Doctors For Life - South Africa

Our World Challenge missions team was walking down a dirty hospital hallway when they first spotted little Zamma. The feeble four-year-old girl was sitting expressionless on a mattress with an intravenous needle stuck in her arm. Zamma’s body was covered with open sores, her ears oozing fluid, her neck and scalp covered in sweat.

Upon closer look, they saw that little Zamma’s skin was completely ravaged, as if a layer of it were missing. Yet what registered most deeply about this little girl was the sadness in her eyes. As they approached, Zamma shrunk back, fearful of human contact.

Zamma was a “double orphan,” meaning both her parents had died. AIDS had taken their lives, and now the disease was killing their daughter’s frail body. Since her parents’ death, she had been in the care of her grandmother, with whom she spent her nights, after sitting all day long in the dirty hospital receiving her medical treatments.

Our team was able to initiate a connection between Zamma and the local Doctors for Life (DFL) care center. DFL provides food, education and health care for such children as Zamma, and is peopled with volunteers from World Challenge, Times Square Church and Mount Zion School of Ministry.

Through the medical care of DFL and the loving arms of these ministry volunteers, Zamma not only had her physical needs met, but she also came to know the love of Jesus. These dual ministries serve as an extension of God’s love to so many suffering children like Zamma, helping them in their daily battles with AIDS.

During her time at the DFL care center, Zamma’s skin began to heal, her ears stopped oozing, and her sweat subsided. The team watched as this little one began to grow healthy enough to play with the other children at DFL. Then suddenly, Zamma would again spiral into sickness. This vicious cycle continued until AIDS finally destroyed her ability to heal. Zamma died at age six, just a few weeks ago.

Only God’s love can carry these children through their ordeal. It is during such difficult times that the ministry workers at DFL play a significant role. As heart-wrenching as the loss of each child is, ministry workers know that Jesus has welcomed them into his everlasting arms—the culmination of his love demonstrated at the Doctors for Life care center.