Teenagers to Teenagers - America to Kenya

In 2005, when my daughter was 14 years old, our family traveled to Kenya to visit several orphanages and hopefully share much love with the people there. Many wonderful things happened on this trip, but one event turned out to actually be the beginning of one of the most beautiful stories of "giving" I've ever seen.

Everyone should give of themselves and let the blessings they have received flow through them and on to others. Often times, we think of the affluent, wealthy individuals and businesses and presume that they should give more because they have more. But when the heart is involved as much as the pocket -- well then the giving can bring about the unfolding of dreams, and life-change for the receiver.

In 2005, my daughter was moved by the broken heart she saw in a young girl in Kenya. Maggie (my daughter), saw the pain of many children on that trip, and was changed forever as a result. But this one girl touched Maggie in a special way. Seeing the girls toes spilling out of both side of her shoes, shoes that were too small and barely in place, Maggie proceeded to take her favorite Nike shoes off her own feet, and through the help of a translator, removed the scraps of shoes from the girls feet, placed socks on her feet (provided by Maggie's brother Pete), and slipped the Nike shoes on, tying them snuggly in place. They were a perfect fit. The gift was given - and the dear girls feet were now wrapped in wonderful Nike shoes.

In 2007, Maggie returned to Kenya for another time of serving and loving the children there. We sent an email ahead to friends and asked if they could possibly try and find the dear Kenyan girl name Zipporah; Maggie had something for her. After much work (for she had moved), Maggie and Zipporah were reunited. It was difficult to remain composed when Zipporah arrived wearing the same wonderful yellow Nike sneakers Maggie had given her two years before. With the help of a translator, the girls talked and Maggie asked Zipporah what she dreamed of becoming when she grew up. As Zipporah replied, Maggie began taking off her tennis shoes; these were green Nike's. As Zipporah explained that she dreamed of becoming a dressmaker some day, Maggie listened attentively, and then handed her the shoes. Zipporah was overwhelmed and shocked. She then slowly began to take her old yellow Nike's off - paused a moment to look at them - and then handed them to Maggie. We then realized she did not presume that she was worthy of two pairs of shoes, and that she was giving up her treasured shoes so that Maggie would have a pair as well.
How wonderful our world would be if we all stopped presuming that we were deserving of so much - and were actually more concerned that everyone have enough.

Maggie explained that Zipporah could have both pairs of shoes. That was an amazing day for Zipporah, the young Kenyan girl who had buried a mother and lived in a world of death, sickness, sadness, and violence.

Upon returning home, Maggie shared with her friends at high school about Zipporah's dream. These students, along with a teacher name Andy LeBlanc had worked to form the first ever "Young Hearts for Africa" club. This club was formed as a result of Mr. LeBlanc and the students reading the book, "It's Not Okay with Me". When Maggie told the students about Zipporah's dream to become a seamstress and be a dress maker, the kids immediately said, we want to help make this happen.

So under the direction of their teacher, they began raising money to pay for Zipporah to go to seamstress school. It would cost $1000USD for this dream to begin happening. These amazing high school students worked and worked, and within 3 months raised enough money for not only Zipporah to go to school, but they raised enough for Zipporah to take a friend with her. They raised just over $2000.

Zipporah and Tabitha (her friend) are now preparing to begin seamstress school all because a group of teenagers on the opposite side of the world connected with them and cared.

That's got to be "giving" at its best. And it sure does make the future of America look beautiful -- with teenagers like these.