Kenya, Africa Initiative

Orphanage Project: In 2012, Pat and Andrew Tyrwhitt, and Jennifer Tyrwhitt Gory were taken to a beautiful site in Bungoma, Kenya, where there stood a building with no windows that we later found out was a church built in the memory of the Archbishop’s late wife. We met a woman named Doras, who is the Archbishop of Kenya’s sister, and found out later that this site was the Archbishop of Kenya’s property. They needed our help, as 108 orphaned children have shown up on the doorstep of the church. They had no classrooms, and no proper sleeping or kitchen facilities. While we were there, they told us about their dream of having a school and orphanage built so they could properly care for these orphans.
We went home after the two week mission trip, and about three months after we had arrived home, Pat expressed her desire, dream and calling to build the orphanage and school. Our family and business, Insurance Portfolio, keenly caught that dream and calling, and we started the process of obtaining estimates and feasibility of building the school and orphanage on the property in Kenya. Shortly afterwards, we were provided architectural drawings, with the estimates. The dream had been birthed. We went back to the Archbishop’s property in June of 2013, this time with the understanding that the orphanage was not on it’s way, and they have actually built one classroom. The children, teachers, Archbishop, and his clerical team all met us, and it was a real celebration. Before this visit, we stopped off in Bungoma Town, as we had $2,000.USD provided to us by St. Paul’s on the Hill Anglican Church, and we purchased their immediate needs in supplies and food. What a complete thrill to deliver these presents to them when we arrived!
While there, we discovered that the Archbishop was going to be in Toronto in September! Shall we have an event to launch a formal fundraiser, and have the Archbishop speak at our event? We didn’t know how this was going to be orchestrated.
Well, we September 19, 2013, the Philip Tyrwhitt Memorial Fundraiser at the Scarborough Golf and Country Club, and the event exceeded our expectations! There were 130 people in attendance, and we raised between $14,000. and $15,000. at the event and even more importantly, the event raised awareness, and awakened many hearts to do more and something greater. We are so grateful that so many people came out, caught the vision, and supported with this initiative! The Archbishop of Kenya was our Keynote Speaker of the event, and our M.C was Herbie Kuhn, voice of the Toronto Raptors.
What next? Please keep checking the website out for updates with photos, and for updated information.