Nyota Home

It's a very cold morning where I live. But rewind to a sunny day last July, when I received an e-mail from my friend Miriam, letting me know that friends of hers nearby had raspberries available at their farm. Not usually a pick-your-own operation, when we arrived, Doug and Lynda's place was dotted with friends and neighbours happily helping to harvest the bumper crop of organic berries. We were delighted to join in. And our visit got better, because Lynda let the kids feed the chickens and Doug sent us home with some greens and garlic from the garden. The whole visit was a summer highlight.

As I was paying for our treasures, I noticed pictures of African kids on the walls of the farm store. Of course I asked about them, and learned that Lynda and Doug are very involved in supporting Nyota Home. Located near Nakuru, Kenya, Nyota provides a nurturing home and learning environment for children who have lost their parents due to AIDS or other tragedies. One of their main fundraisers locally is an art auction, which I had previously attended, so I was pleased to make a more personal connection with those behind this inspiring initiative.

Since then, I've enjoyed receiving Lynda's updates about Nyota's progress, lately through her blog written during a recent visit there. I was interested to read about the 'big girls' there -- 12 to 14-year-olds like my 'big girls' here. Their lives could hardly be more different -- yet Lynda's report says that the girls there get in trouble for not cleaning their rooms just like mine do! As my daughter and I consider a trip to Africa, we're thinking that Nyota will be on our list of destinations, as I can't think of anywhere she and I would rather spend our time. I bet she'd even help them clean their rooms.

For those of you in Canada, donations to Nyota can be made through Feed The Children. Funds go to provide for the kids' basic needs -- caring staff, meals, clothing, toys, health care and school fees -- items most of us take for granted that make a direct and important difference in the lives of these precious kids.

I hope to be back picking raspberries this summer -- the thought is a welcome diversion on this chilly morning. And maybe I'll be enjoying these kids in person the summer after that.