With Heavy Hearts

On March 17, 2025, in Kitwe, Zambia, Joe Marton, our beloved friend, fellow mission worker, Sustainable Business Manager and unwavering Orphan Advocate, unexpectedly went to be with our Lord and Savior. Though Joe grew up in Windsor and was baptized in the Apostolic Christian Church, he spent most of his adult life in Southern California. In 2005, he left behind the comforts of California to serve in Kenya with Christ’s Hope International, dedicating his life to ministry and caring for children in need. In 2022, his journey led him to Lifesong for Orphans in Zambia, where he continued to serve until the Lord called him home.

Joe thrived on relationships—he was a man who loved people deeply and intentionally. Known to countless children as “Uncle Joe,” he invested in their lives with a heart full of love, laughter, and competition. Though Joe never married, he had more than 1,000 orphaned children whom he loved as his own. His friendships spanned the globe, and he was deeply loved by those who knew him. Joe passed away in the arms of his friend Dennis after an intense game of squash, suffering a sudden heart attack. His departure leaves an unfillable void, but he would want us to carry on his legacy—serving others joyfully and wholeheartedly, just as he did.