How FACES began

I met Stanley in 2013 after he enrolled in a paramedic program. Stanley was an incredibly motivated student, and one evening I asked him what brought him into medicine. He went on to tell me the following story: 

"I grew up on a rural farm in Thika, a town in southern Kenya, with my family and siblings. One day I was playing alongside a river with my 7 year old brother Gabriel when he accidentally fell in. He could not swim and we watched him struggle against the force of the water. As a neighbor rescued the boy, my family and I stood at the riverbank and prayed since we did not know what else to do. My mother carried the lifeless boy back to our home and he died before reaching the hospital."

Stanley then went on to say that this personal tragedy has motivated him to further his own education so that he may one day share what he has learned. He hopes to create a first aid project and work with children and future generations of Kenyans to prevent tragedies like Gabriel.

A few short months later Paige and I took a medical mission trip to Tanzania. One of the clinics was held in a church, and toward the end of the day we were asked to see a young boy and his grandmother. The grandmother recounted the boy’s story saying, “Almost one year ago he had been playing with a friend when he was stabbed in the eye with a metal rod. We tried to take him to the hospital, but since we had very little money, we were unable to see a surgeon and have his eye repaired.” She continued on, saying he had vision after the accident but was now completely blind in the injured eye.

Paige and I were deeply moved by his story, and although we knew he would likely never regain vision in his eye, we donated some money so they could return to the surgeon. The grandmother was so surprised that she dropped to her knees and said, “Only God can repay you…” It was at that moment the dream of FACES began, although it would take several more years before it became a reality.

After returning, Stanley and I began to share ideas, and it was at that time we were introduced to Stanley’s wife Cecilia. It did not take long to realize we all shared a similar vision.

Cecilia grew up with her family in Githuri, a Kenyan town near Nairobi. When she was in 6th grade, a pastor came to her town and spoke about helping the poor and less fortunate. He went on to cite examples from orphanages he had visited, and Cecilia was struck by the thought that not all children had loving and supporting families or homes. The pastor asked for donations, and she donated the jacket and shoes she was wearing. As she walked home barefoot, she thought of how blessed her life truly was to have a family. When she was in high school, Cecilia spent many days and nights in local orphanages, giving both clothing and love to the children. She promised herself that once she was able, she would make a difference in the lives of orphaned children. Cecilia’s dream is to one day open her own orphanage and give a promising future to children without homes or families.

We believe that by connecting with communities and addressing their individual needs, a series of opportunities can lead to considerable changes.

-Kyle Bilodeau