Meet Easter: An Inspiring Leader in Zambia
Equipped leaders like you are making a difference all around the world.
Easter Ngoma (pictured above with Awana President/COO Matt Markins) caught a vision for the children in her country of Zambia. Many lives there have been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, including the 7 million children of that South African country. When Awana launched its first phase of training and equipping in Zambia, in partnership with Willow Partners, Easter was there. As the training concluded, Easter challenged the participants there with this,
“As we get commissioned today, we’re going back to our respective local churches with a solemn commitment to go and make a lasting mark or difference in children’s ministry … Let’s go therefore and make headline news for the Lord to be glorified.”
Easter and others have been doing just that!
Upon arriving back in her community, Easter started an Awana club with the 30 kids in her church. And even though she was helping to ensure the truth of God’s Word was impacting the lives of these children, Easter couldn’t help but feel she could do more. With this in mind, Easter launched a feeding program and the reach of her church grew to include over 180 children from throughout her community who began attending Awana there three times a week.
As you might imagine, working among children who are HIV positive can be incredibly hard. Often times, these young lives may not know how to process the impact of the disease, yet even as these boys and girls face the harsh realities of infectious diseases, hunger and need, God’s Word can help change their understanding and identity. Easter understands that as an Awana leader, she helps each child know they are sons and daughters of God, fearfully and wonderfully made, no matter their diagnosis.
In 2012 Easter joined the regional training team as a volunteer trainer. To date she has helped Awana to equip, empower and launch 300 more churches in Zambia as well as 60 churches in South Africa! This is the exponential effect of discipleship in action in the lives and hearts of leaders who desire to see gospel impact transform their communities.
We invite you to be inspired by Easter’s passion and like her, begin to see and understand that God may have more for your church and its impact on the surrounding community. While you may not launch a feeding program or knowingly minister to children with HIV/AIDS, like Easter, God has you planted in your community to make an eternal difference. When we are faithful and submit ourselves to the Lord, there’s no telling how much He may accomplish through us.
Mike Handler is the Chief Communications Officer at Awana. He has 18 years of experience in business and ministry, including pastoring, church planting, and leading his own design and strategy group. Through engaging storytelling and collaboration, he helps leaders understand the culture and creatively solve problems. Mike and his wife, Erin, have four children. They love traveling, making breakfast and cheering on the Cubs and Bears.
