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by Elizabeth Evans Hagan on December 10, 2018 Leave a Comment

Christmas in Kenya 2018

Christmas came early to Kenya this year as Our Courageous Kids staff traveled to see your donations come to life! 

Here are some of the highlights:

We shared a Thanksgiving meal with the children and staff that we helped to cook—adding a few American favorites of ours to the menu—green bean casserole and apple pie. The children wanted French Fries, or as they call them chips (something they only eat on special occasions) so we included this too. It was a great day of celebration.

We also hosted a Christmas party with stockings and toys for 40 children.

Each child received a “sock” with their name on it filled with candy, a rare treat for kids who don’t always get individualized attention or sweets.

Groups kids also received gifts that they can enjoy together. For example the toddler house was so excited about playing on their new scooter.

And, a group of the young adults were so thrilled about being given a travel gym bag, a first for them– a gift that reminds them that they have places to go and a bright future.

Another highlight included taking a group of the older children, many of whom are high school students on a retreat.

Here’s the reason why this trip was so important: if you are in institutionalized care one of the challenges is that you often leave the physical location of where you are. Though the children’s home is a place of refuge and family, it can often feel like a place you’re “stuck” if you never leave. Opportunities to travel outside the center mean everything for how hope can be infused back into daily life.

Over the weekend, we introduced the students to the American tradition of campfires and s’mores (a big hit!) and also enjoyed songs, games and storytelling. 

Our Courageous Kids loved these three days of being together, laughing together and getting to hear more of these students’ dreams for the future.

We want to be ready to support their higher education plans when the time comes.

Additionally, as many of you know, Our Courageous Kids is so happy that 2018 is the year we sent our first student to college, Rahab with the assurance that we’d be supporting her tuition.

Though, Rahab was abandoned at birth and has spent her entire life at a children’s home in Kenya, she’s now living and studying in London enrolled in Brunel University. Through many challenges, she has persisted in life with much success in her Children, Youth and International Development Master’s Program.

On our way home from Kenya, we were able to stop over in London, visit Rahab and tour her campus. One thing that impressed us the most about the time spent with her was her maturity.

She’s so thankful for this gift of education and she’s taking advantage of every chance to meet new friends, learn from her professors and apply for internships which will help her get her first paying job.

She’s even taking advantage of a free Spanish class on campus and loving it!

The coat she’s wearing in this photo is her first winter coat she’s ever owned (bought for her by a supporter in London, thank you) and Rahab is looking forward to her first experience of snow.

We couldn’t be prouder of her accomplishments and all of our kids this holiday season!

And so thankful for all the support that friends like you are offering our children. Blessings to you.

Filed Under: Project Reports Tagged With: Christmas, donations, education, giving, Kenya, students

by Elizabeth Evans Hagan on August 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Three Cheers for Rahab! A Summer Update

What has Our Courageous Kids been up to this year so far?

We’re so excited to tell you that: in April, we traveled to Honduras to visit the boys that Our Courageous Kids champions at Casa del Nino in La Ceiba.

This spring break trip included spending time with 25 boys who are full-time residents of this children’s center.

Thanks to you, our donors, we were able to take the boys out to their favorite restaurant, Pizza Hut and visit a local park with a swimming pool as way to encourage their academic performance in school.

We also participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for a new recreation room for the boys—a place they can go after school to have fun in a structured environment. They were so excited and couldn’t wait to go inside and start playing!

As we were leaving, I couldn’t help but be moved by one of the speeches of gratitude by Jose, only 10 years old who said: “Thank you for not forgetting me. Thank you for giving me hope to keep studying hard in school.”

This, my friends, is one reason why Our Courageous Kids exists: so that kids growing up in institutions know they aren’t alone. They have family around the world cheering them on!

Additionally, as many of you know: one of our big goals for this year is to support the dreams of Rahab, a student we’ve had a long-standing relationship with in Nairobi, Kenya. Rahab was abandoned at birth and has spent her entire life at a children’s home. Through many challenges, she has persisted in life with much success.

I have this great news to share: Rahab recently graduated from Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi and was accepted to a master’s program at Brunel University in the United Kingdom! 

Rahab is pursuing a degree in Children, Youth and International Development with the hopes of encouraging other children who grew up as she did. Our Courageous Kids foundation has pledged support for her studies, so that come this fall, Rahab’s dreams can come true!

UPDATE: We are needing one sponsor to agree to pay for her air fare to and from school which we estimate will be around $1600 US. If this is you– if you can pay part of, or half of these costs or the full amount, send Elizabeth an email. 

But our plans do not stop with supporting Rahab. There are hundreds of kids like her that we’ve met in our travels that need champions. They need a family, an organization or a church to believe in their dreams.

As you champion the children in your life this summer, I’d love for you to consider including Our Courageous Kids in your financial giving so that we can champion even more kids in our future.

Donations are kindly received online at www.ourcourageouskids.org or by check to OurCourageous Kids at the address above. Thanks, as always for being our friend in this important work.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: education, Honduras, Kenya, students, summer, travel, updates

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Our Courageous Kids is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Donations and contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.