Dellamater's
United States
Bio: Our family LOVES adventure! In 1994, when Brian & I got married - the pastor who officiated our wedding encouraged us to never settle into boredom. Over 20 years later and we are still not bored. The catalyst of our adventurous spirit begins and ends with Jesus! We love Jesus! We love to learn more about Jesus and we love to serve Him by helping others. In our desire to know him more, we began to pray that God would show us the true desires of our heart and somehow put whatever gifts & talents we have to His good purposes. That prayer was answered in our first journey to Kenya in 2007. Brian is a master carpenter and has an incredible gift to take a plain board of wood, an empty piece of land or a debilitated structure and transform it into something useful and beautiful. In the Karen area of Nairobi, Kenya - Brian designed a 5 acre property that where 100 orphaned children now call home. I (Heather) learned what God had in store for me once we were on the ground in Kenya. I spent a lot of my time in the Kibera slum working with women and children. When we returned to the states, we took a few months to evaluate what we had learned. First, I realized that I wanted to be a better helper! So, I finished my bachelor's degree in Human Services, jumped into a Master's degree in Organizational Leader and just wrapped up an MBA. What can I say, I REALLY love learning. Secondly, we realized that we are "starters" - we really love partnering with God to see a place where nothing had existed to become something that can bless others. Third, we LOVED being in Africa and prayed for an opportunity to return someday. In 2015, our family was commissioned as missionaries with Global Outreach International. In 2016, we purchased 52 acres in southern Kenya in the heart of Masai country - just 23 km north of the Kenya/Tanzania boarder. In February 2017, the ministry of Kijani Farm began! With the help of a few short term mission teams, Kijani Farm was "ready" for our family to make it our home. October 2017 was moving day for Brian and Gabe... Charleigh and I joined them in November. While living in the African bush is the polar opposite of our life in the USA, day by day we are learning to make it our home, learning to live as outsiders in a completely different culture and working to build a community development project with the vision of Kijani Farm to inspiring hope and create opportunity. This community development project, through agricultural training that will assist the Masai people to transform their lives through sustainable work & food solutions, education, access to healthcare, clean water, and a church. At the core of Kijani Farm is Jesus. I hope you enjoy following our life and our adventures! Brian is a master carpenter with experience in land development in Kenya. Heather is a coordinator and planner with experience in organizational health and spiritual growth. Together, Brian & Heather love to see God bring forth something from nothing and feel blessed to be called the ‘starters’ for Kijani Farm.
I Had a Farm in Africa 