I Will Just Tell Him It's Chi's Fault

Chi Ekwenye is "the Mother Theresa of Nigeria." Those were the actual words of the Dean of the UGA School of Social Work. I met Chi while she was working on her PhD from the University of Georgia. After her graduation, she returned to Nigeria to launch Right Steps, a human rescue mission focused on providing relief services for orphaned children and homeless women. She manages a residential facility called Susana Homes that receives children from birth to teens, rescuing them from a situation of being orphaned, destitute, or some state of being homeless. There are more than 50 children that currently live at Susana Homes. Even though she considers all of them her children, Chi has personally adopted three of them: Yana Sue, Hana, and Bobby. This is a picture of her three.


During a recent visit to the states, Chi brought gifts for our children. She wanted our three children to be connected to her three children through their outfits.


Chi is one of those people who comes into your life and causes your life to never be the same again. God used Chi to turn my heart toward Africa. Most likely, if I had never met Chi, I would not be preparing to meet William. I thank God for Chi. I have recently thought about how I would answer William if he ever asked me a question about why we chose to adopt him from Africa. I know what my response will be. I will just tell him it's Chi's fault.

Here is a video from the Pepperdine Lectureships of Chi receiving recognition for her work in Nigeria.



A team from the Southside Church of Christ in Lexington, Kentucky will be traveling to Susana Homes in October 2010 to build a new boy's dorm. The construction of this two story concrete block building will cost approximately $55,000 US dollars. As of February 2010, we have raised approximately $35,000. If you would like to donate to this effort, you can make a check out to the Southside Church of Christ and write Project SHOD in the memo line. Send it to the Southside Church of Christ, Project SHOD, 1533 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY, 40503.