Hope For Kajiado

Mission Trips to KCH

Summertime! A time of rest, a time of joy, a time for sharing time with loved ones; and a time for AMAZING experiences in Kenya, East Africa. On one of our mission trips a group of ten people, comprised of three generations, spent most of their time at Kajiado Children’s Home but also included visits to local villages, Nairobi and a school run by the Light Foundation. Individuals joined hands on this adventure filled with love, wonder, and joy. Below are some of their reflections.

In the words of Mark Tucker, “The trip was remarkable in many ways. I was overwhelmed by the character and strength I saw in the kids who are living at the home. The days start very early and end late for all the students, yet their devotions to the rigors of schoolwork, responsibilities at the home and to each other never waned. I spent much of my time thinking about all the modern day conveniences not available at KCH, but that is never what you hear when you talk to the kids. They remain positive and extremely grateful for all that is provided through the home. It is indeed their home. A place where they truly feel loved protected and encouraged. One of the highlights of my trip was meeting my sponsored child, Naanyu, for the first time. It was good to meet face-to-face. He is one of the younger children and would return from school earlier in the afternoon than some of the older kids. I will always remember Naanyu and another boy, Likam, who were my “construction helpers” after school as our team worked to complete a new fellowship hall .”

Jodi Hummer has visited KCH four times. She shared “I heard from friends that going on a mission trip could be life changing. I knew that I had developed a connection to two young girls I sponsor at an orphanage in Kenya, and going to meet them would be quite moving. I knew that by going there, I would not only see but experience life in a third world country. What I did not know was how I would experience God through all of the children in Kajiado Children’s Home. I did not realize that I would see such genuine kindness, love, compassion for one another, and true happiness in an orphanage. I didn’t think it could be possible for children who have lost both of their parents to a horrible disease to actually find themselves in such a beautiful situation – to not only embrace it but appreciate and love it. You see, the children at Kajiado Children’s Home don’t have any desire to leave. They are so loved, cared for, educated, and they are taught responsibility and important life lessons. They see their life as beautiful and as God intended it to be. They appreciate every bit of what is being offered to them and they are blissfully happy. They see their lives through God. They put God first. And because of this, they aren’t weighted down with the negativity of judgement, jealousy and anger. They never argue or get mad at each other. They are incredibly unselfish the way they share and are genuinely happy for one another. Regardless of age, they all include each other when playing. The older kids put the younger ones to bed, and they all wash their own clothing. They see no issue with any of this because they see no other way. They know God loves them and that is all that matters.”

Greg Walter shared, ” When asked to recount the experience, I could share the countless stories of our time at Kajiado Children’s Home…I would tell you about a three-hour church service where I saw the most genuine worship and love for the Lord amongst the children and staff, where no one tired of singing and praising God with thankfulness for His blessings…I would share with you that I saw the effects of kindness and love… that when someone has so little in life; the positive impact of a loving smile, a kind word or a selfless gesture can have on the life of another is enormous… I would try to describe the joy of these children in just being together… to come from desperate circumstances and now to have a home and a family… I would detail the passion of the orphanage’s staff to take care of these children… and how thankful they are for the help they receive from people, most of whom they will never meet… I would recount the new friends I made on this trip and how each one of them contributed in an impactful and meaningful way for the benefit of these children… and I would tell you that in my own faith journey, God used this experience to remind me of what matters in life.”

Donna Walter added, “Many may ask how children who have so little can be so thankful and love so much, but that’s the point! Their priorities are in order. Unlike us here in the US, they aren’t concerned with the next vacation, car, house or piece of furniture they are going to acquire. They are truly thankful for their tiny trunks that hold all of their belongings, daily food, a place to sleep and a school to attend. You see, these children are all orphans that came from much worse living conditions before the orphanage. They are happy to be cared for. Their hearts of love and compassion for one another and others do nothing but overflow. We brought them small gifts of bubbles, balloons and sidewalk chalk, but you would have thought we brought them the latest cell phone or car. Talk about excitement and appreciation!” Another meaningful part of our visit was the opportunity o meet the two girls we sponsor, Eunice and Nora. From the moment we met them, the connection was strong and it grew throughout the week. By the last night, I felt as if I had known them for years and my heart was breaking as if leaving a family member. It is hard to understand such a strong connection happening so quickly, but it’s possible and real. After we completed the work on the building, a dedication was held. In addition to ribbon cutting, the children performed numerous songs and dances, pastors from area Christian churches came to encourage, and several powerful messages of thankfulness were presented. One theme that resonated with me throughout the dedication was that we are “blessed to be a blessing”. Although I went to Kenya to minister and better these children’s lives, I was the one who was truly blessed. So, what about you? How are you blessed to bless others? Maybe it’s here in the US with family or those less fortunate. Or maybe it’s to sponsor a child at Kajiado Children’s Home. I would encourage you to consider sponsorship.

John Chao shared: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Hope for Kajiado is a little taste of this famous 1 Corinthian 13 passage. A beautiful picture of faith expressed in abundance! The children sing for hours every Sunday at worship to express their joy in Christ. Joy expressed in song. Joy expressed in dance. Joy expressed in laughter. The children have a foundation of faith in Christ at Kajiado Children’s Home, through the love of staff and their “parents” in Africa, America, Europe, and Asia. Hope is the perfect name for this organization. Because of this, they have hope for the future. When we ask the children about their hope for the future, they say they want to become teachers and engineers and tailors and pilots. This hope is real to them because of the alumni from Kajiado Childrens’s Home. An alumnus teaches at Nairobi University. Another alumnus, who received a sewing machine upon graduation, opened her tailor business. Their Kajiado Children‘s uniforms are purchased from her! Another alumnus learned skills to build and finish houses for sale in Kajiado. We toured homes they build. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail were impressive. Although there are no pilots from the school yet, we hope the children will develop piloting skills through flight simulator games installed on laptops. More than the hope for a better tomorrow, they want to know we love them today. They expressed love from the moment we arrived, with hugs, games and laughter. They expressed it with tears when saying goodbye to their “America parents”. One of my most poignant moments was when Gaye passed out letters and gifts from the America parents. The children swarmed her anxiously waiting to receive a letter from THEIR America parents. The children beamed with pride and treasured the letter from their parents. Sadly, not every child received a letter…My family and I became an America parent to Solomon. Our financial support is important. Our hope is that over time, through regular letters, Solomon will know he’s loved in Africa and in America. I look forward to my next trip to Kenya – perhaps with a few of my kids to meet their brother from Kenya!

Mark Tucker explained, “I will always remember the people who were part of our mission team. They were extraordinary and did much to improve my outlook on this world. We always had some down time in the evenings to fellowship with each other and simply share our thoughts, hopes and dreams for not only KCH but also our own families, friends and country. Those times were awesome. I was genuinely happy sitting on some old furniture in a small round cement-walled tiny home in Africa – who knew?

“On our last night,” Greg Walter shared, “the orphanage’s pastor asked us to say a few words to the kids and staff to recap our time there. I shared that I would tell the people back in America that I knew where in the world the best hugs were…where the best smiles were…where the most joyful hearts were…and that was in the Kajiado Children’s Home…And since I have been back, THAT is what I have done. If you want to make the world a better place, there are lots of things you can do or organizations to partner with… but I can promise you that this little orphanage in East Africa is making a difference in the next generation by showing them that love and faith can move mountains.”

It was sad to leave these children at the end of our visit, and some that we see only once a year cried. But they also know we will return, and that brings them hope and joy to know that others truly care for them. Join us on our next mission trip. The trip includes time spent at the children’s orphanage performing a service project for them, plus a photo safari. Mission trip expense and travel to Africa are tax-deductible expenses, and the safari cost is a personal expense. The photo safari truly provides us time to process all of the experiences held during our time at the home and allows for the opportunity to see the wonders of the Mara as we see and appreciate the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. For me, it is different each time I share this experience with others, as I continue to see things in a fresh perspective through others. What a blessing it is for me to be associated with this calling. I hope to share it with many more people in the future. Won’t you join us?

Contact us for more information at info@hope4kajiado.org!