This mission began nearly 25 years ago, when a seed was planted in the hearts of Marshall and Judy Hodges, a rural Virginia couple. At a revival meeting, Marshall was deeply moved by a speaker talking about the needs of children in Africa.
He planned a visit to Zambia later that year and “fell in love with the children.” He saw their reality firsthand: “They had no home and some were being abused on the streets.”
This wasn’t just an observation; it was a call to action. Judy Hodges used money from an inheritance to purchase a building. With funds from the Hodges family and their small church, Evangelistic House of Prayer, they renovated an old bottling and grocery store, and in 2002, the One Way Mission Children’s Home was born.
“When we started, the conditions there were rather primitive,” Marshall Hodges said.
Now, by the grace of God, our home has grown to house 43 children, from infants as young as one week to young adults up to age 21. Many of these children are rescued from the streets, having been victims of trafficking or abuse, while many of the babies are found abandoned in dumps or pits.
Here, they are safe.
At the heart of our home is our dedicated Local Director Loveness Sakala. She began working as a “mother” in 2003 and was promoted to director in 2014. Her commitment is absolute. When a severe wind storm blew the roof off the orphanage in 2016, she took all 25 children into her own two-room home for one year until the roof could be replaced. This is the spirit of resilience that defines us.
As our home has grown, so have the needs. One Way Mission has obtained 600 acres of land, which we affectionately call “The Farm.” The ultimate vision is to move the orphanage here, which would allow the mission to become “more self-sufficient.”
The children will learn valuable life skills working with animals like oxen, cattle, goats, pigs and chickens on the farm, as well as working the land to grow maize and produce in large gardens.
This large living space could also serve as a school, church and a clinic area.
Our plan is to collect enough donations to supplement the orphanage’s budget, while renovating the original building to liveable standards. Once we achieve these goals, we will start the process of planning and building on The Farm.
Separate male and female dorms
A large home with a kitchen, a school, and a clinic area.
A place where children will learn “valuable life skills.” They will work with animals, grow maize and produce in large gardens , and harvest fish from a future pond.
The native people, who have lived on these tribal lands for centuries but are now being displaced by new owners buying the land for large farms, will be welcome to remain on the mission land and help the children work on the farm.