When people ask me if I have children I almost always say, “yes.”
“I have 250 children in Kenya.” Obviously, they are not my biological babies, they are not my color, and some of them don’t speak English all that well; but so many of them don’t have anyone else to claim them. For many of my children there is no longer anyone in their lives who will say, “I love you.” They lost their mother to HIV/AIDS, their father abandoned them, their aunts and uncles want nothing to do with them… so I will claim them. I will love them as my own, and I will tell them that they are incredible children with the chance to do anything they believe in every chance that I get. I will continue working with my team to provide as many opportunities as we can for them, and I will never regret any sacrifices I make for these kids. Not because I am selfless or charitable, but because I have been blessed with the most awesome children anywhere, and they deserve the same love and endearment as any other child.
Two years ago I started working with a non-profit organization called, Longonot Education Initiative. This organization changed my entire life. As I sit here typing and trying to explain the impact that LEI has had on my life I am coming up completely speechless. There are not enough words to explain how grateful I am every day for my team and the work that we get to do. Longonot Education Initiative focuses on educational efforts and supporting community initiatives. These two things are so important to me. I couldn’t have found an organization that supports my personal beliefs more accurately. Working in Kenya has taught me so much about life and about myself, it has shown me how strong I can be, and what true dedication can accomplish. It has also been the most challenging experience of my life. The work I do is almost never easy, but it is always always worth it. I have had days where I lay in bed and cry, because I have seen too much poverty for one life time, or because while I am desperately trying to help someone they seem determined to do nothing other than bring me pain. Those days suck, but they play a vital role in the reason I love my work, because after I pull myself out of bed and get back at it there is always going to be happy tears right around the corner. Things like watching eight street boys suit up in their school uniforms for the first time, or seeing children run to the first playground they’d ever seen; things of pure beauty, that make my heart so full of love. My job is incredible.
“I have 250 children in Kenya.” Obviously, they are not my biological babies, they are not my color, and some of them don’t speak English all that well; but so many of them don’t have anyone else to claim them. For many of my children there is no longer anyone in their lives who will say, “I love you.” They lost their mother to HIV/AIDS, their father abandoned them, their aunts and uncles want nothing to do with them… so I will claim them. I will love them as my own, and I will tell them that they are incredible children with the chance to do anything they believe in every chance that I get. I will continue working with my team to provide as many opportunities as we can for them, and I will never regret any sacrifices I make for these kids. Not because I am selfless or charitable, but because I have been blessed with the most awesome children anywhere, and they deserve the same love and endearment as any other child.
Two years ago I started working with a non-profit organization called, Longonot Education Initiative. This organization changed my entire life. As I sit here typing and trying to explain the impact that LEI has had on my life I am coming up completely speechless. There are not enough words to explain how grateful I am every day for my team and the work that we get to do. Longonot Education Initiative focuses on educational efforts and supporting community initiatives. These two things are so important to me. I couldn’t have found an organization that supports my personal beliefs more accurately. Working in Kenya has taught me so much about life and about myself, it has shown me how strong I can be, and what true dedication can accomplish. It has also been the most challenging experience of my life. The work I do is almost never easy, but it is always always worth it. I have had days where I lay in bed and cry, because I have seen too much poverty for one life time, or because while I am desperately trying to help someone they seem determined to do nothing other than bring me pain. Those days suck, but they play a vital role in the reason I love my work, because after I pull myself out of bed and get back at it there is always going to be happy tears right around the corner. Things like watching eight street boys suit up in their school uniforms for the first time, or seeing children run to the first playground they’d ever seen; things of pure beauty, that make my heart so full of love. My job is incredible.
Living and working in Kenya has brought me so much more than
work though. It has brought me a second home and a beautiful little second
family. I work with some of my greatest friends, they are smart and kind souls.
Because of these people Ngong town is forever etched into my heart with
memories that I will never be able to forget. Our weekly dinner parties,
countless bonfires, motorbike rides through the most beautiful land on this
planet, talking about everything and nothing all at once are always in my head
no matter where I am in the world. You are all so dear to me, and my heart
aches to see you again soon. (Also, I can’t forget my Africat here. At the
expense of sounding like a crazy-cat-lady I can say that Nala has taught me
many valuable life lessons and I’ve had a good weep about missing him a time or
two)
These last two years have been absolutely vital in making me the person that I am today. The triumphs and challenges that I have faced while working with LEI have been truly amazing. Working with LEI has saved me from living a
These last two years have been absolutely vital in making me the person that I am today. The triumphs and challenges that I have faced while working with LEI have been truly amazing. Working with LEI has saved me from living a
