I am raising funds for my upcoming Africa missions trip with The Way World Outreach. Our team supports two homes for children in Kakamega and Oyugis, Kenya, as well as a church. The children in our homes have been with us since they were very young, some even since infancy. The majority of them (including toddlers) were once homeless or living on the streets, where they faced unimaginable dangers. In Kenya, street children are often targeted by gangs, and a few years ago, vigilantes began hunting them down. When caught, these children were lynched or burned alive unless they managed to escape. Just before one of our trips, this violence was occurring. It was too dangerous for us to go out, but two or three youth pastors—who themselves grew up in our home—went out and found some of these children. Eight of them agreed to come with the pastors, and that night, we brought them into a safe home. This was the beginning of what we now call our Hero home. Street children need to be gently integrated into our regular home because of what they’ve been through; they cannot just be placed straight into the home, as it’s not helpful for them and could possibly be harmful to the existing children. This story is just one example of the many things our teams have done during past trips. We go twice a year to visit and support the children and communities we serve.

Every trip, we visit the homes and spend time with the children, who know us well because we come at least twice a year. None of these children know their actual birthday, so each visit we throw a huge birthday party to show them they are loved and cared for. We don’t call them orphanages, because these children are no longer orphans—they are family, and we take care of them. We provide a home, food, clothing, schooling, and lots of love.

The funds raised will not only help with the activities in our homes but support outreach to other children and the surrounding impoverished communities through events and celebrations. The funds also help with food, lodging, and transportation for our team. Each person on the team is responsible for raising a set amount to participate in the mission, which is equal to the amount I am requesting here on GoFundMe. We travel several hours each day doing our ministry, sometimes as far as 14 hours away to reach those in need, including tribal areas where we bring food and supplies to families. Regardless of where we are—local or traveling long distances—our days are a minimum of 12-14 hours on average but can be as long as 18 hours, with every moment spent reaching and caring for people. Since I am an RN, I am often designated as “the nurse” whenever medical needs arise.

I used to be reluctant to ask people to sponsor me on these trips. Then someone reminded me that I’m not asking them to sponsor ME. I’m actually asking them to sponsor the PEOPLE we ARE GOING to. Your support will help us make a real difference for these children and communities. Thank you for considering a gift to this mission.