St. Joe's Welcomes Group From Canopy Life International

St. Joseph's recently welcomed a delegation from Canopy Life International, which partners with Canopy Life Academy, a boarding school that serves vulnerable children in Kenya, East Africa, and is recipient of the Bakhita House charity drive.

Bakhita has partnered with Canopy Life and is sponsoring one of its students, a seventh-grader named Letitia. She did not make the trip, but four others did: Abbu Odhiambo, the Campus Pastor; Brian, the school's first graduate; and seniors Sarah and Mercy, who will graduate at the end of this year. They were joined by Christi Gordy, the Founder and Executive Director of Canopy Life International, which is based in Atlanta.

The mission of Canopy Life is "to empower vulnerable children to become Godly innovators who can end the cycle of poverty in their communities."
 

The group met with the Bakhita House in the JPII Center (answering questions and demonstrating how they carry a water jug while there), toured the campus and dropped in on a few high school classes. Then, after school, the delegation spent some time in the meeting room with students, staff and Bakhita House parents.

Alumni parents Lisa and Brian Seidel have been to Kenya, had the chance to visit Canopy Life Academy and shared their experience with the group.

"I had an appreciation for things that were just birthed out of an idea, and you just grind it into existence," Brian Seidel said. "That's how this school started, if you go look at the founding story. We had an appreciation for that with our business, and I observed the same thing with Canopy Life of just starting with some hope, whether it's realistic or not, and just grinding it out to make it happen."

They also talked about a possible next step where the partnership is concerned. A meeting for those interested will be held at St. Joseph's on Wednesday, May 1 at 6:30 PM. For more information, contact Lisa Seidel at Lisa.Seidel@cimcloud.com or 864-304-2626.

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