In November 2011, Julie Seath (Founder of Love a Village) travelled to Northern Malawi where she met Maria, an HIV positive abandoned mother of five. Maria had lost two of her children to disease and malnutrition and was caring for the surviving three in a tiny shelter she and her children had built with mud, sticks, and straw. The encounter of Maria's bravery and need irreversibly changed life for Julie. She knew she had to respond to God's request to care for Maria and her children. Love a Village is coming to life out of the beauty and heartache of so many friends like Maria.

 

As God opened a way, Julie led a team of 10 to return to Malawi in July 2012 with Amped2Go International Leadership Exchange. That team was able to participate in a number of projects including the completion a proper home for Maria and her family.

 

The following year (2013), another Amped2Go team returned and were introduced to the village of Luhomero and to a pair of sisters who were caring for eleven children while living in two mud huts. Again, the team helped by completing a home construction project. In the midst of that visit, the team discovered other significant opportunities to help in Luhomero by partnering with enthusiastic and talented local leaders. 

 

2014 was a very special year in Luhomero. As our relationships deepened, we knew God was inviting us to commit to participating in His work in this wonderful village community. In conversation and prayer with our new Malawian friends, we began to see exciting opportunities to make a meaningful difference by empowering the people of Luhomero to identify and address their deep challenges. The vision for Love a Village was born.