"Celebrating Success: A Heartfelt Welcome and New Beginnings in Bondo’s Sewing Program"

2024 Trip by Cheri Butt

Every trip to Kenya is filled with Firsts, this trip is no exception.

After 24 hour of travel and a walking Safari (where we hung out with Zebras!) our Team; Kathy Mutch, Edwena Arbuckle, Mary Stewart and I arrived in Bondo.  We were met with a celebratory welcome by our friends and hardworking Kenyan Team.

Since our visit last year our Kenyan Team started a Sewing Program to help people learn and develop skills in the art of sewing.  We celebrated our first six graduates of the program.  They greeted us in outfits that they made themselves and were beaming with pride.  Our message to them as they received their certificates was to be proud that they were the first ever students to graduate this program and that no one could ever take it away from them.  They worked hard and no matter what happens in the future to always remind themselves of their accomplishment and to continue to go forward.

We broke new ground to build a Sewing Centre next to the Beyond Limitations Bondo Office.  As like last year’s groundbreaking for the Mageta Island Office, our Kenyan and Canadian Team joined hands and formed the shape of the soon to be constructed building.  Although this is symbolic (we do leave it to the professionals to properly measure) Ben carefully directed and positioned us to make a perfect rectangle, then sealed it with a powerful dedication prayer.

We are so grateful to Ben’s wife Emily who was instrumental in starting this program. Emily and Ben are partners in life and partners in their passion to help others.  For the first time Emily is working alongside us during this trip as our second “Driver”.  Just like our driver Paul she is so much more than that. Her smile, love, kindness and empathy for people is unmatched.

It is an honour and privilege to be able to come here and be part of something so special.