Back in June, I was fortunate enough to be a part of a design team with Engineering Ministries International tasked with designing an orphanage for Touched By Love Ministries. And now I have the opportunity to tell a little about the journey via several blog posts.
The team was made up of design professionals from across the country who volunteered to be a part of the trip. None of us had ever worked together or even met each other until the day we arrived at the airport.
Here is a group shot of team after arriving in the Rift Valley of Kenya:
From left to right...
Pastor Julius with the local church
Holly from Touched by Love Ministries
Sarah - structural engineer
Brittany- civil engineer
Michelle - architectural intern
Kevin - EMI co-leader
JD - civil/ environmental engineer
Eric with the local church
Gary - EMI co-leader
Sam - architectural intern
Shannon - mechanical
And that’s me at the end
And let me tell you that this team was amazing. I know it sounds like I am required to say that. But it is actually true. We are from different disciplines, different ages, and different parts of the country. And yet we worked together smoothly and it's like we have known each other forever.
And here is something else that will sound like a cliché. The locals that we are working with are so wonderful and welcoming. We were greeted with hugs as if we were family from the moment we met. They have this joy that is just about exploding out of their smiles.
And they have an obvious passion and commitment to this orphanage project. This is of course critical because after our work is done, they will be the ones caring for these kids. We are only here for a short time, but they have committed their lives to this.
More to come.
Jonathan