During our time in Kitale, Kenya last month we came home after a day of ministry to find Mama with a boy she had brought home from the school where she works. He had dinner with us and we heard his story. His name is Benard and he’s been an orphan for a greater part of his life. The last people whose care he was in could no longer take him. Another teacher at school ran up to Mama that day saying no one would take him and she didn’t know what to do.
I think that evening our team knew God brought him to us for a reason. Benard has such a gentle spirit and despite all the hardship he always has a large smile and a heart full of gratitude. He stayed at Pastor and Mama’s house as they tried to figure out if he could attend school. In Kenya if you don’t finish Secondary School you can’t get a job. Benard had one year left. However, because of being shuffled around they pushed him back a year, so he has two years left of school.
That’s where many of our supporters came in. If you’d like to read more about Benard you can read the original blog we wrote on him. We asked for support to help him out. We knew God was calling us to do something.
Thanks to each of you who responded to our cry and because God called you and you answered we were able to bless him abundantly! It was probably the most fulfilling thing I’ve done on the Race. We got to ‘apartment’ shop for Benard. Pastor found a place near the school, close to their church and to their home. We were able to pay his rent for 2 full years so he won’t have to worry about living while in school. Pastor donated a bed, and we bought him a mattress, cooking and cleaning supplies, wood to be made into a desk and bookshelf for his school supplies, and some other small personal items.
It just so happened that his birthday occurred while we were there. I don’t know that Benard has ever celebrated a birthday. He was armed with his birth certificate, which he presented to Mama for school purposes and he was unaware of when his birth date even was. I can’t even imagine. For his birthday we spent the day rounding up all of his schoolbooks, which we presented to him along with a cake that evening. His smile will forever be etched in my memory. I’ve never been so excited to give someone anything. The next day we took him into town and had him fitted for his uniforms (all schools in Africa have uniforms) and got him new shoes.
With each of your donations we were able to completely care for Benard. His school is paid in full for the next two years including exit-testing fees along with all his housing needs and food. We had enough donated we were even able to set him up a personal account at a local bank to have a little extra for miscellaneous needs he may incur over the next two years.
I don’t have appropriate words to share the emotion of this act. Many of you have supported me without question on this journey and were willing to give even more. Some of those who donated I’ve never even met. I love the vastness of God and his kingdom. Thank you so much for responding to His call. Africa has left me feeling completely helpless at times. But I know God wanted us to help Benard and to be able to do that because of each of you was more than I’d ever imagined. Thank you!
