In October 2005, I met Terry Richards a 26-year-old American on his first mission trip to Kenya. Fate brought us together when both of our rides broke down at a small shop near the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. While waiting for transport, he came outside, sat beside me, and we struck up a conversation. I was drawn in by his story how a young man had traveled across the world to build a church in a remote Kenyan village and bring hope to people he didn’t even know.
Before he left, Terry asked to take a photo with me to show his friends “how beautiful” I was. I gave him my mailing address, never imagining what would come next. Two weeks later, I received the photo along with a note that ended with “wewe ni mrembo sana” (you are so beautiful). That single letter sparked a long-distance friendship that blossomed through handwritten letters, photos, and months of shared hopes and stories across oceans.
A year later, in October 2006, Terry returned to Kenya. I joined his mission team as a translator, and our connection deepened. One quiet evening during a walk, we found ourselves seated near a lodge when a loud crash startled us a baboon had jumped out of an open window, landing right in front of us. Startled, I clung to Terry and in that moment, we shared our first kiss. It was the beginning of something truly divine.
As the trip neared its end, we talked about our fears of distance and whether we could build a future together. With faith and prayer, we decided to pursue engagement. Terry followed Kenyan tradition and asked for my father’s blessing through a respected elder. My father, after asking Terry heartfelt questions, gave us his full support and welcomed him into our family.
We were married twice first in Kenya in 2007, and later in the U.S. in 2008, after I received my visa. Our love story had come full circle, but something even bigger was stirring in our hearts.
Just three months after I arrived in the U.S., Terry and I both woke up with the same dream: to build a refuge for women and children in Kenya. We called it Imani, meaning “faith” in Swahili because faith had brought us together, and faith would build this dream.
Over the years, we made mission trips back to Kenya, bought five acres near where we met, and registered our nonprofit, Imani Rescue Center International. Our vision: to build a safe haven for battered women, widows, and orphans a place to heal, grow, and become independent. Women will receive training, starting with sewing, and leave with the tools to start a business. Orphaned children will be cared for and connected to sponsors who become their extended family.
We’ve come far, but there’s still a long way to go. We’re now seeking support for clean water, solar power, and building materials. We believe in giving a hand up, not a handout.
To anyone in a long-distance relationship or holding on to a dream don’t give up. With love, faith, and perseverance, anything is possible. Our story is living proof.
