Friday, September 10, 2010

What is the Mulli Childrens Foundation? An Introduction & Photos

Our New Volunteer Teaching Opportunity

Last spring, we met two of the "Lost Boys" from Sudan, Africa when they spoke at our community college. These orphaned boys (now adults) inspired us with their tremendous drive to study and receive an education.

We were hooked. How could we help other homeless children like them achieve their educational dreams?

We contacted the Mully Children's Foundation in Kenya, Africa, and they asked us to come as volunteer teachers this fall. We will be flying out of Grand Rapids October 3rd to spend two months with the students and staff at Ndalani, Kenya.

What is the Mully Children's Foundation?
View videos from MCF at http://www.mullychildrensfamily.org/media/video/videos
Photos below courtesy http://www.mullychildrensfamily.org/

Charles Mulli was the son of an alcoholic and abusive father. At the age of 6, he was deserted and left on his own as a homeless child.

As a result of his exceptional capacity to survive and his religious perspective, he became an extremely successful entrepreneur.
The joy of MCF students

A chance encounter with some homeless boys ended with them stealing his car. It also caused him to change his life. Recalling the difficulties associated with his own life, he sold all of his businesses to become a "father" to these disadvantaged children.
Charles Mulli with one of his "daughters"

Opening his own home and his family to several of these street children was just a first step. Today, there are six different facilities providing family, education, occupational training, health services, and a future for the homeless children of Kenya.
Happiness in its purist form

These children range in age from preschool to high school students. Many are HIV/AIDs orphans and some are sexually abused girls. The MCF also offers services to abused women.

MCF has successfully rehabilitated more than 7000 children. There are another 2250 children participating in the MCF homes at present.
MCF chemistry students

These homes are providing unbelievable educational experiences. The homeless students are achieving at higher educational levels than most of the children in other Kenyan systems.

MCF classroom

Acrobatic Team
They also sport a championship football and karate team, plus recognized dance and vocal groups. This is an unbelievable success story for street and abandoned children.

What Will We Be Doing?

Our formal letter from MCI says that we will be: "teaching various assigned subjects, spending time with the children guiding and counseling them in line with the Christian teaching, teaching them music and instruments, art training as well as helping the children in their general chores in the home".

More importantly, we hope to learn much from this very successful humanitarian experience. Hopefully, it will broaden our perspective for working with disadvantaged youth.

In addition, we look forward to being immersed within this spiritual perspective that seems to embrace the people, children, and staff MCF. We are thankful for the opportunity to share with them.

Where Will We Be?

Ndalani Complex
We will be at the Ndalani home (pronounced "Dalani"). There are 600 students (preschool-12) there. It is approximately 100 kilometers to the east of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya (don't Google it because it apparently does not exist except to the people who live there.)

Ndalani is a semi arid area. The MCI has established organic vegetable and fish farms that supply food for the MCI homes and provide employment to abused women. The farms are also a source of financial support for the MCF
Kenya is on the east coast of Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean. It is supposed to be "The Garden of Eden" where we as homo sapiens began our existence. It is also one of the most beautiful countries in the world and known for its African safaris. Kenya is also on the the US Defense Dept.'s traveler warning list. Wish us luck!!!

Nairobi (lower center) Ndalini 100 K to east
Teaching Mission Support

Tax deductible donations to help cover the costs of our teaching mission can be made to:
1st. Cong. Church
126 E. Cass
Greenville, MI 48838
Make checks payable to: ICC Wakenhut Kenya Fund

A free Collecting Consort recording will be given with each donation. Please let us know which recording you prefer. Listings and descriptions of our recordings are available at http://www.collectingconsort.com/recordings.htm
The address for the MCF web site is: http://www.mullychildrensfamily.org/

There are some wonderful videos of the children at: http://www.mullychildrensfamily.org/media/video/videos

1 comment: