Before joining our ELI family, Luka’s life was marked by loss and struggle. Orphaned at a young age and cared for by his elderly grandmother, he faced an uncertain future. Then, God opened a door! Luka crossed paths with some of our Empowering Lives International team members, who saw his desperate need and stepped in to meet it. Luka was then invited into our Ilula Children’s Home and was greeted not just with shelter and sustenance, but with words that would shape his destiny: “God has great plans for you.”

Surrounded by stability, guidance, and love, Luka began to flourish! He worked hard, excelled in school, and became only the second person in his entire community to graduate from university, earning a degree in international business management. Along the way, his faith also came alive as he encountered Jesus in a personal way—transforming not only his future, but also his heart.

“I was lost, but now I’m found. I’ll keep using the gifts God gave me to reach and uplift others!”

Today, Luka serves as Youth Chairman of his church, mentors young people, and farms his land while awaiting formal employment. His story is a living picture of God’s promise to turn mourning into dancing, and it happened because of the generosity of people like you! Luka is now a beacon of hope to his community, and countless others are discovering that no beginning is too broken for God to redeem.