Becoming a "Somebody"





This is Philip…the kindest, gentlest, humblest young man you will ever meet!  Along with another couple from our church, we helped pay for part of his college tuition a couple years back and we finally got to meet him!!!  He was raised in Kibera Slum and will be graduating next year with a degree in Social Work and Community Development. He works all day at Raila School (giving back to the exact community he came from) and then goes to school every evening M-F and all day Sat. He wrote us a heartfelt letter of thanks (to read on the airplane), expressing his sincere gratitude that we cared enough to fly around the globe to meet him and to see a slum boy who has become successful in his college career because of giving people in the USA.  A college degree means everything to a child of the slums….it is their ticket “out”….or, in Philip’s case, a way to help change and improve the future for other children of the slums.  He is an inspiration to all the other First Love male interns….each one of them also want to major in Community Development.  They have been so blessed by the help and loving care of First Love that they want have a deep desire to give back and to impact the next generation (just like Philip is doing!) J

Our departure from Kenya was not a "Good-Bye" but instead a "See You Later!" I hope and pray that we will one day return...soon! I would love to come back and attend the graduation ceremony of the young man, Jack, that we just began paying for his college tuition to start classes this past Monday. He was an intern at Raila school, and successfully graduated from high school, but would have no way to attend college if it wasn't for someone sponsoring him. The cost would be too great. His exact words, "I am somebody, now!" We explained that he was always somebody, because in Christ we have our identity. From someone's perspective, being raised in the slums, education is everything. It is their ticket out of a hopeless situtation. We have been blessed by Christ, so how can we not in-turn bless others? We must use our resources for others and not only for self. At the end of our lives, what will matter most? What we drive? How much stuff we have? How big of a house we have? OR How we impacted the lives of others? How we gave from our blessings to bless others? How we shared the Gospel to truly offer Joy unspeakable? We were placed here on earth for more than just ourselves. What will you do? Is it time to get into the game???

This is Patrobi.  Now that we have sponsored Jack, he is the only First Love intern from his group left, waiting for someone (or group of someones) to pay for his college tuition. Although, he showed up every day of Kids Club with a big smile on his face and energetically helped us with the games (he’s really good with kids), I know he has to be feeling sad and discouraged, waiting and praying dailiy for a generous donor to surface.  He could start classes in October, if any of you would be willing to help cover part (or all) of his tuition.  It is approx $350 US dollars for each of 3 terms…just over $1000 for an entire year of college!  Please email us (we are not getting the comments to this blog, sorry) at joeyhaywood40@gmail.com if you would be willing to contribute even just one of the term.  It is only a 2 year program, so if God would lay it on your heart to pay for part of his degree (we would need only 6 people to do this) or if you feel called to pay for his whole degree, it would only be $2000.  $2000 to become “somebody”.  $2000 to give a young man dignity and self-respect.  $2000 to give a person hope for the future. He, like Philip and Jack, wants to major in Community Development. These guys are the most grateful, sincere-hearted young men.  They are so overwhelmed by the blessing of a sponsor, that they commit their life to working for Christ to repay the grace they have been shown.