Founders Stories
If God puts a dream into your heart, He provides the grace needed to see it come to pass.
The founders’ stories testify to this truth.
Founder Fiona's Story
Somebody recently asked me if I would ever do pottery here in Tanzania.
Whilst answering her question I could see more how what I am doing now in Tanzania with these wonderful children fulfils in a deeper way than ever before one of the dreams of my heart.
Although I was a part time potter living in the House of the Open Door Community- England for over 30 years, one of the delights of my heart was to talk to people of the Father Heart of God. I used to go into schools, prisons, Conferences and churches to talk to the young and the old of how the hands of the Potter on the clay is how their Heavenly Father’s hands holds them. Just to know that He knows us through and through is just how a potter knows his clay. He knows the secret parts of us, the inside of us just as the Potter is the only one who sees the inside of the pot on the wheel.
On my journey through Tanzania to Uganda 2010 whilst following the call of God to “ leave all for a new land” and after meeting Ester who told me of her dream to start an Orphanage, I was asked by some potters in Uganda if I would lead a community for Potters. It was the strangest thing that before me was a choice – continue to work with adults and clay- or Orphaned children.
Having the choice made it clear to me that I now wanted to hold a child in my hand just has I held the clay and help them to come into the centre of their Father’s love. Each child here in Karibu Nyumbani is His, if I can hold them, be Mama and bring them closer to their Heavenly Father, nothing could make me happier. I am the happiest Mama on earth!
By the way, it might be that I also teach the pottery one day!!!
Founder Ester’s Story
Whilst training as a nurse on the wards in hospital, I got to know the tragic circumstances of village life: Many mothers were dying after delivery. In my free time, I used to sew clothes for the children on the ward. This was just a small way of helping them.
One day, I was really shocked when a man from the Massai tribe lost his wife while she was in labour. He did not want to take his son home and insisted that I take him. He said, “He is yours, you go with him and I will buy you a cow in exchange!” At that time, I had nowhere to put this precious child. This was only one of several occasions where something like this happened to me.
In 1996, I joined the “Agape Centre”. In 2005, the same man opened a school for orphans and asked me to be a matron! Again, I found myself facing the question, “Can I manage this?”
The answer was “yes!”. Shortly after, I enjoyed helping to build the school, plant the garden, and most of all being “mum” to the girls. I felt at home and knew that I was in the right place at the right time!
After two years there, I felt like the Lord was opening a new door for me.