The Road to Flourish- Part 2
Read Part One here.
Have you ever started doing something but only knew why you were doing it once you were in the process or after? Like it was just something that naturally happened.
That is how I feel about Flourish Kenya.
My first trip to Kenya was with BFF and (still) ride or die, Tia McNelly, in 2011. Her in-laws operate The Kilgoris Project (TKP), and I went to offer my nursing skills (that's a train wreck story for another time). I loved it from the start. The people, the culture, the land. And let's be honest, the farm animals. It all felt so natural. That trip led to me volunteering and working on staff for TKP for the next 5-6 years.
As a nurse, I worked closely (from afar in the U.S.) with the school’s clinical officer to organize activities focused on student health - clean water, sanitation, school food programs, and immunizations. As the TKP school students started to get older, we also started to have issues with menstrual hygiene. Menstruation in rural areas like Kilgoris is burdensome because many families lack the resources to purchase sanitary pads. This leads to girls missing school every month, which leads to dropouts, which leads to teen pregnancy and child marriage.
Poverty is a vicious cycle.
As the girls got older and we worked with the community longer, we became aware of other cultural practices that ultimately kept girls from school and in the cycle of poverty, like child marriage and female genital mutilation. And girls who become pregnant often get kicked out of their homes and out of school. They have to live a life of prostitution to survive or get sold into child marriage, aka human trafficking. Also, that FGM can be both a result of or a cause of teen pregnancy. The burden to help in whatever way we could became overwhelming.
However, I quit. The travel and work with two young kids at home were challenging, but other than that, it made no sense. Why would I stop working for TKP?? The obedience was brutal. But Jason and I stepped away.
The early years in Kenya
In that time away from Kenya, God started to reveal a connection that I didn't see coming. (Read Part One for a pattern of slow to process moments).
I realized I was the same age as many of these girls when I was pregnant in high school. I also could empathize and understand their lack of emotional and relational support. Many of their parents also had an addiction. We were caught in the same mess and missing something we really needed. Yet, there was an enormous difference in the outcome of our futures.
Was God going to use my past and teen pregnancy to help girls in Kenya?
I had no idea how. I had carried it with shame for a long time in certain spaces. I was proud of my family but not necessarily how I got there.
God has a way of taking what was supposed to (or did) break us to bring us to Him and then using it for His ultimate Glory.
As I came to all these realizations, I started having conversations with friends in Kilgoris about teen moms. They were desperate for the young girls in their community to have lives of hope, safety, and dignity.
What was clear was, their outcomes are a lot different than mine. I had thrived, and they were trapped, hopeless because of geography, culture, and other things I never faced. They deserved the same love, support, and opportunities that I received.
Jason, I, and many others dedicated to the Kilgoris community gave God a 'yes' and commitment seven years ago to help girls Flourish no matter their situation. That has also meant that I have had to submit my past to the Lord and no longer walk in shame. I have had to go through a healing process to be able to share confidently that this is His plan and not about me.
So, to say I feel like Flourish Kenya just naturally happened does not mean that it has all been easy or we haven't had to work at it, but that Kenya and Flourish really found me. Because it has not been easy. I heard recently, "Hard doesn't mean bad." I agree. Flourish Kenya is challenging in all the ways. But my Flourish story isn't done.
Our family is giving another big 'yes' and moving to Kenya! We will work for Flourish, establishing a sustainable development program (fancy words to say, we will be raising funds and finding grants from within Kenya) to support the youth programs and staff in Kilgoris for the long term.
I don't know if we are 'called' or just crazy! But, I'm happy and extremely grateful this story continues to Kenya and with Flourish.
Stay tuned...
My hope in sharing this on Flourish's blog is to inspire others and give God glory for this testimony. As I said in Part One, I am one small piece of Flourish Kenya.
We are not the heroes of this story; we are only trying to be obedient and faithful to use the gifts we have been given. The true heroes are the brave boys and girls in Kenya and their community that fights for them. We look to them as great examples of faith and love.
My hope is that your heart will be stirred to support what Flourish Kenya is doing, not because of us but because you believe in the power of people and the Church to work together to change lives.
Go to https://www.flourishkenya.org/giving23 to make an impact today!
You can follow our family along on Instagram @kmblalock