In 1996, Sarah Ledford, a stay-at-home mom, living in North Carolina in the United States, felt the call to orphan care following a week long revival where she heard a pastor from South Africa.

Following many years of prayer, Sarah and her husband, Chuck, felt called by God to adopt internationally from China. Their first adoption took place in 2002 and then a second adoption from China in 2005.

During the years between adoptions, Sarah wrote and had published a series of children’s books, The Brown-Eyed Girl books. These books loosely chronicle her family’s adoption experience.

All of the proceeds from the sale of these books have gone to support orphans in need of medical surgeries through Love Without Boundaries. Thanks to the generous people who have purchased these books, many children have had corrective surgeries, been adopted and placed with their “forever families”.

In 2007, Sarah received a call from the Lord to begin working with orphans in Africa. Following this calling, through much prayer, she began networking and connecting with interested individuals as well as ministries, both domestically and in Uganda, East Africa.

In 2008, Sarah began planning and training her first mission team bound for Uganda. The result of that was the leading of a mission team on a “vision” trip. This “vision trip” introduced Sarah and the team to a cross section of orphan care ministries in Kampala (the capital of Uganda) as well as in Jinga, Soroti and the Wera districts of Northern Uganda.

During this trip to Kampala to encourage the staff and orphans of Bethany Village and Mercy Orphanage, the concept of the ministry of ekissa was realized.

Since then, Sarah has entered into partnership with Gaba Community Church of Kampala, focusing on the holistic  needs of the people in Bweya Village. Bweya is the location of an orphanage as well as a school but void of any evangelical churches. Through this partnership ekissa was born.  It is our prayer that as we seek to meet the physical needs of Bweya Village, that these oppressed people would find true freedom in Christ.