Sometimes people cross your path and you're forever changed.
Meet Brenton and Jen Correll. This couple came into our lives a few years ago as new friends in our coastal town, and besides having several common interests, they share our love of travel and seeing the world. And while they moved away to pursue their dreams and take jobs elsewhere, we've stayed in touch.
Fast forward to now. Brenton and Jen are raising support to go and serve full time with First Love International in Kenya. The First Love ministry in Nairobi, Kenya, first began as a feeding program in the Kibera slum. Out of that, a need for a girls’ home was identified, and First Love built a small house on a school property in Kibera. The need was much bigger than that, and by 2005, God had provided the funding for First Love to buy a five-acre plot of land outside of Kibera and develop their own Children’s Home for orphaned girls and boys.
As of this year, the home has 160 children that are fully cared for by First Love. The Corrells’ future work there will include various work such as operations for First Love in Kenya, hosting ministry teams, and helping with the development of the Riziki Children’s Home and the new Daraja House for children over the age of 18 as they transition to independence, creating vocational training programs for men and women, and much more.
So why am I sharing this? While 7th & Palm already works with and gives to organizations locally and globally, this is our first official partnership. We've chosen to give to Brenton and Jen's ministry in an ongoing fashion not just because of our friendship, but because we believe in the work they're doing. Not only will they be working to keep the daily operations of the children's home in Kenya running and partnering with the local community to help there, but they're so passionate about starting new programs. These programs will not just teach vocational skills, but enable young minds to dream, to find what they love to do, and to create opportunities for future generations of men and women to follow their dreams in a way that's sustainable for their community.
First Love relies on outside support right now, but they're working toward building programs that will someday support themselves. They're effecting change, giving hope, cultivating attitudes about giving that ripples out throughout the world—all by truly living by faith and believing big things can happen through prayer and hard work.
So we're pretty excited. It may seem like a small step to some, but we couldn't be more thrilled to take a leap of faith and be part of the work they're doing. And while this kind of partnership may seem uncommon, it's the whole reason 7th & Palm exists. We're working to build something greater than any one artist's body of work, using those God-given talents, in order to give away more time and resources to help others locally and globally.
So if you'd like to be a part of this, or even if you just love to shop and support small businesses, vote with your dollar and shop with intention. Every purchase you make is part of our 1/1/1 giving pledge to give back to the community and make a difference in the world. Join us!