World Vision Child Ambassador

       Since I was only 13, a part of my heart has been in Zambia with my first sponsor child through World Vision, Melody Muchimba. Writing her letters and sending pictures was one of my favorite things to do growing up.

        In November of 2009, the Lord called me to go to Zambia with Cure International where I was blessed to serve the hospital in their daily operations and help with day clinics. In one clinic, we saw over 200 patients plagued with various diseases and disabilities. These villagers had no school, no clean water, no electricity, and no medical care.

        By the Lord’s mercy, I returned to Zambia in 2010 and, afterserving at the hospital, I was able to travel to Melody’s village with World Vision staff and meet Melody and her family. Answering her mother’s call, Melody came running from the small, one room hut she shared with her five siblings. She introduced me to her father, siblings, grandmother and the dozens of neighbors who had come to celebrate the “mzungu,” the white person who sponsored Melody.       

 

         
        Melody`s village shared a lot of similarities to others I’d visited but there was also something different. Though they were still poor, they had much more because of World Vision: schools staffed by teachers who loved them, a medical clinic about an hour’s walk away, a church and spiritual community to build them up, a well within an hour walk, and lastly what Melody`s father would say most important -  support from World Vision. It was eye opening to experience what it may have been like for Jesus as he left the glory of heaven to dwell with a people: dress like them, eat like them, and talk like them. 

         Little did I know that in October of 2012, just weeks after her 18th birthday, Melody would lose her life here on earth. There are days the heartache feels fresh again but I know I can be thankful that World Vision chose Melody. And that a 13-year-old’s parents from Missouri chose Melody one night after a concert. That God ordained this beautiful girl to know him and be known by him, and she did. I can be thankful that Melody made it to 18 largely due to the work of World Vision in her country and in her community. 

I chose to become a World Vision Child Ambassador because I fell in love with the work of World Vision through a little girl named Melody. The poverty of her world revealed the poverty of my own heart and I am eternally grateful. Shortly after Melody`s passing my desire to sponsor grew again and in the Lord`s great compassion I was paired with a little girl in Zambia named Memory. I want to continue to share her story and the stories that God is writing all over the world through World Vision in hopes that more children can be shown the love of Christ and communities can be changed.  Will you join me?