Todd Perry’s sponsorship journey helped bring light into his life and give him new perspective, but his initial skepticism almost kept him from experiencing any of it! This is Todd’s story with MOHI.
The Journey Begins
Todd’s journey began when he and his wife, Jeannine, started sponsoring Caleb and Hamza, two students at a MOHI school in the Mathare Valley slum of Nairobi, Kenya. The couple was driven by a desire to provide new opportunities and hope. Soon, they began writing letters to the students.
“Sometimes we would send a message via the app, which is very convenient. Other times, we would send a traditional letter. Either way, we try to send a short note filled with encouraging words, urging our sponsored kids to stay in school, keep loving God, and to keep dreaming,” Todd shared.
The Short-Term Trip
In 2022, Jeannine had the opportunity to participate in a short-term mission trip with MOHI. After Jeannine returned, she insisted that Todd experience it for himself.
“Upon her return, she promptly set her sights on convincing me to think and pray about possibly being a part of the next trip.
“While I was supportive of her trip, I was slow to jump on the wagon. You see, for the past few years, I was in a season of hopelessness, loneliness and a chronic feeling of being isolated. As a result of COVID, I was working from home full time and I just felt like a deserted island. The slow creep of skepticism and sadness crept into every nook of my being. In short, I was not in a good place,” said Todd.
However, his wife Jeannine’s persistence and insight proved pivotal. She encouraged Todd to participate, believing that firsthand interaction with their sponsored students would change his perspective and uplift his spirits.
“She somehow knew that this in-person time with our sponsored boys would change my perspective and outlook on life.
“While I clearly sensed a pull to participate in this trip, I still had a lot of confusion and anxiety. I was wrestling with…
- What does a “relational mission trip” even look like?
- What could I contribute to our team, and what unique niche could I fill?
- What do I possibly have to offer, not just my sponsored student but all the students I would interact with?
- Would I be willing to place myself in awkward situations or initiate a conversation with someone I didn’t know?
“I recognized that I needed a perspective change. For many years, I had become "comfortable" in my routine, social structure and even my faith. I was ready to be challenged and stretched, but I wasn't sure if I had the courage to do it on my own.
“God was faithful, gracious and patient with me. He gently guided me through the many details and placed many friends and family into my life to give me the extra courage that I so desperately needed in order to take this big step,” shared Todd.
Arriving in Kenya
“After arriving in Kenya, as our team prepared to meet our sponsored students, my anticipation continued to climb. But the day finally came when I was able to meet Caleb and Hamza.
“I quickly realized that these guys had a lot to teach me about joy, laughter and hope. They didn’t see me as a guy with fears, anxiety and worry, but a new friend. As my new friends interacted with me, asked me questions and encouraged me, I had this overwhelming desire to do the same for them.
“During our first day, we spent time with ‘our boys’ learning about their family, their dreams, their favorite foods and what they enjoyed most about school. We even got an opportunity to visit their classrooms and learn about what class looks like.
“On one of our walks through the slums, a little girl, perhaps 5-6 years old, came running from the shadows of the tiny street. She streaked past the others and grabbed my legs and hugged me tight. I reached out my arms, and she quickly jumped and hugged me around my neck. At that moment, I recalled the story of the "scales falling off of Saul's eyes", but instead of scales on my eyes falling off, I felt the scales of my cynical heart just melting away. I am convinced that this little girl was an agent of God, as my heart started to soften and my perspective on life began to change,” shared Todd.
The Mural
As part of the trip, Todd participated in creating a mural, where hundreds of students painted their hands and then placed their prints on a giant canvas.
“After the students placed the paint-laden hands on the canvas, they visited me to get cleaned up. As these children came to me with their tiny hands and gently placed them in my rather large hands, my eyes started to leak and a lump grew in my throat.
“Looking at these precious children, I would take their small hands in mine and gently clean them. While washing their hands, I would silently pray for each child, and as I was able, I attempted to say a few words of encouragement to them like ‘Jesus loves you’ or ‘Your name is pretty’ or ‘You have a great smile.’
God used these little children to soften my heart and to remind me that we all crave connection and space to be seen, heard and valued,” said Todd.
Learnings
“So what have I learned and taken away from this incredible opportunity to sponsor these students and go on this mission trip?
- I learned to replace the words “Us” and “Them” with specific names (Todd & Hamza). This creates space for empathy, compassion and encouragement.
- I learned from our new friends that it is possible to have joy despite difficult circumstances.
- I learned that our new friends desire encouragement and affirmation and these are things that I can offer.
- I learned that sponsoring a child is not complicated. It requires giving a little money, but more importantly space to learn, to expand our worldview and to give attention and affirmation to a child.
- I learned that as a sponsor, my primary motivation is to be an agent of hope and encouragement.
- I learned that my life is substantially different from that of my sponsored students; however, the common ground is that we crave and desire meaningful relationships.”
Returning Home
What unfolded during Todd’s trip was more than he could have anticipated.
“This trip empowered me to allow God to use my uniqueness for his glory despite my own insecurities and fears. I will forever be impacted by my experience with MOHI,” shared Todd.
Todd and Jeannine remark how, throughout their experience, they felt reassured that their involvement and sponsorship were transforming lives, in part due to MOHI’s holistic approach: providing high-quality education, nutritious meals, and access to medical and dental clinics — all while a consistent gospel message is shared throughout the community.
Ready to make a difference in a child’s life? Find out how you can get involved in sponsoring a child and even go on a mission trip to meet them.
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