Teen Team
Jambo! We're Lia & Gracie Kilgore, 16 & 18-year-old sisters from Utah, and granddaughters of Kenya Keys founders Mama Rinda and Baba Brent. We feel so grateful for the opportunity we had this past summer to travel with our mom, Joanna, and the rest of the team to Kenya and work with the amazing Kenyan students, the Kenya Keys team, and the Kenyan community.
While there were challenges of the trip such as the long intercontinental travel, initial homesickness, the heat, the constant go-go-go every day, time zone changes, and adjustments to different foods,
we came away from this experience feeling so grateful and so humbled.
The hard work and dedication of the Kenyan students was astonishing and inspiring, and made us want to always appreciate the free education we get in America. The Africans are so grateful for what they have, and that has made us want to also be more grateful for the blessings in our own lives.
We came home feeling a new appreciation for things we probably have taken for granted - things like clean, cold, running water, air conditioning, easy access to a variety of food, the comforts of our homes, and safe, easy transportation.
What surprised us most were the attention spans of the students, especially the very young ones!
Their respect for their teachers and their eagerness to learn was incredible.
Something else that impressed us was the Kenyan people's willingness to help each other be successful. We were also so impressed by the Kenyan people's long-suffering natures - long days walking long distances in the heat, periods of time without food, having to walk to gather water in jerry cans every day, and long school days often without adequate seating, desks, and school supplies. And yet, they show up happy & thankful to be there! We loved the depth of the people's gratitude to each other and to God. We were touched by the care of the teachers, administrators, and workers at the schools, but also by the way the children looked out for each other. Oh, and one more thing we were impressed by - WOW, the Kenyans can dance!
We can see for ourselves now how your support changes the trajectory of their lives!
If we could give this opportunity to every American teenager, we would because we know that, like us, their eyes would be opened, their lives would be changed, and their hearts would be filled with love for the people around them! We thank you sponsors for what you make possible in the lives of these extraordinary, deserving Kenyan students. We hope and pray that you not only continue to sponsor, but also spread the word and encourage others to sponsor.
Gracie was the youngest Kenya Keys team member ever to travel to Kenya at 15 year old, turning Sweet 16 on the trip.
