LESOTHO - The MOUNTAIN KINGDOM

A shepherd in Lesotho dressed in a colorful, patterned blanket and a striped hat, walking on a barren, rocky landscape with a staff, under a partly cloudy sky.

Why Lesotho?

Lesotho is a country of extraordinary beauty, strength, and community life. It is also a country that carries significant challenges.

A large proportion of children in Lesotho are classified as orphans or vulnerable children (OVC). This reality has been shaped over decades by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and intensified by poverty and limited access to education, healthcare, and employment. Many extended families are carrying immense responsibility, often with very limited resources.

Our involvement in Lesotho grew slowly and relationally within this context. Through trust, shared life, and long-term presence, responsibility was given to us in ways we could never have planned. What we now carry came to us as a gift.

Lesotho

For many years now, we have been deeply connected to the small mountain nation of Lesotho. What began through relationship and invitation has become a long, shared journey with local leaders, families, and communities.

This was not something we set out to build. It unfolded over time. Again and again, it has felt as though we stepped into a river of what God was already doing, and were entrusted with a small but meaningful part to play.

That sense of awe has never left us.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.
God sets the lonely in families...”

— Psalm 68:5-6

A map of Southern Africa and surrounding regions, showing countries such as Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, and Madagascar, with country names and some cities marked.

A young shepherd boy in a red plaid jacket and beige clothes standing outdoors with a donkey on a lush green hillside with mountains in the background in Lesotho.

Playing Our Part

One of our core values is that we love playing our part in what God is doing in the world.

We believe deeply that we are called to live missionally in our own neighbourhoods and communities. Faithfulness begins locally, and often quietly. We do not believe that crossing borders is required to participate in God’s mission.

At the same time, we recognise that God sometimes invites communities into work far beyond their immediate context. Alongside our small and local expressions, we have been drawn into a beautiful and humbling work in another part of the world. This is something we treasure, and something we honour.

One Day

One Day is a project we started from scratch in partnership with the local government. Its mission is simple: to provide loving, safe family homes for orphaned and vulnerable children.

What began as an empty field in a village called HaLebesa in the mountains of Lesotho, has become a centre of family life. Children are being cared for, homes are being built, education is being supported, and community is being strengthened. God is doing what he does and lives are being restored through presence, consistency, and love.

Over the years, teams from Ireland have regularly travelled to Lesotho to help build, equip, and serve. Many people have discovered purpose and calling through being part of this work, whether through practical involvement, long-term commitment, or quiet faithfulness behind the scenes.

This journey was first pioneered by Chris and Sheila Dillon, whose obedience and courage laid the foundations. They were later succeeded by Stephen and Caroline Sharpe, who continue to serve and lead faithfully. Alongside this, Trish Carrig played a key role in establishing a sewing school, creating skills, dignity, and opportunity within the community.

VISIT THE ONE DAY WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE

A person and a child walking on a dirt road through a dry, rural landscape with scattered trees, old buildings, and distant hills under a clear blue sky in the village of HaLebesa, Lesotho.

Pulane Children’s Centre

Pulane Children’s Centre was our original starting point in Lesotho. It was through relationship and service here that our wider involvement began.

Over time, the work expanded outward, and later returned in a deeper way through leadership support, governance, and oversight. Today, we continue to walk closely with Pulane, strengthening what already exists and helping ensure sustainability for the future.

This partnership reflects a commitment to honouring local foundations, serving with humility, and staying for the long term.

VISIT PCC'S WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE

A hillside village in Lesotho with traditional round huts with thatched roofs, surrounded by green trees and rocky terrain, with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Liberty Church Ha lebesa

Alongside the children’s centre in the village of HaLebesa, a local church community has taken shape. This was not something we planned, but something that emerged naturally through shared life and relationship.

Liberty Church HaLebesa is led by Ntate Brown, a pastor who carries the same heart for community, discipleship, and presence that shapes our life in Dublin. It is our joy to support him and the church as they serve the village spiritually, relationally, and practically.