To find out more about this trip, please contact Elaine Storck, Director of Donor Relations, at elaine.storck@2uplift.org or 303-423-1357 as soon as possible. (Specific trip itineraries are subject to change.)

Staff: We have been blessed with incredible staff who care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the children. Our staff enables us to carry out the mission of Children of Hope:

A home where kids are cared about,
not simply cared for;
A home where the caregivers see what they do as a calling,
not just a job;
A home where staff go beyond investing in the children to
becoming their family.

We have security for the entire complex that includes a fence that surrounds the property and a secure gate manned by security guards who work in shifts to provide 24 hour safety for the children. This common practice in Kenya safe guards against theft of property or livestock and provides safety for all who live on the grounds. We also have a caretaker for the grounds who maintains the building and the 5 acre farm. Mothers/aunties, cooks, and a matron work shifts nurturing and providing for the daily living needs of the children. Our matron oversees the other mothers/aunties and is a retired nurse who also cares for the minor medical needs of the children.

Montessori Pre-School: One of our gifted mothers (Loren) has an education background. This past year Children of Hope sent her to Nairobi for some additional training at a Montessori School. Loren uses her training every week day at the Children of Hope in-home Montessori Pre-School. Our pre-school helps the little ones learn basic skills so that they are primed for entry into the local charter school. The Montessori format is especially helpful for the older children who arrive at Children of Hope without ever having attended school. The Montessori child-centered approach allows the children to start learning at whatever their level is and quickly advance to their age appropriate level so that they can join their peers in the charter school.

Staff Housing: Our mothers/aunties and matron live in the home with the children, but in the past we have not had housing for those who do not work directly with the children. Now a wonderful donor has sponsored the building of staff housing on the Children of Hope property to support the needs of staff who are not working directly with the children as we continue to grow. Having on-site housing for these staff members will enable the staff who are working multiple shifts to spend the night at the home. We also anticipate having some staff for whom the on-site housing will be their only residence. In this way we will be able to care well for those who help to care well for our children.

Farm: The grounds of the Kitalale Children’s Home is designed to be as agriculturally self-sufficient as possible. We have been blessed with a 10 acre plot of land which houses the Children’s Home, Staff Housing, Playground, and garden on 3 acres and a working farm on the remaining 7 acres. We grow maize, beans, sweet potatoes, and sukuma wiki a Kenyan staple similar to hearty spinach on our land. In addition to the crops we have two cows, a baby calf, two goats, and a whole slew of baby chickens.

Playground: Children need to play! We are pleased that our grounds also accommodate a playground that includes swings, a merry-go-round, and a slide, in addition to an open field that is often filled with children playing football (soccer for you Americans). Our children love the playground, and the children from the surrounding community also enjoy this play area. On Saturdays, in particular, there are often children from the community who come for Bible stories and playtime.

During the week prior to the dedication, our team of nineteen people, ages ten to grandmother, joined us from Colorado and Germany. We worked alongside the Kenyan staff helping out wherever needed. The building was still in process but everyone pitched in; moving rocks, planting hedges, painting walls and decorating the infant/toddler room with colorful murals.

Each day, we enjoyed wonderful hot lunches prepared by the kitchen staff that work for the children’s home. We were also able to eat of the harvest from the beans that had been grown on our own land.

The most amazing event during the week was our community outreach. We had planned a vacation bible school for an estimated 150 children. By the third day, this number exploded to be over 1,000 in attendance! What an incredible adventure organizing children, sharing bible stories, crafts, snacks and games for group of that size. The children were thrilled to color with one marker on a dirt floor and slowly sip “juice” during snack, savoring the special treats. We were greatly relieved for the help of our Kenyan staff and local volunteers from the churches that participated with Children of Hope.

We are so pleased that we now have eleven children in our home. The first to arrive in December, 2010 was a group of five wide-eyed wonders: Terah, Ivy, Kevin, Blessing, and Joshua.

Terah (6) and Ivy (5) are brother and sister. During the post-election violence in Kenya in 2007-2008, their father was killed and their mother mysteriously disappeared through the hands of the militia on the same day. Extended family members were unable to care for them. Through the help of a local missionary they were placed in our home in December, 2010. Neither child has attended school. Terah is now attending a very good charter school in the Kitale community. Ivy attends our in-home pre-school taught by some of the mothers where she can build up her skills to a level sufficient to attend the charter school. Both are very cheerful, active, jovial children who enjoy playing with other children.

Kevin (5) was orphaned as a baby. Both of his parents succumbed to HIV/AIDS. Kevin was placed with his elderly paternal grandmother who cared for him until she had a stroke that prevented her from providing adequate care for Kevin. Kevin has never attended school either and also attends our in-home school where the daily lessons help him catch up to his peers in preparation for his entry into the community school system. Kevin is also a very happy boy who enjoys playing with his peers and participating in his in-home pre-school lessons.

Blessing (4) is a young man who was abandoned at birth. He was born in the war torn, Mt. Elgon region where he was found crying in the forest. A good Samaritan woman cared for him and her own one week old baby for as long as she could. There was not sufficient food for both children so Blessing was severely malnourished when he came to us. He has regained his strength since being in our care and is now doing very well. Blessing is a great story teller and also enjoys going to class in our in-home pre-school.

Joshua (3) is an orphan whose father was killed by the militia and whose mother died of malaria when he was very young. Joshua and his ten year old sister were mistreated by the step-mother who cared for them after their parents’ death. When Joshua was two they walked approximately 40 km to find food and a place to stay. A kind woman took them in for awhile and eventually brought Joshua to our home. His early life left him malnourished with some behavioral difficulties. Since coming to our home he has regained strength and is slowly developing more appropriate social behaviors. He is also attending our in-home pre-school.

In April, 2011 we were blessed to receive another fantastic group of five children: Moses, James, Zakayo, Moses, and Faith.

Moses (3) was abandoned during the post-election violence when he was approximately one day old. He was found by a security guard who cared for him as well as he could, but this man soon became homeless making caring well for Moses an impossibility. Moses is gaining strength and is also learning to exchange his survival skills for more appropriate social behaviors while attending our in-home pre-school.

James (7) and Zakayo (3) are brothers whose parents both died of HIV/AIDS. After the death of their parents they lived with elderly grandparents for awhile, but the grandmother was blind, and the grandfather was disabled. Because of their disabilities and poverty they were not able to properly care for the children. Both had severe ring worm when they arrived at our home, and Zakayo had difficulty with gorging himself when offered food. They are both free of ring worm now, and Zakayo is eating normal amounts of food with the assurance that the next meal will always come. James is attending the Kitale charter school with Terah, and Zakayo is attending our in-home pre-school.

Moses (6) and Faith (3) are brother and sister whose father died in a road accident and whose mother died of HIV/AIDS. The children were temporarily in the care of various relatives, some of whom used the children to gain money rather than providing for their needs and seeing that Moses went to school. When Moses and Faith arrived in our home both had ring worm all over their heads and bodies and were malnourished. Initially Moses was very afraid of adults since he had been severely beaten by some of his relatives. He is beginning to develop trust with our home staff. Both are now free of ring worm and have regained their strength. Both are also attending our in-home pre-school. Once Moses has gained the skills needed, he will transfer to the Kitale charter school with Terah and James.

The most recent addition to our happy home is our beloved Grace who arrived in May, 2011.

Grace (7) is an orphan whose father died of malaria and whose mother died of HIV/AIDS. Grace’s older sister who was still in school initially attempted to care for Grace and her other five siblings, but that was too much for a young girl still in school herself. The siblings were divided up among other relatives. Grace was very sick and eventually was taken to hospital where she was diagnosed with HIV. Unfortunately rather than offering her greater care and compassion, her relatives mistreated her as a result of her diagnoses. Another aunt attempted to care for her when she discovered that she was being mistreated, but she was a single mom of six children already. This aunt eventually placed Grace in our care for which we are very grateful. Since coming to us she is now receiving antiretroviral treatment and is making slow progress physically. Grace is also attending our in-home pre-school to help prepare her to attend the Kitale charter school. She is a gifted prayer and loves to sing and pray for others.