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Teen’s Sweet 16 Party Saves Children In Kenya
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 23, 2010
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Tim Morse
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TEEN’S SWEET 16 PARTY SAVES CHILDREN IN KENYA
HAMPTON, Va., August 20/ -- A Chesapeake, Va., teen’s decision one-and-a-half years ago to forsake a traditional “sweet 16” birthday party enabled her to fully fund the construction of a $30,000 church-orphanage in Kenya, providing much needed food, shelter, clothing and education for approximately 50 orphans in that country. Instead of presents, Megan MacDonald, age 18, requested party guests donate to the construction project which was overseen by Hampton, Va.,-based International Cooperating Ministries (ICM). MacDonald and her parents visited the facility in Kenya in January to attend the dedication service which was attended by more than 300 people. She is now a freshman at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va.
The family had received photographs of the project as it progressed, but MacDonald said she was still surprised and deeply moved when she made the trip to the African church-orphanage. “To see the faces of the people that you helped, it’s even more inspirational,” she said. MacDonald added that she had a much better understanding of the scope and impact of the project upon her arrival. “When we drove up to the church, I was blown away by the size, and all the time and effort put into it. It was evident that people really put their heart and soul into this project. And when I saw the orphans, my heart just broke. It was difficult not to cry and not want to take all of them back.”
Before committing to the project in Kenya, MacDonald had begun raising money to construct an orphanage in India at a cost of only $7,000. However, after turning in the first installment of $4,000 to the ministry for the India project, ICM founder Dois Rosser presented a need in Africa requiring much more financial support. He showed her a picture of an African child. “I suddenly began to weep,” MacDonald said, “and I realized that God was calling me to Africa—and not only that, but Kenya, Africa.” At that point she and her family made the commitment to raise the additional $26,000 for the African church-orphanage.
ICM Executive Chair Janice Allen said that MacDonald’s participation in the project demonstrates a clear commitment to the work of the Great Commission. ICM has partnered with organizations in 56 countries to build more than 3,600 projects. The projects include traditional church buildings, church-orphanages, chapels, love homes, learning centers, training centers, and schools. The work in Kenya began in the year 2000 and there are currently 52 ICM-sponsored projects completed or under construction.
“We truly feel we are witnessing God's incredible miracle,” Allen said. “Each and every day, we see how God is using ICM to advance His Kingdom and assist in the growth of His church in areas of the world where the church is emerging, where the numbers of people coming to Christ are growing exponentially and where in most instances, there are no resources to support this staggering growth of the Church."
Along the way, MacDonald received help, encouragement, vision and motivation from her friends and family. “One verse that has really gotten me though this process is Colossians 1:27. It says, ‘Christ in you is the hope of glory.’ Just that thought—you are the hope of glory for somebody, for somebody else—all it takes is faith and persistence, and God can do anything through you. It’s amazing what God can do through anybody, as long as you have the faith and are willing to do what He asks.”
Her father, Rob MacDonald, says that it is vital for parents to foster a sense of vision for their children and families if they are to accomplish the works God has called them to do. “Instilling vision, especially in our children, I believe, is a mandate that the Lord has given me as a father. My wife and I, collectively, we have that responsibility,” he said. Mr. MacDonald said that the Scripture in Proverbs 29:18, which states that people perish for lack of vision, is often applied to the church, but he feels that it is often not applied in the context of families. “Why do we not cast vision in the hearts and lives of our children? What’s extraordinary is when you begin to tap into that, those with vision are those that lead. Whether they’re good leaders or bad leaders, whether it’s good vision or bad vision, people are hungry and desperate for visionary leaders.”
According to her father, MacDonald’s counter-cultural sweet 16 party was the result of her family’s focus on God’s vision for them. In planning the party her goal was to take the focus off of herself and make a statement that teens can have a greater impact in the world. She acknowledged that after the initial party, the process of raising the rest of the funds took a long time and presented many challenges. She attributed her decision to both her Christian faith and to a desire to challenge the materialistic mindset many teens have in America.
She says her decision was not immediately appreciated by all her friends. “I don’t think my friends understood what was going on. I don’t think they really grasped the concept.” Even after MacDonald returned from Kenya, she said that some of her friends were just unable to connect. “They still don’t know what’s going on, and they still don’t understand what I’ve done, or what God has done. And my heart breaks for them, because it’s so easy to just do something this simple—because it’s all God.”
However, as MacDonald continued to share stories of her fund raising experience and her trip, some friends did connect and were inspired by her actions. “My other friends who get it, they’re looking into stuff like this. They started volunteering. They started helping out with other things. And it’s really cool to see how one little thing can change a group of people. I think God has called us to great things, every one of us. And whether it be doing something in your community or doing something overseas, I definitely think that God can work through you in any way.”
To learn more about MacDonald’s experience, see pictures of her trip, watch a video interview, ask her a question, or learn more about ICM’s work in Africa visit
http://www.icm.org/churchbuilders_africa/megan.