YOU Matter

I am so excited to share this post. I'm going to keep it super short.

Friends, family, neighbors, coworkers and strangers, you know who you are. You have donated clothing to the children whom I absolutely adore. This very moment they are cherishing your gift. You have done a marvelous thing. YOU MATTER. And we love you.

Aine, Director, Ariyo & Mariscovia

Jacob 

Jacob loves his new tennis shoes but he fears the scary muzungu

Rebecca

Ariyo & Friends 

Banyetta

Surprise will grow into this adorable sandals

New Times students receive a tub of school supplies

Innocent receives 3 complete outfits and a new tennis shoe. And his crutch is cushioned for his comfort.

Friends showing teachers their new gifts

Given's new sandals

So excited to have stockings for the first time

Baby Ariho has new shoes. His name means "God lives"

After receiving this outfit Ariho's name became Obama

Baby Leah

My American Ambassador

New Times students receive a 20 foot parachute

Given looks sharp in his new outfit and a fresh hair cut

Innocent 

A few people wondered if Innocent should receive new tennis shoes because one of them would be wasted.
I gave him the best pair I had.

Shoes for school and Crocs for washing

Girl's enjoying their new manicures

Brothers rewarded with new shoes and T-shirts for their hard work around the guest house

Mutungi feels professional in his new football gear

Director enjoying lunch

Angel loves her pink shoes and purple top

Ariyo loves pink

Students in Rubanda enjoy their field day with the parachute

Rubanda students enjoying their new jump ropes

Rubanda soccer teams and their new equipment 

New boots!

And like 20,000 stickers

Looking like professionals

Love to read!

Dry Erase education materials

Visiting Gilbert, Pheonah & Aidah to deliver gifts

These fleece jackets are the best and I want to bring a million next time

The football boots a dear friend gave me for Rubanda

We keep them locked up in the school office and children rent them out like you would a library book for practices and school games

Lucy <3

Jordan's old man smile

Director's a wild child

Such a fashionista, Ariyo's got layering down

These pajamas pants were treated like gold! Created about 20 new cub fans with these T-shirts

So excited to have jeans like the big boys

Gilbert is a Barrington High School fan, enjoying pasta for the first time

Ariyo reading "Is There Really A Human Race?" by Jamie Lee Curtis. READ THIS BOOK.

Baby Joses and Mama

Joses loves playing with his new torch!

Baby Esther

Clever and his friends loved making bracelets!

So excited

Muzungus are scary but I love my new manicure!

Fortunate's siblings welcome us at their home and receive her new mattress for boarding at New Times School

Gilbert loves wearing Taylor's soccer sweatshirt that says Reschke on the back

Ariyo loved all of Sara's dresses...THANK YOU!

Ronald wearing a new football jersey

Trading a ripped vest in for a T-shirt, shorts and new shoes!

A humble man left a fighting crowd to beg for his children's sake. They all receive shoes, outfits, toothbrushes and school supplies for Christmas

New outfits for the babies

A grandma danced in her new tennis shoes and loves her Las Vegas hoodie

Her grandchildren pose in their new shirts and Crocs

Pencils, toothbrushes and stockings

New jeans! What every teenager dreams of finally having

Zebia organizes children to receive shoes in the community center at the top of the mountain

UGG boots!

These water shoes are great for the kids. No socks needed and they dry fast! Great for fetching water, doing the washing and walking in mud. They have great rubber soles for climbing too. Genius.

Sarah receiving Sara's shoes. Brand new glittery Converse!

These GAP sweatshirts are so funny. You see them EVERYWHERE.  This one belonged to Hailey in Chicago.
Pretty sure Americans buy A LOT of these.... They get shipped overseas by the thousands. So great.

Acting like a monkey in his monkey shirt.

God Bless You.