The Story Behind the Birth of Changing A Destiny, by Kathy Kohl – Executive Director
The reason this mission is so close to my heart is because of a little boy I met in an orphanage call Baby Life Rescue in 2017. He was left in a trash bag alongside the road just after he was born. A stranger found the baby, took him to the hospital, and he eventually ended up in an orphanage.
I got to visit Raymond three times in the orphanage and really bonded with him. After returning home from my missions trip, my new friend, Nicole, went to visit Raymond for me. She sent me photos and videos so I could see that he was healthy.
After seeing a photo of Nicole and her husband Tom holding Raymond, God placed it on my heart to ask them to adopt Raymond. After asking my Bible study group to help me pray about asking them, one of the ladies said she would pay for the adoption fees if they agreed.
I was shocked. We all started to cry. God was opening doors! It was an answered prayer, and I now I just needed to ask them.
I asked Nicole and she said she would pray about it, but God had already put the idea in their hearts. They brought baby Raymond home in 2017. Here we are seven years later. I have been able to watch him grow up to be a healthy, happy boy. He loves his big sister, Gloria, and she’s happy that God answered her prayers by giving her a baby brother.
Nicole and I would love to be able to help more children like Raymond. God has placed it on our hearts to build a church & school to help educate the future generation. We already raised enough funds to purchase 2 acres of land (completed April 2022), built a church (completed April 2023) & a three to eight classroom school (three classe rooms were complet January 2025), and feed children in one of the poorest counties in Kenya. Check out our YouTube channel for more updates. Nicole & Tom, Raymond’s parents, are the hands and feet of Jesus on the land in Kenya. They are volunteering their time and talents to the is amazing mission.
One of our newest goals is purchasing more land to plant crops and have live-stock. This will be a huge step towards the project becoming more self-sufficient.
The end goal is to give as many children as possible the opportunity for education. Without an education, the destiny of children in Kenya is bleak. They will never receive the opportunity to go to college and develop a professional career. We hope to CHANGE THEIR DESTINIES through education and by sharing with them the love of Jesus.
While Raymond is the earthly inspiration for this mission, our Savior’s love is the heavenly inspiration.
