At just 5 years old, Benson, a young boy from Kenya, wandered the streets alone, searching for food in garbage piles after losing his mother and baby sister to AIDS. His world was wrought with hunger, uncertainty and heartbreaking loss — until the day a van arrived.

That van took him and his brothers to Abba’s Heart — a home built by a Barnesville-based ministry and on the foundation that every child deserves more than a place to live. They deserve a place to call home.

Benson shared his story on the ministry’s website, recalling how life changed for him when he was brought to the safety of the Abba’s Heart home.

“We have parents who love us, food to eat and a place to belong,” he said of his change of circumstances made possible through the efforts of Abba’s Heart Ministries International (AHMI).

Benson now has a family – not a traditional one defined by tradition or bloodlines, but one defined by the love, commitment and the sense of belonging that bind people together.

“We are not an orphanage,” said Krista Hershberger, the 10th of 12 children born to AHMI founders Roy and Martha Hershberger. “The children are not adopted into homes. When they come to us, they are home. We are their forever home. We are their family.”

For Benson and dozens of other children at Abba’s Heart, it’s a safe haven from hardship, abandonment and neglect.

With over 30 children currently living in the home, Abba’s Hearts stands as a testament to the Hershbergers’ vision that began in 2003 when they first encountered the devastating needs of children in Kenya. Today, the ministry continues to transform lives “one child at a time.”

Krista reflected on the pivotal moment that ignited her parents’ desire to create a place for children in need.

“In the ’90s, my parents met a missionary from Kenya, and in 2003, they went on a mission trip to Kenya,” she said. “They had a chance to visit a maternity ward, and the conditions were very poor. Those conditions have improved thanks to new laws, but at the time, it was deplorable.”

The hospital the Hershbergers visited, Krista explained, had twin mattresses lined up against the walls with two to three mothers and their babies on each mattress. At the end of the ward, there were five babies lying motherless and unattended. Those infants could be claimed by anyone with no vetting procedure in place.

“Anyone could come and take a baby,” Krista said “The hospital could do nothing to stop it. Laws have changed that, too, but seeing those babies and knowing they could end up in bad places with bad people broke my mom and dad’s heart.”

It was from that heart-wrenching moment in that maternity ward 23 years ago that the seed was planted to create a place where children would not only find a home but be loved, cared for and – above all – be protected.

“That vision,” Krista continues, “grew into this dream and that dream became a reality.”

That reality, according to AHMI, took time and “years of praying and planning.”

To fund their dream, the Hershbergers established Joe’s Tires in Barnesville. And just as the ministry eventually did, Joe’s Tires grew. Now at multiple locations, it became the business that supported the calling.

The Hershbergers were able to purchase land in Kenya in 2013 and began construction on what would become the Abba’s Heart home.

“It’s about more than just a roof and a bed. It’s about providing a home,” Krista said. “The children who come to Abba’s Heart become part of a loving, supportive family.”

That belief inspired the ministry’s name – a name “chosen with much thought, prayer and intention” – as the word “Abba” translates to “father” or “daddy” in the ancient language of Aramaic. The name is meant to “signify a close, trusting relationship between a child and their loving parent.”

That symbolism is Abba’s Heart’s bedrock and what it stands for is central to the charity’s mission.

As Krista explained, each child who comes to the home is legally adopted by a Kenyan couple who reside there with a team of caregivers to help “lessen the load.”

“We have a wonderful couple who legally adopt the children becoming Mom and Dad and wonderful people who help around the clock,” Krista explained. “There’s a lot of logistics just as in any home. They help make sure teeth are brushed, homework is done and that there’s emotional support as you would in any family.”

Krista emphasizes that the caregivers at Abba’s Heart provide the nurturing needed to ensure every child grows up feeling safe and loved – not just physically cared for. This holistic approach allows each child the opportunity to heal emotionally, academically and socially.

The children who come to Abba’s Heart arrive in different ways, taking different paths. Sometimes, they are directed there by people who want to help but simply do not have the means to.

“People in Northern Kenya know about us now,” Krista says. “A school teacher may see a kid in a bad situation and say ‘I can’t help you, but I know someone who can.'”

And sometimes that help isn’t necessarily a home.

“Our goal is not to take in all the children but to give them the best chance possible,” Krista explains. “We always want to help keep them with their biological family where they are loved and supported, but that family may just need assistance. We provide that.”

There are, however, times when a child needs more than just support. They need a permanent, safe environment. Krista recounts one story of a child who came to Abba’s Heart at the age of 5, after living with grandparents who struggled to care for him.

“His grandparents would give him just enough alcohol every night so that he would pass out, and they would leave to find a job that would pay enough for a meal,” Krista said. “Often, he would wake up before they got back and go out to find a meal himself, digging through the trash for food.”

Today, that same child, Zackayo, is one of the best soccer players in the region and a big brother to all the children who call Abba’s Heart home — a powerful reflection of the healing circle of love AHMI provides.

“It’s amazing to see where he came from and who he is now,” Krista said.

For Zackayo, Abba’s Heart gave him a future in spite of the scars of his past.

“I didn’t know how to handle care or authority because I’d never experienced them before. But Abba didn’t give up on me,” Zackayo said when sharing his story on Abba’s Heart’s website. “I’ll always be grateful to Abba’s for giving me a chance and a future when no one else did.”

The stories of transformation don’t stop there.

For Kelvin, Benson’s younger brother, the transition from uncertainty to security was a turning point. He too said he was given the opportunity to dream about a future – and a family – he never thought possible.

“Our life now is so different,” he shared on the website. “We’re all together, with parents and siblings who love us.”

Jemmilah’s story is also one of resilience and hope. At just 3 years old, she was abandoned by her biological mother and left to wander the streets alone. For days, she struggled to survive until she found by relatives who took her in but could not afford to feed her. Jemmilah eventually ended up at Abba’s Heart Ministries. For the first time, she said, she experienced what it felt like to belong.

“Now, I’m a sister and a daughter,” she said, “I matter.”

The impact of Abba’s Heart extends beyond the walls of its home. Through their feeding program, Abba’s Heart has provided over 12,000 meals to schoolchildren, many of whom would otherwise go hungry. They’ve also implemented clean water programs, providing thousands of people with access to safe drinking water.

“We see the difference we make. How amazing is that?” Krsita said. “To see the kids, to talk to them, you just think, ‘Wow.’ It’s just so incredible to see that what we do matters. We see it everyday. We change lives. It’s such a blessing to be able to do that”

Through the support of donors and volunteers, Abba’s Heart continues to grow, providing not only safe homes but access to education, medical care and a chance for these children to live full lives.

“It’s about giving them a chance to not just survive but thrive,” Krista said.

Abba’s Heart Ministries International is what happens when faith and action come together to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. Through the Hershberger family’s unwavering commitment, these children aren’t just finding shelter – they are finding a family, a future and a new beginning.

Abba’s Heart Ministries relies on the generosity of individuals who believe in their mission to provide a safe, loving home for vulnerable children. Being a AHMI partner provides children with a safe home, nutritional meals, medical care, support for prior trauma and a full education with university-level studies. Donations are accepted in the following ways:

– Via DonorBox: donorbox.org/abbasheartministriesinternational

– Via PayPal: PayPal.me/AbbasHeart

– By mail (the preferred method) by making checks payable to: Abba’s Heart Ministries International, 145 W Main St, Barnesville, OH 43713.

– Through links on abbasheartministriesinternational.com.