Hope for Grieving Children: Africa

There’s a remarkable outreach to orphans and street kids in Zambia, led by Dick Matteson, a clinical psychologist and educator and also an ordained Methodist minister. My friend Tony Stephens of Chicago introduced me to Dick’s work and I want you to know about this, too. They feed one meal of porridge to more than 350 orphans a day, ages 5-19. Educational and recreational programming and individual counseling are also provided.

Dick partners with local pastors and volunteers to train staff in the delicate process of showing compassion to children who have lost everything, including their parents. Their loss is overwhelming, yet they respond in amazing ways to the opportunities afforded them. Teachers note how, in spite of their hunger, the children are enthused to be in school! Hope for Grieving Children is a non-governmental organization, funded solely on donations at this point, bringing hope to the hopeless through their devotion to the mandate of Christ to “do unto the least of these as you would do unto me.” For further information go to hopeforgrievingchildren.org .