Dream Until Your Dream Comes True

Mwalimu (Erick) and Allison

About 4 years ago Erick Otieno Oduor had a dream of becoming a primary school teacher. He came from a very humble background and was a very poor boy compared to most of the other students. He was a bright student at primary level and pursued his education and passed well at Nyamwanga Primary school. However, his chance to join high school was jeopardized because he lacked the school fees and money to buy school supplies. His parent’s meager income could not suffice. By God’s grace, well wishers devoted to pay his school fees with his parents stepping in whenever they could. He successfully went to school at Butula Boys High school before he was forced to transfer to Bumala Mixed Secondary School where he finally sat his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.  When he sat for his K.C.S.E he passed and got a C+, a grade that would enable him to go to college and pursue his dream of becoming a teacher. 

Erick in a past photo

  Life then became difficult after high school. Once again he could not pay his way through college. He stayed at home with his parents for sometime before the innate desire to help his parents and alleviate their suffering overcame him necessitating him to travel to Kisumu where he worked as an untrained teacher in a local primary school. They paid him very little money and he was torn between saving his income to enable him to later go to school and providing for his basic needs. He gave up his teaching job when he got employed by the prince of peace ministries Kisumu as a water vendor.  He sold water for the Obunga residents to make ends meet and literally, he became the type of young men whom everyone has looked down upon. Fortunately, it is while working at the water kiosk that Erick met Allison Schlack, who committed to sponsoring him through college. That will forever be a defining moment in his life, because since then, life has never been the same.  

Erick, Ashley, and Michael in a past photo

 I’m so happy because I can only tell his story now because last week I watched his dream come true as he graduated with a P1 certificate at Bungoma Teachers Training College. It was pomp and glory as friends and relatives went to witness the graduation ceremony. 

Erick & his mom, Alice

  The school was abuzz with preparations for the day as graduates moved up and down in readiness for this memorable occasion when we arrived. Despite the ceremony commencing several hours late, everything went on well and Allison; the young lady from the United States of America, as the master of ceremony referred to her not only got the chance to witness Erick graduate but she also got the opportunity to address the convocation.  

Allison addressing the gathering

  I was so happy to see Erick realize his dream of becoming a teacher. I have seen him elevated: that poor guy working at the water kiosk, the boy who could hardly fend for himself, and the one who could hardly even think of ever going to college. It has been our joy at Ndoto to see him dream to become a teacher, go to college, finish college and start a school in Obunga, get a job with Ndoto and grow into the man God wanted him to be. There is no greater joy than this and this is the most interesting part about Ndoto; seeing students join the program when they are very needy and about to give up, and then change for the better, gain confidence, work hard and proceed to realize their dreams once absorbed in the program.

In today’s world, where determination is rare, Erick has demonstrated that with determination and trust in God, one can dream and be what they want to be.  

Erick & Family

  Most people give up when things get tough or difficult. Despite the struggles he faced, Erick exhibited a tenacity that refuses to give up or give in because he knew he was on the right track doing the right thing and that God had great plans for his life just as He promises in Jeremiah 29:11.  One of the greatest lessons I learnt as I watched Erick graduate is that your success can never be determined by your situation. I have even realized that it is easier to achieve success when you’re uncomfortable than when you’re comfortable because comfort makes it difficult for you to think, it makes you think of pleasure alone while making you forget about work. This may not be true, but it will do for now, and for my good friend Erick.

Michael, mwalimu and David

Other than hard work, determination and trust in God, I would attribute much of Erick’s success to the sponsorship Ndoto For Africa’s Future accorded him. For Erick and most of the students in Obunga who have been lucky to join the program, life has never been the same. Since the advent of Ndoto, gone are the days when college was only for the rich and privileged in the slums of Obunga and its environs. With so many colleges to choose from and with financial aid and sponsorship available, nearly anyone with the desire, preparation and fortitude can earn a college degree and realize their dream careers!

CONGRATULATIONS MWALIMU ON YOUR GRADUATION!!

oh crap! (in a good way)

In August of 2009, I woke up one day and I just knew. It was time.  God was calling, and I had to answer.  It was time to start the non-profit organization we had dreamed about, prayed for, and had struggled with for years.  This wasn't just about helping, although I certainly hoped and believed we would do that.  This was about redemption and restoration and proving to a community that God hadn't forgotten them and in so doing prove to the larger populace that God is at work and beautiful things can and will come from what others call the dark and dangerous corners of their city.

When we began, we pulled together all of the students that we had been informally sponsoring and added a few more that we knew desperately wanted to go to school and could use the help.  There were 29.  These "fools" were lucky, I say.  (By the way, we use the term "fools" lovingly at Ndoto...no need to be offended).  They got in from the beginning...they got the most attention, the most help, the least rules, and they never had to apply or be interviewed.  We knew, though, that eventually we would have to institute a  formal selection process.

So, we put together an application and passed it out to people we knew and told them they could share with a few others.  I honestly don't remember right now how many applications received...i want to say it was about 60 or 70-ish.  Out of that bunch, we selected 30 new students which brought our total up to 59.     I remember thinking about how big of a deal it was that we doubled in size, and I also wondered if I would love and connect with the new students the way I had with the old ones.  I questioned how we would impact them and if we could give the same level of attention and care to them that we had to the ones before.

Before I knew it, the year had come and gone and sure enough, we found room in our hearts for 30 more and I loved them as fiercely as the original 29.  We also continually found ways to improve what were doing and involving others to help guide and direct them.  I also realized that we were adjusting each year to a new normal, and I liked it.  It felt as though we were doing exactly what the Lord was asking us to do.

When applications went out last year, I wasn't sure what to expect.  We had planned to expand by about 45 new students, all depending upon how many applications we received.  We ended up receiving nearly 300, and we definitely had our work cut out for us as we reviewed each one and then narrowed it down to those we wanted to interview.   I learned the hard lesson that if we don't watch out, we want to take everyone we interview.  Their stories are compelling and heartbreaking and there is so much genuine need.  As it turned out, we couldn't say no as easily as we wanted to and ended up taking about 60 new students (guess we overshot that...).  In the end, though, we saw God's faithfulness as He provided a sponsor for each one.  This year has been a year of tremendous growth and challenge for Ndoto.

So, after all of this, you may be asking where does the "oh crap" fit in?  Well, this past Monday, we opened up the application process for next year.  We had all ventured guesses as to how many applications we would distribute or how many would be turned in  We won't know until July how many are returned to us, but what occurred this past week has motivated, frightened and excited us all at the same time.  In 4 days, we gave out 250 applications for the 2013 school year!!!  Did you read that clearly - 250 in just the first few days of the first week!!  (we don't do any advertising...everything is done by word of mouth.) We have all been hit hard by the reality of how many applications we may get for next year and the tremendous responsibility it is to shepherd, train, love on, and care for the new group of students, while continuing to do the same with the 110 we already have.

I am warming up to the idea of adjusting to a new normal yet again.  I also can't wait to read the applications and begin getting to know our next group of students.  But, when I think about the challenge of recruiting new sponsors, mentors to disciple the students, and when I think about the condition of our hearts as they expand to love and care for 50+ new precious people with the same conviction as before, my gut reaction is to doubt and say "oh crap!" Yet, I realize that God is the one who enables us to do it all anyway, and so we trust Him to guide, provide, and teach us.  So, after all of that, when I look at the list of applications given out at the end of each day and still say "oh crap," but in a good way.