My Testimony at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church

By Fletcher Padoko

In 1989, my sister, first born in our family, lost her husband when she was 32 years old.  Eight years later, a second born sister also lost her husband.  She was 37 years old.  Three years down the line, in 2000, a third born sister, who was again 32, buried her husband due to HIV/AIDS.  My extended family found itself facing a huge responsibility of caring for about 15 orphans.  I remember asking the Lord why?  Whose fault was it?  Just like the disciples of Jesus on John 9 verses 2 and 3, who had asked Jesus on whether the sick man had become sick as a result of his sin, I also asked the Lord…… Who had sinned in my family?  My sisters?  My brother in-laws?  Or the parents of my sisters or the parents of my in-laws?  The answer that Jesus gave his disciples was also the same that was given to me:  Jesus had said that neither the man nor his parents had sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in the healing of the sick man.  As I was questioning God why three of my sisters would lose their husbands at young ages, I was reminded that my sisters, my parents, my brother in-laws and their parents had not sinned. 

Can God have glory in people dying? Can God have glory in seeing kids going fatherless, and seeing women being widowed?  Is God being glorified because of millions of HIV/Aids orphans in Africa?  The answer is no.  I did not understand the death in my family until God told me to put faith to work.  Through the orphans in my family, God gave me a vision to care for the orphans.  In 1999, I founded an organization known as Kasupe Ministries.  My vision was, and still is, and still be, to care for the orphans.  From 15 orphans in my family in1999, the organization has now grown to about 800 kids, coming from an area of 17 villages.  I haven’t seen the glory of God in the death of the parents that have left the orphans, but I have seen the glory of God as I work with the orphans.  We feed them, we have a kindergarten, and we have a high school.  We also provide clothes and blankets.  My faith has taught me to trust that God will care for these orphans and that God’s glory will be made known.

As I come to Crescent Hill Church every Sunday, I listen to the messages so that my working faith can grow in God, and it has.  The courage that I get from this church every Sunday helps me to help 800 kids thousands of miles across the seas.

At Crescent Hill church I hear about people who are dying of cancer and other diseases.  Every Sunday we pray for them.  I always feel that my duty should be to go beyond the prayers.  How about the economy?  It’s now like a sinking Titanic.  Everything needs a bailout, and soon….. probably even the churches will ask for some bailouts.  Whose sin is this?  Nobody’s sin.  But all these things are happening so that you and I… should continue stepping forward…and ministering to the suffering people…and in doing  so…………. God’s glory………..will be displayed.  Amen.