Our History
A Story of Hope
In 2008, my husband David H. Seefried went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with liver disease. David was the director and founder of Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc. and The Pines Christian Care Center for Children in Welkom, South Africa. After David passed away, the board members of Ambassadors requested that I fill the position of Interim Director for Ambassadors.
In 2000, David and I traveled to South Africa for the first time after educating ourselves with the limited information that was available at that time concerning the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. One purpose of our trip was to observe the effect that the HIV/AIDS epidemic was having on the continent and specifically, the reality of the number of children that were being orphaned due to the epidemic. The other purpose of our trip was to see how a faith based organization could provide assistance to the people affected and infected by the epidemic.
A local cemetery, which has seen an increase in graves due to HIV/AIDS
Ambassadors is a multi–faceted ministry and consists of multiple ministries in South Africa, including The Pines, community outreach programs, and local church involvement. The community outreach programs seek to teach the community Biblical based life skills to assist with the prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS. Missionaries through Ambassadors currently minister in Welkom and Kimberley, South Africa. Unchecked, HIV/AIDS unravels whole societies, communities, and economies. It not only devastates the present, it also diminishes the future. We stand firm in the promise that the saving grace of Christ can influence a change in people that can save future generations from the devastation that is currently encompassing Africa.
Thank you for visiting our web site,
Sally Seefried
Interim Director
Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc.
David exploring the property that is to become The Pines.
We soon realized that the majority of the people in Sub-Saharan Africa were in denial regarding the harsh impact of the epidemic. The reality of the situation was that everyone there was either infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Families were being torn apart. Children were being orphaned and left to fend for themselves. Grandparents were taking on the responsibility of caring for multiple children without the means to properly care for these children. HIV/AIDS was claiming a whole generation of people.
HIV/AIDS has devastated the social and economic fabric of African societies. A multitude of children have been orphaned which is the most tragic and long-term legacy of the pandemic. One of the greatest challenges that Africa faces today is caring for these orphaned children. The HIV/AIDS infection rate in many places in South Africa is as high as 1 in 3 people. This statistic alone shows that there is a dire need for help throughout the continent.
The future Pines property
Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Longmont, Colorado, born out of compassion that drives us to do what we can to alleviate the pain and suffering of HIV/AIDS and help remove its cause.
© 2020 Ambassadors International Ministries, Inc.
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