Our story started in 2004 when our son Luke (then 11yrs old) and I traveled to Mozambique to help at an orphanage and witnessed firsthand the devastation of poverty in a third world country. Witnessing the heartbreaking scenes of children rummaging through the dump to find something to eat, sleeping under cardboard boxes and literally left dying on a hospital bed because there were no family to bring them food, was difficult to ignore.
My husband Ross, our son Luke and myself later made mission trips to the Philippines to again help the poor and needy. In 2007 we started a sponsorship program for those orphaned by the genocide in Rwanda. At the beginning of 2015 we started Precious Little Diamonds Inc partnering with Pastor George and Jacky Okuta from Diamond Valley Ministries in Kisumu, Kenya who have such a loving heart for the children.
We could not do what we do without the generous support of ordinary Australians wanting to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than ourselves. We say a big Thank You!
Ross and Sue Shearman - Precious Little Diamonds Inc.
Ross and Sue live in a suburb of Brisbane Australia. They have 5 adult children and 11 grandchildren. They both have a heart for Africa and desire to see the lives of those they help become all that God created them to be.
Ross and Sue are Christians, they attend The Rock Christian Church at Capalaba and believe that it is only by God's wonderful grace that they were born in a country where death from starvation and poverty on an enormous scale is not an every day occurrence, as in countries they have visited.
Pastor George and Jacky Okuta - Diamond Valley Ministries
In 2004, an aunty passed away leaving Pastor George Okuta with a 9 month old baby girl, 2 older boys and an older girl to care for. The following year the girl got married and died in childbirth leaving another baby for him to feed and raise.
In 2008 George married Jacky and have 2 children Sanis and Ross. They thanked God that George found small jobs to buy food and to clothe and pay school fees for the orphans. At times George sold his phone and other personal belongings to keep the children in school and put food on the table.
George and Jacky's responsibilities grew as more children were entrusted into their care, their days are full with caring for over 50 orphans. Most of the children are in guardian homes, however George and Jacky take on the responsibility of overseeing the well being of these children. It is not an easy task when finances are so lean but they are committed to the responsibility of being mother and father to these "precious little diamonds".
