What do you think?
Rate this book
Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption
Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
Hope Runs is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
Hope Runs is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2014
18 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Claire Díaz-Ortiz
28 books60 followersClaire Diaz-Ortiz is an author, speaker, advisor and startup investor who has been named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company. Claire was an early employee at Twitter, where she was hired to lead corporate social innovation.
In Claire's work, she has been called everything from "The Woman Who Got the Pope on Twitter" (Wired) and "Twitter's Pontiff Recruitment Chief" (The Washington Post) to a "Force for Good" (Forbes) and "One of the Most Generous People in Social Media" (Fast Company). As CNN said in 2017, "If Twitter has a soul, it probably looks something like Claire Diaz-Ortiz."
Claire is the award-winning author of nine books that have been translated into more than ten languages, including One Minute Mentoring: How to Find and Work with a Mentor - and How You'll Benefit from Being One (with Ken Blanchard) , Social Media Success for Every Brand: The Five Pillars that Turn Posts into Profits, Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time, Design Your Day: Be More Productive, Set Better Goals, and Live Life on Purpose, and Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption.
She is a frequent international speaker on business and social innovation and has been invited to deliver keynotes and trainings at organizations like the US State Department, Toyota, South by Southwest, TEDX, and many others.
She writes a column at Inc. Magazine online and is a LinkedIn Influencer, one of a select group of several hundred global leaders chosen to provide original content on the LinkedIn platform.
Claire holds an MBA from Oxford University, where she was a Skoll Foundation Scholar for Social Entrepreneurship, and has a B.A. and an M.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University.
She is the co-founder of Hope Runs, a non-profit organization operating in AIDS orphanages in Kenya.
She has appeared widely in major television and print news sources such as CNN, BBC, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Washington Post, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, and many others.
In Claire's work, she has been called everything from "The Woman Who Got the Pope on Twitter" (Wired) and "Twitter's Pontiff Recruitment Chief" (The Washington Post) to a "Force for Good" (Forbes) and "One of the Most Generous People in Social Media" (Fast Company). As CNN said in 2017, "If Twitter has a soul, it probably looks something like Claire Diaz-Ortiz."
Claire is the award-winning author of nine books that have been translated into more than ten languages, including One Minute Mentoring: How to Find and Work with a Mentor - and How You'll Benefit from Being One (with Ken Blanchard) , Social Media Success for Every Brand: The Five Pillars that Turn Posts into Profits, Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time, Design Your Day: Be More Productive, Set Better Goals, and Live Life on Purpose, and Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption.
She is a frequent international speaker on business and social innovation and has been invited to deliver keynotes and trainings at organizations like the US State Department, Toyota, South by Southwest, TEDX, and many others.
She writes a column at Inc. Magazine online and is a LinkedIn Influencer, one of a select group of several hundred global leaders chosen to provide original content on the LinkedIn platform.
Claire holds an MBA from Oxford University, where she was a Skoll Foundation Scholar for Social Entrepreneurship, and has a B.A. and an M.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University.
She is the co-founder of Hope Runs, a non-profit organization operating in AIDS orphanages in Kenya.
She has appeared widely in major television and print news sources such as CNN, BBC, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Washington Post, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, and many others.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
April 4, 2014
Do you ever stumble on a book that charms you and challenges you at the same time? "Hope Runs" by Claire Diaz Ortiz, Sammy Ikua Gachagua and Donald Miller is one such book. At moments incredibly heartbreaking, then overwhelmingly triumphant, this memoir of Diaz Ortiz's friendship with Ikua Gachagua shows how an instant can change a person's life.
Written in two voices, these unlikely friends share their hopes, struggles and goals. Claire Diaz Ortiz is on a soul-searching travel quest, looking for definition in her life. Sammy is a resident at an orphanage in Kenya. Claire and her friend, Lara, travel around the world and land in East Africa, looking for a deeper sense of purpose. As fate would have it, they stay at a residence connected to an orphanage. After returning home, they go back to Kenya and set up a foundation which teaches the kids the joys of running. This provides the children with a greater sense of purpose and it provides the orphanage with much needed financial assistance.
Traveling back and forth between the United States and Kenya, Claire and Lara become the family some of the kids have never known. They are more than financially invested in Sammy and the orphanage, they are invested emotionally and spiritually. Sometimes the "teacher" is the one who ends up learning the most. Heart-warming, poignant and hopeful, "Hope Runs" is a home run in my book. I've pre-ordered two copies - one for myself and another for my 22 year old niece.
(This title was previewed through NetGalley.com. It will be published April 15, 2014.)
Written in two voices, these unlikely friends share their hopes, struggles and goals. Claire Diaz Ortiz is on a soul-searching travel quest, looking for definition in her life. Sammy is a resident at an orphanage in Kenya. Claire and her friend, Lara, travel around the world and land in East Africa, looking for a deeper sense of purpose. As fate would have it, they stay at a residence connected to an orphanage. After returning home, they go back to Kenya and set up a foundation which teaches the kids the joys of running. This provides the children with a greater sense of purpose and it provides the orphanage with much needed financial assistance.
Traveling back and forth between the United States and Kenya, Claire and Lara become the family some of the kids have never known. They are more than financially invested in Sammy and the orphanage, they are invested emotionally and spiritually. Sometimes the "teacher" is the one who ends up learning the most. Heart-warming, poignant and hopeful, "Hope Runs" is a home run in my book. I've pre-ordered two copies - one for myself and another for my 22 year old niece.
(This title was previewed through NetGalley.com. It will be published April 15, 2014.)
April 13, 2014
My Thoughts:
Hope Runs is one of those books that restores one's faith in mankind. It's always heartwarming to know that there are folks out there that truly do make a significant difference in someone's life. Mother Teresa said "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." Claire is an example of someone doing those great things and is an inspiration to me to keep doing small things with great love.Hope Runs was a page turner that was difficult to put down when life called; I hope that Samuel (or Claire) will write another book as he does great things in his life.
Hope Runs is one of those books that restores one's faith in mankind. It's always heartwarming to know that there are folks out there that truly do make a significant difference in someone's life. Mother Teresa said "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." Claire is an example of someone doing those great things and is an inspiration to me to keep doing small things with great love.Hope Runs was a page turner that was difficult to put down when life called; I hope that Samuel (or Claire) will write another book as he does great things in his life.
June 23, 2014
I really wanted to like Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption because the story is truly inspirational. Claire Diaz-Ortiz and her friend Lara, after traveling the world, for Claire, trying to find herself, find themselves in Kenya, where they visit an orphanage. Taken by the friendly children, Claire and Lara decide to stay for more than just a few days, because Claire believes that true change can only happen if visitors stay for several months, even years, developing programs and empowering the people of undeveloped or under-developed countries. In Hope Runs, Claire and Lara are so taken by the children in the Imani orphanage, that they decide to start an extracurricular running program. The program is a big hit, and some of the older teenagers at the orphanage eventually compete in a marathon.
Claire is especially taken by a boy named Sammy, who she takes under her wing, and "adopts." The story is told in both Claire's and Sammy's voice, and we follow Claire and Sammy from the time they meet (he is 12 or 13 when they meet) to the time Sammy has graduated from college in America and has returned to Kenya.
While the story is interesting, and could have been inspiring,it is not. While the changing narrative voice an excellent literary device, the writing is stilted and not terribly interesting. A good third of the book is about Claire trying to find herself, and it is an endless, boring discourse that could have been significantly shortened. While I enjoy a good coming of age story, Claire's is not good. I didn't really need to know about every place she went and every thought she had on her "Vision Quest," and about how her career skipped around and evolved. I found her personal story full of hubris, which is contrary to the humility she claims to have found.
Sammy's story is interesting as well. It is not clear if he wrote it himself or if Claire wrote it in Sammy's "voice." However, that story, too, is extremely long, and, while compelling in places, the length of his story, like Claire's makes the story dull.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was an e-book, which may account for the disturbing absence of "ff" in all words in which the double "f" appear, or that might be an oddity of my Kindle, or, it might be bad editing. I figured it out after a while, but it was disconcerting and added to my overall lack of engagement with this story.
Claire is especially taken by a boy named Sammy, who she takes under her wing, and "adopts." The story is told in both Claire's and Sammy's voice, and we follow Claire and Sammy from the time they meet (he is 12 or 13 when they meet) to the time Sammy has graduated from college in America and has returned to Kenya.
While the story is interesting, and could have been inspiring,it is not. While the changing narrative voice an excellent literary device, the writing is stilted and not terribly interesting. A good third of the book is about Claire trying to find herself, and it is an endless, boring discourse that could have been significantly shortened. While I enjoy a good coming of age story, Claire's is not good. I didn't really need to know about every place she went and every thought she had on her "Vision Quest," and about how her career skipped around and evolved. I found her personal story full of hubris, which is contrary to the humility she claims to have found.
Sammy's story is interesting as well. It is not clear if he wrote it himself or if Claire wrote it in Sammy's "voice." However, that story, too, is extremely long, and, while compelling in places, the length of his story, like Claire's makes the story dull.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was an e-book, which may account for the disturbing absence of "ff" in all words in which the double "f" appear, or that might be an oddity of my Kindle, or, it might be bad editing. I figured it out after a while, but it was disconcerting and added to my overall lack of engagement with this story.
May 15, 2016
SUMMARY: Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"
Hope Runs "is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
REVIEW: Non-fiction is definitely not my favorite genre, but this book was an amazing story of incredible giving, caring and loving of two young women. Lara and Claire decided after finishing their post-graduate work to take a year off and travel the world. A stop in Kenya to climb a mountain changed both their lives forever. They were placed at a guesthouse that was part of an orphanage for their stay. Little did they know that they would fall in love with both Kenya and the children and that it would change their lives forever along with one young boy named Sammy. The tale of their developing relationship and how their love for running changed a child, an orphanage, and their own lives is well written as you listen to both Claire and Sammy telling this story gave me hope for the future of young adults and for third world countries. A great book that I would recommend to teenagers through adults.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "By having one cross-cultural experience, then another, and another, these volunteers--if give the right tools to recognize the importance of what they themselves are actually learning--have a good chance of one day doing something that can hopefully make things a little bettr. The volunteer's value to the local is not in that single three-month stint....but in the possibility that it can transform the volunteer into someone who gives for life."
"He tells me his life philosophy--that bad and painful moments come nd go, and they are all part of the life we are called to live. The best thing we can do is deal with everything as well as possible."
"Keep smiling, because you don't know whose day you will shine up."
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"
Hope Runs "is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
REVIEW: Non-fiction is definitely not my favorite genre, but this book was an amazing story of incredible giving, caring and loving of two young women. Lara and Claire decided after finishing their post-graduate work to take a year off and travel the world. A stop in Kenya to climb a mountain changed both their lives forever. They were placed at a guesthouse that was part of an orphanage for their stay. Little did they know that they would fall in love with both Kenya and the children and that it would change their lives forever along with one young boy named Sammy. The tale of their developing relationship and how their love for running changed a child, an orphanage, and their own lives is well written as you listen to both Claire and Sammy telling this story gave me hope for the future of young adults and for third world countries. A great book that I would recommend to teenagers through adults.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "By having one cross-cultural experience, then another, and another, these volunteers--if give the right tools to recognize the importance of what they themselves are actually learning--have a good chance of one day doing something that can hopefully make things a little bettr. The volunteer's value to the local is not in that single three-month stint....but in the possibility that it can transform the volunteer into someone who gives for life."
"He tells me his life philosophy--that bad and painful moments come nd go, and they are all part of the life we are called to live. The best thing we can do is deal with everything as well as possible."
"Keep smiling, because you don't know whose day you will shine up."
April 14, 2014
Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption
I was invited to read Hope Runs as part of the book's launch - I was delighted to do so as I'd already added the book to my 'wishlist' list on Amazon. It did not disappoint.
It is essentially a coming of age true story told from the perspective of two very different characters in the story as the title suggests.
There are two aspects of the book that I particularly appreciated:
1) Sammy was given a voice. The book allowed Sammy to explain in his own words what his life growing up in Kenya was like. More importantly, it captures his journey of self-discovery and growth as a human being who matures as he appreciates not only the incredible opportunities he has received in life but begins to appreciate that he has been blessed to be a blessing to others. I finished the book with the desire to watch his life continue to unfold as he figures out what that might look like.
2) Claire doesn't sugar coat the fact that "the act of giving is fraught with complications" (pg 98). She candidly shared the concerns she had and continues to grapple with: how much affection to show to the children she lived with at the orphanage (knowing she wouldn't be there forever); feeling the burden of choosing to invest in the life of one person while knowing that there were so many others that would have to face a very different life; supporting while challenging a young man to become all that he has the potential to be.
Finally, having come from a third world country myself, I appreciated the fact that Claire did not condescend while writing about another: this is not a book where an 'American hero' swoops in to save a 'poor African orphan'. It is much more complicated than that and rightly so.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in cross-cultural experiences, particularly those involving exchanges between Western and less developed countries and engaging with orphans.
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my review.
For more information on the Hope Runs organization, founded by Claire and Lara, visit www.HopeRuns.org.
I was invited to read Hope Runs as part of the book's launch - I was delighted to do so as I'd already added the book to my 'wishlist' list on Amazon. It did not disappoint.
It is essentially a coming of age true story told from the perspective of two very different characters in the story as the title suggests.
There are two aspects of the book that I particularly appreciated:
1) Sammy was given a voice. The book allowed Sammy to explain in his own words what his life growing up in Kenya was like. More importantly, it captures his journey of self-discovery and growth as a human being who matures as he appreciates not only the incredible opportunities he has received in life but begins to appreciate that he has been blessed to be a blessing to others. I finished the book with the desire to watch his life continue to unfold as he figures out what that might look like.
2) Claire doesn't sugar coat the fact that "the act of giving is fraught with complications" (pg 98). She candidly shared the concerns she had and continues to grapple with: how much affection to show to the children she lived with at the orphanage (knowing she wouldn't be there forever); feeling the burden of choosing to invest in the life of one person while knowing that there were so many others that would have to face a very different life; supporting while challenging a young man to become all that he has the potential to be.
Finally, having come from a third world country myself, I appreciated the fact that Claire did not condescend while writing about another: this is not a book where an 'American hero' swoops in to save a 'poor African orphan'. It is much more complicated than that and rightly so.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in cross-cultural experiences, particularly those involving exchanges between Western and less developed countries and engaging with orphans.
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, provided this complimentary copy for my review.
For more information on the Hope Runs organization, founded by Claire and Lara, visit www.HopeRuns.org.
April 3, 2014
About the Book:
Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"
Hope Runs "is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
My Review:
Such a touching story about a young Kenyan orphan, that touches the heart of a young American girl. God takes the two individual lives&meld them together for His purpose and change them both forever. A story of God's showing up and showing out to help two people on opposite ends of the world find each other in the most extreme of circumstances. Claire arrived in Kenya unaware of how much her life would change that day and poor Samuel had all but given up hope. Come and follow along as the two of them share with us what it was like to reach their destiny.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Revell.
Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"
Hope Runs "is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
My Review:
Such a touching story about a young Kenyan orphan, that touches the heart of a young American girl. God takes the two individual lives&meld them together for His purpose and change them both forever. A story of God's showing up and showing out to help two people on opposite ends of the world find each other in the most extreme of circumstances. Claire arrived in Kenya unaware of how much her life would change that day and poor Samuel had all but given up hope. Come and follow along as the two of them share with us what it was like to reach their destiny.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Revell.
June 6, 2014
**1.5 Stars**
This is a book that I looked forward to in the way one looks forward to a missions trip--I wanted a touching story that would affect my life. Maybe even give me a broader perspective. And while the book did do some of that, I am not sure I could easily recommend it to others.
My largest issue? The writing. A lot of you may think me rude and say 'You try writing a book!' I know, I know, but when someone writes a book don't they want it to be the best it can be? I left this book with the distinct impression that not much effort was put into the writing and editing process. Sentences are very short, very direct, and very impersonal. It felt very rough and distracted me from the heart of the story.
One good part: Sammy's story. I would have loved to read a more complete 'ending' to his story, but none the less his life story is interesting and inspiring. I wanted more and wouldn't raise the slightest fuss if they cut out Claire completely and renamed the book "Sammy's Story".
Overall, "Hope Runs" was not what I was looking for. It felt unemotional, factual, and I believe, could have used tighter editing. I am rating it with a low 1.5 stars. I can only recommend it to those who have read a lot on the topic of poverty and Africa, and are only looking for another quick read through. I also wouldn't be beyond recommending only reading the chapters told from Sammy's point of view.
I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
Find more of this review and others at Sunrise Avenue
This is a book that I looked forward to in the way one looks forward to a missions trip--I wanted a touching story that would affect my life. Maybe even give me a broader perspective. And while the book did do some of that, I am not sure I could easily recommend it to others.
My largest issue? The writing. A lot of you may think me rude and say 'You try writing a book!' I know, I know, but when someone writes a book don't they want it to be the best it can be? I left this book with the distinct impression that not much effort was put into the writing and editing process. Sentences are very short, very direct, and very impersonal. It felt very rough and distracted me from the heart of the story.
One good part: Sammy's story. I would have loved to read a more complete 'ending' to his story, but none the less his life story is interesting and inspiring. I wanted more and wouldn't raise the slightest fuss if they cut out Claire completely and renamed the book "Sammy's Story".
Overall, "Hope Runs" was not what I was looking for. It felt unemotional, factual, and I believe, could have used tighter editing. I am rating it with a low 1.5 stars. I can only recommend it to those who have read a lot on the topic of poverty and Africa, and are only looking for another quick read through. I also wouldn't be beyond recommending only reading the chapters told from Sammy's point of view.
I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own
Find more of this review and others at Sunrise Avenue
September 16, 2017
What a moving, inspiring story! A creative young woman, with a taste for adventure and a big open heart for people travels the globe with her (equally adventurous) friend - and they end up in Kenya at an orphanage. Their hearts are so enthralled by the children there that they end up staying and being housemothers (of a sort) for a year. And one young teen there really captures their attention; he ends up being permitted a visa to the US in order to get a better education.
The story is told both through Claire (that amazing young woman) and Sammy (the Kenyan orphan who ends up stateside). Hearing their unique voices and experiences was really intriguing for me. To get a glimpse for where Sammy came from, and now the future that he anticipates, is such a testimony to the resilience and endurance of the human spirit. And Claire's energy and passion seem contagious. The title, "Hope Runs," is the name of the nonprofit she and her friend, Lara, end up establishing, in order to teach the kids the discipline of running.
This is an easy read and so very moving. You cannot help but like these two authors and their hopeful, tenacious spirits.
The story is told both through Claire (that amazing young woman) and Sammy (the Kenyan orphan who ends up stateside). Hearing their unique voices and experiences was really intriguing for me. To get a glimpse for where Sammy came from, and now the future that he anticipates, is such a testimony to the resilience and endurance of the human spirit. And Claire's energy and passion seem contagious. The title, "Hope Runs," is the name of the nonprofit she and her friend, Lara, end up establishing, in order to teach the kids the discipline of running.
This is an easy read and so very moving. You cannot help but like these two authors and their hopeful, tenacious spirits.
March 31, 2015
This was a very easy read. I liked the familiarity of some of the references to Kenya that were similar to Uganda and Claire's mention of her thoughts on short term mission trips. I feel like the depth that I'm sure exists in reality wasn't translated in this book. I didn't feel any emotion in either account of this story (Claire or Sammy), it felt like more of a detached, factual accounting.
February 10, 2014
The true story of a Kenyan orphan and the American woman who adopted him.
May 13, 2014
Really great story, but would have benefited from more self-reflection by the author and more explanations for what lead her to make the choices she did.
July 8, 2015
I’m thankful for the review copy of a book that introduced me to incredibly brave and encouraging people like Claire, Lara and Sammy.
Sammy’s journey will captivate you as he writes in first person about his experiences and hardships in Africa. I was instantly captivated by his honesty and horrified at all this young man had experienced by the age of 10. I was also struck by his gratefulness of the little things in life I often times take for granted. His story will make your heart hurt at the same time you’ll be rooting for him as he takes the next step in an incredible journey.
Life gets better for Sammy when his name is chosen to be in an orphanage called Imani. The manager interviews Sammy and asks him, “Why are you here at Iman? – He replies, “I am here to live!” He replies, “Then do it! Live!”
Sammy reflects, “This is when I realize something about us as orphans, when life throws us a lemon, we must take as much juice from it as we can because we don’t know when it might be taken away and you will be left without any fruit at all. I realize this is true not just for orphans.”
Sammy is a deep thinker and has a strong faith. His first encounter with Claire doesn’t go well. Claire and her friend Lara go to Imani orphanage to see how they can help. Claire says to Sammy, “Aren’t you in standard eight.”
“Sammy is bewildered, “I can’t believe what she has just said, and all my friends start laughing. Hysterically what Claire doesn’t know is that she has insulted me badly, saying I am still in standard 8 when I have actually just started form one. Essentially, this means she is calling me a Kihii an uncircumcised person…to us, a Kihii is not worthy of being called a man…being a Kihii in a KiKuya community when you’re no longer small boy is a bad thing, & if someone calls you it means they have no respect for you. It is like calling a black person the N-word. It hurts and is very disrespectful.”
“To me, Claire has committed one of the crimes of the century. I vow to never to speak to her again, and I keep my distance”.
Sammy viewed Claire and Lara as other white people who came to their orphanage – took pictures, wrote a check and left. Sammy soon realized these young ladies were different. “They used a different resource than many. They stayed with us and showed us that they’re the same as we are.” These girls want to make a difference and give of themselves. They ask the manager what would help them the most. The manager talks to them about an after school activity like something sports related.
So Claire and Lara who are not really sports minded women set up a cross-country team with a little help from friends. They also create an organization called Hope Runs, it’s a nonprofit that uses running to empower aids orphans in Kenya with tools of personal health. Social entrepreneurship, and education. www.hoperuns.org is their website.
Sammy had it in his heart to forgive Claire. She didn’t know the crime she had committed. Good thing! Claire shares her and Lara’s experience in Kenya and at the orphanage. Claire reflects, “We had experienced so much on our travels but neither of us were prepared at how much this trip to Africa would change us forever and for one orphan named Sammy. Claire says, “In the same way that all the travel has made me increasingly self-sufficient, the orphanage and the kids have turned me into more than myself. Bestowing responsibility on me in a way that I don’t deserve and can hardly handle, the kids have made me something new.”
Sammy says, “Claire and Lara become one of us. They become like sisters. It took some time, but eventually we failed to see their skin color, all we could see were the people behind the skin.”
Claire and Laura make a deep connection to the orphanage and set up the program to continue after they leave to go home. One Orphan stays in their hearts and minds. Sammy! They feel lead to do more for this your name. Neither of them knew what God had in store. But they were both willing to be willing to do whatever He asked! They didn't realize what an undertaking that would be.
Sammy would come to America and commit some social phopa’s of his own. He has more compassion for Claire and Lara’s blenders as Sammy says in the author notes, “…many people have sacrificed of themselves to get me where I am today, and I know I now stand on their shoulders. I take all of them and all their expectations back to Kenya with me.”
Sammy’s story is still playing out in Africa. I would like to read about what happened next. Did he go to college? Did God call him on another mission trip?
I was deeply moved by this story of hope, sacrifice and love. I’m once again reminded that God can connect the dots of our lives far better than we can. He can bring people together that don’t live on the same continent and accomplish far more than we could ever imagine in a life that is willing to be willing to do His will.
Claire, Lara and Sammy are still on a journey like the rest of us. Can’t wait to read what happens next. You can join Hope Run on facebook and check out Claire’s blog. I’m so glad they shared their journey you will be glad too!
Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsored by publisher.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
Sammy’s journey will captivate you as he writes in first person about his experiences and hardships in Africa. I was instantly captivated by his honesty and horrified at all this young man had experienced by the age of 10. I was also struck by his gratefulness of the little things in life I often times take for granted. His story will make your heart hurt at the same time you’ll be rooting for him as he takes the next step in an incredible journey.
Life gets better for Sammy when his name is chosen to be in an orphanage called Imani. The manager interviews Sammy and asks him, “Why are you here at Iman? – He replies, “I am here to live!” He replies, “Then do it! Live!”
Sammy reflects, “This is when I realize something about us as orphans, when life throws us a lemon, we must take as much juice from it as we can because we don’t know when it might be taken away and you will be left without any fruit at all. I realize this is true not just for orphans.”
Sammy is a deep thinker and has a strong faith. His first encounter with Claire doesn’t go well. Claire and her friend Lara go to Imani orphanage to see how they can help. Claire says to Sammy, “Aren’t you in standard eight.”
“Sammy is bewildered, “I can’t believe what she has just said, and all my friends start laughing. Hysterically what Claire doesn’t know is that she has insulted me badly, saying I am still in standard 8 when I have actually just started form one. Essentially, this means she is calling me a Kihii an uncircumcised person…to us, a Kihii is not worthy of being called a man…being a Kihii in a KiKuya community when you’re no longer small boy is a bad thing, & if someone calls you it means they have no respect for you. It is like calling a black person the N-word. It hurts and is very disrespectful.”
“To me, Claire has committed one of the crimes of the century. I vow to never to speak to her again, and I keep my distance”.
Sammy viewed Claire and Lara as other white people who came to their orphanage – took pictures, wrote a check and left. Sammy soon realized these young ladies were different. “They used a different resource than many. They stayed with us and showed us that they’re the same as we are.” These girls want to make a difference and give of themselves. They ask the manager what would help them the most. The manager talks to them about an after school activity like something sports related.
So Claire and Lara who are not really sports minded women set up a cross-country team with a little help from friends. They also create an organization called Hope Runs, it’s a nonprofit that uses running to empower aids orphans in Kenya with tools of personal health. Social entrepreneurship, and education. www.hoperuns.org is their website.
Sammy had it in his heart to forgive Claire. She didn’t know the crime she had committed. Good thing! Claire shares her and Lara’s experience in Kenya and at the orphanage. Claire reflects, “We had experienced so much on our travels but neither of us were prepared at how much this trip to Africa would change us forever and for one orphan named Sammy. Claire says, “In the same way that all the travel has made me increasingly self-sufficient, the orphanage and the kids have turned me into more than myself. Bestowing responsibility on me in a way that I don’t deserve and can hardly handle, the kids have made me something new.”
Sammy says, “Claire and Lara become one of us. They become like sisters. It took some time, but eventually we failed to see their skin color, all we could see were the people behind the skin.”
Claire and Laura make a deep connection to the orphanage and set up the program to continue after they leave to go home. One Orphan stays in their hearts and minds. Sammy! They feel lead to do more for this your name. Neither of them knew what God had in store. But they were both willing to be willing to do whatever He asked! They didn't realize what an undertaking that would be.
Sammy would come to America and commit some social phopa’s of his own. He has more compassion for Claire and Lara’s blenders as Sammy says in the author notes, “…many people have sacrificed of themselves to get me where I am today, and I know I now stand on their shoulders. I take all of them and all their expectations back to Kenya with me.”
Sammy’s story is still playing out in Africa. I would like to read about what happened next. Did he go to college? Did God call him on another mission trip?
I was deeply moved by this story of hope, sacrifice and love. I’m once again reminded that God can connect the dots of our lives far better than we can. He can bring people together that don’t live on the same continent and accomplish far more than we could ever imagine in a life that is willing to be willing to do His will.
Claire, Lara and Sammy are still on a journey like the rest of us. Can’t wait to read what happens next. You can join Hope Run on facebook and check out Claire’s blog. I’m so glad they shared their journey you will be glad too!
Disclosure of Material Connection: #AD Sponsored by publisher.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Nora St Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
May 26, 2014
Sammy is an incredible young man who looks like any other high school graduate desiring to make a difference in the world. He is an athlete, an excellent scholar who speaks at least four languages who recently spent a year in Ecuador as part of Global Citizen Year. Sammy is also a miracle who comes from a life far, far removed from the luxuries of most American high school students, a place where the thought of flying on an airplane anywhere would have been one of many of a young boy’s impossible dream. His is a life changed through others’ vision, and he also desires to be a catalyst for change.
Claire is an extraordinary young woman in every way. She is hard-working, intelligent, a visionary who sees a need, studies to find how best to meet that need, and has the determination to see it through. Claire and her college friend Lara are world travelers and partners in helping those who need help or finding a means with which to help them. Claire’s travels and work with Lara changed her from a loving, extraordinary young woman to a loving, extraordinary young woman who accepts the challenge to change and grow even as she becomes a catalyst for change.
Brought together through God’s will and plan, the three of them are an example of what the Lord can do when one has hope. Or when two set up a non-profit group named Hope Runs, as Claire and Lara did. Hope Runs is an organization that currently helps students at a Kenyan orphanage where Sammy had been a student. It provides athletic training to students at the orphanage and scholarships to university for those who want it who also demonstrate their successful completion of high school. Hope Runs is the recipient of the proceeds of this book, making it a true work of love by Claire Diaz-Ortiz and Sammy Ikua Gachagua.
During their world travels, Claire and Lara went to Kenya to climb Mount Everest and move on. While there, they received reasonable accommodations at the orphanage where Sammy lived. After meeting the children at the orphanage, especially Sammy, they spent a year rather than just long enough to do the climb. Claire and Lara put together a program to train students athletically who want to run, and study the needs of those at the orphanage.
Sammy had been orphaned, homeless at a tender age. He and his brother lived at the orphanage and received schooling, while his sister lived with one of their aunts. Sammy knew that the orphanage was possibly the best his life would be until he becoming an adult. He, like many in the orphanage, learned to protect his heart and not grow close to those who came to the orphanage to help. It was too easy to love some of the volunteers who would one day pack up and return to life in the US.
This is an incredible book about change, about God’s work in our lives, and about what believers with a vision can accomplish to change lives. Both Claire and Sammy are excellent writers, bringing a compelling read to that I would highly recommend to young adults and adults of all ages. It would make a great gift for graduation or even for someone who has a dream but is afraid to act on that dream. Sammy, Claire, and Lara are unique people that we will hear more of in the future; they are part of our future in this country, in Kenya, and around the world.
I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
Claire is an extraordinary young woman in every way. She is hard-working, intelligent, a visionary who sees a need, studies to find how best to meet that need, and has the determination to see it through. Claire and her college friend Lara are world travelers and partners in helping those who need help or finding a means with which to help them. Claire’s travels and work with Lara changed her from a loving, extraordinary young woman to a loving, extraordinary young woman who accepts the challenge to change and grow even as she becomes a catalyst for change.
Brought together through God’s will and plan, the three of them are an example of what the Lord can do when one has hope. Or when two set up a non-profit group named Hope Runs, as Claire and Lara did. Hope Runs is an organization that currently helps students at a Kenyan orphanage where Sammy had been a student. It provides athletic training to students at the orphanage and scholarships to university for those who want it who also demonstrate their successful completion of high school. Hope Runs is the recipient of the proceeds of this book, making it a true work of love by Claire Diaz-Ortiz and Sammy Ikua Gachagua.
During their world travels, Claire and Lara went to Kenya to climb Mount Everest and move on. While there, they received reasonable accommodations at the orphanage where Sammy lived. After meeting the children at the orphanage, especially Sammy, they spent a year rather than just long enough to do the climb. Claire and Lara put together a program to train students athletically who want to run, and study the needs of those at the orphanage.
Sammy had been orphaned, homeless at a tender age. He and his brother lived at the orphanage and received schooling, while his sister lived with one of their aunts. Sammy knew that the orphanage was possibly the best his life would be until he becoming an adult. He, like many in the orphanage, learned to protect his heart and not grow close to those who came to the orphanage to help. It was too easy to love some of the volunteers who would one day pack up and return to life in the US.
This is an incredible book about change, about God’s work in our lives, and about what believers with a vision can accomplish to change lives. Both Claire and Sammy are excellent writers, bringing a compelling read to that I would highly recommend to young adults and adults of all ages. It would make a great gift for graduation or even for someone who has a dream but is afraid to act on that dream. Sammy, Claire, and Lara are unique people that we will hear more of in the future; they are part of our future in this country, in Kenya, and around the world.
I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
December 6, 2015
This is a touching story of the way God weaves together the lives of individuals from vastly different cultures and life experiences to create something valuable and greater than those involved. It is also the story of young people “growing up”, finding their voice and purpose in life, and the human need to find fulfillment through helping others. It is ultimately the story of the power of the human spirit and the transformation possible through the love of God and the love of others. Through alternating chapters, the author tells her story of searching for something she can’t quite put her finger on and the tale of the struggles of a young African boy to first survive and then find his place in the world. As the two stories intersect, we see the wonderful hand of God working through the events and “coincidences” of ordinary life and what can happen when love and faith take precedence over cultural and economic differences.
Sammy’s story humbles those of us who have so much and yet dare to complain. His early years are spent hungry, abandoned, and physically abused, but his unquenchable spirit keeps him tenderhearted toward the needs of his companions and optimistic about the future. One of the most poignant moments was when the homeless and desperate child reaches into the pocket of his jacket and finds a candle. “Even though we go to bed that night without eating and aren’t sure where our mother is, finding that candle makes me feel that God is up there looking out for us.” He explains how the concept of “family” plays out in his life and at the orphanage: “Even though people might not have a blood family, they take whatever is available and make a family for themselves.”
Claire’s story is one that helps illustrate that true humanitarian relief can’t come in short spurts of charity and mission trips. Her college thesis and her world view contend that : “by having one cross-cultural experience, then another and another, these volunteers—if given the right tools to recognize the importance of what they themselves are actually learning----have a good chance of one day doing something that can hopefully make things a little better.” The value to the local people is not in “those three months building a church or two but in the possibility that those three months can transform the VOLUNTEER into someone who gives for life.” She explains that her work is “about helping organizations see this and making their programming more sustainable in the process.” She is full of good intentions but doesn’t make a difference until she is completely and emotionally invested in the lives of individual people where they are. It is significant that when she decides to spend a year at the orphanage she first asks the local elders what they would like her to do there.
Then Claire and Lara, her friend and companion in all her adventures.meet Sammy, and the rest of the story demonstrates the growth and support of these young people in the unusual family they form. Although the book tells Sammy and Claire's stories, Lara was an important influence on Sammy's life also. It is Lara who introduces Sammy to cameras which becomes his passion. It is Lara who meets Sammy when he comes to the U.S. and does a great deal to help him adjust to life in Maine. I wonder if we appreciate the tapestry of people the Lord has woven together in our own lives.
I received this book through Book Club Network and the opinions are mine.
Sammy’s story humbles those of us who have so much and yet dare to complain. His early years are spent hungry, abandoned, and physically abused, but his unquenchable spirit keeps him tenderhearted toward the needs of his companions and optimistic about the future. One of the most poignant moments was when the homeless and desperate child reaches into the pocket of his jacket and finds a candle. “Even though we go to bed that night without eating and aren’t sure where our mother is, finding that candle makes me feel that God is up there looking out for us.” He explains how the concept of “family” plays out in his life and at the orphanage: “Even though people might not have a blood family, they take whatever is available and make a family for themselves.”
Claire’s story is one that helps illustrate that true humanitarian relief can’t come in short spurts of charity and mission trips. Her college thesis and her world view contend that : “by having one cross-cultural experience, then another and another, these volunteers—if given the right tools to recognize the importance of what they themselves are actually learning----have a good chance of one day doing something that can hopefully make things a little better.” The value to the local people is not in “those three months building a church or two but in the possibility that those three months can transform the VOLUNTEER into someone who gives for life.” She explains that her work is “about helping organizations see this and making their programming more sustainable in the process.” She is full of good intentions but doesn’t make a difference until she is completely and emotionally invested in the lives of individual people where they are. It is significant that when she decides to spend a year at the orphanage she first asks the local elders what they would like her to do there.
Then Claire and Lara, her friend and companion in all her adventures.meet Sammy, and the rest of the story demonstrates the growth and support of these young people in the unusual family they form. Although the book tells Sammy and Claire's stories, Lara was an important influence on Sammy's life also. It is Lara who introduces Sammy to cameras which becomes his passion. It is Lara who meets Sammy when he comes to the U.S. and does a great deal to help him adjust to life in Maine. I wonder if we appreciate the tapestry of people the Lord has woven together in our own lives.
I received this book through Book Club Network and the opinions are mine.
May 1, 2014
I checked out this book because someone that reads a lot said she couldn’t put this one down. I figured that’s a good reference. I was right. I received this book in the mail yesterday afternoon, courtesy of Bookfun.org in return for an honest review. I finished this book before lunch today! I have no recall of the last book I read in less than a day (and I didn’t stay up all night reading it as much as I desired!). Take it from the title and RUN to get this book!
Wow. First, you feel uncomfortable reading what is like a diary entry from a Kenyan boy. His honesty as he writes tears your heart out. Then enter what I almost feel is a privileged girl, growing up in Berkeley and after graduating Stanford taking a trip to find herself. She writes about a pretty unplanned, impetuous move to Mexico. Thankfully, I find later in the book that I wasn’t the only one completely off base on the first impression of Claire. Soon, you are so enveloped that you can’t put the book down.
I don’t normally quote from books, or give the full plot because I feel those types of reviews ruin the book before I can read it. But I can’t resist on this book. We walk through Claire’s adventures that finally bring her to meeting Sammy. There is a connection and it even shows up within their writings. This book makes you reevaluate what it means to help. In one chapter, Claire says how she had learned to question “the very notion that I am supposed to gain pleasure at all from giving out world resources.” (99) “Now I am learning that giving…is an important responsibility, and it’s something that I have responsibility to learn to do well.” (100) Many chapters later, Sammy learns the same lesson after a project. “Although I like to think I am helping…I know the real reason I am doing I is because I need to. Helping should not be about how it makes me feel.” (178)
The other running theme is understanding people, regardless of who they are. Many people in the book deal with this, but Sammy puts it best in his experience in Africa and in a later adventure (I don’t want to share too much!) “I realize that in life you’re going to meet people who are going to make you angry without the intent of doing so, especially when they come from different cultures…it’s your responsibility to teach them or show them what your culture means.” (81) “I start to see that if I hadn’t opened my mind to her problems and see whatever was going through her head, I would never have grown close to her.” (187)
I thought this book was going to be about the relationship between an American woman and Kenyan boy. It is, but it is so much more. It is a lesson on how to be a responsible citizen of this Earth. Of how to open your eyes and get out of your bubble. And how amazing life can be when you take a step of faith. No matter what type of book you enjoy, read this. It is incredible. I am ever grateful to Claire, Sammy and Lara for sharing their lives with me.
Wow. First, you feel uncomfortable reading what is like a diary entry from a Kenyan boy. His honesty as he writes tears your heart out. Then enter what I almost feel is a privileged girl, growing up in Berkeley and after graduating Stanford taking a trip to find herself. She writes about a pretty unplanned, impetuous move to Mexico. Thankfully, I find later in the book that I wasn’t the only one completely off base on the first impression of Claire. Soon, you are so enveloped that you can’t put the book down.
I don’t normally quote from books, or give the full plot because I feel those types of reviews ruin the book before I can read it. But I can’t resist on this book. We walk through Claire’s adventures that finally bring her to meeting Sammy. There is a connection and it even shows up within their writings. This book makes you reevaluate what it means to help. In one chapter, Claire says how she had learned to question “the very notion that I am supposed to gain pleasure at all from giving out world resources.” (99) “Now I am learning that giving…is an important responsibility, and it’s something that I have responsibility to learn to do well.” (100) Many chapters later, Sammy learns the same lesson after a project. “Although I like to think I am helping…I know the real reason I am doing I is because I need to. Helping should not be about how it makes me feel.” (178)
The other running theme is understanding people, regardless of who they are. Many people in the book deal with this, but Sammy puts it best in his experience in Africa and in a later adventure (I don’t want to share too much!) “I realize that in life you’re going to meet people who are going to make you angry without the intent of doing so, especially when they come from different cultures…it’s your responsibility to teach them or show them what your culture means.” (81) “I start to see that if I hadn’t opened my mind to her problems and see whatever was going through her head, I would never have grown close to her.” (187)
I thought this book was going to be about the relationship between an American woman and Kenyan boy. It is, but it is so much more. It is a lesson on how to be a responsible citizen of this Earth. Of how to open your eyes and get out of your bubble. And how amazing life can be when you take a step of faith. No matter what type of book you enjoy, read this. It is incredible. I am ever grateful to Claire, Sammy and Lara for sharing their lives with me.
June 24, 2014
Review Title: Run! Get this book! Focus On Hope (review of Hope Runs by Claire Diaz-Ortiz & Samuel Ikua Gachagua)
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey
***** 5 Stars
This book is wonderful in so many ways. It is inspiring in how it shows that persistence pays off in developing lasting relationships with people who are different from you. Many folks run away when they feel threatened by religious, economic or cultural differences. Claire Diaz-Ortiz is not afraid to venture out of her comfort zone. She lives life abundant by drinking up the joys and heartaches of deep felt relationships. She has tenacity to help where she sees the need and when she knows she has what it takes to make a world of difference. I loved reading about her search for more in life and seeing how she found it. She surrendered her heart to being a help to those who she wanted to show that there can be more to their lives. The children in the orphanage where she and her friend found themselves did not have any extracurricular activities. She and her friend established the Hope Runs program. They supplied shoes along with encouragement to the children. They all trained for a marathon. Near event time they were told some were too young to race. That was a heartbreaking moment for those who had trained so diligently and also for their trainers who felt they had let the children down by not reading the rules of the race thoroughly.
I especially liked hearing about the effects of short term mission trips compared to long term commitments from the recipient's viewpoint. The orphaned children need and deserve committed adults in their lives rather than people who visit for a short time, give money and have a photo op. The children have already experienced great loss in not having their parents with them, and they don't really trust outsiders who visit with them and leave shortly afterward.
Also, it was interesting to see how the children react to being given things when they have had so little. They want to use their running shoes only for dress up times to keep them nice. It becomes a challenge for the giver when resources are scarce and the choice must be made as to which children will receive an item or benefit and which ones will be left out. Resentful feelings often surface about not being chosen.
I am so glad that this book is available for people to read and think about. It has opened my mind to possibilities of ways people can be helped. Instead of just going in and providing the basic essentials as so many missions programs do, this effort by Claire and her friend enriched the lives of the children on many levels.
I received this book through bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review. In my opinion all people could benefit by reading this book. We need to think deeply about how we can help orphaned children in the world.
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey
***** 5 Stars
This book is wonderful in so many ways. It is inspiring in how it shows that persistence pays off in developing lasting relationships with people who are different from you. Many folks run away when they feel threatened by religious, economic or cultural differences. Claire Diaz-Ortiz is not afraid to venture out of her comfort zone. She lives life abundant by drinking up the joys and heartaches of deep felt relationships. She has tenacity to help where she sees the need and when she knows she has what it takes to make a world of difference. I loved reading about her search for more in life and seeing how she found it. She surrendered her heart to being a help to those who she wanted to show that there can be more to their lives. The children in the orphanage where she and her friend found themselves did not have any extracurricular activities. She and her friend established the Hope Runs program. They supplied shoes along with encouragement to the children. They all trained for a marathon. Near event time they were told some were too young to race. That was a heartbreaking moment for those who had trained so diligently and also for their trainers who felt they had let the children down by not reading the rules of the race thoroughly.
I especially liked hearing about the effects of short term mission trips compared to long term commitments from the recipient's viewpoint. The orphaned children need and deserve committed adults in their lives rather than people who visit for a short time, give money and have a photo op. The children have already experienced great loss in not having their parents with them, and they don't really trust outsiders who visit with them and leave shortly afterward.
Also, it was interesting to see how the children react to being given things when they have had so little. They want to use their running shoes only for dress up times to keep them nice. It becomes a challenge for the giver when resources are scarce and the choice must be made as to which children will receive an item or benefit and which ones will be left out. Resentful feelings often surface about not being chosen.
I am so glad that this book is available for people to read and think about. It has opened my mind to possibilities of ways people can be helped. Instead of just going in and providing the basic essentials as so many missions programs do, this effort by Claire and her friend enriched the lives of the children on many levels.
I received this book through bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review. In my opinion all people could benefit by reading this book. We need to think deeply about how we can help orphaned children in the world.
April 5, 2016
About this book:
“Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"Hope Runs" is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.”
Series: This book is an autobiography.
Spiritual Content- Colossians 4:6; Bible reading; Claire says that “every visitor who is a good person is considered Christian by default, it has never occurred to anyone that Lara might not love Jesus. To this day she is a Christian in Kenya by assumption—mostly because she always goes to church and bows her head when everyone else does.”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘h*ck’, a ‘d*rned’, and a ‘cruddy’; Sammy says, that in his childhood, he and his siblings would get whipped and beaten.
Sexual Content- In Kenya, Sammy has to be “circumcised” (a treatment to prevent HIV in young men; semi-detailed).
-Claire Diaz-Ortiz
-Sammy Ikua
P.O.V. switches between them
This story takes place from 1992 to present day.
196 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre, New & Early High School Teens-
One Star
Older High School Teens (17,18+)-
Three Stars
My personal Rating-
Two Stars (and a half)
While a good book, I just did not find it very interesting. Yes, it was an amazing story, it was different from anything else I have read for BFCG. {{Just a warning to fellow Conservative Republicans, Sammy says B*rack Ob*ma is his hero.{Stars mine}}}
A nice book for older girls.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this review.
“Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"Hope Runs" is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.”
Series: This book is an autobiography.
Spiritual Content- Colossians 4:6; Bible reading; Claire says that “every visitor who is a good person is considered Christian by default, it has never occurred to anyone that Lara might not love Jesus. To this day she is a Christian in Kenya by assumption—mostly because she always goes to church and bows her head when everyone else does.”.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘h*ck’, a ‘d*rned’, and a ‘cruddy’; Sammy says, that in his childhood, he and his siblings would get whipped and beaten.
Sexual Content- In Kenya, Sammy has to be “circumcised” (a treatment to prevent HIV in young men; semi-detailed).
-Claire Diaz-Ortiz
-Sammy Ikua
P.O.V. switches between them
This story takes place from 1992 to present day.
196 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre, New & Early High School Teens-
One Star
Older High School Teens (17,18+)-
Three Stars
My personal Rating-
Two Stars (and a half)
While a good book, I just did not find it very interesting. Yes, it was an amazing story, it was different from anything else I have read for BFCG. {{Just a warning to fellow Conservative Republicans, Sammy says B*rack Ob*ma is his hero.{Stars mine}}}
A nice book for older girls.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this review.
December 7, 2017
This book is about two young ladies that find themselves at an orphanage in Kenya. Little did they know that they would soon fall in love with these children and have the urge to change the children’s lives for the better. These young ladies are Claire and Laura, and they start a non-profit organization called Hope Runs. It would serve as an extracurricular activity for any children in the orphanage with a love of running. One thing they realized was the lack of running shoes, so they collected many shoes for all the children to have. One of the orphans that Claire really got close to was Sammy, a little boy. Claire and Laura would eventually bring the boy into the U.S. so that he could have an education.
One lessons this book teaches us is that every human person has dignity. Not one child in that orphanage was any less than the two young ladies. Claire and Laura recognized the dignity of each orphan by learning their names and talking to each of them. Since they got to know the orphans, and they saw a need for something, Claire and Laura had a responsibility to do something about it. The girls were uncomfortable at many times, and so were the orphans. They went through struggles while doing what is right. They let their differences of their cultures and skin get in the way of their similarity in being human. No matter how uncomfortable the circumstances were, Claire and Laura kept doing good and eventually the awkwardness went away. The girls and orphans learned to put aside their differences and love each other for who they are. The book says, “It took some time, but eventually we failed to see their skin color; all we could see were the people behind the skin.”
This is only a small portion of what the entire book is about. I would definitely recommend anyone to read it. It is told from the point of view of Claire and Sammy, so the reader sees an older and younger side of the story. Hope Runs is a quick and fun read that spreads a good message to all who read it.
One lessons this book teaches us is that every human person has dignity. Not one child in that orphanage was any less than the two young ladies. Claire and Laura recognized the dignity of each orphan by learning their names and talking to each of them. Since they got to know the orphans, and they saw a need for something, Claire and Laura had a responsibility to do something about it. The girls were uncomfortable at many times, and so were the orphans. They went through struggles while doing what is right. They let their differences of their cultures and skin get in the way of their similarity in being human. No matter how uncomfortable the circumstances were, Claire and Laura kept doing good and eventually the awkwardness went away. The girls and orphans learned to put aside their differences and love each other for who they are. The book says, “It took some time, but eventually we failed to see their skin color; all we could see were the people behind the skin.”
This is only a small portion of what the entire book is about. I would definitely recommend anyone to read it. It is told from the point of view of Claire and Sammy, so the reader sees an older and younger side of the story. Hope Runs is a quick and fun read that spreads a good message to all who read it.
December 7, 2017
This book follows the stories of Claire Diaz-Ortiz and Samuel (Sammy) Ikua Gachagua and how running and an orphanage brought them together and changed their lives. Sammy was a boy living in the orphanage, Imani, after his mother left him and his siblings and Claire was a student who was travelling the world with her friend, Lara. When Claire and Lara came across Imani in their travels, they decided that something was calling them to stay there for a while. They ended up founding a running program at the orphanage called Hope Runs and it was very instrumental in changing Sammy’s life. Sammy and Claire developed a special and close friendship and Claire and Lara even found a way for Sammy to continue his high school education in the United States.
I thought that the book was beautifully and uniquely written and that it documented not only their personal stories but life lessons they learned along the way as well. Throughout the book both Sammy and Claire learn about life lessons they have learned and things that they have come to realize as a result of their relationship and the events in their lives. One of the most important lessons they both learned and then passed on to others was solidarity. As their friendship grew stronger they realized that although their skin color and cultures were different, they were the same on the inside and had much more in common than they originally thought. Claire and Sammy also exemplified the call to community and participation and the option for the poor and vulnerable. Claire felt the calling to stay at the orphanage and become an important part of these kids’ lives. Sammy realized the children at Imani were a family and that he wanted to do something to protect the children who had no one else to look out for them in the future. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a touching, heartfelt, and real journey about two individuals finding their place in the world and being an example of generosity, community, and solidarity.
I thought that the book was beautifully and uniquely written and that it documented not only their personal stories but life lessons they learned along the way as well. Throughout the book both Sammy and Claire learn about life lessons they have learned and things that they have come to realize as a result of their relationship and the events in their lives. One of the most important lessons they both learned and then passed on to others was solidarity. As their friendship grew stronger they realized that although their skin color and cultures were different, they were the same on the inside and had much more in common than they originally thought. Claire and Sammy also exemplified the call to community and participation and the option for the poor and vulnerable. Claire felt the calling to stay at the orphanage and become an important part of these kids’ lives. Sammy realized the children at Imani were a family and that he wanted to do something to protect the children who had no one else to look out for them in the future. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a touching, heartfelt, and real journey about two individuals finding their place in the world and being an example of generosity, community, and solidarity.
December 7, 2017
“Hope Runs” is a powerful story that exhibits many of the Catholic Social Teachings that everyone is called to follow. Sammy is a boy who searches endlessly to find a family after his father dies and his mother abandons him. He had to learn how to take care of himself and his two other siblings, Muriithi and Bethi. The Amani Children’s Home becomes Sammy’s family. Sammy sees how the role of family plays out within the orphanage, they make a family out of whatever is available. Later on, Claire and Lara join the family. They are both adventurous spirits who welcome change with open arms. They start a running program called Hope Runs so that kids will have less idle time to get into trouble. The children embrace this new program, especially Sammy. He relates all of the work he puts into to training to life in that no matter how hard things are, one should never stop trying to move forward. Through the orphanage, Claire, and Laura readers can see Catholic Social Teaching lived out.
The orphanage is a perfect example of the Catholic Social Teaching of dignity of the human person. All life deserves to be respected because life is created and redeemed by God. The orphanage provided food, clothing, a place to sleep, and family. All are essential to life and worth protecting. Claire and Lara also live out this teaching by giving the kids running shoes, something that they have never owned before. Another teaching that is exhibited through this story is the call to family, community, and participation. The kids in the orphanage bonded and became one unit. Claire and Lara brought them even closer through the running program instilled at the orphanage. Overall, readers learn that we have a responsibility to one another. Some may have been born wealthy, some not, but everyone has a responsibility to love one another and treat others with dignity. Human value is not based on material things, but that we are created the same. I would recommend this book to those yearning to learn about Catholic Social Teaching and how to live the teachings through everyday life.
The orphanage is a perfect example of the Catholic Social Teaching of dignity of the human person. All life deserves to be respected because life is created and redeemed by God. The orphanage provided food, clothing, a place to sleep, and family. All are essential to life and worth protecting. Claire and Lara also live out this teaching by giving the kids running shoes, something that they have never owned before. Another teaching that is exhibited through this story is the call to family, community, and participation. The kids in the orphanage bonded and became one unit. Claire and Lara brought them even closer through the running program instilled at the orphanage. Overall, readers learn that we have a responsibility to one another. Some may have been born wealthy, some not, but everyone has a responsibility to love one another and treat others with dignity. Human value is not based on material things, but that we are created the same. I would recommend this book to those yearning to learn about Catholic Social Teaching and how to live the teachings through everyday life.
December 6, 2017
Sammy Ikua Gachagua comes from a broken home. Sammy has experienced a lot even though he is just a child. He had very little growing up and was thankful for what was brought his way. Later in Sammy's childhood, he was moved to an orphanage where he received the needs of clothing, shelter, and food. Claire Diaz-Ortiz journeyed around the world and her last stop was Kenya. Claire was not expecting to stay longer than a night, but she went to an orphanage and had a different perspective of her life and the lives of those around her. God's plans strongly contrasted hers.
Hope Runs is a story about a poor Kenyan orphan and an average American tourist connecting them through each other's needs. Their lives would become intertwined and change both of them forever. This story reveals how God can take unexpected turns in life and make them into something beautiful. This story exemplifies the Catholic Social Teaching Principle of Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. God's plan for Claire included tending to the needs of the poor children in Kenya, and she did just that. She had a concern for her vulnerable brothers and sisters and took it into her own hands to help them. Another Catholic Social Teaching Principle is the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. This is shown throughout the book because the Hope Runs Organization helped to recognize the dignity of the children in Kenya. Call to Family, Community, and Participation is another principle exemplified throughout the novel. The belief that the poor children had the right to participate in society was present. The last principle shown in the novel is Solidarity. Even though Sammy was from Kenya and was a different race, Claire was still able to create a loving and peaceful relationship with him. I would recommend this book to people who love to read heart-felt, life changing stories. This book was an easy and enjoyable book to read.
Hope Runs is a story about a poor Kenyan orphan and an average American tourist connecting them through each other's needs. Their lives would become intertwined and change both of them forever. This story reveals how God can take unexpected turns in life and make them into something beautiful. This story exemplifies the Catholic Social Teaching Principle of Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. God's plan for Claire included tending to the needs of the poor children in Kenya, and she did just that. She had a concern for her vulnerable brothers and sisters and took it into her own hands to help them. Another Catholic Social Teaching Principle is the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. This is shown throughout the book because the Hope Runs Organization helped to recognize the dignity of the children in Kenya. Call to Family, Community, and Participation is another principle exemplified throughout the novel. The belief that the poor children had the right to participate in society was present. The last principle shown in the novel is Solidarity. Even though Sammy was from Kenya and was a different race, Claire was still able to create a loving and peaceful relationship with him. I would recommend this book to people who love to read heart-felt, life changing stories. This book was an easy and enjoyable book to read.
July 21, 2014
Initially, I was attracted to this book because of the title "Hope Runs" and the fact that it had to do with this young Kenyan boy named Sammy. As a person who has traveled to South Africa, I was intrigued, I also am a runner and Kenya is famous for making world athlete runners, so I'll be honest, this all drew my attention.
As I began to read, my heart felt like it was reading the story of a diary of a young boy who had to grow up to fast. A young boy who had to care for his siblings when his mother when to "work" and later did not return. It was all to real to me as I read his pain. Then we meet Claire- a privileged American who had just graduated from Stanford. Although, she realizes that she is soul searching. She and her friend Lara begin an adventure, which eventually leads them to East Africa. They stay at an orphanage where they meet Sammy. Claire and Lara teach the kids the beauty of RUNNING, which as a runner myself, I just loved, especially when they ran 26.2 miles. It wasn't just the two girls, but the children who were also giving back to Claire and Lara. Claire and Lara make a foundation out of the running, which helps provide economic relief the orphanage.
Additionally, it gives the children a purpose, a sense of belonging and helps them discover something special about themselves.
This book isn't about two Americans who help children in an orphanage. It's about how Sammy
and other children at the orphanage teach us what's really important. I love that this book is told between two people in a diary format. It's also a very quick read, but I recommend some tissues close by because you'll have moments where you might need a few!
This book deserves 7 stars in my opinion. I can not say enough good things about Hope Runs ! I received this book from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review, which I have expressed here.
As I began to read, my heart felt like it was reading the story of a diary of a young boy who had to grow up to fast. A young boy who had to care for his siblings when his mother when to "work" and later did not return. It was all to real to me as I read his pain. Then we meet Claire- a privileged American who had just graduated from Stanford. Although, she realizes that she is soul searching. She and her friend Lara begin an adventure, which eventually leads them to East Africa. They stay at an orphanage where they meet Sammy. Claire and Lara teach the kids the beauty of RUNNING, which as a runner myself, I just loved, especially when they ran 26.2 miles. It wasn't just the two girls, but the children who were also giving back to Claire and Lara. Claire and Lara make a foundation out of the running, which helps provide economic relief the orphanage.
Additionally, it gives the children a purpose, a sense of belonging and helps them discover something special about themselves.
This book isn't about two Americans who help children in an orphanage. It's about how Sammy
and other children at the orphanage teach us what's really important. I love that this book is told between two people in a diary format. It's also a very quick read, but I recommend some tissues close by because you'll have moments where you might need a few!
This book deserves 7 stars in my opinion. I can not say enough good things about Hope Runs ! I received this book from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review, which I have expressed here.
May 7, 2014
"Our commonalities were always outstanding to me, and day after day I saw pieces of myself in him....It was with Sammy that I truly understood for the first time how parents of adopted children never feel a sense of something 'missing' from the equation. Our bond was deep and strong."
Hope Runs is a truly inspiring story of two people who cross each others paths, never to be the same again.
Sammy's father died, mom left, his sister is taken in by an Aunt. He and his brother originally go to stay with an aunt, but she simply can't afford to take care of them. He ends up in an orphanage. He views this as a wonderful event as he now gets three meals a day, a bed, and clothes to wear.
Claire decided to stay the night in Kenya to climb a mountain, but she enters an orphanage to never be the same again.
The story is told from both viewpoints which I really enjoyed. Several things jump off the page. First of all, Sammy brags on how wonderful the orphanage is and is so thankful for what it provides. It rather puts me to shame. Three meals a day was a big deal. Secondly, his life and Clairie's life are so very different. She travels, follows her dreams, and lives a free lifestyle. One can't deny, though, that they really connect.
The connection the two make is no "coincidence." Although one may think Claire is more of a blessing to Sammy. I think it is the other way around. Sammy brings more meaning into her life. She works so hard to encourage and help. This is a wonderful story of two people who become better as a result of meeting each other in a most unusual way and place.
Also proceeds from the book go to the charity "Hope Runs." I have left out a lot of particular facts so that the reader can follow the journey...not knowing all that is contained in the pages. Really enjoyed the journey of this book.
July 24, 2014
“She went to Kenya to climb a mountain. But God has other plans. When Claire-Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mount Kenya, and then head back home. She entered an orphanage, seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek. Hope Runs is the emotional story of one American tourist, one Kenyan orphan, and how one day became one year that would change the course of both their lives forever.”
Hope Runs is a story about a young American woman named Claire, who along with her friend Lara – spend a year on a trip around the world. Nearing the end of their trip, they end up in Kenya. Finding an orphanage as their hope of having a place to stay for just one night before wrapping up their yearlong trip and head home to the US. At this orphanage, they meet Sammy. For Sammy, this orphanage is a place of refuge and safety that provides him with much needed food and shelter.
Claire’s one overnight stay at the orphanage turns into a year as she becomes totally enthralled with the children. During this year, Claire finds God’s purpose for her not just her life, but for Lara and Sammy as well.
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com
Hope Runs is a story about a young American woman named Claire, who along with her friend Lara – spend a year on a trip around the world. Nearing the end of their trip, they end up in Kenya. Finding an orphanage as their hope of having a place to stay for just one night before wrapping up their yearlong trip and head home to the US. At this orphanage, they meet Sammy. For Sammy, this orphanage is a place of refuge and safety that provides him with much needed food and shelter.
Claire’s one overnight stay at the orphanage turns into a year as she becomes totally enthralled with the children. During this year, Claire finds God’s purpose for her not just her life, but for Lara and Sammy as well.
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.
*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com
May 27, 2014
Claire is a young American girl trying to find her place and purpose in the world. As she and a friend travel around the globe, they land for the night at a guest house attached to a Kenyan orphanage. As Claire asks God to show her what she's supposed to learn from this place, she finds herself putting down roots and forming relationships in the Kenyan orphanage. One boy in particular catches her attention and, in time, her heart. Sammy. Sammy lost his father to death and his mother to abandonment. He's one of the lucky ones because he was invited to a very good orphanage. Both Claire and Sammy find themselves on a journey of discovery and learning curves as they absorb one another's cultures and find their way through life.
I noticed this book on the "New Arrivals" table at my library and decided to grab it (it's a book about an orphan published by a Christian company after all). Hope Runs isn't a how-to on relief work, missions trips, or anything like that. It's a personal story, a glimpse into two people's lives. If you liked Kisses from Katie, you'll probably enjoy this one too, even though there's much less emphasis on the spiritual side of the experience. I personally enjoyed reading it. It was a nice break from the emotionally draining nature of most of the orphan care books I've been reading.
I noticed this book on the "New Arrivals" table at my library and decided to grab it (it's a book about an orphan published by a Christian company after all). Hope Runs isn't a how-to on relief work, missions trips, or anything like that. It's a personal story, a glimpse into two people's lives. If you liked Kisses from Katie, you'll probably enjoy this one too, even though there's much less emphasis on the spiritual side of the experience. I personally enjoyed reading it. It was a nice break from the emotionally draining nature of most of the orphan care books I've been reading.
December 7, 2017
The true story of Hope Runs is about Sammy, a boy from Kenya who lived in an orphanage and met a girl named Claire who changed his life. From this book, I learned that with a little faith and determination, one can do anything they put their mind to. In this book, Claire visited his orphanage for a night's sleep, and ended up staying there because she couldn’t bear to leave without helping in some sort of way. She and Sammy created a special bond together because she recognized the greatness he had inside of him. Claire saw his potential and was able to get him to America for an education. I thought that this book was very inspirational and showed what a little bit of kindness could do. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know the power of kindness and how a girl wanting to change a young boy’s life, ended up changing hers.
Claire knew what Sammy was able to do in society and how he could change lives. With the help of her friends and family, she helped Sammy reach his dreams. She helped him to grow in a community that often restricted him. Without Sammy’s community behind him to support him, he would not have been able to go to America. Just because Sammy grew up poor, didn’t mean he wasn’t worth a whole lot. In some cases, Claire put Sammy’s needs before her own because she wanted to give him everything he believed he couldn’t have. Claire showed Sammy that he was not in this alone and he always had someone that had his back. She knew that as a child of God, she had to help the rest of the children and promote the peace on earth she was able to provide Sammy.
Claire knew what Sammy was able to do in society and how he could change lives. With the help of her friends and family, she helped Sammy reach his dreams. She helped him to grow in a community that often restricted him. Without Sammy’s community behind him to support him, he would not have been able to go to America. Just because Sammy grew up poor, didn’t mean he wasn’t worth a whole lot. In some cases, Claire put Sammy’s needs before her own because she wanted to give him everything he believed he couldn’t have. Claire showed Sammy that he was not in this alone and he always had someone that had his back. She knew that as a child of God, she had to help the rest of the children and promote the peace on earth she was able to provide Sammy.
April 29, 2014
Sammy Ikua Gachagua had lost his father to illness, his mother to abandonment, and his home to poverty. By age ten, he was living in a shack with seven other children and very little food. He entered an orphanage seeing it as a miracle with three meals a day, a bed to sleep in, and clothes on his back.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"
Hope Runs "is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
-- Wonderful story of what God can do when we let Him move in our lives. I love how we move back and forth in the story between Sammy and Claire, I loved especially Sammy's story. As Americans, we really take for granted everything we have. I thought this story was just a story of adoption, I didn't know that they started a running program and that really made it over the top for me.
This story brought tears to my eyes and I will tell lots of people about this fantastic book. Too bad we all don't have these thoughts, each one of us, one by one.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
When Claire Diaz-Ortiz arrived in Kenya at the end of an around-the-world journey, she decided to stay the night, climb Mt. Kenya, then head back home. She entered an orphanage seeing it as little more than a free place to spend the night before her mountain trek.
God had other plans.
"
Hope Runs "is the emotional story of an American tourist, a Kenyan orphan, and the day that would change the course of both of their lives forever. It's" "about what it means to live in the now when the world is falling down around you. It's about what it means to hope for the things you cannot see. Most of all, it's about how God can change your life in the blink of an eye.
-- Wonderful story of what God can do when we let Him move in our lives. I love how we move back and forth in the story between Sammy and Claire, I loved especially Sammy's story. As Americans, we really take for granted everything we have. I thought this story was just a story of adoption, I didn't know that they started a running program and that really made it over the top for me.
This story brought tears to my eyes and I will tell lots of people about this fantastic book. Too bad we all don't have these thoughts, each one of us, one by one.
I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 7, 2017
Claire Diaz-Ortiz made a 9 month trip around the world, exploring and doing things that most people place on their bucket list. Little did she know that her last stop in Kenya would change her life. She would meet a boy named Sammy Ikua Gachuague who would impact her life in ways she never thought possible. She started an organization called Hope Runs that is rooted in the walls of the orphanage. Hope Runs is a running program with a goal to teach basic skills and also bring them joy. I believe this program is uplifting because it gives these kids a sense of dignity. To me showing them hard work, and seeing them capable of running with a sense of happiness was the best part.
I recommend this book for many reasons but one in particular. The different points of view added a sense of curiosity. It was interesting how two different people can comprehended the same situation in different ways. You have the opportunity to hear the situation from both perspectives and you get a taste of both Sammy and Claire's personalities. God works in mysterious ways and this is evidence that you should always be open to his calling and discern. "An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption"Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption
I recommend this book for many reasons but one in particular. The different points of view added a sense of curiosity. It was interesting how two different people can comprehended the same situation in different ways. You have the opportunity to hear the situation from both perspectives and you get a taste of both Sammy and Claire's personalities. God works in mysterious ways and this is evidence that you should always be open to his calling and discern. "An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption"Hope Runs: An American Tourist, a Kenyan Boy, a Journey of Redemption
April 14, 2014
I feel so uplifted by Sammy’s story. It’s a message of hope and inspiration, reminding me to realize the blessings that come with life. The statement ”I have nothing to wear” will put things into perspective when I remember that Sammy really only had one pair of shorts and one shirt. His shoes flapped open at the toes. His friends Claire and Lara teach him (and his classmates) about love and integrity through running, laughing, and loving. The story is hard to follow at times, mostly because so much of it is background information, but it’s the undercurrent of love that really reached my heart. I’ve met children like Sammy both in my college classmates and then in my own classroom. There are those children who come from a foreign land, unable to speak this strange language of English yet I can see that spark in their eyes and know that they’re intelligent, hopeful, and longing to be understood. In the case of Sammy and his friends, the simplest gift of shoes or even paper becomes a tangible reminder of their need. Sammy is that child on the commercial that makes you cry. He’s the one who makes you want to put a little extra in the offering plate on Missions Sunday. Read this book and you’ll know what I mean.
I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.
I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.
May 9, 2014
This is a beautiful and inspiring true story. Claire Diaz-Ortiz a privileged American tourist who is soul searching while traveling around the world with her friend Lara. They end their journey in Kenya and stay at an orphanage there. Sammy Ikua Gachaua loses his parents and he and his siblings end up at an Aunt's house living in poverty. Sammy and his brother are taken to the orphanage to live. Sammy thinks the home is wonderful and how lucky is he to now have three meals a day. After meeting Sammy and the other children Claire and Lara start a program to teach them how to be runners and form the Hope Runs Foundation.
The story is well written in a diary format with viewpoints from both Claire and Sammy. We learn that love, faith and hope can conquer cultural differences and impossible obstacles. Despite all the heartache and poverty Sammy seems so upbeat and thankful. Claire and Lara have helped him get a better education, a better life.
It is amazing how God can work in our lives if we let Him. His plan was to bring Claire and Sammy together and accomplish so much in their lives.
This is a quick read as I did not want to put it down. I would love to read more about Sammy. Recommend you read this book.
I received this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion and review.
The story is well written in a diary format with viewpoints from both Claire and Sammy. We learn that love, faith and hope can conquer cultural differences and impossible obstacles. Despite all the heartache and poverty Sammy seems so upbeat and thankful. Claire and Lara have helped him get a better education, a better life.
It is amazing how God can work in our lives if we let Him. His plan was to bring Claire and Sammy together and accomplish so much in their lives.
This is a quick read as I did not want to put it down. I would love to read more about Sammy. Recommend you read this book.
I received this book from bookfun.org for my honest opinion and review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews