Written by Brandon Adams, visual storyteller
Sometimes the most meaningful stories don’t begin with a grand plan or a clear calling. They begin with a simple yes.
In 2008, I traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, on a short-term mission trip with my church. At the time, I had no idea that trip would quietly shape my faith, my work, and eventually my life at Garden Spot Communities. I didn’t hear a dramatic calling or sense a master plan unfolding. I simply said yes to an opportunity—and trusted God with what came next.
That first trip led to return visits and, eventually, a two-month apprenticeship with Missions of Hope International (MOHI). During that time, I lived with MOHI founders Wallace and Mary Kamau and witnessed faith lived out in everyday ways—through their schools, churches, medical centers and relationships in the Mathare Valley of Nairobi. What struck me most wasn’t the ministry’s scale; it was the faithfulness behind it. Obedience showing up in steady, consistent ways.
Not long after those experiences, life entered a new season. I got married in 2012, and my wife and I began raising our family. Over the years that followed, we welcomed three children into our lives. Those seasons were full, beautiful and formative in their own right. During that time, Kenya faded into the background—not because the calling disappeared, but because obedience took on a different shape. It meant being present at home, faithful in my work, and attentive to where God had placed me.
Then came 2020.
Like many people, I experienced the disruption and uncertainty of the pandemic. In that quieter, unsettled season, I felt a gentle prompting to reconnect with Wallace and Mary—simply to check in and ask how they were doing. What started as a brief conversation reopened a door I assumed had long since closed. Through prayer and discernment, I sensed God inviting me to introduce MOHI to a new community.
That community became Garden Spot. Later that year, Garden Spot Village began partnering with Missions of Hope International. Child sponsorship opportunities were introduced, and today, residents and team members from Garden Spot Communities sponsor 34 children in Kenya. What followed, however, extended far beyond sponsorship.
People didn’t just sponsor children—they built relationships. Some residents and team members, friends, and family felt called to travel with me on a Travel with Purpose trip to serve alongside Missions of Hope International in Kenya, and several chose to go more than once. Others returned inspired to serve in new ways right here at home. Some had always dreamed of joining a service trip but never imagined they would have that opportunity later in life—until they found it at Garden Spot.
One of the most meaningful ripple effects came when a couple who served through Travel With Purpose felt called not only to return, but to lead. Earlier this year, they took their own group of neighbors, friends, coworkers and family members to serve alongside MOHI in Kenya. In that moment, as I was helping them prepare to lead their team, it became clear this story wasn’t about a single person or a single trip—it was about how God multiplies faithfulness.
Those ripples continued to flow both ways. Relationships deepened. Encouragement grew. Eventually, Wallace and Mary visited Garden Spot Village, closing the circle of friendship and partnership that began years earlier in Kenya. What started as support from afar became something shared—rooted in mutual respect and trust.
Since 2022, three Travel with Purpose teams from Garden Spot Communities have now served alongside Missions of Hope International. As we look to the future, we are prayerfully planning another opportunity to return in early March 2027.
As I reflect on this journey, I’m reminded that obedience doesn’t usually come with a full explanation—just an invitation. Wherever life has you right now, my hope is that this story encourages you to listen for God’s quiet promptings and trust Him with the next step. You may not see the ripples right away, but over time, God has a way of multiplying a faithful yes.
It all started in Kenya—but the ripples never stopped. And the story is still being written.
Brandon Adams, Visual Storyteller for Garden Spot Communities, captures and visually shares stories that reflect purpose and connection. He also serves as the art director and graphic designer for Destination Garden Spot Communities magazine and leads GSC Travel with Purpose teams to Kenya.