Faith in Action: A Family Journey to Kenya

For many years, Barb and I called ourselves “grandparent wannabes.” When our daughters finally began families of their own, our joy was complete—because there truly is nothing better than grandchildren. We were blessed to spend time close to several of them early on, but life eventually scattered our family across the country. This year, two of our grandchildren even graduated from high school, reminding us just how quickly time passes.

When Fountains of Hope announced a return mission trip to Kenya in the summer of 2025, we saw a unique opportunity—not only to serve, but to invite two of our grandchildren to experience what a mission trip truly looks like.

Our journey began in Nairobi with an evening meal at a girls’ orphanage, one of the most

meaningful moments of the trip. We then traveled near Kisumu, where we helped install water purification systems and visited a rural school and orphanage. Each day deepened our understanding of life without clean water and the powerful difference these systems make.

Fountains of Hope also encourages teams to appreciate God’s creation, and we were blessed to experience Kenya’s beauty through safaris in the Masai Mara, a hot air balloon ride over the wildebeest migration, and visits to a tea plantation and giraffe park.

For Barb and me, the trip was meaningful on many levels. We reconnected deeply with our grandchildren, shared extended time together beyond quick visits, and allowed them to see life in a developing country through our Christian faith. Most importantly, we created memories that will last a lifetime.

Our service with Fountains of Hope is rooted in a conviction that faith must be lived out, not just talked about. This experience gave our grandchildren a glimpse of what Christianity looks like in action—service, compassion, and responsibility toward others.

During the trip, we also dedicated a water purification system in honor of my parents, continuing a family tradition of honoring loved ones while helping provide clean water for generations to come.

We are grateful to Fountains of Hope for the opportunity to serve together as a family. It was meaningful, eye-opening—and yes, we had a blast.