Christi Center staff member, Jennifer Sandler, spent her spring break volunteering at the Botshabelo Orphanage in South Africa. Botshabelo cares for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, poverty and other circumstances. Jennifer was moved by the strength of Botshabelo’s children, who she said “have all experienced experienced extraordinary losses and traumas, and are an incredible testament to the resilience of the human spirit.”
In anticipation of Jennifer’s trip, the Kids Who Kare group made friendship bracelets to send to the children in Africa. Kids Who Kare coordinator, Toby Collins, gave an explanation of who the children at the orphanage are and facilitated a discussion.
Jennifer brought the bracelets with her, showed the African children pictures of the FTLOC participants making them, and had the children in Africa make bracelets to bring home to FTLOC.
The purpose of the activity was to highlight the universality of grief and loss and to discuss the similarities and differences between their experiences. Both the children in Botshabelo and Kids Who Kare loved the bracelets, making a strong heart connection across cultures. Thank you, Jennifer, for taking For the Love of Christi’s mission and work beyond our borders!