For all you dreamers out there.

Nearly two years ago, I was in Nairobi, Kenya visiting schools Ellie's Run for Africa had been supporting from our annual 5K fundraiser. It was an incredible time for me, putting faces and names to the children who have received an education because we wanted to help them so much. The school I really fell in love with during my stay is New Dawn High School. A secondary school located in the slum of Haruma, in Nairobi, was founded by a beautiful Kenyan woman, Irene Tongoi, in 2006.

"I loved New Dawn because it's progress you can see, touch and talk to…The classes did an assembly of sorts with us as their guests. The teachers introduced themselves and the students would cheer! You can tell they are true heroes in the eyes of these kids…Irene's life was changed, and because of what she saw [the need for secondary education], she did something about it. I hope I can be like her."

-Exerpt from my journal, July 20, 2009 (Haruma, Nairobi, Kenya)

Even two years later, Irene continues to inspire me. Her love for the people in Haruma combined with her steely determination to improve the community has given hope to distraught kids and families who believed they had no chance of an education or career path. That fear has been put to rest for students receiving uniforms, books, and shoes, knowing their education will continue.

Today, I talked with Irene; I hugged her, and I told her she is my hero. She is in Nashville this week, speaking with different groups to spread awareness about New Dawn. She will also serve as our guest of honor and emcee at Ellie's Run for Africa this Saturday, May 21st!

As Ellie's Run for Africa approaches, I would love to invite you to be a part of the story of New Dawn. Whether it's by spending some time with Irene this week or financially helping a student through school, you will have the chance to make a difference in the life of that school and the kids who walk through its doors every day!

Support Students by running.

Ellie's Run is happening in Nashville on Saturday, May 21st at 7:30am. You will have the opportunity to run alongside hundreds of others for the same idea: that all kids deserve the chance to dream big! You'll run with the name of a student on your back and finish the race by writing him or a letter of encouragement which will be sent the following week. Nashville Striders will take care of the timing to make sure this is an official race! Register here by May 17th!

Support by volunteering at the race.

We can't make the race happen without volunteers. As co-chair of the Culture/Education side of things, I'm personally looking for 5-8 more volunteers to help kids learn more about Africa and make sure all booths run smoothly during the event. Even if you can only come for a couple hours, we'll take it! Please email me if you don't want to run, but *would* like to support those who are by volunteering!

Support by helping me put kids in school.

I signed up as a Hero for Ellie's Run this year. As a Hero, I have committed to raise $250 to help 10 students financially with their meals, books and other necessities vital to the educational experience. The meal provided at New Dawn is the only one some students will have that day, and there is no education without books. I have donated the first $25. Please match my donation and help me reach my goal! I have met these students and I can tell you, their dreams for their lives are BIG.

Support by spending time with Irene.

If you are in Nashville this week, Irene will be sharing stories about New Dawn, its students and their dreams for the future at the home of Jason and Kim West in Franklin, TN, this Tuesday (5/17), at 7:30pm. Click here for additional information. RSVP here.

Let's make some dreams come true! Let's make a difference, on child at a time.

Love,

Christy

Haruma: A Village in Nairobi

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*Pictures 5 and 14 by Natalina Marlow.

just breathe.

so i kind of feel like i got the wind knocked out of me. i have experienced so many emotions and thoughts today, it's overwhelming. yesterday's encounter with serious poverty combined with today's journey into nairobi's slums mixed with the serious joy these people have has totally messed me up and leaves me completely humbled.

we visited two church services this morning. the first was at calvary christian church, which is the host church and building to calvary christian school which we've been supporting through ellie's run the past few years. it was great to be there, even surreal. we left our welcome early to catch the last half of the emmanuel church's service. emmanuel church is the host church behind emmanuel vocational school, which we have recently started supporting and helped to finish building. i talked with grace and naomi today, two of the ladies that go to the church and i asked them the story about rebuilding the vocational school. after the presidential election in 2007, there was an outbreak of voilence and kibera felt the brunt of it. the vocational school and pastor's home were set on fire and the church building was damaged. there were many things stolen. thankfully, no one was at the church at the time and no one was hurt. this was both a political, tribal and religious ordeal.

i met tito today, the director for african leadership in sudan, and hearing him talk about the challenges and starvation his family and community are facing blows me away. this is real. it's really real. and i'm the closest i've ever been to it. i've read and researched and poured the stats about all of these stories that take place in faraway lands, and now i'm looking at it, smelling it, holding it, conversing with it.

i don't understand many things. i don't understand slums or poverty. i don't understand near starvation. i don't know how anyone can justify war when you see the effects violence has on people. i don't understand how people with nothing have so much joy. it totally baffles me. not only do they have nothing, but they continually have more taken from them each day - that's the most mind-blowing part of it all. yet they still sing songs of thanksgiving and praise and thanks to Jesus. having nothing but Jesus = true happiness. a simple sunday school lesson, but it's hard to digest in real life. i love Jesus. i love how he is contrary to everything this world offers. America tells me to want more, to have more, to strive for more. Jesus tells me to drop my nets and follow Him. leave everything. have nothing. and even when it's taken from me, i praise him anyhow.

the kenyans have a simple phrase they quote often, regardless of where we go, "God is good all the time and all the time God is good, for that is his nature."

wow.

jambo!

greetings from nairobi! it is such a thrilling feeling to be here and to be (finally!) writing you all.

after 24+ hours of traveling, we finally made it to nairobi, friday night, without harldy any hiccups. we ended up having to stand in customs for a verrry long time, but we considered that initiation into african time and pace of life. annnd i got a pretty cool stamp in my passport...sweet!

this morning we went to kitui. kitui is a village about 3.5 hours southeast (?) from nairobi. on our trek there and back we were able to see much of the kenyan countryside which is really beautiful. kitui has a little bit different scenery, not because it's supposed to, but because they have had a drought for the past 3 years. earlier this year, african leadership did an emergency food distribution to over 1,000 families because no one could grow food and people were literally starving to death. we visited with 21 orphans that are currently cared for by extended family, beautiful african couple, and finances from african leadership and mocha club. i was told that the parents of these children most likely died of HIV or AIDS. we pulled up in our vans and the children greeted us with songs and of course i was choking up already. we immediately started introducing ourselves to these new friends, pulled out the soccer balls and played for the day. we threw them a birthday party, complete with streamers, pin the tail on the donkey and face painting. i hope they felt loved today.

not only were the children there, but many older people, the community's pastor and other beneficiaries of the food distribution earlier this year. so many old, wrinkled faces that were completely beautiful to me. many of the elderly people and the children didn't know much english, but we had a great time and hugs are universal, so i gave lots of them away.

i was struck by how close i am to everything i've been reading about for years. as i ate my lunch i was struck that starvation is such a real issue for these people. and despite their hardships, suffering and challenges, they are so joyful! i have heard that so much, but it's so true, at least of the people i met in kitui. they don't know what they will do if the rains do not come in november, but in the same breath they praise God and give him thanks for everything, and i am completely humbled, inspired, and bewildered by our God who loves us so much, yet allows his people to face such trials. i am sure He welcomes such questions and contemplation and i know i am not done processing all i have seen and experienced today as well as the days to come.

i wish i could post pictures! ack....hopefully soon enough! nairobi is such a great mixture of the old and new, modern and kenyan tradition. i saw camels for sale and a billboard for the new 3G iphone...and i am listening to africans singing beegees karoake somewhere in our guest house...i think i will try to find them and join in.

good night and much love from kenya.

summertime

today i watched the kids of a dear friend of mine. we played with sidewalk chalk, ate slices of apples, danced while singing "twinkle twinkle little star," played at the park, and ran through the sprinkler. today was superb.

this is my fifth day of being officially unemployed and i don't mind it one bit, really. i have found no shortage of things to do, errands to run, people to see and pools to swim in. i am sub-leasing my room while i'm out so i have packing to do, and some of my furniture needs to be moved into the attic.

two weeks. here's the scoop: i'm leaving with my ellie's run team for nairobi on july 9. we'll spend the next week meeting the kids we've supported the past 5 years at calvary christian school, painting murals and furnishing classrooms for the new emmanuel vocational school, throwing birthday parties for orphans in kitui, getting to know our brothers and sisters affected by hiv/aids at heko. i'll say goodbye to my team and leave for addis ababa, ethiopia with our team leader geoffrey to meet up with the mocha club team. we will spend the next 3 weeks assisting in vocational training for women and ministry with street kids. the following month i will be volunteering with gladney center for adoption's addis office, working in the care center to profile the kids waiting to be adopted and writing letters to couples waiting for court approval to come get their child(ren). i'll then spend two weeks doing children's ministry near cape town, south africa. my last week in south africa will be spent with friends, followed by a couple days in london before heading back to the states. whew!

i am super excited and nervous at the same time. i don't look forward to goodbyes, but i anticipate an incredible adventure abroad over the next few months. i know it won't be easy, but i look forward to the time of growth and learning. removing ourselves from all that is familiar and laying ourselves bare and vulnerable before the Lord can be a scary and exhilirating experience. i am amazed God even chooses me to be a part of his loving work in this world anyhow. Lord knows i don't deserve it.

our group is inviting family and friends to come pray with us on monday as a little send off. 8pm. my house. please come!

woohoo!

brief recap

there is so much to be thankful for. this past saturday, nearly 1,000 people were at ellie's run for africa, and together we raised over $51,000! the weather was great, the activities ran rather smoothly, and i loved every minute of being a part of that day. it was especially meaningful to have my family experience the event with me. natalina took some great pictures that you can view here.

thank you for your support and encouragement. i get to meet the kids we did this for in 3 weeks!!

almost here

i woke up this morning and realized ellie's run is the day after tomorrow. i can't believe it. this event has been a labor of love for me, for all of us, and i can't wait to see it come together on saturday morning. we have more than twice as many registrants as last year, more publicity than ever, and i can't even tell you how many posters we put up around the greater nashville area.

it's amazing to look back on life for any stretch of time and see how God has orchestrated and worked everything for his good and glory. this is one of those moments. my passion for africa took seed years ago before i graduated high school, i think. after a bout of frustration during college due to my lack of involvement and closed door after closed door, i gave my desire to the Lord, knowing that if he wanted me to be a part of the work in developing countries in Africa, he would work it out.

and He did.

about a year and a half after that surrender, i had the opportunity (and priviledge, might i add) to get involved in ellie's run for africa, an event i had admired from afar for a couple years already at that point. now into my second year, i can't help but smile at what an amazing adventure it has been.

i have 2 reasons for doing this, and they go hand in hand. first, i have an outlet for my passion to make a difference. in 2 days, hundreds and hundreds (hopefully we'll meet our goal of 1K this year) of people will come together to raise money to put kids in school in kibera, kenya at calvary christian school and also emmanuel vocational school. these kids will have uniforms, books and shoes because people in nashville love these kids, even though most of us have never even met them. isn't that incredible?! second, i love the people i volunteer with to make this happen. every person who is a part of the planning process has become a friend and a mentor who pushed me to become a better person. their love and passion for these kids inspires me. their sacrifices motivate me. i can't believe that i am surrounded by such amazing amazing people. i don't know how i got to this place, but i'm so grateful, so humbled, and so amazed at what God can do with his people when they are willing.

after all this reflection on my desire to make a difference and all our hard work, i'm reminded that it's really not about me. or us. not even the slightest. it's about something so much bigger. something we can't even grasp in our humanness. this is about Love. Love that wrecks our worlds and redeems each one.

i'll see you on saturday!


if you can't run, but want to be a part of ERFA '09 click here.

tired and happy

i just returned from a weekend with the family down in atlanta. i'm going to be an aunt! my brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first baby in november. i'm so excited! a little montoya running around...

i'm tired and ready for bed, but i could not be more thrilled with how Africa at the Icon went last thursday. it was a dream come true and worth all the hours of hard work our team put into the event. over 200 people were there and nearly $3,000 raised. the feedback was great, and everyone had a wonderful time. i'm still giddy just thinking about it. and to know that money is going directly to the kids at calvary christian in kibera, kenya makes it so much sweeter...

speaking of ellie's run for africa, we launched our new website! go to elliesrun.org and check it out. we should have pictures from Africa at the Icon soon (preview a few pictures now by going to sarah b. gilliam's blog). chip hayner and the crew at centresource have worked hard to build a new registration platform, so you can register for the event online! if you register to be a hero, you get a sah-weeet t-shirt!

now i'm preparing for the ellie's run mission trip meeting tomorrow. yes, i'm going to africa this summer! plenty more details on that coming in the near future.

good night.