Day 107 - From Everyone Here... Thank You

October 26, 2012 (Sam)

      Thank you for allowing us to be here. Seriously, we would not be here, doing what we are doing were it not for the extreme kindness of everyone back home who has been generously providing for all our needs. We’ve been humbled by your eagerness to partner with us to help impact children in Kenya.

      We are excited to be able to tell you though, that the money you’ve given goes to support so much more that just our personal expenses here. Our needs have been more than met. The fact is that, every day, we are able to transfer the generosity that you’ve shown to us to other people here, who need it far more than we do.

      Rebecca is a single mother and is HIV positive. Most days she hardly has enough energy to drag herself to work because of all the medication she takes combined with the fact that she hardly ever has food. Her gaunt face and sunken eyes are a testament to her constantly aching stomach. The other day, Rebecca told us that neither she, nor her 6 year old malnourished son Brian, had eaten in three days. Because of a generous donation by one of our friends back in Wisconsin, we were able to get Rebecca and Brian a two week supply of groceries!

      Chelsea is a first grader in a local school here in Ongata Rongai. She has the sweetest little round-toothed smile I’ve ever seen. Chelsea hasn’t been to school in two weeks though. Her father is a day laborer and her mother is a houseworker. Between the two of them, they can’t pay the rent, buy food, and afford school fees. So, even though Chelsea is an exceptional student, she got kicked out of school. But because of a generous donation by a compassionate family from our church in Delaware, Chelsea was able to return to school today, and her parents won’t have to worry about school fees until next year!

      Eunice is a kindhearted mother of three. The little Eunice has, she is quick to share with others. After beating her for years, her husband left her and the kids. Forced to make her meager living off of washing clothes and hawking maize corn, Eunice can’t afford even the most basic items for her children, like mattresses. They sleep on slabs of chewed up foam. Because of a generous donation by one of my old co-workers and his wife, by the time we left Eunice's house late last night, all three of her children were fast asleep on a brand new mattress!

      It may be hard for you to be able to appreciate just how much your generosity means to the people here. It’s hard to understand until you see the grateful eyes welling up with tears. It’s hard to grasp until it’s your body that’s being embraced by quivering arms. It’s impossible to comprehend until you see hopeful smiles spreading across hopeless faces yourself. This is not an abstract reality for the people here. What you give means life for them.

      The reality for many families here is harsh, and there are still massive needs in this community. We want to provide you with the means to support the local children here. We have become close with many individuals and families that are still lacking the most basic of necessities. We want to be the conduit though which your continued generosity can be transmitted. We want to help you bless others here in Kenya. The fact is, through donations that we have already received, lives have been changed, hearts have been touched, and hope has been found.

      So from everyone here, thank you for everything you do.

(If you have the desire to help a family here in Kenya, click the “Donate” button at the top right of this page. Feel free to specify a certain cause or purpose that you’d like your donation to go towards, and we’ll be sure it gets there)