A Life Well Lived: Sonja & Lance McWilliams

February 7, 2025

A beautiful soul,  Sonja McWilliams, is the highlight of this months Blog. Her husband Lance McWilliams is the “Lance” in Lance’s Deaf Orphans, or LDO as we more commonly refer to the combined orphanage and school in Kissi, Kenya, where around 30 Deaf children reside full-time. If you’ve ever wondered where the name Lance’s Deaf Orphans came from, well now you’ll know.

Lance and Sonja founded LDO together. Lance, who is Deaf himself, while on a (non-Deaf Child Hope affiliated) Missions Trip to Kenya in 2008, learned of the horrible situation that faces almost all Deaf children in that region of the world. Deaf children in Kenya and many developing and emerging countries are often cast out. They are without language, without an education, without a community and this reality was too much for Lance to witness and not take action. With Sonja by his side, the two set out to purchase vacant land and build LDO from the ground up, creating a safe haven for these children.

Fast forwarding to present day, Sonja and Lance need their community now more than ever. Sonja was placed on hospice earlier this week and is in a lot of pain. Lance remains faithfully by her side and as you can imagine their world has been turned upside down. Please join us in honoring this incredible woman as her time to join our Lord draws closer. Your prayers for Sonja, Lance, and their family are deeply appreciated.

Sonja, thank you for touching so many lives. Thank you for courage to do what few have done. Thank you for your compassion and loving the way you have. Thank you Sonja for leaving this world better than you found it.