We had a couple of special days delivering shoes Sunday and Monday! You can read about the project here:
http://tsfga.blogspot.com/2013/03/mission-accomplished.html
and see a history of their fundraising efforts here:
https://www.facebook.com/ShoesForKenyaKids
The girls started with a goal to raise $30,000 and buy shoes for 1,200 kids. As explained below in more detail (see video near the end), the girls did everything they could to succeed in this effort based on their own efforts but knew without a doubt they could not have achieved the goal on their own. They specifically asked God to help them achieve the goal. They had raised $5,000 in two months at that point....and over the next month over $25,000 came in as God worked His ways into the project. ALL GLORY goes to Him!
The final tally: $33,000+
MOHI was able to get better pricing from the Kenyan shoe manufacturer. Therefore, 1,500 kids got new shoes.
We started Sunday attending church at the Joska Girls School. I have worshipped one other time in this building. The energy is amazing. I remember 2 years ago thinking how amazing it was that all these kids were children of the slum....and quickly being convicted with a thought from the Holy Spirit saying "No, these children are not children of the slum...they are MY children!" They are precious.
You can get a sense of how these girls worship by watching this short video. The last few seconds is what is called a 'Wow' which is how MOHI kids show appreciation and thanks to visitors. Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u436el7CyKE if embedded video doesn't work.
I love worshipping at that place!
We headed over to the boys school. The whole shoe project started last September when there was a fire at the boys school. There was another fire a few days before we got there with the shoes. Thankfully, none of the boys were in the dorm and everyone is healthy and safe....
The fire ripped through the 9th graders dorm and many of them literally had no shoes when we arrived. They were wearing borrowed flip flops and sandals from their older classmates and had taken up quarters in what used to be the cafeteria.
The girls wanted to start giving shoes to those boys....
They were happy!
After delivering shoes to the high school kids, we addressed the 6th-8th grade kids and started handing out shoes to them...
Francis is a boy who spoke during this gathering on behalf of the school. As he spoke, I knew who he was....he was the boy who sent a message to the girls last November. His words of encouragement last year came at a moment in time when the girls had realized there was no way they could raise the money needed on their own. His words gave them a boost of confidence that what they were doing mattered and set them on a course with God's help to achieving the goal. It was really nice meeting him!
Here is the message he sent last year....
One of the girls' favorite parts of the day was giving shoes to the boys who they had worked with last month on the skits for VBS...
And AJ was a big hit once again...
It was a little chaotic, but with a bunch of other people helping 700+ boys received their shoes...
A boy came over from the high school by the name of Joseph. He said just about the kindest things you could imagine about what the girls and their story meant to him and his friends.
When we told Mary Kamau what he had done, she knew about this boy and told us his story. He has overcome a lot in a single parent family with 14 kids in the slums (his father disappeared during the post-election riots during the 2007 year). She said he has such a great and thankful attitude toward life...and we completely agree with her assessment! For Rachel and me, this was our favorite moment of the day.
Goodbye on Sunday to the boys...
Greetings from the girls on Monday morning! A group of the girls met our van singing and dancing. It was a wonderful way to be welcomed to the girls school...
The girls jumped right in to delivering shoes to the girls....
The girls school has little ones that attend during the day from the neighboring community. These children are some of the beneficiaries from the generosity of all of the contributors to the Sole to Soul campaign (and thanks to the shoe pricing special)!
Love the old shoes in the background with the new shoes....
The girls showing off their new shoes...
The boys from the drama team were at the girls school on Monday. After we finished handing out shoes, there was a special presentation (see below)...
H with her special friend Gloria....
These two pictures are my favorite of the day. Throughout the two days I was touched watching my girls get down on their knees to put new shoes on these kids' feet. I couldn't help but think of the Last Supper where Jesus was down on his knees washing his disciples' feet....
AJ was a HUGE hit at the girls school. He chased a goat...
....into a CLASSROOM full of students!!! LOL
Care to guess what happened to this stack of empty shoe boxes? Should have gotten a picture of the fallen tower but will have to leave that to the imagination...
So. Much. Fun....
Even the staff loves AJ. This is Agatha, aka Shiro...
Finally, watch this video of AJ from the presentation that was done. The leader of the school asked me to say a few words. I introduced the family and this is what AJ did....(it is worth watching as he brought the house down!) Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udpD3KX9X1Y if embedded video doesn't work.
And here was my message to the girls at the school.... (Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDpWC_T7gO4 if embedded video doesn't work.)
Then it was time for goodbyes....
Rachel and "her boys."
We headed back to the MOHI Guest House for our final meal with our Kenyan family. Lucy and Willington and the Kamaus....we so appreciate each of them. Mary Kamau told us that evening that the last time kids got new shoes like this was in 2009 when the number of students in their schools was much smaller (probably closer to 2,000 versus 12,000 total now).
In the meantime, kids get hand-me-downs or find what they can to wear. She told us when she was at meetings in Indianapolis with CMF that this project was being talked about by a lot of people. It is one that the kids will never forgot (both our kids and the kids at these schools). And I hope it is a story that brings encouragement to others.
For sure it is one that has inspired me and reminded me that with God all things are possible when you are operating in His Will. We are so grateful for everyone that prayed for this project and/or contributed in any way. May the joy on these faces and the thanksgiving in the children's hearts warm yours! "Whatever you have done to the least of these, so have you done unto me!" (Matthew 25:40)
I write to you from Istanbul, Turkey where we safely arrived May 21. Til next time, God bless.
Other Photos / Favorites....
The roof to be completed in about a month on the worship hall, cafeteria, multi-purpose building at the girls school in Joska....
Teacher Lillian...
Lynne who now leads the social workers. When I was here two years ago she was leading Area 2 and to me was a VERY impressive young leader. Glad to see her moving up in the organization.
Shiro!
Permanent building going up at the boys high school...
Hope Springs....
Original poem the little kids at Joska recited to us. Sweet.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8aYK8p53s
And Rachel really wanted this picture (seriously)....Barefoot and pregnant in Africa!
http://tsfga.blogspot.com/2013/03/mission-accomplished.html
and see a history of their fundraising efforts here:
https://www.facebook.com/ShoesForKenyaKids
The girls started with a goal to raise $30,000 and buy shoes for 1,200 kids. As explained below in more detail (see video near the end), the girls did everything they could to succeed in this effort based on their own efforts but knew without a doubt they could not have achieved the goal on their own. They specifically asked God to help them achieve the goal. They had raised $5,000 in two months at that point....and over the next month over $25,000 came in as God worked His ways into the project. ALL GLORY goes to Him!
The final tally: $33,000+
MOHI was able to get better pricing from the Kenyan shoe manufacturer. Therefore, 1,500 kids got new shoes.
We started Sunday attending church at the Joska Girls School. I have worshipped one other time in this building. The energy is amazing. I remember 2 years ago thinking how amazing it was that all these kids were children of the slum....and quickly being convicted with a thought from the Holy Spirit saying "No, these children are not children of the slum...they are MY children!" They are precious.
You can get a sense of how these girls worship by watching this short video. The last few seconds is what is called a 'Wow' which is how MOHI kids show appreciation and thanks to visitors. Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u436el7CyKE if embedded video doesn't work.
I love worshipping at that place!
We headed over to the boys school. The whole shoe project started last September when there was a fire at the boys school. There was another fire a few days before we got there with the shoes. Thankfully, none of the boys were in the dorm and everyone is healthy and safe....
The fire ripped through the 9th graders dorm and many of them literally had no shoes when we arrived. They were wearing borrowed flip flops and sandals from their older classmates and had taken up quarters in what used to be the cafeteria.
The girls wanted to start giving shoes to those boys....
They were happy!
After delivering shoes to the high school kids, we addressed the 6th-8th grade kids and started handing out shoes to them...
Francis is a boy who spoke during this gathering on behalf of the school. As he spoke, I knew who he was....he was the boy who sent a message to the girls last November. His words of encouragement last year came at a moment in time when the girls had realized there was no way they could raise the money needed on their own. His words gave them a boost of confidence that what they were doing mattered and set them on a course with God's help to achieving the goal. It was really nice meeting him!
Here is the message he sent last year....
"I just thank those people who are to get us the shoes because this life is hard. Then it's good that..... I thank them because God has trusted them as people to help this place and may God bless the works of their hands."
One of the girls' favorite parts of the day was giving shoes to the boys who they had worked with last month on the skits for VBS...
And AJ was a big hit once again...
It was a little chaotic, but with a bunch of other people helping 700+ boys received their shoes...
A boy came over from the high school by the name of Joseph. He said just about the kindest things you could imagine about what the girls and their story meant to him and his friends.
When we told Mary Kamau what he had done, she knew about this boy and told us his story. He has overcome a lot in a single parent family with 14 kids in the slums (his father disappeared during the post-election riots during the 2007 year). She said he has such a great and thankful attitude toward life...and we completely agree with her assessment! For Rachel and me, this was our favorite moment of the day.
Goodbye on Sunday to the boys...
Greetings from the girls on Monday morning! A group of the girls met our van singing and dancing. It was a wonderful way to be welcomed to the girls school...
The girls jumped right in to delivering shoes to the girls....
The girls school has little ones that attend during the day from the neighboring community. These children are some of the beneficiaries from the generosity of all of the contributors to the Sole to Soul campaign (and thanks to the shoe pricing special)!
Love the old shoes in the background with the new shoes....
The girls showing off their new shoes...
The boys from the drama team were at the girls school on Monday. After we finished handing out shoes, there was a special presentation (see below)...
H with her special friend Gloria....
These two pictures are my favorite of the day. Throughout the two days I was touched watching my girls get down on their knees to put new shoes on these kids' feet. I couldn't help but think of the Last Supper where Jesus was down on his knees washing his disciples' feet....
AJ was a HUGE hit at the girls school. He chased a goat...
....into a CLASSROOM full of students!!! LOL
Care to guess what happened to this stack of empty shoe boxes? Should have gotten a picture of the fallen tower but will have to leave that to the imagination...
So. Much. Fun....
Even the staff loves AJ. This is Agatha, aka Shiro...
Finally, watch this video of AJ from the presentation that was done. The leader of the school asked me to say a few words. I introduced the family and this is what AJ did....(it is worth watching as he brought the house down!) Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udpD3KX9X1Y if embedded video doesn't work.
And here was my message to the girls at the school.... (Click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDpWC_T7gO4 if embedded video doesn't work.)
Then it was time for goodbyes....
Rachel and "her boys."
We headed back to the MOHI Guest House for our final meal with our Kenyan family. Lucy and Willington and the Kamaus....we so appreciate each of them. Mary Kamau told us that evening that the last time kids got new shoes like this was in 2009 when the number of students in their schools was much smaller (probably closer to 2,000 versus 12,000 total now).
In the meantime, kids get hand-me-downs or find what they can to wear. She told us when she was at meetings in Indianapolis with CMF that this project was being talked about by a lot of people. It is one that the kids will never forgot (both our kids and the kids at these schools). And I hope it is a story that brings encouragement to others.
For sure it is one that has inspired me and reminded me that with God all things are possible when you are operating in His Will. We are so grateful for everyone that prayed for this project and/or contributed in any way. May the joy on these faces and the thanksgiving in the children's hearts warm yours! "Whatever you have done to the least of these, so have you done unto me!" (Matthew 25:40)
I write to you from Istanbul, Turkey where we safely arrived May 21. Til next time, God bless.
Other Photos / Favorites....
The roof to be completed in about a month on the worship hall, cafeteria, multi-purpose building at the girls school in Joska....
Teacher Lillian...
Lynne who now leads the social workers. When I was here two years ago she was leading Area 2 and to me was a VERY impressive young leader. Glad to see her moving up in the organization.
Shiro!
Permanent building going up at the boys high school...
Hope Springs....
Original poem the little kids at Joska recited to us. Sweet.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD8aYK8p53s
And Rachel really wanted this picture (seriously)....Barefoot and pregnant in Africa!
UPDATE: Two days after receiving their shoes at the boys school, an arsonist set fire to one of the dorms. Fortunately no one was hurt but some of the boys who had just received new shoes lost those shoes as a result. We have asked CMF to keep the giving page up to allow donations to replace these shoes for the boys. 100% of donations goes toward buying shoes. Please give!
Hi Scotts,
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures and commentary as usual. I am so glad you were finally able to see the fruition of the hard work the girls have been putting in. That must have been an awesome two days. Good for you all!
Miss u all a ton. Be safe in Turkey and enjoy the sights!
Blessings,
Ron
There are so many things I love about this post - from the updated baby bump picture to seeing the girls deliver the shoes they worked so hard for.. but of course, my favorite was watching AJ sing his appleseed prayer to the school! I sure do love that guy and will have that song stuck in my head for days now! Love and Blessings xox Emily
ReplyDeleteComments sent to us.....
ReplyDeleteHey Rachel! Ive been following your blog on and off and I love so much what you're doing It's an inspiration, I want to do that someday with my future family. It's also given me a few pointers on my blog down here in South America. I hope all is well!!! Scott Sweeney
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how exciting to read that the shoes were delivered! what a HUGE thing God has done through your family! And - the last picture said you were 'barefoot and pregnant'....um. are you???? Mary B. Answer can be found at http://www.tsfga.blogspot.com/2013/03/easter-and-new-life.html
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Sandy Frazier Stelljes: 1, 2, 3, WOW!! Great work Sole to Soul!!
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Gail Martin: so inspiring! Love you guys!
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Laurence Bertone Outrebon: Awesome! Very inspirational...and AJ is the cherry on the cake! Something to be so proud girls.
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Brian Cooney: brings back so many feelings reading your blog. You guys are such an inspiration. Just awesome! Thanks for writing it all down to share!
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Matt Bowman: Great stuff. This is MattBo from Scott's gap trading room. ...inspirational stuff!!
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Jim Hansen: This is beyond awesome to see! Congratulations to you girls for making it all happen. Did anyone recognize Andrew as the Big Bad Wolf? Those would have to be Bondeni kids! Good to see Lynne and the happy faces at Joska (Can't tell if our child Anthony is in any of the pictures-but I keep looking). Amazing! 1500 shoes.
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What an adventure you all are having. A blessing that you will never forget. I will tell the girls that you were in Africa and share the video with them.
Blessings, Cheryl (Guatemala)
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Thanks Andrew for putting the time into these blogs and videos…..Love that video of AJ singing….so precious!!!
Talk soon
John Sweeney
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Oh my goodness, I didn’t know you were going to Turkey. I pray for God’s blessings, protection, courage, wisdom and safety.
I just shared with my dad your photos and stories in Africa.
Y’all inspire me….Katrina King (met in Guatemala)
I LOVE FOLLOWING THIS BLOG!!!!!!!! You all look AMAZING!!!! Rach... you are quite possibly the most precious pregnant lady i've ever seen!!!!!! Thank you for all you are doing! Love you all tons!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures. I can see AJ had an awesome time. It was lovely to see that! I'm glad that the boys finally got some shoes, so they don't have to walk around in their socks all day.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog. Keep up the good work. :-)