The primary objective of my trip to the USA, Canada and Australia was to start building relationships with donors by introducing African Growth Ministries to various churches, businessmen and individuals with the aim towards long term financial support mostly within USA and Canada.
I left Nairobi on the 9th of September to Dallas, Texas and was hosted by Mr and Mrs Bill who are Rosaline’s long time friends. They connected me to the Gateway church which has a membership of more than 30,000 people. I was able to lecture about Hope House with the help of Randel Stringer who is another friend of Rosaline and who receives our adopt-a-cot funds in America on behalf of Hope House through his organization. The meeting conclusion was that the church overseas mission committee meets at the beginning of every year and Hope House will feature in this year’s meeting and there after there will be a delegation coming to Kenya to look at our programs for consideration from the church. Bill had organized another evening meeting with his church prayer group where I talked more about Hope House with Mr Bill’s assistance, based mainly on our adopt-a-cot program. I stayed with the family for 1 full week.
In the 2nd week I travelled to East Texas for another one week where our former Hope Hope manager Susan Mooring lives. She had a well coordinated schedule where I held 8 different meetings. All of them were church and home based with an aim of reaching out as many church members as I could with the help of Susan and her church pastor. All the members who promised to join the adopt-a-cot program were referred to Randel for direction.
I left the USA to Vancouver, Canada in the 3rd week where Dr Jana (a Canadian surgeon who works here in Nairobi) and a friend of Hope House who fostered Steph, a child from Hope House, had organized my trip to Vancouver prior to my arrival. She had lined up all the personalities I was to meet in there and further more she had organized where I was to live without any charges during my one week stay. I had several meetings with different people most of them promising to come to visit us with the promise of future financial support once they visit our program and find it worthy of funding.
Margaret Foreman and Gina Chiarelli are among others who connected me to other people, whom I am still trying to reach out to, since I didn’t have enough time to meet with them all at that time. It was suggested that we should be registered in Canada and directed me to the right authorities where I managed to table my case and was directed what to do. All this was on top of meeting with 2 other churches.
I left Vancouver to Calgary for another 3 weeks where I was housed by my former Kenyan pastor who lives there with his family. He took me to speak in churches introducing what I do and my mission in Canada with the promise of more people hoping to join the adopt-a-cot program.
I left Calgary to Toronto where my daughter lives with her family and had time with her and her husband who helped me to market our programs. Supporters were directed to “Our Kenyan Kids” Canada for funds directions.
From Canada I went back to the USA to visit my nephew in Atlanta, Georgia for 4 days before flying out to Sydney. I spent one week hosted by Kathy, Rosaline’s friend and then moved on to Perth hosted by Sue, another friend of Rosaline and later Anthony and Fiona’s parents. In Perth I was able to meet with AGM supporters Bob Izzet, Peter Samson and Rev Glen Bruce (AGM founder) and her husband Robert Bruce for lunch and a cup of tea.
I then left Australia on 23rd of November to return home via Dubai where I had to meet 2 Christian brothers from Persia who seemed to have interest in Hope House but am yet to hear from them.
Following is a summary of prospective future donors:
USA:
- Gateway Church to send a delegate to Kenya this year.
- Rock Church East Texas, people willing to join the adopt-a-cot program.
- Jim pursuing the pastor of Rock Church for long term support.
- Adopt-a-cot was promoted.
CANADA:
- Victoria Benefic Group to assist Hope House to register in Canada & set up for fundraising.
- Gina Chiarelli and Margret Foreman to come this year to see AGM programs.
- Kristin Swadish & a group of university students are willing to market Hope House For financial support.
- Adopt-a-cot was promoted.
God’s blessings.
Jim Kimotho