Written by Betsy Natter, Storyteller at Frederick Living
Because it checked so many boxes for me, I jumped at the chance to join the Travel with Purpose team travelling to Nairobi, Kenya this past fall. I would have the opportunity to experience a very different part of the world and volunteer with a mission organization that was doing important work among some of the world’s poorest children, providing them with food, clothing and education. Our main purpose was to volunteer with Missions of Hope International (MOHI) and visit children sponsored by Garden Spot Communities residents and team members. And although those things happened, I received so many benefits personally and professionally beyond anything I anticipated.
Our Travel with Purpose team was comprised of seventeen people from both Garden Spot Village and Frederick Living. Some were residents and team members, but we also had a future resident, family members and a former team member join the group. I was especially thankful that my husband was able to come along with me as we both had previous experience on mission teams and were excited to be able to travel and minister together.
Although we came from so many walks of life and varied in ages from the early forties to age eighty-five, we quickly bonded over our shared vision and desire to bless the ongoing work of MOHI. As Garden Spot Village resident Sue Fitzgerald said mid-trip, “When we first came together several months ago to begin meeting, we were a team, because we all signed up for this. But we weren’t really a team. NOW, we are a team.”
Sue was reflecting on the fact that we had been planning, praying, and working together for several months to prepare for what lay ahead, but once “in-country” we truly relied on each other for support and encouragement for our daily work. We did everything together from sharing morning devotions, to riding on bumpy roads and battling mosquitos, to running a VBS for the children at the Pagani school in Nairobi, to experiencing the thrill of an African safari. We shared in the joy of dozens of children running up to hug us as well as the heartbreak of visiting mothers in their corrugated metal-shack homes in the slums of Mathare Valley. As a team we processed together what we experienced—both the joyful and heart-rending.
I was personally humbled by the experience as I saw joy and gratitude in so many Kenyan people who materially had so much less than me. My husband and I had the opportunity to visit our sponsored child’s home and meet his mother. She was so thankful for our support, and we were honored to be invited to her home and catch a glimpse of their life. It was a personal blessing to see firsthand the result of MOHI’s work, knowing that it is multiplied to thousands of families and children, who are filled with hope for a brighter future.
Professionally, the TWP trip was a fantastic opportunity to use my skills to their fullest. As Frederick Living’s Storyteller, I was the team’s official photographer and journalist. Daily, I captured photographs and chronicled our activities. Each evening, I uploaded photographs or created a video recap for posting to our social media sites so that our followers back home could stay in touch with what we were experiencing. I truly loved filling that role and am so thankful for the opportunity and support to be able to serve both the team and large community back home.
The benefits of participating in a Travel with Purpose trip are significant for Garden Spot Communities team members. I hadn’t ever thought about travelling to Africa before, but on this trip, I flew into tiny dirt airstrips, saw majestic animals on a safari, haggled in a Masai market and swam in the Indian Ocean. The inter-generational and cross-campus experience is truly life-giving as well and one that cannot be found in many workplaces. Skills and experience are matched with the variety of projects on the trip, so everyone can apply themself and grow professionally in a new environment. Additionally, team members can participate while using PTO for only one half of the trip’s duration.
If you are looking to move out of your comfort zone, serve in another part of the world, grow personally and professionally, and experience the beauty and culture of another country (or continent!) then consider applying for the next Travel with Purpose trip. Plans are tentatively scheduled for a return to Kenya sometime in the spring of 2027.