Discipling People.

Strengthening Families.

Empowering Communities.

Kingdom Transformation,
One Life At A Time

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Discipling People. Strengthening Families. Empowering Communities.

Every child deserves safety, belonging and a family.

The HIV crisis created a national emergency in Eswatini and left many children with no safe home. Our calling is to walk with each child and each family until restoration is possible. Short term residential care is never the destination. The goal is always reunification with family whenever it is safe and healthy.

Children heal through love, mentorship and presence. Families heal through support and community. Hope grows through both.

Who We Are

We walk with people where they live.

Challenge Ministries is a Christ centered ministry that serves children, families and communities across Eswatini by staying close to the places where life is hardest.

Our work is not built around short term solutions or distant programs. We remain present in communities where children are vulnerable and families are under pressure.

We believe that healing begins when trust is built over time and that is why presence matters to us.

The Need

A beautiful nation with a remarkable challenge.

population
1
of adults live with HIV
0 %
orphaned and vulnerable children
0

At Its Core

Crises break families apart. The Gospel restores all.

Eswatini now faces the second-order impacts of the HIV/AIDS crisis — the degradation of family structures. At its core, less than 12% of LiSwati children are raised in households with both parents present.

Child-headed homes are common in rural communities, and living below the poverty line is not just normal, it is often expected.

The compounding pressures of extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS, has normalize abandonment.


Together, we are not just working to protect orphaned and vulnerable children, we are working to restore the family unit through the local church.

children reach their full potential

The Mission

Challenge Ministry’s mission is:

To Know God, Be His people, Value others, and Change our World.

What We Do

Turning pain into purpose

God is healing lives across Eswatini through family centered care, community programs, discipleship, education and sustainable enterprise.

Our work reaches the whole person and the entire household because healing cannot be separated from relationship. From children in crisis to adults seeking recovery, our programs are connected by one belief: change lasts when people are not left to walk alone.

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Childcare & Reunification

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Bulembu Community

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Rehabilitation & Recovery

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Church Planting & Community Programs

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Sustainability & Enterprise

The Invitation

You can be part of a restored future.

Restoration happens through relationship. Whether you give, go, sponsor, or partner, your yes becomes part of a larger story — one where children are reunited, families are strengthened, and communities are rebuilt to flourish for generations.

Here’s your opportunity:

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Jan Quiring

Admin Officer

Jan has extensive experience in finance and admin, operating as an executive assistant for M&L Painting, as well as serving with various ministries over the years. 

Jan has a deep-seated love for God’s children, and her passion is contagious. Jan serves Bezulu both as a diligent administrator, but also as a key member of our Board of Directors. 

Jan serves in both her roles as an incredible volunteer, and we are full of gratitude for her service and dedication.

Photo of Jan Quiring, Admin Officer, supporting Bezulu with a passion for orphaned and vulnerable children, inspiring change in Africa visiting Bulembu, Eswatini

Geoff Reed

Board Member

Geoff is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist. 

Geoff and his family believe investing in youth and families unlocks incredible potential. He has been a director on various international and local boards, including Vancouver Youth for Christ, Hillside Baptist, and the Reed Charitable Foundation. 

Geoff’s involvement with grassroots partners in Africa extends back almost twenty years. As one of Bezulu’s board members, he brings incredible experience in operations, finance and management. 

Ray Sawatsky

Board Member

Ray has been working to serve vulnerable families and communities in Africa for decades. 

An experienced corporate and nonprofit leader, Ray brings a crucial level of experience in philanthropy, operations, financial management, and business development. 

Ray’s passion is found in driving economic investment that creates lifelong sustainable change for entire communities. An outcome of that passion is the creation of Kinvest Venture Partners. 

Ray’s model of collaboration with grassroots partners inspires Bezulu’s values. 

Michael Van Pelt

Board Member

Michael Van Pelt is the CEO of Cardus, a leading public policy think tank in Canada. 

He is a 30-year veteran of Canadian public life and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. 

Michael is a vibrant generator of ideas and a fantastic resource on governance and organizational leadership. 

Michael serves on Bezulu’s board because he believes in bringing lasting sustainable change to families and children through investing in and working alongside local communities in Africa. 

Michael lives in Ancaster, Ontario with his wife Deani.

Patty Roth

Board Member

Patty joined our board in 2024. She and her husband Myron have two adult daughters and a brand new son-in-law! 

Patty holds a social work degree and has experience helping families build skills to keep children in their homes, as well as working in foster care and adoption. 

She and her husband, Myron, are passionate about supporting vulnerable children in Africa. They have served on multiple trips to Bulembu, Eswatini, to provide dental care and restore smiles and health. 

Based in Athabasca, AB, and wintering in Phoenix, AZ, Patty is excited to join the Bezulu team to support orphaned and at-risk children in Eswatini. 

Roger Bartel

Board Chair

Roger and Dorothy Bartel have been pouring out their hearts and lives into the people of Eswatini for more than a decade. 

Roger and Dorothy are the ultimate power couple, serving together in everything they do. Family is the most important thing.

Roger applies a critical eye to his nonprofit work, developed over a successful career with Spartan Controls, a leading industrial service provider in Western Canada. 

Roger is a founding board member and key driving force behind the creation of Bezulu. 

Jan Quiring

Board Member

Jan has extensive experience in finance and admin, operating as an executive assistant for M&L Painting, as well as serving with various ministries over the years. 

Jan has a deep-seated love for God’s children, and her passion is contagious. Jan serves Bezulu both as a diligent administrator, but also as a key member of our Board of Directors. 

Jan serves in both her roles as an incredible volunteer, and we are full of gratitude for her service and dedication.

Photo of Jan Quiring, Admin Officer, supporting Bezulu with a passion for orphaned and vulnerable children, inspiring change in Africa visiting Bulembu, Eswatini

Lorri Klyne

Mission Teams Coordinator

Lorri is a remarkable leadership development specialist, with a storied career in coaching, training, team and program development. 

She has a heart and deep passion for loving all of God’s children, and her many trips to Africa and professional background make her the perfect person to lead Bezulu’s mission team program. 

We are so privileged to have Lorri serve as a volunteer with Bezulu.

Josh Guenther

Executive Director

Josh is the founding Executive Director of Bezulu. He and his wife Nadine have two sons. Josh has worked in international development for over ten years, focusing on maternal and child health while leading field operations for local and international NGOs across East Africa.

As an adoptive father, Josh has profound personal experience navigating care systems for orphaned and vulnerable children. Josh knows how building a family can transform a child’s life, and he will do everything he can so that every child everywhere can be part of a family.

Josh is based in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Director

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