SOUTH AFRICA — Lwazi (pictured above center) looked around at the room full of orphaned children, recognizing the look on their faces as the very same expression he had worn as a child. Not too long ago, he sat in their seats, being given food and shoes by Crossworld worker Winston. He began to speak: “I love Jesus ….”

Lwazi’s grandmother raised him and his sister in a small mountain village with a rugged landscape and slim economic prospects. When Lwazi found Jesus, he found more than a reason to hope — he found a home. He is still like a sponge, soaking up knowledge about Jesus and overflowing with questions.

Though he has worked his way up to a management position at the largest gas station in town, Lwazi desires to work in the medical field someday. His employer, Herman, a Christian businessman, will be sad to see him go because Lwazi loves customers like Jesus does, and other employees who are members of his tribe have noticed.

Lwazi still returns home to his grandmother’s village on his days off to visit his relatives. As his faith grows stronger, Lwazi finds himself asking difficult questions about the cultural rituals his tribe practices.

Even the believers within his tribe practice ancestral worship. Lwazi decided this was wrong after studying what the Bible said about it. As a result, his relatives told him, “You are no longer welcome to eat in our homes. Cook for yourself!”

Though Lwazi has once again been orphaned by his family, he has been adopted permanently as a child of God.

Italicized names were changed to protect identities.