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Five Highlights From My 2018 Visit to Kenya

Rich, Ken and Caleb at Equator Line

In November 2018, I traveled to Miwani, Western Kenya for a week to be with our current STARS, STARS alumni and our partner. Each time I visit, it is a time to connect and mentor them, discuss next steps with our partner and participate in the lives of the community

I’ve been to Kenya 12 times. Each time is special. Each time is different. Here are five highlights from my last trip.

My nephew, Rich, and his son, Caleb came with me.

Rich and his family have supported STARS financially since 2008. They have also been great encouragers to me. When I announced I was planning a visit last summer and asked for interested volunteers, they raised their hands. In addition to supporting the mission of STARS, they wanted to go to Kenya so Caleb could be part of a volunteer mission before graduating from high school (which he did this May). 

I experienced many levels of joy because they came. One of the greatest joys was sharing my family with our partner since family/community relationships are so highly valued in Kenya. Rich and I were impacted. Our partner and STARS were impacted. And Caleb experienced overwhelming gratitude for the opportunities he has and that STARS Children Africa provides orphans, many of whom “come from broken stories with no hope”.  He was also deeply affected by the diligence, hard work, and motivation of the STARS.

Their [the STARS] perseverance is admirable. I am grateful to have stepped into their lives for a short period. They shine God’s light in their community.

We met with a community of STARS in high school, college, as well as STARS alumni. 

This group of STARS we saw was unique because they all come from within walking distance of the St Luke’s compound (where we stayed). STARS typically come from a range of separated communities in Western Kenya and St. Luke’s acts as a base for them to meet together. So it was special to see the impact we have had on the Miwani community physically represented by the 21 we met with. My team specifically mentored them in learning how to tell their stories to encourage others – and themselves.

Humphrey, an alumnus from our first group of STARS (2006), joined us for a day. Now a graduate of the University of Nairobi,  he teaches high school. He spoke to the current group of STARS on character development and how the training and mentorship he received through STARS Children Africa changed him personally.

Caleb (age 18) and Julius (age 18) formed a special bond.

Julius is a STAR who graduated from high school last November. He lost his family while in primary school and grew up at St Luke’s. Since starting high school, he has wanted to pursue medicine. He is about to start university with the goal of becoming a pharmacist. Both Caleb and Julius discovered they shared a desire to serve through medicine. They plan to keep in touch.

Caleb and Julius talking

I saw firsthand how STARS is transforming generations.

Once orphans, many STARS alumni are now working professionals who have families. Moses owns a pharmacy, is married and has a son, Tristan. Beryl is a high school business teacher and mother. At university, she started a voluntary group to serve those faced by recurring natural events such as floods and droughts.  Derrick is a motivational speaks for school kids and also leads worship in his church. His wedding was two days after I left Kenya. I would have liked to attend but learned of it too late to change my schedule.

Remember Humphrey? He teaches geography (his favorite subject in high school) and mentors the high school students who are living in the dorm. In his first year of teaching, he was chosen to be a grader of the national exam at the end of high school in geography. When I saw Humphrey speak to the group of STARS we were mentoring, I had flashbacks to when he was a STAR in high school, and I was mentoring him on topics like integrity and responsibility. He embodies those lifegiving traits. Watching him pass on these lessons, I saw firsthand how STARS’ twin focus on academic and character is being passed on to others. 

Our agenda flexed around life in STARS’ community.

As we traveled 30 hours to be with our partner and the STARS, our partner experienced the sudden death of his sister-in-law who had just birthed her third child. When we arrived at St Luke’s, her death was not announced to us but it quickly became evident based on the activity within the compound. You see, occurrences like these are truly a community event, not just for immediate family or even extended family. If you are in their community, you become part of what’s going on. As we did. We willingly and respectfully mourned with our partner and his family. We were staying at their house through all of this. As they were grieving and exhausted, we still continued to chat and, yes, even laugh. On display was real life. This death was particularly hard on our partner because it occurred only one year after the unexpected death of his eldest daughter, who I had met as a high school student in my first visit in 2006. I felt it too.

Celebrating Our Graduates: Overcomers, Trailblazers and Community Changers

Image of a girl graduating from college with a diploma.

May is a big month for students: thousands are graduating and thousands more are celebrating them. $5.32 billion will be spent in this endeavor them according to the National Research Federation.

Why do Americans spend so much to mark the milestone graduation?

Because it’s a really big deal. A high school or college graduations represent the cumulative achievement of many years of study, the investment of family members and mentors and is a rite of passage in life.

It’s a big deal to graduate. Especially for orphans who have had to overcome tremendous adversity to grasp the life-changing opportunity  of education

So STARS Children Africa is celebrating. With cheers, thanks and great pride, we celebrate our 2019 graduates:

Charles graduated from college with a diploma in Electrical and Power Engineering. As an older student, he encouraged and advised classmates, who were 4 years younger. Charles went to college later than his peers because he was headstrong and lacked focus after high school, trying many jobs but barely surviving. Eventually, he found his way “home”  to St. Luke’s, where he volunteered as a primary school teacher. Given his newfound focus and teachable spirit, he qualified for a STARS college scholarship.

Meldrine graduated from high school and has gone on to college to earn a Culinary Certificate. Persistent and compassionate, her goal is to serve newborns or older people with health and handicap issues.

Julius graduated with Meldrine and will pursue the study of medicine in college. Julius grew up at St. Lukes and is proven to be very responsible and hard working.

Patricia graduated from college with a diploma in Information and Communication Technology. She has one more year of study to earn a diploma in education. Though she grew up with little exposure to technology, she but has demonstrated a great aptitude for it!

Faith, a 2010 STARS alumna, graduated with Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Penn State University on a full scholarship. She earned her undergrad degree (also on a full scholarship) from Benedict College. She will be moving to Nevada on a postdoctoral fellowship focused on implementing and evaluating a waste management system to reduce medical and chemical waste.

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world right in the eye.”

Hellen Keller

We are proud of our graduates! We are excited to see what they do next and how they help others along the way.  

To learn more about our previous graduates, click here.

Updates!

Updates!

Now 10 graduates from higher education!

Educating one is changing many!

7 now in high school and college; more will join in 2016!

Ken to Kenya day after Thanksgiving!

Website is being updated!

 

Charles graduated 19 October

Charles gradCongratulations, Charles, We are proud of you. You are the first of the 14 STARS to graduate from higher education. Your Diploma in Mass Communication from Eldoret Aviation Training Institute will encourage and help others. International partners, St. Luke’s Ministry of Kenya and STARS Children Africa in the USA, cooperated for eight years for your high school and college. You stayed strong and courageous in the face of tremendous odds. Thank you God.

With STARS in August

Verena and I had a safe, joyful and productive time in western, ruralKenya.  In August, we were with the STARS (high school and college) and their mentor/our partner, Pastor Joshua, of St. Luke’s Ministries.  

 MiwaniKenya:  Verena (sitting), Ken (standing) and Pastor Joshua, (next to tree) with 26 STARS.  We discussed covenant, encouragement, serving, entrepreneur, experience, and funds.  The covenant is for the STARS in colleges and universities, not those in high school, growing as young adults interdependent with God, St. Luke’s Ministry and STARS Children Africa.

New STARS Website Launches!

Welcome to the new STARS Children Africa website, we’re proud to debut it to you and hope you’ll enjoy some of the new features.  We now offer a myriad of new information along with better navigation and new ways to get involved with our mission.  Please check out all that’s here and send us your feedback, we’d love to hear from you!

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What’s Happening

  • How STARS Kept Education Going During COVID-19
  • The Coronavirus Challenge: How STARS Children Africa Is Responding
  • Three Things I Want You to Know From My 2019 Kenya Trip (And Why They Matter)
  • What’s It Like for STARS to Go to School in Kenya?
  • Five Highlights From My 2018 Visit to Kenya

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