When Laura Wright, 4th grade teacher at CAC’s Pleasant Valley campus, visited an orphanage in Kenya this past summer, she knew she had been changed. Wright witnessed firsthand the poverty the country’s population endures and the need for support of Baraka Children’s Center. In addition to support of the orphanage, which the director funds personally with the help of others, there is the issue of education for these Kenyan children and the fees needed to send children to school.

As CAC’s fall semester began in August, Wright couldn’t get the children at Baraka Children’s Center out of her head. Like many who have traveled overseas on mission trips, her eyes and heart were opened to how wealthy we are as Americans and the responsibility we have to reach the nations for Christ by blessing others with what we’ve been given. While having a discussion in Bible class with her 4th graders, Wright shared her experience in Kenya and asked if the class might be interested in sending one of the orphan children to school. More than $1,250 later, she got her answer.

After a period of frantic brainstorming, Wright’s 4th grade class was on a mission. They were committed to providing for children halfway across the world. Wright was touched by her students’ compassion and energy – and also the speed with which they started collecting money. Students were handing her money before she could even inform parents of what they were doing!

“The kids were so very excited about this effort and were eager to give their own money to send these orphans in Kenya to school,” Wright said. “And they didn’t just want to sponsor one child’s education; they wanted to send them all to school.”

From late August until the week before Thanksgiving, money poured in from all areas. One child donated from his allowance. Another brought an entire jar of coins. Students in Wright’s class raised funds by walking dogs, giving up their weekly Coke and candy money and simply handing in cash. Grant Wood, one of Wright’s former students, heard of the cause and donated his birthday money. Michael Mann, owner of Action Claim Service, Inc., donated the proceeds from a company golf tournament after his daughter, Ashley, made a presentation to the company board about the opportunity.

“As a class, we decided to give from what we had. Parents were incredibly supportive. Participation was completely voluntary; however, I can’t think of a single student who didn’t give money in some way,” Wright said.

More than $1,250 was raised in order to send children from the Baraka Children’s Center to school. The academic year in Kenya follows the calendar year, so these children are just now beginning the new school year. The lead picture in this article shows children in their school uniforms, provided by funds raised in Wright’s class.

“In addition to learning reading, writing and arithmetic at CAC, we want children to learn compassion, generosity and sacrifice,” Wright said. “From the response of these students, it appears they are doing just that.”