Carrielyn White Rhea’s Experience
Volunteer at Bethel Orphanage, 2005 I cannot begin to tell you all of the positive aspects of the orphanage and Pastor Gondwe. I learned about the orphanage on www.Missionfinder.org on the internet when I was looking for a mission trip to go on during my senior year of college.
I decided I wanted to go to an orphanage, so I clicked on Christian orphanages on that web page and began my search. I really wanted to go to Haiti and emailed all of the orphanages in Haiti on that website, however, I got no responses from any of those orphanages. I did, however get a response from Pastor Gondwe in Zambia. He was so welcoming and so excited to hear from me. I did not intentionally email him, so I was very surprised to hear from him. I began emailing more orphanages because I did not want to go to Africa (too scary).
I began praying about it and I felt like God was telling me that this is where he wanted me to go. So I presented the idea to my parents and my fiancé, and they all adamantly disapproved of the idea, saying missionaries get killed over there. I continued to pray but the disapproval of my parents and fiancé slowly made me think that I should not go.
But one day my dad told me he had been doing some research on the orphanage and on Zambia and he thought “it would be a worthwhile place to spend my time” and it was not as dangerous as he once thought. That same night my fiancé asked me what I had decided about Zambia. I told him I wasn’t going to go because none of my relatives wanted me to go and he told me that he thought I should go. So we prayed about it that night together and the next day I emailed Pastor Gondwe and told him I was coming for sure. I bought a plane ticket the following day and began raising support from my church and friends at school.
I was in Zambia from January 6, 2005 through February 4, 2005. I have to tell you it was the most amazing experience ever. The community that Bethel serves is a very rural and indigent one. The people live without electricity, running water, and some even without walls on their houses. Most people do not eat more than once every two days. I got to visit a small village very close to the orphanage called Jonah’s Village, where 75% of the people are infected with HIV or AIDS. While I was there we “collected” 5 children from that village whose mothers were dying of the disease and could not care for their children.
The orphanage consists of four buildings with the capacity to care for 13 children in each house. There is one “mother” who lives in each house to care for these children. The mothers do not get paid, however the job is appealing because the conditions of the orphanage are much better than the conditions in the community. The orphanage has electricity, a television, running water (most of the time), and supplies two meals a day.
The buildings have walls and roofs, and each person has a warm bed to sleep in. The orphanage is already filled to capacity and Pastor Gondwe has about 6 orphans living in his own home. There are actually about 100 children that live in the community but are supported by Bethel. These children live with poor and sick mothers and grandparents but they are provided with clothing, food, and school fees by the orphanage. This is one way that Pastor Gondwe promotes families by empowering them and providing for them. School fees are very expensive in Zambia and that is why many children do not go to school. They also have to wear uniforms which create a financial burden.
Bethel is a very well known name in the community. Many people show up at the office wanting to drop off children because they want them to have a better life. Many people also go to the church. I went to church 4 times while in Zambia, and each Sunday the church congregation was bigger and bigger. I was absolutely amazed at how it grew. It was like nothing I had ever seen. It got to the point where they had to have church outside. Pastor Gondwe also had a truck that would go around and pick people up so they would not have to walk as far. Pastor Gondwe is a great shepherd who really cares about the growth of his congregation.
While I was in Zambia, Bethel was making strides to become self sufficient by growing their own fruits and vegetables and raising their own chickens. They had a week long seminar on how to do this and had planted many fruit trees. To be honest, I do not know if this self-sufficiency has come about yet.
As far, as how Bethel responds to the AIDS crisis, its one of those things they do without really thinking about it. They take in the youngest victims of the crisis. They do not really take an active stance about the disease in the community. They welcome everyone to the church and they do not have children in the orphanage tested for the disease. The older children are taught about how the disease is contracted and the older girls are only allowed to dress modestly. Any child who wishes to date, must have the approval of Pastor Gondwe.
Pastor Gondwe is a very trustworthy person. Bethel Orphanage is the only orphanage in Zambia started by and run by a native Zambian. He was an orphan himself, which is an extremely important asset to him especially as he can empathize with the children in the orphanage. He utilizes money in a way that will advance the orphanage and bring the greatest good for the orphanage.
Sometimes he must sacrifice immediate needs in order to ensure the future for the children. He makes sure that all of the children feel loved and know the love of Jesus. And let me tell you these children are on FIRE for God! They love Christian praise and worship songs and they love to dance to them.
I continue to support Bethel financially whenever I can, and I have quite a few friends who do the same as a result of hearing about my experiences. It is with nothing but the highest encouragement that I recommend that you and your church support the Bethel ministry in Kafue, Zambia. If you have any further questions, concerns, or problems please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Carrielyn White Rhea | 
