When Traci Jones first met Isaac Sakala while visiting Zambia on a mission trip in 2012, she immediately fell in love with him.
“I called my husband, Mykal, who was back home in Dallas, Texas, and told him I wanted to bring a little boy home in my suitcase,” she recalls while shedding happy tears.
Her husband quickly squashed those plans. “I informed her that she couldn’t do that because it was illegal,” Mykal Jones sternly explained.
Love in Action
Sakala, now 24, had no parents or guardian and was being cared for under Tree of Life, a foster care program run by faith-based Zambian nonprofit organization Family Legacy.
The Joneses decided to sponsor Sakala’s education from primary school, and on June 5 they arrived in Mutare and saw him for the first time in over 10 years.
It was an emotional moment for the trio as they hugged and openly wept on the eve of Sakala’s graduation. He graduated June 6, 2026 at Africa University, the United Methodist pan-African university, with a bachelor’s degree in business management, and his family from Dallas was there to witness the ceremony.
“I appreciate the care they gave me, the guidance and love, which went beyond financial support,” he said.
Traci Jones, a Baptist, said they missed his high school graduation because it was during COVID. “The world shut down and we weren’t allowed to travel. I was so sad about that, and I told him, ‘We will not miss your college graduation,’” she said.
“Being here to watch him graduate just means the world to me. I’m gonna cry. I just love him so much,” she stated as another floodgate of tears opened.
Mykal Jones said the couple is proud of Sakala’s accomplishments.
“He’s put in so much hard work, and he’s worked his tail off to get this far. We love him, he’s like one of our own ... he’s one of our kids,” Mykal Jones said.
The couple said they hope that one day he will be able to visit them in the U.S., where many people have prayed for him over the years.
Graduate Thanks Legacy Organization
Sakala said he is forever grateful to Family Legacy and its Excel Beyond department, which runs the tertiary education program.
“Graduating from Africa University is the world’s greatest thing. I really appreciate all that Family Legacy did for me. I now have a U.S. family, which they provided. My life is a testament of the work done by the organization,” he told UM News.
Sakala was one of a record 11 Family Legacy wards who graduated from Africa University in the class of 2026.
Family Legacy cares for orphans and vulnerable children ensuring they live in a safe environment in the organization’s homes run under Tree of Life. The organization operates in 18 communities in the metropolitan area of Lusaka, the Zambian capital. It has the Legacy Academy group of schools, which provides primary and secondary education in Grade 1-12. The organization also has Excel Beyond, which trains young adults in various skills and trades and provides a college pathway for diplomas as well as a university pathway for undergraduate degrees.
Your Generous Support Helps Educate Africa
By supporting the Africa University Fund apportionment, you help provide financial support for the general operating expenses of Africa University. This university helps empower students from across the continent of Africa to give back to their individual countries on their return home. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Africa University Fund at 100 percent.
excerpt from a story by Eveline Chikwanah is a UM News correspondent based in Harare, Zimbabwe.
This story shows the impact of the Africa University Fund—one of seven apportionment funds of The United Methodist Church—to equip new generations of leaders for the African continent. Your church’s giving supports Africa University in Zimbabwe, where students from across Africa receive higher education rooted in faith, excellence, and service. Together, we help shape leaders who transform their nations and communities.
When your church supports the Africa University Fund, you empower students to become changemakers grounded in hope and faith.
