As some of my friends and classmates already know, I recently missed a week or so of school in order to participate in a missions trip to Cheryl’s Children’s home. I was able to go and visit and serve them, as well as witness the terrible poverty and circumstances that these children live in and continually have to experience. 

Cheryl’s is a children’s home as well as a school, and some children walk everyday to get there while others live at the school full time. Every child at Cheryl’s is either an orphan, or their parents are too sick or abusive to care for them. The only difference between the kids who walk to Cheryl’s and those who live there is that the kids who walk live with a surviving relative that is able to give them adequate shelter. Most of those kids walk in from the nearby Kibera slum, the largest slum in sub-Saharan Africa. The kids who attend are fed two meals a day and are provided a safe space to learn and grow. 

While I learned so many things on the trip, one thing that really surprised me was the joy that filled these kids. They came from terrible circumstances and backgrounds, yet they still acted like the kids I babysit- laughing, joking and singing. When they first greeted us they were dancing (much better than I can for the record) and invited us in. 

On the first day, we went around to the different classrooms, and each class prepared a song for us. Some were into it, for others, singing was not their thing, and for the little ones, I’m not sure they really knew what was going on. We handed out Valentine’s cards and candy, which the children immediately attacked, and we spent time goofing off with them. Some were outgoing, some stuck to the sidelines. Some were great students, others less so. It was amazing to see how interchangable the school’s atmosphere could be with any school in the states.

The boys joke around and play soccer in the courtyard during freetime, and the girls like to jump rope and do each other’s hair. They play telephone, and enjoyed Heads Up Seven Up. At one point, one of the trip members who was a P.E. teacher pulled out a parachute, which began with moderate organisation and ended in absolute chaos. The kids were screaming and smiling and running around. A smaller group that couldn’t get their hands on the parachute played keep the ball in the air with a beach ball. 

It was amazing and wonderful and tragic.

The reality of it is that kids will be kids. But at the end of the day, these kids have to return home to their unfavorable circumstances. Cheryl’s is the best place for most of them. It’s an amazing resource for the kids, but if they’re not sponsored, they don’t have the money for high school, or anything beyond the essentials. Cheryl’s certainly can’t support them through college, and it’s not as though they can be adopted due to restrictive Kenyan policies.

These kids’ options are few and dismal. But they are still kids. They have the joy and the hope for a future that seems inherently universal inside of every child. They are stronger than I could ever hope to be, and I will continue to do all I can to help. My family currently sponsors Ashley, a sixth grader who I love very dearly and who I had the pleasure of meeting on this trip. Sponsoring a child is a great way to change a life. Even if it’s not through Cheryl’s there are kids all over the globe who need help.

We live in Naperville, which means we have plenty of blessings and time that we could use to help others. Volunteer at Feed My Starving Children, sponsor a kid, donate to a charity, go on a mission trip yourself, whatever it is I urge you to use your time and money to make a difference. Don’t be the kind of person who sees the issues of the world, sheds a tear, and does nothing about it. We need to help each other. We need to help the kids. 

If you are interested in learning more about Cheryl’s and possibly donating or sponsoring, email Catherine Ainger at : catherine.ainger@gmail.com