Our Ebenezer Foundation board members Bob and Erin Botsford have worked tirelessly to raise funds for the children and we thank them for everything they do to make it all possible.

“I fell in love with Ebenezer in 2009 while visiting Livingstone. Initially, spending time in the baby house and on the floor playing with the toddlers is what captured my heart,” says Erin. “I do my best to help provide financial resources so they can grow up in safety and lead productive lives despite the losses that most of us could never comprehend. That’s why I give.”

“At Ebenezer, these kids have a safe place to call home. It’s a place where they are nurtured, loved and provided a good education to help them succeed in life. As a donor, I hope to help them become leaders in their town of Livingstone, their country of Zambia and possibly the continent.” – Bob

The Runkels were introduced to Ebenezer in 2014, on a trip to Zambia with our board members, Jane Lee and Larry Winter.

Gertrud and Manny write: “Visiting the orphanage really touched us. We saw many small children being lovingly cared for by the ‘mothers,’ who are their caregivers. These children really needed the warmth of the human touch. In fact, Gertrud picked up a little one who wouldn’t let go of her.

“We were so impressed with Ranji Chara’s commitment and sincerity in which she expressed her love of Christ for the benefit of the children. We decided to become supporting members by contributing to the foundation on a monthly basis. We are so pleased to see that this good work is continuing. The need of the children is still so great.”

“I first visited Ebenezer in 1997. A young boy named Davey took my hand, and little did I know but that day he also took my heart and handed it to God.

Since that trip I have returned twice more, each time with a grandson. My relationship with Ebenezer has been the most rewarding experience I have ever had. As my husband John’s health declined, we knew what we wanted to do.

When he passed away in 2011, with the help of family and friends, we built the chapel at Ebenezer in his memory. I give to Ebenezer because these children have shown me the true meaning of the Bible verse, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’. I thank God for the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful home.“

My sister, Taylor, and I took an amazing trip to Africa and made a stop in Zambia and visit Ebenezer. Between the wild animals and Victoria Falls, our stay in Livingstone was absolutely magical, but visiting Ebenezer School and Orphanage made the journey truly once in a lifetime.

Taylor and I spent a whole day at Ebenezer. I am grateful I was able to walk into our visit with the children and not know what to expect. I was impressed by a few things: the genuine warmth and unhardened spirit of the leaders, staff, and children. I was also impressed by the motivation of all involved. The leaders, such as Owen Lisulo, the executive director of Ebenezer, and Swagota Baroi, the headmistress of the school, work hard for the kids, and care so much. Their passion and love for the children is so apparent and beautiful to see.

My favorite part of the day was meeting and playing with the babies and toddlers. They were so joyful and fun to be around.  I love the joy they carry in their hearts, even though they have most definitely been through hardships I cannot begin to know.

We became acquainted with Ebenezer on a trip with Jane Lee and Larry Winter in 2012. We didn’t know what to expect but were blown away by what we saw. We had the pleasure of meeting Ranji Chara and heard how she started the home by feeding kids under a tree and grew that into a safe and welcoming home for hundreds of children who had nothing. It reminded me of the miracle of loaves and fishes the way she was able to take so little and make so much. Most importantly, we met the children and saw the results of the labor of love of Ranji and her team.

We had the great pleasure of returning to the Ebenezer Children’s Home and the Ebenezer School last fall, where we were warmly welcomed by the students and faculty with joyous songs and smiling faces. It was a heart-tugging experience and affirmed everything we love most about the work. Nothing can give us greater pleasure than being able to support the work of Ebenezer – rescuing children from extreme poverty, giving them a loving and nurturing environment and providing them the tools to become the future leaders of Zambia and Africa. As the work of Ebenezer has grown, so too has the sophistication of the management and administration and we believe they are well positioned to continue to expand the scope and depth of the work but always with the best interests of the children at heart.

Denise and I have absolute confidence that the excellent staff of Ebenezer make every penny of every donation count. Nothing is wasted – everything is appreciated. We are blessed to be able to contribute to that work and look forward to its continued growth and reach

Zakat, or Almsgiving, is one of the five pillars of Islam, something Dalia and I take seriously. Muslims are required to donate their zakat – 2.5% of their annual savings – toward those less fortunate – the hungry, the needy, the poor. But what about the orphans?

When told about Ebenezer’s mission, we were intrigued. In our faith, God specifically identifies orphans in the Quran as those that Muslims are required to support. When we learned more about Ebenezer’s history and success stories from the services they were providing on the ground, we felt this was a cause worthy of support.

In fact, the work of the Ebenezer Foundation inspired us to start our own organization, Focus Relief Photography for Charity, where 100 percent of profits go to food banks in the U.S. addressing the issue of food insecurity that affects more than 40 million Americans

My husband and I learned of Ebenezer as we planned our family trip to Southern Africa for the summer of 2008. Our tour operator suggested we visit Ebenezer. She put me directly in touch with Ranji Chara, the founder/director of Ebenezer, and over the months before we traveled, Ranji and I corresponded and developed a lovely long-distance friendship. Our son Danny spearheaded a fundraiser and we proudly presented Ranji with checks totaling close to $13,000.

Visiting Ebenezer was life changing for all four of us…those beautiful children touched our hearts and souls. As our son Danny said 11 years ago, it was a day we will never forget!

We were so very saddened to learn of Ranji’s passing in 2016. She positively affected so many lives. But we are heartened to know that her spirit shines on as Ebenezer has continued to grow and flourish. There is nothing more important than giving these children a lifeline, and Ebenezer does exactly that. We continue to support the Ebenezer Foundation with an annual donation, and fervently hope that we will be able to visit again someday.”