Meet Maisha’s Interns

The Maisha Project has a total of five interns for the Spring 2016 semester. We are excited for you to meet some of the people who help us out each week!

 

Name: Ashley Sargent
Intern title: Legacy of Hope Photography Intern
School: Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
Hometown: Moore, OK

1.       How did you get involved with The Maisha Project? How long have you been volunteering/interning?
I got involved with The Maisha Project through my step-dad. He knew that I had wanted to go to Africa since I was 13 years old. He knew Beatrice and what she did, so he arranged for us to meet. After meeting Beatrice, my dream of finally getting to go to Africa came true. I’ve been volunteering since 2014 and interning since 2015.

2.       What is your favorite part about interning for The Maisha Project?
My favorite part about interning at The Maisha Project is getting to be apart of something really special. We are a part of impacting this community. We are showing these kids and people that there is hope, love, and that education is truly powerful – there is a life beyond poverty and sickness. God has allowed me to be apart of something that is transforming lives, while transforming my own. I am beyond grateful to have been allowed this opportunity.

3.       What have you learned while interning for The Maisha Project?
I have learned a lot about leadership, working with other people, being flexible and going the extra mile. I have been stretched and challenged as a person and have loved every minute of it. There have been moments where it hasn’t been easy, but it’s been absolutely worth it. I wouldn’t trade the time I have spent here for anything.

4.       What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?
One thing I would like to accomplish during my lifetime is to be a great teacher (if that qualifies as a goal.) I had some really influential teachers in high school, and I want to impact my students the way those teachers did for me. I want to inspire them to work harder, to go outside their comfort zone, and to give them a desire to learn. If I can be half as good as they my teachers were, I think I’ll be okay.

5.       If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why? Where would you eat dinner?
If I could have dinner with anyone dead, it would be Andrew Foster. He was the first person to establish schools for the Deaf in Africa. He was a missionary to the deaf and truly valued education. I think he’s so awesome and would have loved to have known him during his time. We would probably have dinner at Haiget’s. Since he spent a lot of time in Africa, having some authentic African food seems appropriate.

6.       Favorite quote:
“I am different, not less.” –Temple Grandin  

Name: Jayln Curtis
Intern title: Legacy Of Hope Intern
School: Univeristy of Central Oklahoma
Hometown: Ada, OK

1.       How did you get involved with The Maisha Project? How long have you been volunteering/interning?
About three years ago I started attending Bridgeway Church OKC. Shortly after that, I was given the opportunity to visit Maisha with a two-week team in the summer of 2014. After my first trip, I knew it wouldn’t be my last. The next school year I completed a field study in the Maisha offices and almost three semesters later, I’m still here.

2.       What is your favorite part about interning for The Maisha Project?
Sometimes it gets hard being away from Kenya. I always miss it so much when I am home in the United States. Being in the office gives me a little taste of working in Kenya and I just love being able to help in whatever way possible. Also, I love everyone that is a part of Maisha. I have met some of my favorite people through Maisha and I am so thankful for that.

3.       What have you learned while interning for The Maisha Project?
Patience… But really. My first project I worked on was editing all of the LOH pictures. We have a lot of children in the program, so it took me awhile.

4.       What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?
Spend an entire year traveling the world.

5.       If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why? Where would you eat dinner?
Jesus, Duh. I would probably go to Qdoba and I would hope the owner of Qdoba would also be there so we could become buds.

6.       Favorite quote:
He says “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10


Name
: Lauren Daniel
Intern title: Social Media/Blog Intern
School: Oklahoma City Community College
Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK

1.       How did you get involved with The Maisha Project? How long have you been volunteering/interning?
In the spring of 2014, I started looking for an internship that would allow me to use my journalistic skills to make a difference in the community. After visiting a few website, I stumbled upon an opening at The Maisha Project. I called the next day and set up an interview. I have been interning for Maisha since May 2014.

2.       What is your favorite part about interning for The Maisha Project?
My favorite part about interning for The Maisha Project is I get to help make a difference in peoples’ lives. Maisha gives me an opportunity to use my creativity to make the world a better place for someone else. I love getting to see how something as simple as taking a picture or posting on Facebook can lead to children getting sponsored or people in the Nyalenda Slums learning about Jesus.

3.       What have you learned while interning for The Maisha Project?
I have learned how important it is to love people and how we tend to overcomplicate relationships. It’s easy to make excuses about why you don’t want to spend time with someone, how you don’t have extra time, or how you don’t have enough money to help someone. Often times, we spend so much time focusing on ourselves that we neglect the people around us.  At the end of your life, no one cares about how much money you made or how big your house was. Your investment in other people and the love you show them is more important than temporary objects.  Life is about loving other people like Jesus did and pointing them back to Him.

4.       What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?
I want to visit a new city or country every year. I love traveling and getting to see new parts of the world. My ultimate goal is to glorify God in every aspect of my life. His plans are always better than mine.

5.         If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why? Where would you eat dinner?
I can’t choose to have dinner with just one person. I have three people I’d love to meet and get to know, because they inspire me on a daily basis. So, I would choose to have dinner with Bobby Bones, Andrew Jenks, and BC Serna.  All three of those guys have followed their dreams and push other people to pursue theirs. We would obviously eat at Chipotle, because that’s Bobby’s favorite.

6.         Favorite quote: 

“I believe we were each created to change the world for someone. To serve someone. To love someone the way Christ first loved us, to spread His light.” – Katie Davis

Name: Mia Rabon

Intern title: Legacy of Hope Intern

School: University of Central Oklahoma

Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK

1.       How did you get involved with The Maisha Project? How long have you been volunteering/interning?
I got involved with Maisha in 2014 when the Light the Future Choir came to Oklahoma for the first time. I had never heard of Maisha until the family that I babysat for decided to host some of the members of the Choir. I quickly jumped head first into spending time with the kids and learning more about Maisha, and that has not stopped since. The following March I took a one week trip to Maisha, and soon after that started interning in the office here in Oklahoma City. I will now be spending two months at Maisha this upcoming summer! It is hard for me to remember what I did before Maisha so it is crazy for me to think that it has only been a little over a year since I got involved.

2.       What is your favorite part about interning for The Maisha Project?
I love staying involved with Maisha while here in Oklahoma. There are so many opportunities to serve while here in the states, and it almost makes Kenya not seem so far away! Plus you get to work with some pretty cool people every week!

3.       What have you learned while interning for The Maisha Project?
I have learned a lot while interning! One thing I have learned is that little things can make a difference.  It is obvious to see how physically serving in Kenya can make a difference in a persons life, but it has been so cool to see that even little things like data entry or sending out mailers can make a difference and are just as much of a part of Maisha as actually traveling to Kenya is.

4.       What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?

I have a lot of goals for my life, but I think they all come down to honoring God with all of my life. Everything else just kind of falls into place after that. I totally see myself always being involved with Maisha, even though that will look different at different times in my life. I would love to some day have a family of my own and just to serve wherever God has me.

5.       If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why? Where would you eat dinner?
This is my least favorite question ever. Most people have some sophisticated answer but I can never think of someone. So,  I am just going to have to say that I would love to go to dinner with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. It would probably be one of the funniest dinners ever, which I am totally okay with. We would probably keep it classy and go to Chick-fil-A or something.

6.       Favorite quote:
“But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence. It is a love that operates more like a sign language than being spoken outright. Simply put: Love does.”  – Bob Goff



Name
: Morgan Craft
Intern title: Social Work Intern
School: OU School of Social Work
Hometown: Edmond


1.       How did you get involved with The Maisha Project? How long have you been volunteering/interning?
I became involved with The Maisha Project through Dr. Riley at the OU School of Social Work and Alexandria Russell.  I just started interning with The Maisha Project this month.

2.       What is your favorite part about interning for The Maisha Project?
My favorite part about interning for the Maisha Project is knowing that my efforts are changing individuals’ lives.

3.       What have you learned while interning for The Maisha Project?
Since I just started I haven’t really learned much yet, but it has been fun to get to know the faces of the children we serve.

4.       What is one goal you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime?
One goal I would like to accomplish is to construct an innovation that will make an impact in improving the lives of individuals in a needy community.

5.       If you could have dinner with anyone dead or alive, who would it be and why? Where would you eat dinner?
Dumbledore in the great hall at Hogwarts.

6.       Favorite quote:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “Plans for good and not for evil. Plans to give you a future and a hope.” – Jerimiah 29:11

Interested in becoming an intern at The Maisha Project? Visit our website at https://www.maishaproject.org/index.php?take-action/volunteer-or-intern.

Maisha Project
405.445.3440
PO Box 570
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101
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