She Named Him Blessing | An Update From Kharis House
On an ordinary evening in Zambia,
a group of young mothers at Kharis House sat down to enjoy a tasty pizza dinner. The girls were laughing and engaging in lively conversations when one of them yelled out, “Water!”
All eyes shifted from her face to her glass of water; her glass was full, and there was nothing unusual about it. Suddenly, the sound of water hitting the floor made everything clear.
“My water,” she said. “Like we learned in our prenatal class.”
She was going into labor one month early! The girls around her, who had become her close friends, erupted with squeals of excitement.
Right away, staff took her to the hospital where she gave birth to a healthy baby boy four hours later.
She named him Blessing.
The girls who are eligible to live at Kharis House have endured great hardship, tragedy, and lack of resources in life. It’s truly a miracle that they see their babies as blessings and gifts from God.
One in 3 girls under the age of 16 in Zambia become pregnant. One in every 20 girls under the age of 15 is married.
Our team has the capacity to care for six of these girls at a time. But given such immense need, they recently decided to house and provide gospel-centered care to one additional girl. This makes for a full house of seven girls, two babies, and five babies on the way.
At Kharis House, three older women help the girls adjust to motherhood. These older women are referred to as house mentors—not house parents—to ensure the girls know they are the only mothers of their children.
Mothers and babies at Kharis House receive long-term care until mothers finish their education.
Sandy, Kharis House Co-founder said—
“Lots of people in Zambia are there to help girls safely deliver their babies, but nobody is helping girls finish their education.”
Kharis House could care for these girls and their babies for many years depending on their age and grade. We are committed to them as long as they are excelling in school and striving to change the trajectory of their lives. The girls have opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities, including art camps, gardening, golf camps, writing camps, church camps, swimming lessons, and sewing camps.
As young mothers are being transformed by God’s love and gospel-centered care at Kharis House, they set a beautiful example for their children. What a blessing it is that we can join together to help vulnerable mothers and, at the same time, impact the next generation of followers of Jesus!
Help young mothers and their babies in Zambia.
Kharis House is an approved ministry of Lifesong for Orphans. Thanks to TMG Foundation and key partners, Lifesong’s fundraising and administrative costs are covered. 100% of your received donation will directly support Kharis House.
