LOOKING BACK robin daugherty

Janine and Ian eventually created a faith-based humanitarian organization called Heart for Africa that focuses on bringing HOPE to the Kingdom of Eswatini, Africa, in the areas of H unger, O rphans, P overty, and E ducation. Out of Eswatini’s population of 1 million people, it’s estimated that half of the population is vulnerable children, with 200,000 of those children being orphans.

I first became acquainted with the Maxwell family in 2007 when Chloe and Spencer Maxwell attended KRCS in Lower and Middle School. As Chloe’s 5 th grade teacher, I got to know her very well along with her parents, Janine and Ian Maxwell. From them, I learned about their incredible journey to provide a safe haven for orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. For several years, the Maxwell family would spend their summer break in Africa, and Chloe would share with me the impact of seeing children her age lying in the trash and under newspapers to keep warm.

Their vision for Heart for Africa included a 2,600-acre land development project and a children’s home called Project Canaan. This development, launched in 2009, houses, feeds, and educates over 300 orphans and employs 450 local people.

Chloe and her family eventually moved to Eswatini, and I continued to stay in touch with the Maxwell family. Over the years, I have tried to assist Heart for Africa to the best of my ability, from making quilts to participating in the annual KRCS clothing drives for Project Canaan.

I was elated when I heard that Dr. Spurka, Head of School, and several other faculty members were taking the current KRCS Prefects to

Project Canaan for their annual summer Prefect trip. The Prefects bonded incredibly well with all the students and had a memorable, life-changing trip.

A few months later, it was decided that five Project Canaan students would visit KRCS in the fall. Those students were selected based on their essays about why they wanted to visit America. Ben, Emmanuel, Esther, Joshua, and Miriam were chosen, and I couldn’t wait to see their faces when they arrived!

These five students were welcomed with open arms at our school and got to experience several events with the KRCS community, including a visit to Top Golf and the Georgia Aquarium. Their trip culminated with our Trunk or Treat event and a KRCS Varsity football game. They carefully divided up their Trunk or Treat candy (approximately 1,100 pieces) to share it with all 345 classmates back at Project Canaan, whom they consider their siblings. It makes me very emotional talking about this - their way of life is “all for one and one for all.”

I am especially grateful for the KRCS parents, faculty, and staff who have sponsored a child at Project Canaan. There are currently 345 students in the Lower School, which is an amazing coincidence as 345 children live at Project Canaan.

Our Lower School teachers will soon begin mentoring the Project Canaan teachers, increasing our partnership with this wonderful charity.

I am so grateful to Dr. Spurka for spearheading its growth by taking our Prefects to Project Canaan. If we at King’s Ridge Christian School pour our love into these children, this helps further our mission as a school. This is what we are called to do.

We are blessed to have a safe and secure environment at our school, and pouring our love into those kids will help make a difference in that country. The children of Project Canaan are being raised to serve Eswatini as adults and are backed with a strong education and Christian belief; I know that they will do great things for their country. I’m so proud that we can be a small part of that.

Robin Daugherty Lower School Academic Dean

Current KRCS faculty and staff involved with Project Canaan for many years volunteered to share their experiences:

“We sponsor a 3-year-old boy named Emmett because he has the same name as our grandson. There are opportunities to volunteer at the Heart for Africa warehouse in Alpharetta, and the gifts made by Khutsala Artisans (the HFA artists who make jewelry, beaded animals, and ornaments) are truly unique. Heart for Africa is an authentic and transparent organization changing the lives of hundreds of people in Eswatini. When you donate to Heart for Africa, they don’t make you feel like just a donor. Heart for Africa makes you feel like you are part of their impactful family.”

– Sue Borain, Librarian

“I visited Project Canaan for the first time in 2019, accompanied by my dad and my daughter. It was an amazing experience, and we couldn’t wait to return! Our second visit occurred this past summer when we traveled with the Prefects. I would’ve never dreamt that five Project Canaan students would come to the US for two weeks a few months later and that our family would be honored to host two precious girls, Esther and Miriam, for several nights! God is doing wonderful things through Heart for Africa, and I am grateful to be a small part of it.”

– Katie Stewart, Middle School Community Host

“I was first introduced to Janine Maxwell and her amazing vision when KRCS was in its original location on South Main Street. Many of our families then became involved in the Heart for Africa mission, some even traveling to visit Project Canaan in its early days. During Janine’s recent visit to Alpharetta, we celebrated that the relationship between Heart for Africa and KRCS may move into a much more involved partnership. The magic is that the relationship’s progression is driven by our administration, parent community, and our High School student leaders.”

– Mary Beecham, Alumni and Development Associate

“I became aware of Heart for Africa when I started working for KRCS. A group of King’s Ridge faculty/ staff visited Project Canaan that summer and came back with amazing stories. I read Janine Maxwell’s story of how Project Canaan started and began following their progress. One email especially touched my heart – it was when Baby Deborah arrived at Project Canaan. Sharing a name with Deborah helped me make the decision to sponsor her. I love getting emails about her school progress and photos of her. I have not had the opportunity to visit Project Canaan yet, but there are so many ways to help this amazing organization here in Alpharetta, either by sponsoring a child, purchasing the beautiful ornaments and gifts made by the Khutsala Artisans, or donating to the many clothing drives that we hold for these wonderful children in Eswatini.”

– Debbie Ritchie, Accountant

To learn more about this exceptional charity and ways to support it, please visit www.heartforafrica.org.

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP: WHY WE SERVE bob martin

- Matthew 23:11

During a time when the Pharisees and Sadducees took great pride in their positions in the community, Jesus brought a new brand of leadership. One that would serve others as opposed to the kind that would give credit to those with the largest number of followers.

Our world places value on how many people celebrate and follow us. Jesus teaches us that serving others is the greatest form of leadership. He went against the grain and provided a model that transcends time.

At King’s Ridge Christian School, we offer a Christian Leadership class that focuses on serving others. As we begin each semester, we discuss what Jesus taught his disciples and the importance of helping others. Self-exploration and class discussion guide us as we navigate what service truly is.

Initially, we may think of gift-giving as a service. While this is a nice gesture, God calls us to do more by putting others before ourselves. The students at King’s Ridge are learning what serving others means, and over the past three years, the class has taken off.

We are looking for ways to help the immediate King’s Ridge community. For example, a popular service involves students working with their former Middle School teachers during the week with small tasks. This interaction gives our students a chance to give back to the teachers who were integral to their formative years. Other activities include:

• Assisting Lower School teachers with their bulletin boards and helping in the library,

• Making motivational signs posted on trees along the trails near the Middle School,

• Helping athletics and facilities set up for football games and keeping the campus clean,

• Periodically providing snacks for faculty and staff,

• Assembling display shelves for the art department,

• Assisting with the annual 9/11 American Flag Memorial on the campus roundabout, and

• Providing support/mentorship programs for underclassmen.

A personal favorite that my Christian Leadership class provides is a daily devotion submitted by one of my students. The devotion is essential to the morning announcements as it gives a sense of peace and calmness as we begin our day.

God has blessed us with many opportunities to serve at King’s Ridge. Our Christian Leadership class helps our students to see that being present for someone else, putting others’ needs ahead of their own, and acting for the good of another distinguishes them from a world that increasingly tells them to focus on themselves.

It is an absolute joy watching our students develop instinctive habits modeled after Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.

Bob Martin Christian Education Teacher