The Providential Meeting of Our “Son” Isaac by Diane Slingerland

While raising my four elementary aged children, I began to consider sponsoring a needy child as a way to teach my children empathy, love and compassion for others. I believe the concept of being able to help a vulnerable, needy, impoverished child touched my children deeper than I had imagined. As a family, we also faced many challenges, but the thought of orphan children who have no parents, no means of obtaining provision for daily necessities, and no Biblical upbringing, seemed to make our own challenges less daunting. I had hoped sponsoring a child would make a meaningful, lasting impact on my children, as well as empower a child who experiences daily challenges we can not even begin to imagine.

The first sponsorship program we signed up with was through World Vision Canada. As a single mom, we lived financially from month to month, however seeing all the photos displayed of children eagerly waiting for a sponsor to select them… tugged at my heart. We discussed it as a family. Would we be able to take on the sponsorship of a child? Should we choose a boy or a girl? All four of my children unanimously agreed they could do with less, if that was needed, if it meant that we can pay for an orphan to receive food, shelter, an education, and above all to receive instruction from God’s Word. One of my sons said we should maybe choose a boy because then he can get a good job and provide for his family if he would receive children later. We selected a child and received a photo and short biography of the child.

We had done very little research into the organization at the time, but a number of years later, we came to the realization that a large percentage of the funds we were sending to help a child was actually applied to administrative costs, rather than directly benefitting the child with food, shelter and education. We also were not confident that through this organization, the sponsored children were taught Biblically sound doctrine. We read of a few horror stories about families who thought they were sponsoring a child through various organizations, but were being deceived and their money was not to be traced. In spite of our initial passion to provide for a needy child, we now felt the need to withdraw from the program. We could not justify that it was good stewardship practices to “blindly” send money somewhere when it can not be traced or monitored as to where and how the funds are being utilized. 

Shortly thereafter, we went to our first Timotheos presentation. We learned a lot about the Timotheos mission work and heard about the orphan children in Malawi living in extreme poverty. Once again, we considered sponsoring a child, this time feeling in our hearts that this was an organization we felt comfortable supporting! The orphan children received daily Biblical instruction founded on the Reformed doctrinal standard. The children were selected based on their needs, as single or double orphan children without family members to provide for their daily sustenance. Timotheos was exactly the mission organization I felt we could whole-heartedly support!

This is when we were “introduced” to Isaac and we became his sponsor family. Isaac was often the topic of our conversations. How would he be doing? Is it summer or winter in Africa? Do they play soccer in school too? Does he also have to study for tests? Do they have birthday parties in Africa as well?  What would be Isaac’s favorite Bible story? Do they also pray before and after meals? What kind of food does Isaac eat? We would remember Isaac in our family prayers and always looked forward to receiving his letters and updated information. 

In the way of divine providence, I was led to marry Ken, a widower with 5 children. When we discussed getting married, I told him that he would not only receive four more children, but also the responsibility for another son, named Isaac. Ken accepted that responsibility and we continued to pay our monthly commitments. In the meantime, all four of my children were married and raising their own families. Slowly on, we lost touch with Isaac. He had completed his time at Timotheos Mission and had probably moved on. Would he still serve the Lord? Does he still read the Bible and pray? We had to entrust him into the Lord’s care.  The last letter or update we received from Isaac was that he received a teaching degree. At times I would lay awake and try imagine where Isaac might be, if he ever was hired on as a school teacher, if he had a difficult life, if he had close friends who are like his family, or a supportive church community. I wondered if I would ever get to meet him.

Every year since our marriage, Ken books a holiday for the two of us. He researches a distant country or continent, and surprises me with our February trip. A few years ago, Ken and I discussed possibly considering Africa as a future holiday destination, and I asked him then, if he ever looked into it, to please keep in mind that I would love to meet our sponsor son, Isaac.

In January, 2024, Ken told me that he had booked a holiday for us to Africa! True to his word, Ken had booked our first destination in Malawi! On January 29, while I was preparing for our trip, I reached out to Marlies Korporaal to see if it would be possible to track down Isaac. She told me honestly, that it would be near impossible to find him if he was not employed by Timotheos. She promised to contact Bart to look into it for me. I was hoping against hope. I ordered a leather Bible cover and had his name engraved on it, along with the Bible verse, 1 Cor. 15:58: Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

In the meantime, we heard nothing. We left for Blantyre, Malawi on Feb. 6, 2024. After 22 hours of travel, we drove to our hotel. Ken had contacted Garrit Oomen and arranged for a tour of the Mbulumbuzu Child Care Center on Friday, as then we could see the school in operation. This tour lasted about two hours. It was a wonderful experience visiting the classrooms and interacting with the staff and students. I told the children that we had traveled from Canada, and that we had a sponsor child just like each one of them had a sponsor somewhere in a far away country who also thought of them and prayed for them. I explained that as a teacher in Canada, I also taught much of the same lessons they were being taught, pointing out to posters and charts on the classroom wall being used for instruction. We discussed reading the same Bible and praying to the same God.

After the tour at Mbulumbuzu Child Care Center, we followed Gerrit as we drove an hour north to the David Livingstone Christian Academy. There we also visited students in their classroom, and I once again explained who we were, where we came from, and the purpose of our visit was to learn more about Timotheos. I was telling them about our hope and desire to meet our sponsor child, who was now an adult. One girl in the classroom, was listening attentively and when I told the name of our lost son, Isaac Jailosi, she raised herself up in her desk and spoke something enthusiastically in the Chichewan language.  I turned to her teacher and he said that she had Isaac as her teacher! It took all I had to keep myself composed. This was unbelievable! It was Friday afternoon, and we were scheduled to fly out of Blantyre on Monday! Could this dream still come true?

Would Gerrit still be able to track down Isaac? Could we perhaps meet on Sunday, if we commuted to a church where we could both meet in the middle? We told Gerrit we were willing to pay for Isaac’s travel expense. Gerrit said he would try to locate Isaac’s contact information and to call him and let Isaac know his Mama Diane was in Malawi. After the tour at DLCA was over, Ken and I had to leave for Mvuu Lodge, our next night’s destination, in Liwonde National Park about 2 hours north. What followed were a few suspenseful hours, waiting in anticipation for a message back from Gerrit. Finally, he sent Ken the message that he was indeed successful in contacting Isaac, and that he was willing to travel by bus on Sunday morning, approximately 2 hours of a commute, to the Ebenezer Church for the 10am service at the Mbulumbuzu Child Care Center. What an incredible flood of emotions soared through me!

Saturday afternoon we returned to the Sunbird Hotel, which is situated just over a hour away from the Ebenezer Reformed Church. Sunday morning, Ken and I arrived at the center and walked up the steps of the church, where a few people were already gathered. People were exchanging greetings. A young man walked up to us and greeted us, so I shook his hand and introduced myself. We made eye contact and he said his name was Isaac! What a special moment that was! Flooded with feelings of joy and gratitude, and feeling deeply humbled at the Lord’s goodness. Such a remarkable turn of events! Truly a dream come true.

We spoke briefly about the travel, how long we were staying in Africa, how teaching was going for him, that his pupils are aged 9- 14 years, etc. More people greeted Isaac, as he knew other teachers from this center, and I believe they also shared in the joy of our meeting! Soon it was 10am and the pastor walked in so we all followed. Ken sat with Isaac on the right side of the church with the men, while I sat with the women and children on the left.

The worship service was one we will never forget. Pastor Jeri preached in English, and a man beside him translated it into Chechewa. The gospel message was brought in all simplicity- death in Adam and life in Christ. The catechism was regarding the total depravity of man, that we are incapable of doing any good. If you sin against one commandment, you sin against them all. We all sin in thought, word and deed, none excluded. Total depravity all began when Adam, our covenant head fell, and we are all conceived and born in sin. Just like one rotten fish in a basket, all fish are contaminated. Our Maker demands perfection, and only Jesus can restore our relationship with God the Father. What a powerful, yet clear message.

After the catechetical portion of the sermon, we sang some Psalms. This was about 2 hours later. There were a few announcements, as well as some singing by a visiting group of students from another center, and I thought the service must be almost over and church would soon be dismissed… but then the second part of the sermon began. Pastor Jeri read Luke 20, starting at verse 9. It was about the Parable of the Husbandman or Vineyard. He explained the parable, and asked if where God had planted us, will He see any good fruits? Our bodies are not our own, to seek our own pleasures or fulfillments. It needs to be the temple of the Holy Ghost. Without that, by nature, we cannot bring forth good fruits. Today, God sends His servants to bring His Word. He sets forth boundaries out of love, like hedges along the way, not harshly but to keep us safe. Out of love, the Lord still has dealings with us. We are sinners yet He still offers a way back.

It was such a sincere message. The entire church service was just short of 3 hours long, all the while congregants were seated on wooden benches without a backrest. The children sat cross legged on the concrete floor. I couldn’t help but think of the complaints we hear at times if the church service is too long, or the church benches are not comfortable enough! Such a shame! There was a collection basket at the front of the church, which was counted in our view while we sang a Psalm. The amount raised was announced, along with thankfulness to the Lord. After church was over, all the people walked out in an orderly fashion, children taking their water bottles along to the Sunday School classes. Sunday School was another 45- 60 minutes. We joined one group, and observed some students reciting a Bible story or text, there was some singing, as well as a Children’s Bible story told. The children were so attentive.

Isaac joined us in the Sunday school room, and after that we prepared to leave. We gave him the gift of the leather Bible cover engraved with his name on it. We took some photos together, and exchanged contact information so we can WhatsApp back and forth. Upon returning to Canada, I sent him photos and a description of his four ”siblings “ who are married and raising their own families. He shared his dreams of getting married, and “introduced” us to his girlfriend. Every week I send some photos, and he sends an update as well. Today I received photos and a few videos of his pupils, as it is the end of the term. They all listened to a message from a pastor, just like our school often has an assembly and message provided from God’s Word. I look forward to staying connected with Isaac and hope that some day, the Lord willing, we can visit the Child Care Center in Nanitambo, where he is teaching.