Open to Change

My relationship with Crossing Thresholds began with a phone call from a person I did not know, asking if I would like to work with them. The first few months my focus was simply numbers, money in, money out, which to be honest has always been my comfort zone. In the numbers world, one plus one will always equal two, life is organized and predictable.

Then something unfamiliar began to happen. I found myself in the Fall of 2021 feeling dissatisfied with my life – something was missing. After a lot of prayer and discernment, I made the decision to dramatically reduce my client base to make room for change. What that change was going to be, I did not know.

Come December, that “change” began to take shape as I was asked if I wanted to devote more time to Crossing Thresholds and take the mantle of the Mentorship/Sponsorship Program. Now that I had all this free time, I was happy to say yes. I found myself emersed in learning about Crossing Thresholds, about Kibera, about the children, about the true meaning of mentorship. I began looking at the pictures of these children and learning their names. I felt the need to go to Kenya and meet them, and the people that serve them – and I decided to go on the June 2022 trip. I knew I was going way outside of my “comfort zone”, but the pull to go was undeniable.

To say my first (yes, I fully intend to go back!) trip to Kenya was life changing is to put it mildly. I felt a seismic shift in how I view the world, and how I view my own (privileged) life. Here were people living in the worst poverty that I could imagine, and yet they had an inner joy that often eludes me on any given day. They were warm and welcoming, despite their surroundings. One day I walked into one of our schools, Mobjap, to meet Ashley, my mentee, and a little girl named Veronica, came along side me, took my hand, and stayed by my side for the next two hours. There was a simple innocence to this new relationship, she spoke very little English, but her eyes spoke volumes. I made a mental commitment to stay involved with this little girl and have done so through FaceTime.

Returning home, I spent a lot of time reliving my hours and days in Kibera, trying hard not to lose the sense of freedom I felt there – Freedom from technology, freedom from busyness, freedom from self-centered thoughts. It occurred to me that God was doing for me what I could not do for myself – First Step – create a void in my life, Second Step – place the desire to reduce my work load in my heart, Third Step – introduce the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of Crossing Thresholds, Fourth Step – give me the courage to step outside of my organized and predictable life, and Fifth Step – open my heart, my eyes and my mind to the needs of the children of Kibera.

I recently came across the following quote: Instead of praying “God please bless what I am doing” try praying “God please help me to do what you want to bless”. With Crossing Thresholds, I believe I am right where I am supposed to be. To whom much is given, much is expected.

Juliana McKenna
CT Finance and Mentorship Director