September 5, 2019 – submitted by Ullian Family

These pictures show the joy of celebrating birthdays. Our kids in America celebrate birthdays every year, but for our kids in Kenya this year was the first year they celebrated their birthdays.  We tried to give them the same birthday experience as here in America including: singing, gifts, and birthday cake with family and friends.  On both Samuel and Sharlin’s birthdays, we were able to Skype with the kids so we were there to sing along and watch them open our gifts for them too.  This is all due to the efforts by administration at Cheryl’s to connect sponsors to their kids.  Sharlin started talking about her birthday celebration on Monday when her birthday was on Wednesday anxious to see her cake and open her gifts.  She had a smile all day long on Wednesday knowing that we remembered and cared enough to show our love by celebrating her on her special day. Our kids in Kenya: Kevin, Samuel, Bradley, and Sharlin are part of our family as much as possible.  We set up Skype with administration and talk about every two weeks.  The conversations are easy and we can talk about every day events.  We know them well enough to know when they are having a good or bad day.  We would have never thought 4 years ago when we began to sponsor our first child, Samuel, that we would be sponsoring 4 kids today and starting to think of high school options for Kevin next fall.  The relationship is more than just a friendship; they are family to us.  There are many other children at Cheryl’s awaiting a sponsor to share birthdays with and to engage in their future.  They want someone to love them and care about them.  Please consider sponsoring a child.  A child between kindergarten and 8th grade is $40/month and for a child in high school is $80/month.  Contact us at info@loveacts4africa.org for more information on finding your child to sponsor. 

May 12, 2019 – submitted by Jen Ullian

On Mother’s Day, I have spent a lot of time thinking about our Kenyan kids.  The most impactful moments during my trip to Cheryl’s came just before my departure.  I was unprepared for my emotional goodbye.  As I prepared to leave, Sharlin gave me a big hug, and we both began to cry.  That moment still sticks with me to this day.  As a mother, I could not begin to imagine the absolute desperation that each child’s birth mother must have felt when they had to say goodbye, despite knowing that leaving the kids at Cheryl’s was the best chance at a future for them.  I don’t think it is possible to know how it feels to make such a decision because you can no longer provide the basic needs for your child due to poverty, health, or domestic violence.  I cried during the entire ride back to our hotel and thereafter, thinking how hard of a decision that would be.  Please pray for the kids at Cheryl’s today.  Though Mother’s Day is not a major holiday in Kenya, I am sure the kids often think of their mothers