Soulfari Kenya

Our History

1995

Josie goes to Uganda hosted by Wanda Smith and Habitat for Humanity, and Kenya hosted by the Fairmans.

1996

Josie co-leads trip to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda with Kansas City-area college students. Sarah goes for the first time. Julius meets Sarah and Julius at Mission Hope, a shelter for drug-addicted boys on the street in Nairobi.

Travelers:
Jill Tupper
Joe Ungashick
Chris Rajala
Josh Michaelis
Heather Runyan
Laura Kenemore
Sean Brock
Erica Fredeen
Carrie Carlson
Scott Grigsby
Scott Fehr
Kimberly Schoeber

1998

Josie arrives in Nairobi the day after the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed. Volunteers at Missionaries of Charity and Daystar University.

1999

Josie leads trip of Kansas City-based college students. They volunteer at Missionaries of Charity and climb Mt Kenya with Daystar University students.

Participants:
Bri Irwin
Tyler Boring
Michele Harp
Julie Brewster
Mike Crabb
Jay Morgner
Chuck McNeil
Ryan Deo
Jeannie Grant
Tracy Vicory
Becca Piggee

2001

Josie and Sarah co-lead a trip through Kansas City-based Transformational Journeys. Sarah meets Julius’ family.

Participants:
Elizabeth Young
Chelsea Reed
Resa Falke
Katy Bockelman
Emilee Rose
Tim McMullins
Adam Kelne
Trish Dowd
Timberlyn Smith
Denise Dipiazzo
Hugh Merrill

2002

Sarah and Julius co-lead a trip. Julius helps with two adoptions resulting from the trip. Sarah Mai marries Julius Were in Kansas City.

Participants:
Janet Williams
Gail Beale
Abby Hopkins
Talara Waite
Laura Schrock
Katy Beale
Amber Walker
Sarah Sedlak

2003

Julius travels back to Kenya to help with a third adoption.

2005

Julius and Sarah co-lead two trips, one through Transformational Journeys. Josie, Sarah, and Julius start talking about founding an organization called Soulfari Kenya.

Participants:
Elizabeth Young
Sharon Brown
Vern Brown
Tina Clark
Martin Spain
Marjorie Norman
Tim Philips
Joyce Emery
Sarah Tomasich
Dori Jones

TJ Group:
Bruce Banwart, MD
Susan Hiland
Trish Moore
Pam Justus
Sally Lara
Maddie Hickey
Claire Hickey

2006

Josie files with IRS for non-profit status for Soulfari Kenya Inc. The organizing Board of Directors meets for the first time. Sarah, Julius and Josie co-lead a trip.

Participants:
Lynn Carey
Sarah Budin
Kat O’Connor
Ally Moore
Amy Frazer
Marlies Ozias
Heidi Spann
Gretchen Schiebel
Noeleen Luckert
Carlos Nunez
Molly DeCoursey
Laura Probasco
Jenn Erdtmann
Louise Goodall
Kerri Goodall

2007

First Board of Directors retreat in the spring. Soulfari Kenya Launch event and face.africa exhibition on June 1st. Josie and Julius co-lead a trip.

Participants: Bri Irwin
Jennifer Fultang
Jodi Heltenberg
Sarah House
Meghan Smith
Edna Smith
Jim Jackson
Brenda Jackson



	Our History 1995 Josie goes to Uganda hosted by Wanda Smith and Habitat for Humanity, and Kenya hosted by the Fairmans. 1996 Josie co-leads trip to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda with Kansas City-area college students. Sarah goes for the first time. Julius meets Sarah and Julius at Mission Hope, a shelter for drug-addicted boys on the street in Nairobi. Travelers: Jill Tupper Joe Ungashick Chris Rajala Josh Michaelis Heather Runyan Laura Kenemore Sean Brock Erica Fredeen Carrie Carlson Scott Grigsby Scott Fehr Kimberly Schoeber 1998 Josie arrives in Nairobi the day after the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed. Volunteers at Missionaries of Charity and Daystar University. 1999 Josie leads trip of Kansas City-based college students. They volunteer at Missionaries of Charity and climb Mt Kenya with Daystar University students. Participants: Bri Irwin Tyler Boring Michele Harp Julie Brewster Mike Crabb Jay Morgner Chuck McNeil Ryan Deo Jeannie Grant Tracy Vicory Becca Piggee 2001 Josie and Sarah co-lead a trip through Kansas City-based Transformational Journeys. Sarah meets Julius’ family. Participants: Elizabeth Young Chelsea Reed Resa Falke Katy Bockelman Emilee Rose Tim McMullins Adam Kelne Trish Dowd Timberlyn Smith Denise Dipiazzo Hugh Merrill 2002 Sarah and Julius co-lead a trip. Julius helps with two adoptions resulting from the trip. Sarah Mai marries Julius Were in Kansas City. Participants: Janet Williams Gail Beale Abby Hopkins Talara Waite Laura Schrock Katy Beale Amber Walker Sarah Sedlak 2003 Julius travels back to Kenya to help with a third adoption. 2005 Julius and Sarah co-lead two trips, one through Transformational Journeys. Josie, Sarah, and Julius start talking about founding an organization called Soulfari Kenya. Participants: Elizabeth Young Sharon Brown Vern Brown Tina Clark Martin Spain Marjorie Norman Tim Philips Joyce Emery Sarah Tomasich Dori Jones TJ Group: Bruce Banwart, MD Susan Hiland Trish Moore Pam Justus Sally Lara Maddie Hickey Claire Hickey 2006 Josie files with IRS for non-profit status for Soulfari Kenya Inc. The organizing Board of Directors meets for the first time. Sarah, Julius and Josie co-lead a trip. Participants: Lynn Carey Sarah Budin Kat O’Connor Ally Moore Amy Frazer Marlies Ozias Heidi Spann Gretchen Schiebel Noeleen Luckert Carlos Nunez Molly DeCoursey Laura Probasco Jenn Erdtmann Louise Goodall Kerri Goodall 2007 First Board of Directors retreat in the spring. Soulfari Kenya Launch event and face.africa exhibition on June 1st. Josie and Julius co-lead a trip. Participants: Bri Irwin Jennifer Fultang Jodi Heltenberg Sarah House Meghan Smith Edna Smith Jim Jackson Brenda Jackson