Seeing each person with God's heart

The concern for people on the margins that took root in Afghanistan, where God called me, continues today in Zambia. Among people living through war and poverty, I learned the value of listening to a person's story and remaining alongside them. Those encounters led me to reflect on whom I would walk with and what I would give the rest of my life to.

I believe ministry begins with a change in how we see the people around us. A person sleeping on the street, a child who has been hurt, a neighbour with no one to hear their story—each has dignity given by God. They are my brothers and sisters, made in His image. When we take that truth to heart and begin to see them with God's heart, change begins within us. We stop, ask a name, listen, and sit beside someone we might once have passed by.

They are my brothers and sisters, made in His image.

With the same concern that grew in Afghanistan, I now serve alongside Zambian colleagues among our neighbours on the street. Through Nshima, we share meals and worship, care for wounds, and help people reach the treatment they need. In a shared meal, a short conversation, and our return the following week, I want to express a simple conviction: you matter, and we remember you. As relationships deepen and trust grows, I pray that God will continue shaping all of us.

I carry another deep hope: to see young people and emerging leaders in Zambia discover their God-given gifts and grow into faithful servants who love and serve this land. I hope we can learn together through Scripture and prayer, take responsibility in the work, and grow as we face difficult decisions together. When a young person takes a neighbour's suffering to heart and chooses to serve, I believe a path opens for them to help others grow as well.

I want to stand alongside these young leaders as a fellow worker—listening, preparing together, and offering encouragement when it is needed. I want to support local leaders as they lead with a deep understanding of their own communities and nurture the next generation. Learning together and sharing responsibility take time. I believe this is part of what will help the ministry endure.

Our weekly encounters bring joy and gratitude, as well as shortages and difficult questions. Even when a day does not go as planned, I want us to keep valuing each person and returning to meet them again. I hope that I, too, will keep learning and changing through the neighbours and colleagues God has entrusted to us. My prayer is that HEMEFund will be a small channel of Christ's love, helping to build communities where people are remembered and cared for.

I invite you to walk with us. We can begin by looking at someone on the margins of our own community with God's heart. Join us through prayer, time, skills, and giving. In this calling that began in Afghanistan and continues in Zambia, I hope we will see together the dignity of each person honoured and young leaders growing as they serve their neighbours.