Several years ago, and through a series of events only God can orchestrate, I walked down a dirt path away from a remote village in Kenya to inspect a failed and abandoned World Help water project. My friend Bobby Tucker and I were with the Lead Pastor from CBEM, Pastor Fredrick Kazungu Masha, and we were not prepared for what God had planned for us next.

As we rounded a corner, we saw a skinny boy lying beside the path in the tall weeds, his hands covering his face. As the Pastor translated his answers to our questions, we understood that he was not resting. He had given up. He had not eaten for days, not knowing where to get his next meal or not knowing where to find a drink of water. He had just lain down, crying and broken. We immediately grabbed an energy bar from my backpack and gave him a bottle of water, both of which he was too tired and hungry to consume. I know this sounds strange, but that happens when someone is starving; it can hurt to eat.

After getting him to sit up, we prayed over him and then continued on our journey, but Bobby and I had been changed forever. At that moment, we resolved to raise money to feed the entire village and find them a potable water solution. 

Our connections to this community began when my dear friend Michael George invited my three oldest children and me to meet his friends in Kenya. Our families now have shared experiences there, and, like Michael’s family, we are considered part of the tribe.

In Kenya, they call me by my ordained name, Mwavizi, bestowed upon me by the 13 tribes and churches. Mwavizi is Giryama and translates to “The Supporter” in their language.​