When Hope Was Born: My First Journey to Zambia

by Scott A. Nordstrom

In 2006, I stood in front of the congregation at Kitwe Central Church in Zambia, heart heavy and trembling with both grief and purpose.

In the previous year, my wife and I had lost our daughter, Faith. It’s a pain that doesn’t fully go away—a kind of ache that reshapes who you are. And yet, somehow, I knew that her story had meaning beyond the pain. God wanted to turn our experience with Faith into something meaningful beyond just our family.

As I spoke to the church that morning, I told them about Faith—not just about her life, but about how my experience proves that HOPE never disappoints. And then I looked around the room and spoke what was on my heart:

“If the loss of one child can cause this much grief for our family… what happens to a nation filled with children who’ve lost everything?”

The room was quiet, but I could feel it—something was stirring. The Holy Spirit was moving. I didn’t come with answers, only a cry from the heart. But that cry landed in a place ready to respond.

What happened next wasn’t because of me. It was because the people of Kitwe Central Church allowed themselves to be moved by compassion. Not just touched emotionally—but stirred to act.

Shortly after my visit, the church launched something beautiful: an orphanage called Hope for the City. It started small—just six girls, each of them coming from life on the street. Each one carrying invisible scars, but also dreams that had not yet been spoken aloud.

Among them was a young girl—pregnant, afraid, and unsure of where her story was going.

But in that home, she found something sacred. Safety. Dignity. A chance to breathe.

And when her baby was born, she gave her a name I’ll never forget:

HOPE.

That moment—that child—was a sign. A reminder that from loss can come life. That Faith’s story didn’t end in sorrow. It echoed across oceans and helped create a new beginning for someone else.

Hope wasn’t just a baby’s name. It was the promise that love still wins. That when we allow ourselves to feel someone else’s pain—and do something about it—we participate in something eternal.

That’s what it means to be moved by compassion.

And every time I think of that girl, holding her daughter for the first time, I remember this: even when it feels like all is lost, hope can still be born.

Why This Matters

This story reminds us that compassion isn’t just a feeling. It’s a movement of the heart that leads to action. Kitwe Central Church wasn’t waiting to be told what to do—they saw children in need, and they stepped in after being moved by the Holy Spirit.

In a world where so many children face hunger, loss, and hardship, simple acts of kindness can change lives. One Church. One place to call home for six children. One voice that speaks up.

Sometimes, being moved by compassion means being the difference someone else is praying for.

What will you do?

A Call to the Heart

There are thousands of children in Zambia—facing challenges no child should endure. But there are also hearts like those at Kitwe Central Church—full of compassion, ready to act.

To our sponsors, supporters, and caring readers: thank you. Your generosity helps fuel the local Church moving out in their communities around the world. Every gift, every prayer, and every shared moment of kindness makes a real difference.

Let’s keep choosing compassion. Let’s keep moving hearts. Together, we are building a brighter future—one child at a time.

Church Mobilization Initiative

While our Church Mobilization Initiative did not officially launch until 2022, my experience with the Kitwe Central Church was the impetus for things to come. The example of this Church moving out in obedience to how God was leading them was a powerful force that could not be denied.

If this Church could accomplish all this out of their poverty, what could be done in thousands of churches just like this one? I would again visit Kitwe Central Church several times over the years, and during my last visit there in October 2022, we launched our Church Mobilization Initiative in Zambia. We commissioned 195 GO! Ambassadors at the conclusion of our first Great Commandment Workshop in Zambia, and they served 519 orphaned children in February 2025.

Global Orphan Relief (GO) has been serving orphaned children since 2005. We have accomplished this work through local partners in each country who provide oversight and distribution of care. We are impact more than 16,000 orphan children in seven countries -Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, South Sudan, and Zambia within our Home-based Care, Scholarship, Nutrition, and Church Mobilization Initiatives.

Scott Nordstrom leads GO! today and has done so since our launch in 2005. Scott has been instrumental in deploying 176 volunteers on 30 teams to the mission field and has personally served in DR Congo, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, South Sudan, and Zambia. Scott is a published author and speaks in the United States, as well as, internationally regarding child welfare and matters of faith, hope, and love.

You may send support or other correspondence to Global Orphan Relief, 16352 Prairie Farm Cir, Parker, CO 80134 or you may give also give electronically at Church Mobilization Initiative for this specific effort to deploy the local Church to serve orphan children or you may give on this website at the upper righthand corner under ‘Donate’ by choosing Education under the Fund designation.

Movement of FAITH | Voice of HOPE | Act of LOVE

Global Orphan Relief is a Christian relief agency serving Orphans in need and a recognized U.S. public charity, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3). All donations are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.

When Hope Was Born: My First Journey to Zambia