardship for Mella, so we worked out her schedule so that her days off enable her to spend three full days each week with her girls.
To be able to provide for her daughters and spend time with them has been a huge blessing for Mella. She has been able to be there for them during some difficult circumstances this past year. Mella serves as a cook at TOA but to our children she is Mama Mella. To the TOA staff she is a constant source of encouragement and godly advice. To all of us she is a wonderful, hard-working friend. Jodie and I look forward to coming to the orphanage and being greeting by Mella’s warm hugs and kisses on the cheek.
Anna and Mella are just two of the five widows that are currently employed by Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. They all share a similar story of how their lives have changed for the better because they are able to provide for the needs of their families. There was a time when things looked bleak for them and they were alone and had no money. But now they have a job which is both meaningful and provides a living wage from which they can provide for their families. And for all of them, working at TOA is not just a “job” because they truly care about the children. Thank you for your financial support of our work here in Tanzania. You are helping make a difference in the lives of both orphans and widows! |
