Meet Fatuma, a 4-year-old, soft-spoken Ugandan girl with a heart the size of Texas. Her laughter is contagious, and her eyes pierce stone hearts. At a very young age, she was disregarded, orphaned and left in a place where she was abused and neglected.
A few years ago, while walking outside her chain-link fence prison, a dilapidated orphanage, missionaries noticed unusual marks on her feet. Due to a lack of a place to bathe, Fatuma said her feet had been "eaten by rats while [she] slept at night." She was dressed in rags and had not eaten in days. Unfortunately, her story is repeated throughout the nation of Uganda.
Hearts changed, action followed, and the ripple that God set into motion that day is creating waves on the world's shores.
Sozo Children was born, a non-profit ministry set in motion by Christ alone.
Sozo is a Greek word found numerous times in the New Testament meaning "to save; to nurture; to rescue physically and spiritually." Sozo was given the vision of saving children in need such as Fatuma, build communities that need churches, medical clinics, schools, and homes, while also connecting individuals who are worlds apart, ultimately building the kingdom of God. When children are given education, nutrition, medical care and love through the gospel of Christ, even in a war-torn nation such as Uganda they thrive.
Jesus Christ transforms lives and creates disciples. Sozo Children, through the strength and direction of God, strives to make disciples who will make disciples. By raising children in their own culture by godly men and women from their culture, these children one day will be leaders in their culture impacting their nation and the world for the name of Jesus.
As you read this, Sozo Children is in the process of purchasing 75 acres of land in Uganda in vision to build The Village. The Village will be a community only 45 minutes from the capital city, Kampala, designed to nurture children who one day will be world changers. Through many partnerships and supporters, The Village first will plant, nurture and build a church. God's tool to redeem His world is Jesus Christ and His followers, the church, which is why Sozo initially will focus on meeting spiritual needs in the community.
Shortly after, a series of construction projects will be set in motion, including 28 children's homes, a school and a medical clinic. In the 28 children's homes, each housing 12 children, they will gain identity in Christ through the loving and nurturing biblical family unit. Orphans will gain mothers and fathers while learning to trust their heavenly Father. Once the homes are filled, 336 children will call The Village home. To provide education for the Sozo Children and the children in the surrounding community, a school will be constructed and staffed, which will provide jobs for a poverty-stricken region. A cross-cultural mix of medical specialists will staff Sozo's medical center to meet the needs of the community.
The biblical model of family invests in children relationally, educationally, emotionally and spiritually, which gives them full identity in themselves, their families and ultimately God. Once The Village is set into motion, children such as Fatuma will be rescued from their desperate conditions. Along with a new home and loving embrace, the children will be taught life skills in a self-sustaining program that feeds back into the home system, such as carpentry, mechanical skills and farming.
Another vital part of Sozo Children's call is to send mission teams to make this happen and pour into the lives of the children.
Sozo is a way to plug you into the mission field across the world and allow you to learn your true calling while experiencing God in a new way.
Visit the website and learn how you can play into the grand story our Lord is weaving together.
