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When the First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, decided to ensure all children in an AIDS ravaged community in northern Malawi were sponsored, the impact blew away all expectations. Senior Pastor Mike Laurence says it became clear the church could radically change the fortunes of a whole community.

“It’s provided an energy and unity that’s given our congregation something to rally around,” he says.

Mike says he gained an understanding of the havoc being wreaked on Africa by AIDS after hearing a talk by World Vision President Rich Stearns. Rich emphasized the desperate plight of children whose parents’ had died of the disease.

The talk had a profound impact on Mike, himself an orphan with a natural empathy for those in the same boat.

“I’ve always felt that part of my unique calling was to minister to kids who had experienced death personally,” he says.

It struck him that the need of AIDS orphans fit this ministry perfectly.

Taking Responsibility

After discussions with World Vision, church elders decided to approach the impoverished, AIDS shattered Mutendere community in northern Malawi, and take responsibility for children there not yet sponsored.

That amounted to more than 100 children requiring sponsorship—a big ask for a congregation of 650.

But Mike says after sharing the needs of AIDS orphans at a church service there was a virtual stampede for the sponsorship table as church members sought to sign up.

He says about 110 children were sponsored that Sunday. The church had reached its goal before the end of that day’s second service.

Mike was not surprised.

“Wherever the wind of the Spirit is blowing, you just need to raise the sails and go with it,” he says.

A Visit To Remember

What did rock Mike was the welcome he got when he visited M’bobo M’tonga, one of the villages of Mutendere, when he went there with a church delegation in June.

Among the lavish welcoming festivities was a parade of children carrying a hand carved sign. It read: “We are no longer orphans—A partnership between M’bobo M’tonga and Hopkinton.”

Later the delegation got a guided tour of all the improvements that sponsorship had achieved—including AIDS prevention, orphan care, care for the sick, a pre-school and agricultural rehabilitation programs.

But the goodwill did not flow in one direction alone. Before the delegation left, children showered the visitors with hand-carved animals and pottery to take back to church sponsors.

Mike says when the gifts were given out at church the effect was staggering.

“I remember saying, ‘When you give, you receive back more than you could ever expect, hope, and imagine. Each one of these is a gift of love from your sponsored child back to your family.’ The worship center just broke down in tears—people were openly weeping,” he says.