31 Aug A Deeper Look into Our Homes: Kitalale
In 2010, we opened our hearts and doors to our children to provide them with the love, family, education, and home they deserved.
Over the last 12 years, our children have grown into caring, well-rounded individuals who have had the opportunity to shine bright in high school and learn important life skills along the way. We’re excited to see them grow and mature as they look toward their future dreams while building their trust in God. When our children graduate from college, they make the transition into independent living.
None of this would have been possible if it weren’t for your generous support, love, and care. With God’s grace and our incredible staff of aunties and uncles, we have been blessed to be able to provide the children with a nurturing home and family.
To celebrate our children, aunties and uncles, and their experiences in our Kitalale home, we’re delighted to share a video we put together last year (available for viewing at the bottom of the page). We’ve cut the video into bite-size clips for you to watch, as we go through individual stories and experiences.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
– 1 Peter 4:10
Faces of Children of Hope: Student Testimonials
Grace Chelangat
Grace joined our Kitalale home in 2011, at the age of eight. From the time she was welcomed into our family, Grace had a fulfilling experience. As the oldest member of our Kitalale home today, Grace has been a wonderful mentor and big sister to all the children. Grace is set to graduate from high school this year and plans to study medicine at college. When she’s not studying, Grace is a beautiful singer and loves serenading the home with her songs.
Looking back, we’re so proud of everything Grace has accomplished over the years. She’s incredibly spiritual and leans in on her faith in God to guide her. Grace has a heart of gold and is incredibly hard-working. She’s close to achieving her dreams of working in the medical field and helping the elderly, and society, at large.
Alex Kwemoi
Alex had been forced to fend for himself on the street prior to joining our home in 2011 when he was only 8 years old. When he started adjusting to his new home, he felt more comfortable opening up to the aunties and uncles, and was able to share how secure he felt in our home.
Alex has grown into a wonderful young man. He is currently in his final year of high school and plans to begin college next year. His lifelong dream is to become an actor, and also has a passion for journalism. He’s an avid reader and his love for books and education shines through. We pray that he finds a clear path to pursue his passions.
Terah Cheptora
Terah was welcomed into our Kitalale home as one of the first five children in 2010. He joined along with his younger sister, Ivene.
Terah has grown to become a caring individual who enjoys the company of all his brothers and sisters. He’s closest to James, Moses, and Kevin, and loves playing soccer with them regularly. The boys are always motivating each other to become better soccer players and have a great passion for the sport.
Terah’s dream is to become a professional soccer player when he graduates from school. He’s a part of his high school soccer team and watches the English Premier League closely. His favorite team is Manchester United. When Terah isn’t immersed in soccer practice or games, he enjoys watching movies and taking long walks in nature.
We’re so humbled to have Terah be a part of our Kitatale home, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.
Faces of Children of Hope: Staff Testimonials
Abraham Kiboki
Abraham has been with us at Children of Hope since we first opened our doors. Originally hired as our accountant, he quickly went on to become our Kenya Operations Director. For Abraham, Children of Hope means so much more than his job to him.
When we asked Abraham about his time at our Kitalale home, this is what he had to say:
“We have moments of low and high tides but in all of them, I have seen God’s hand move us smoothly. The lessons therefrom have been heart-filling. I learned parenting skills even before I got my own. Those lessons have come in handy in my role as a parent to 3 children. The children and staff have impacted me in ways I cannot explain.”
Abraham feels very blessed to watch the children and Children of Hope community grow over the years. He’s grateful for the 50-plus staff members who dedicate their lives to the home and 100-plus stories of children whose lives have changed for the better. The home continues to be a source of inspiration and motivation for Abraham.
Faith and Values of Children of Hope
At Children of Hope, we embrace local Kenyan traditions, the rich culture the country has to offer, and the warm, inviting people who hold a dear place in our hearts. We recognize the importance and role cultures and traditions play around our home and emphasize the need for our children to learn about them and make them a part of their personal and spiritual growth. The cultural ties help provide them with a sense of identity and teach them tolerance and respect for their country’s vast traditions.
As a part of our home’s values, we structure personal development and the teaching of life skills into four main categories:
Routines: We have a schedule in place for our children. On weekdays, the children spend most of the day in school and do their homework during the evenings. On Saturdays, mornings are spent doing chores, and the afternoons involve homework, academic help, and/or naps. Evenings are always fun, and we host activities like movie nights, games, or family time with the children, before their night prayers. Sunday mornings are for church followed by lunch and free time for the rest of the day.
Chores: The children are guided by their uncles and aunties as they learn responsibility and life skills that will help them transition into the real world. These chores are planned according to the age and interests of each child and include gardening, mopping, general household cleaning, laundry, organizing items, and working on the farm.
Teachings: The aunties and uncles make it a point to provide our children with lessons and teachings based on their personal, life experiences. They touch on all important aspects of child development, from physical and emotional, to spiritual and social.
Faith: Faith is an important component of development in our home. We lean on our faith in God to guide our children in their quest for knowledge and work closely with local churches and pastors to teach our children about the bible. We hold bible study sessions for our children to understand the word of God better and to allow them to ask questions and have them be answered. We also hold devotions for prayer, worship, and learning God’s word frequently. It is this foundation upon which our children will thrive to become fully functioning members of society.
Today, our hearts are singing with joy as we look back at our children and their wonderful experiences over the years. We know that none of this would have been possible without you. Your generous support and care for the children have provided them with a bright future, and for that, we are eternally grateful.
Continue to help transform the lives of our children, donate here.
View the full video below: