Long Term Investments

1/11/2018

Children of the Kingdom is a small organization made up of sponsors who care DEEPLY about the children. Two of those sponsors are Brant and Virginia Bousquet from Franklin, Tennessee.

the Bousquet family with Bishop Samwel Kaaleng on his visit to the USA in 2004

The Bousquets started sponsoring Michael Ekai Ekiru after hearing Emily Huff share at her parents’ church, Christ Community Church in Franklin, about Children of the Kingdom in 2003. Michael was a street child whose father died when he was very young. Bishop Samwel Kaaleng, the founder of Children of the Kingdom in Lodwar, recognized Michael's potential and knew he could amount to so much more than where he was headed. He recommended him to our program, and Michael was matched with the Bousquets in May 2003. After a mission trip in 2006 to South Africa and Kenya, Brant visited Lodwar for the first time and was thrilled for the chance to meet Michael.

Brant and Michael - Lodwar, Kenya - 2006

Brant & Virginia added Dorcas Koki to their sponsorship in 2006. Dorcas had also lost her parents and had been adopted by her aunt. Her acceptance into the Children of the Kingdom program set a different course for her life and opened up opportunities she would never have had otherwise.

Dorcas Koki's sponsorship picture from her 2006 report

Since this time, in addition to their two biological children, Brant and Virginia have considered Michael and Dorcas their African children. They have been faithful supporters of these two as they completed primary and secondary school, and then they made sure their college fees were covered as well.

In early 2017, Dorcas completed her degree in nutrition at Great Lakes University in Kisumu, Kenya and then was married to a wonderful man named Abraham Chegem Ekai in June 2017. In December of 2017, Michael graduated from Kwale Medical Training Center with a degree in environmental health, and Brant was able to make another trip to celebrate with Michael at his graduation ceremonies in Nairobi. After that joyous time, he then traveled to Lodwar to help host a party for Dorcas, Michael and other children in the Children of the Kingdom program.

Brant with his two sponsored students, Dorcas and Michael, in December 2017

Children of the Kingdom banquet in December 2017 honoring Michael and Dorcas

Brant reported that after this trip he is convinced that “child sponsorship not only changes the child’s life, but it changes the family’s life, and it ultimately changes the community.” He was able to meet with graduates from our program who are in Lodwar and who are investing in their community committed to making it a better place. It was a profound realization to see the impact that this ministry is making. Your gifts are not just paying school fees. They are helping educate the individual. This becomes a real game changer for families, for the community and for the world. Brant said that “Lodwar will be a better, stronger place because of this educated crop of students in whom we've invested.”

Our mission is to share the love of Christ with these students and to equip them to be missional servants in the Kingdom.
This is what Brant was able to see firsthand.

We are so grateful for you all as sponsors who invest in and pray for our students. It matters and is truly making a difference!