 Photo by Ken Odor Elk Hill director treks through Kenya to benefit orphans A proper walk is not just a short stroll or a 10K run. It’s an arduous, potentially life-threatening trek, according to Farley.
For Michael Farley, a two-year stint as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya three decades ago has turned into a life-long commitment of service. Farley is the executive director at Elk Hill, a residential program in western Goochland that serves troubled adolescents. He traveled to Kenya for the first time on is birthday in 1977, when he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture in the village of Makindu in eastern Kenya. The time he spent there made a lasting impression on Farley. “It was a significant experience,” said Farley. “It changed my life.” Farley, 53, has returned to Kenya 10 times, and left again this week for his fourth “Proper Walk” expedition to raise money for Kenyan children orphaned by AIDS. Together with nine other Americans, five from central Virginia, Farley will traverse close to 200 miles of difficult terrain in 10 days in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, starting in the cool mountains and descending into valleys where the temperature may exceed 100 degrees. A proper walk is not just a short stroll or a 10K run. It’s an arduous, potentially life-threatening trek, according to Farley. “There is an inherent risk,” explained Farley, from wildlife they may encounter, such as lions and elephants, as well as indigenous tribes who cannot be counted on to be friendly. But one tiny creature is the most dangerous – the malaria carrying mosquito, although modern drugs should protect the travelers. Along with the 10 Americans, the team will include three staff members, 22 camels to carry supplies, and eight or nine camel handlers. Each volunteer has to commit to raising $10,000 in pledges, plus covering their own expenses for the trip. “I’ll end up spending $5,000 of my own money,” said Farley, who called his expenses a contribution that would help maximize the money raised in pledges. It’s a cause Farley believes in. “I’m thankful for how fortunate my life has been,” said Farley, who lives with his wife on a 25-acre farm in Louisa County. His trips to Kenya help him keep a healthy perspective on life, about what’s truly important and what is not. “Over there a mother will stress about whether her child will die from diarrhea because there is no fresh water,” said Farley. “I have a strong belief that it is our responsibility to help those who are less fortunate,” he said. This “proper walk,” like the previous three, will go to support the Makindu Children’s Program (MCP), located in the village where Farley worked more than 30 years ago. The program provides care for more than 400 children who have been orphaned by the AIDS pandemic. Farley said the program is not an orphanage, but a resource facility where the children can come for food, medical care and other services while living in homes in the community. “It’s almost like a foster care system,” he explained. For More Information… To follow the progress of the proper walk, readers can visit http://www.properwalk.com to read a daily journal of the trip. To help the walkers reach their pledge goal, go to the web site for the Makindu village at http://www.makindu.org to make a secure donation. (0) Comments • Email This Article |
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