This little girl is an orphan who received clothes, toiletries and food thanks to a generous donor in Muskoka.
Prior to our trip to Kenya last summer, a donor approached us with a request to help the many orphans living in Wongonyi Village. Orphans and vulnerable children are a huge problem in most African countries as a result of the devastating effects of HIV/Aids. Parents fall ill to the disease that robs them of life leaving young children alone without parental supervision, making those children take on responsibilities of adults in tending for themselves and their siblings. Unfortunately, robbing them of their childhood as they spend time searching for food, clothing and firewood, just trying to survive. Some of these orphans are able to be taken in by a friend or grandparent but still life is not good for many grandparents are old and barely able to look after themselves let alone the added responsibility of young children.
But through the generosity of loving people in Muskoka who want to share their blessings of abundance, The Ronnie Fund has been able to begin helping some of these vulnerable children in Wongonyi Village, letting them know they are loved and that people half a world away truly care for them. This little girl was so shy and afraid of the people she was meeting she brought a friend with her for moral support. Such small gestures will have a big impact in the lives of these children.
As Richard Carlson said in his book, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work"; "Acts of kindness and goodwill are inherently wonderful. There's an old saying: 'Giving is its own reward.' This is certainly true. Your reward for being kind and making someone else feel good are the warm positive feelings that invariably accompany your efforts. So starting today, think of someone you'd like to make feel better and enjoy your rewards." I couldn't have said it better. Remember you don't have to solve the problems of the world, just focus on making a difference in one person's life at a time and before you know it you'll be changing the world.
