"Africa, here we come!" Ryan Family
Donation protected
In less than 2 months our family will be heading to Kenya and Tanzania. This is our 7th time making the journey (first time for our two youngest). The first part of our trip will be leading a family team of 8 to Arusha, Tanzania where we will be working with a group of BEAUTIFUL children who live in the Tumaini Children's Home. We will also be working with the Masaai and will have many other opportunities to serve in the neighboring community to where we are staying.
We LOVE every single part of these trips we make. One of the things that infuses the why behind our involvment is being witness over and over to the impact of hearts with guarded walls being broken down simply in tha ct of reaching out to others in love. It is a BEAUTIFUL thing. Our culture keeps us busy and VERY often teaches us to guard ourselves at all times... don't trust... stay busy...don't slow down for love. When God's unexpected love breaks down those barriers and floods in... it is JOYOUS!
As much as we love every part of each trip there is one part that is extremely personal to us - our sponsor girls. We have known these girls since they were 4 and 5 years old. (I think they are 6 and 7 in this photo from 2009)
They are getting SO BIG and we LOVE them SO MUCH! It is truly a gift to our hearts that we have the opportunity to build relationship with these sweet girls. We are SO excited that our two youngest will have the opportunity to spend time with these girls they have been praying for the majority, or all, of their lives.
As much as that is personal to us, the scope is even bigger... there are MANY we love and consider family.
Our goal.. to go and LOVE on ALL of these precious people! To bring HOPE for change,
to ENCOURAGE and help give them tools to be the change they want to see. To CARE for them and BUILD even more RELATIONSHIPS. To VALUE them.
The second part of our trip will be leading a different team to Nairobi, Kenya where we will be working with families who live in indescribable circumstances: Rusty tin shanty's called homes, no running water, garbage and filth to the brim. Food is scarce and hope is dim.
In the Kibera Slum. One of our service projects will be working at the school that educates and feeds over 400 children every day.
This is the slum:
The Kibera Slum Houses about 1 million people and is the largest slum in Africa, one of the largest in the world.
There are now two Saviour King Academy school locations in the Kibera Slum - this is the smaller original school that, until this last January, housed over 300 children daily in this small 3 room building. It now houses the younger classes and the older kids have moved over to the new larger location.
The incredible leaders of this school are depositing love and hope for the future into these precious little ones. The kids receive a great education, there is a daily feeding program and most importantly these kiddos are receiving hope for a future outside of slum life. The children cry when school break approaches because they know they will go hungry until school resumes. A little different from our kiddos, right?
Below is our daughter, Maddy with some of the school kids we are getting ready to take on a field trip to a park with trees and grass where we play games, feed them and do crafts. This is a once a year experience for these kids. Outside of this field trip many never leave the borders of the slum to see what lies beyond.
At the park playing:
My dear hub at the park with some of the boys that seek him out every year we visit.
We still have a large chunk of support to raise for our family's cost to travel and for supplies to take with us. If you would like to partner with us we would be so very grateful!
We also LOVE to be given opportunities to talk about these precious people that have captured our hearts. So if you have any questions please feel free to ask away!
We LOVE every single part of these trips we make. One of the things that infuses the why behind our involvment is being witness over and over to the impact of hearts with guarded walls being broken down simply in tha ct of reaching out to others in love. It is a BEAUTIFUL thing. Our culture keeps us busy and VERY often teaches us to guard ourselves at all times... don't trust... stay busy...don't slow down for love. When God's unexpected love breaks down those barriers and floods in... it is JOYOUS!
As much as we love every part of each trip there is one part that is extremely personal to us - our sponsor girls. We have known these girls since they were 4 and 5 years old. (I think they are 6 and 7 in this photo from 2009)
They are getting SO BIG and we LOVE them SO MUCH! It is truly a gift to our hearts that we have the opportunity to build relationship with these sweet girls. We are SO excited that our two youngest will have the opportunity to spend time with these girls they have been praying for the majority, or all, of their lives.
As much as that is personal to us, the scope is even bigger... there are MANY we love and consider family.
Our goal.. to go and LOVE on ALL of these precious people! To bring HOPE for change,
to ENCOURAGE and help give them tools to be the change they want to see. To CARE for them and BUILD even more RELATIONSHIPS. To VALUE them. The second part of our trip will be leading a different team to Nairobi, Kenya where we will be working with families who live in indescribable circumstances: Rusty tin shanty's called homes, no running water, garbage and filth to the brim. Food is scarce and hope is dim.
In the Kibera Slum. One of our service projects will be working at the school that educates and feeds over 400 children every day.
This is the slum:
The Kibera Slum Houses about 1 million people and is the largest slum in Africa, one of the largest in the world.
There are now two Saviour King Academy school locations in the Kibera Slum - this is the smaller original school that, until this last January, housed over 300 children daily in this small 3 room building. It now houses the younger classes and the older kids have moved over to the new larger location.
The incredible leaders of this school are depositing love and hope for the future into these precious little ones. The kids receive a great education, there is a daily feeding program and most importantly these kiddos are receiving hope for a future outside of slum life. The children cry when school break approaches because they know they will go hungry until school resumes. A little different from our kiddos, right?
Below is our daughter, Maddy with some of the school kids we are getting ready to take on a field trip to a park with trees and grass where we play games, feed them and do crafts. This is a once a year experience for these kids. Outside of this field trip many never leave the borders of the slum to see what lies beyond.
At the park playing:
My dear hub at the park with some of the boys that seek him out every year we visit.
We still have a large chunk of support to raise for our family's cost to travel and for supplies to take with us. If you would like to partner with us we would be so very grateful!
We also LOVE to be given opportunities to talk about these precious people that have captured our hearts. So if you have any questions please feel free to ask away!
Organizer
Kimberly Cronkhite Ryan
Organizer
Bellingham, WA