Amazing Grace

Part One: A dream born in the heart of a Fort Myers boy spans continents.

"Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far and grace shall lead me home."- From "Amazing Grace," by John Newton

John Halgrim dreamed big.

Sue Fenger, wishmaker for Make-A-Wish Foundation, sat across from the 14-year-old in September 2006 and offered to fulfill his greatest desire."You can do anything, be anyone, go anywhere," she said. John's younger sister Jamie thought the Bahamas might be a good choice. His younger brother Justin urged him to get a fishing boat.But John knew what he wanted."I want to help the starving kids in Africa," said the Fort Myers High School freshman. "I want to build an orphanage.""What's your second wish?" Fenger asked."I want to build an orphanage," he said firmly."What's your third wish?""I want to build an orphanage," he said.Fenger ultimately told John that Make-A-Wish couldn't build an orphanage in Africa. But he wouldn't budge on his wish.John, Justin, Jamie and Jacob Halgrim laugh on Fort Myers Beach; John playing soccer; smiling with Jamie and Justin; lobstering in Key West with dad, John, and Justin; boating with mom, Joanie, and brother; and fishing with Justin and friend.During the two years John battled a malignant and inoperable brain tumor, he grew convinced God had a mission for him. His growing desire to help hungry kids in Africa became John's powerful pact with God.MOVING FASTJohn went to church on most Sundays with his parents John and Joanie Halgrim and his siblings, Justin now, 15, Jamie, 12, and Jacob, 6, but no one would have described him as deeply religious.But he did call on his faith during extreme situations.Two summers ago, an intense storm caught John, Justin, and a friend fishing on an 18-foot flats boat in the Gulf. Rain and hail pelted them."John had a bucket over his head and was praying," Justin said. "I was trying to steer the boat."John and Justin, only 14 months apart, described themselves as "Irish twins." They spent most of their time together and ran their own lawn mowing service in their neighborhood near Fort Myers Country Club.John was just like any other kid, said his uncle, Ed Streit.He accepted a dare and walked in high heels past his Orangewood Elementary School principal, Ruthie Lohmeyer.He attended the gifted program at Dunbar Middle School and spent his free time fishing or on the baseball or soccer fields. He was such a strong soccer player that he qualified for the Olympic development team in 2005.It was on the soccer field that Joanie noticed her son looked off-balance - like he was weaving."Mom, when I kick the ball it doesn't go where I want it to go," he told her in February 2006.John was typical, Streit stressed. Until he got sick. And then everything changed.POWERFUL PRAYERSFirst came the headaches. Then he started to vomit. His balance tricked him -sometimes he fell when he ran.Doctors diagnosed him as having allergies and anxiety. His mother pushed for more and more tests.On March, 16, 2006, doctors at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital made a firm diagnosis. An inoperable brain tumor was killing him. Officially it was a geoblastoma - the same tumor found in Ted Kennedy's parietal lobe. But it was in his brain stem. Unlike Kennedy's tumor, doctors could not extract it without killing him.John spent six weeks at St. Jude's hospital in Memphis, Tenn., undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. Dr. Amar Gajjarr, an oncologist, told John's parents they had had one person survive that diagnosis. He called Joanie the next day to correct himself: There had been no survivors.John, 13, began writing his thoughts down in a wide-ruled school notebook.On the first page, he describes what happened March 16."My mom told me I had a tumor then and that is when my journey with God began. What I mean by began is that I drew closer and closer every day. I mean I had been going to church every Sunday and saying my prayers at night but I'd never be as close to him if this would never have happened."The sicker John became, the stronger his relationship grew with God.He prayed every day during the six weeks he and his mother spent in Memphis. They shared the same routine: After medical treatments they exercised at the YMCA and ate dinner at The Outback or bought food at the grocery store.His grandmother, Jackie Streit, Joanie's sister Sherrie Streit and John's younger brother, Justin, came to visit him while he was in the Memphis hospital."We kept believing in some miracle - that we'd be the lucky family," Jackie Streit said.STAYING STEADY"I learned that I needed to change my way of life. I learned I needed to live my life through God's eyes and not my own. I learned that I had been asking him for so much more than I had been giving."During John's two-year battle, he never gave up hope.Trying to stay fit, he would run down McGregor Boulevard near his home with his father chasing him in his truck yelling, "Stop!" and his mother or sister running beside him in case he might fall."I would try to keep him steady," said his younger sister, Jamie."Even when he had cancer he'd go out and run."In August 2007, John got dressed the first day of his sophomore year in high school when he could barely walk and had a tube in his veins to deliver fluids and antibiotics.He wanted his parents to see both of their sons attend high school.Joanie called the school. The principal and assistant principal at Fort Myers High School greeted John and gently persuaded him to go home.He didn't want to let anyone down -not his parents or his siblings."Don't cry over me, Jamie," the 15-year-old said when he saw his sister grieving. These were the first words he'd spoken in days. "I love you and no one is ever going to take you away from me."HOLDING HANDS"I don't think I would have made it without the Lord guiding me."John didn't complain to his mother who rarely left his side. One summer evening in 2007 Joanie helped him walk to the bathroom.His exhausted body leaned against his slender mother. As she moved past the bathroom mirror she saw their reflection. His hair had fallen out, he was bloated, he'd lost his vision and his ability to speak. She cried.John gently patted her shoulder.It was not the only time he comforted the adults in his life.His uncle Ed Streit took him to chemotherapy several times."I'd hold his hand and I would say, 'I'm praying for you John,' and he would say, 'I'm praying for you, too, Uncle Ed.'"REACHING OUT"Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see,"No one knows why John wanted to build an orphanage in Africa. But everyone in the family knew about it."Grandma, can you help me with my wish?" he asked Jackie during lunch at a Chilis in Fort Myers. "You're from Chicago. Can you call Oprah?"He asked his mother dozens of times: "Can you help me with my wish?"His mother dragged her feet."I didn't want my kid to have to make a wish," Joanie said. "I wanted him better. He's the one who really pushed it."His father resisted the wish as well. It felt like giving up on his son."My wish was that my son got better," he said.His aunt Sherrie Streit, a TV producer in New York at the time, got about 15 calls and e-mails from John about his wish."I tried to explain that it's just not that easy to call Oprah," she said.Pastor Orlando Cabrera of Summit church in Fort Myers videotaped John talking about his wish during the spring of 2007."I know he (God) wants me to do this for the kids in Africa," John said in the video. "I honestly believe that one of the reasons I have this tumor is to make a wish and raise money for all the kids in Africa."Dr. Emad Salman, an oncologist at The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, spent a lot of time with John during his illness and watched his faith grow.While he concedes that many patients facing death find strength in their faith, John stood out."At no point did John ever ask me 'Why did God choose me? Why me?' John was the exception to the rule."Pastor Cabrera spoke with John about his wish many times. There is one time that he will never forget."Are you sure you want to build an orphanage?" he asked on one of his visits. "Are you sure you don't want to go on a trip?"John, who was lying on the living room couch, had just enough energy to prop himself up and look the pastor straight in the eye."God didn't want me to get something out of this," John said.FINDING PEACELast fall, John's family said goodbye to him at Children's Hospital in Southwest Florida.Only his parents were in the room Nov. 10, 2007, when they saw his heart rate drop on the machine by his bed. Joanie lay next to him and held him."Give dad a hug for me," she whispered about her deceased father. "I love you."The room filled up with family and clergy. It took Joanie a few hours and the gentle comfort of her husband to pull her arms away from her son.Joanie took the green leather band around her son's wrist that read, "dream," and placed it on her own.Joanie wears a sterling silver pendant of John's fingerprint. Sometimes Jamie wears his dream bracelet. Justin keeps special mementos like John's wallet and a paper John wrote in third grade."The luckiest day of my life was when I got a brother and sister," John wrote."They are my two best friends. I love them and care for them. My brother and sister love me too."John's father wears his son's cross around his neck."John poured his faith into believing he would be healed," his father said. "But when he realized he would not be healed he was OK with it. He believed and knew where he was going to go. He knew and trusted God 100 percent."John also believed his wish would survive.And it did.HALGRIM HERITAGEJohn Halgrim came from a family steeped in Fort Myers history.His parents John and Joanie Halgrim live in Fort Myers off MacGregor Boulevard with his siblings, Justin 15, Jamie, 12 and Jacob, 5.His great-grandfather, whom he called "Pa," was Robert Halgrim Sr., who worked for Thomas Edison on his estate. In fact, Edison helped fund Robert's education at Cornell.John and Justin had the rare opportunity to interview their great-grandfather for school history reports."He taught Edison's kids how to swim," said Justin Halgrim.Robert Halgrim Sr. served as curator of the Edison Winter Estate from 1949 to 1972, and passed those duties to his son and John's grandfather, Robert Halgrim Jr. He worked for the estate until he retired in 1994.The Halgrims also helped establish The Edison Pageant of Light. John's great-uncle, Ronald Halgrim, was the pageant founder in 1938. He was also the city editor at Fort Myers News-Press.John, Justin and Jamie all served on the court in The Edison Celebration of Light Parade."I learned that I needed to change my way of life. I learned I needed to live my life through God's eyes and not my own. I learned that I had been asking him for so much more than I had been giving." - From John Halgrim's journal"My mom told me I had a tumor then and that is when my journey with God began ... What I mean by began is that I drew closer and closer every day. I mean I had been going to church every Sunday and saying my prayers at night, but I'd never be as close to him now if this would have never happened. I think this is why the Lord put me through all this torment.""All in all what I've learned most I've noticed is the moment you lose faith you lose your battle, but if you stay with the lord he can do some pretty amazing things for you. My faith has never been stronger than it is right now and I don't expect to lose any of it. I'm gonna go to church tomorrow and sing praise to the good lord."A historical gathering: All the Halgrims gathered for a group shot. From bottom left, Vennie Halgrim, Jamie Halgrim, Justin Halgrim, Robert Halgrim Sr., Joanie Halgrim, John Halgrim. Back row left, Tommy Halgrim, Summer Halgrim, Eric Halgrim, John Halgrim holding Jacob Halgrim, Bobby Halgrim and Robert Halgrim Jr.These are excerpts from the journals John Halgrim kept during his illness. He wrote in a school notebook about medical treatments and his spiritual journey. He wrote his first entry in March 2006, the month of his diagnosis."God can do anything far more than you could ever imagine. Ephesians 3:20.""I learned while we were home that you never really know what you have until you're tested." "Faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1.""I don't think I could have made it without the lord guiding me. He got me out of bed every day and got my day going.""I've been feeling really crappy though the last couple of days from the dizziness and tiredness. I completely blacked out yesterday and hit my head on the floor. So my mom's been a little scared lately ever since that happened. All you can really do though is have faith that the Lord will come through for you and heal you. The last couple of days have been really hard but I have a feeling the good Lord is looking down on me."Coming tomorrow, part II: A Wish Survives

The FLIGHT TO AFRICA

The life and death of one Fort Myers boy inspired a 32-year-old Dunbar High School teacher, a 73-year-old Naples trolley driver, a 24-year-old Florida Gulf Coast University graduate and nine others to do something radical.

Ten people have left behind jobs and families for 10 days to support 15-year-old John Halgrim's dream to build an orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya.In the next week, they will put the final touches on the John E. Halgrim Orphanage and welcome 60 orphans into a brighter future.They will change the lives of children born into the most impoverished part of the world, and in turn, change their own lives.Following FaithJoanie Halgrim, 38, handed out T-shirts to the group at Southwest Florida International before they left Thursday morning. The white, long sleeve T-shirts had"Something Heavenly" printed in blue across the front.Halgrim's son died a year ago this week of a brain tumor. The 15-year-old's dying wish was to build an orphanage for the starving children in Africa. He stubbornly refused gestures from the Make-A-Wish Foundation to send the family anywhere they wanted to go. When pressed, he told Orlando Cabrera, a pastor at Summit Church, that he was sure about building an orphanage."God didn't want me to get something out of this," he told Cabrera.After Halgrim's death, on Nov. 10, 2007, people rallied to make his dream come true.Friends, family and strangers moved by his faith spread the word and hosted fundraisers. Summit Church in south Lee County raised $13,000 in one day. A global nonprofit, Help the Least of These, joined forces to help build an orphanage. Its co-founder, Doug Ballinger, lives in Fort Myers.People who had never met Halgrim paid $3,000 to travel to another continent and witness the manifestation of his dream."I was so moved by John Halgrim's love for God that I had to participate," said Radcliffe Weaver. The 73-year-old tour driver from Naples wasn't going to miss the chance to help."Very few people find the love and strength of God the way that John Halgrim did."For the next four days they will paint, install bunk beds, scrub and clean in preparation for Thursday's grand opening of The John E. Halgrim Orphanage."I am so grateful that all these people want to fulfill John's dream," Joanie Halgrim said.Joanie Halgrim's mother, and John's grandmother, Jackie Streit, met many of the travelers for the first time last week. She thanked everyone for making her grandson proud.None of them wanted to miss a single minute.Dreams UnfoldBallinger believes everyone on the trip will come back changed. Ballinger, co-founder of Help The Least of These and trip organizer, has been to Africa four times."You think you're going over there for one thing, but God will show you something else," Ballinger said. "He wanted me over there to see 90 kids in a 10 foot by 10 foot room. That's what turned me around."That image inspired him to merge his plans to build an orphanage with John Halgrim's wish. Ballinger attends Summit Church and saw a video pastor Cabrera made of John Halgrim's poignant desire to build an orphanage.Just before Halgrim died, Ballinger made sure he saw the new architectural plans that read: The John E. Halgrim Orphanage."I did not know John personally, but I feel like I know him," Ballinger said.Jason Plucker, a high school teacher at Dunbar High School, saw John's video at Summit Church. It reaffirmed his desire to travel to Africa."I was thinking of backing out because of financial reasons but seeing what he was going through and what he used his last wish on really showed me where my priorities should be," Plucker said. "His faithfulness to God throughout is a true testament to us all."Bill Cunningham, 49, of Naples, had no intentions of traveling to Kenya a few months ago. But on Sept. 8, he picked up The News-Press.The article about Halgrim's wish "was the start of something wonderful," he said."It touched my heart," Cunningham said. "This is what I gotta do."Cunningham bought a one-way ticket to Kenya for $750 and convinced his friend Weaver to join him. Cunningham will stay behind to live at the orphanage and make sure the transition goes smoothly.Cunningham, former managing director of Naples Transportation & Tours, is relying on faith and savings to support him."My heart is with Africa and with the children," he said.Community ConnectionLots of people throughout the community raised funds, sponsored orphans, made contributions and even helped the group pack.Ballinger's neighbors stuffed teddy bears, clothes, shoes, pencils and more into suitcases for the children in Africa."I told all my friends and they kept bringing me shoes," said Lynn Doty, who agreed to support an orphan for $360 a year."We wish we could go," said neighbors Mark and Kim Plant. But instead, they sponsored two orphans and volunteered to cram clothes into suitcases.More help is needed. Contributions to the John E. Halgrim Orphanage total $73,644 which includes support for 47 orphans.Ballinger hopes sponsors will step up for the remaining 13 children. It costs $360 to provide an education and essentials to an orphan.They are still short about $30,000 for building costs and living costs including supplies, equipment and furniture.But faith has led the group this far, Ballinger said. They are eager to work on the orphanage and meet the children."We're going to go over there and have some fun and make some orphans happy," Ballinger said.Joanie Halgrim also made a T-shirt for each orphan with "Something Heavenly," written across the front and each orphan's name on the back."This is what John wanted," she said. "This was his dream."MEET THE TRAVELERSName: Joanie HalgrimAge: 38Occupation: John Halgrim's motherResidence: Fort MyersWhy are you going to Africa: This is his dream and I promised him hundreds of times that I would see it through.Name: Jackie Streit, John Halgrim's grandmotherAge: 66Occupation: Retired speech therapistResidence: Fort MyersWhy are you going to Africa: To support my daughter and honor my grandson's wish to build an orphanage in Africa. He would want me there to see this day.Name: Doug BallingerAge: 68Occupation: Retired and co-founder of Help the Least of TheseResidence: Originally Memphis, Tenn., before moving to Fort Myers in 2005Why are you going to Africa: I am trip coordinator for this mission adventure; purpose is to ready the John E. Halgrim Orphanage for occupancy by the orphans that will be living there.Name: Jason PluckerAge: 32Residence: Grew up in Fort Myers and graduated from Cypress Lake High SchoolOccupation: He teaches anatomy and physiology honors, health and HOPE classes at Dunbar High SchoolWhy are you going to Africa: I am going on this trip because one Sunday at Summit Church they were showing some pictures of orphans that were affected by a monsoon.God broke my heart for orphans that day and I wanted to do something instead of sitting back in my comfortable life.Name: Nancy BuchhopAge: 67Occupation: Retired speech therapist who worked for many years with children with severe disabilities. She also taught at the University of Toledo.Residence: A snowbird from Toledo, Ohio, and Fort Myers.Why are you going to Africa: I was blessed to be able to go to Nairobi with a group last year. It was a phenomenal experience.I am returning because God has given me some work to do there. I have a wonderful sewing machine that has been very busy all summer sewing things for the orphanage.Name: Bill CunninghamAge: 49Occupation: Operations coordinator for Help The Least Of These. Previous six years managing director of Naples Transportation & Tours.Residence: Naples. Originally Stratford, Ontario, Canada.Why are you going to Africa: I read the articles in The News-Press and a few days later called Doug Ballinger. Doug informed me more about the mission and their overall efforts in Nairobi.Doug was told that he needed a man on the ground in Africa. Then I called asking him if he needed a man on the ground in Africa.Name: Ray JohnstonAge: 48Occupation: Director of information technology for Help The Least of TheseResidence: EsteroWhy are you going to Africa: We have 10 computers from "One Laptop Per Child," (which are low-cost laptops for the world's poorest children developed by a social welfare agency based in Boston.)I'll be setting up a network that allows the orphans to communicate back to the people who have sponsored them. It also allows them to learn basic math, spelling and English.I'm also really good with a paint roller.Name: Radcliffe WeaverAge: 73Occupation: Professional driver for Naples Transportation and Tours & Event Planning. He is a guide for the Naples Trolley Tour as well as an escort for eco-tourism trips with Everglades ExcursionsResidence: Naples. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaWhy are you going to Africa: I was so moved by John Halgrim's love for God that I had to participate. Very few people find the love and strength of God the way that John Halgrim did.I want to be there for the beginning of a new era for the orphans.Name: Julie GrahamAge: 24Occupation: Spiritual formation coordinator for Summit ChurchResidence: Grew up in Fort Myers and graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University. Lives in Bonita Springs.Why are you going to Africa: I think it is such an amazing story; how John lived his short life. I want to be a part of making his remarkable dream a reality.Name: Suzanne BrandtAge: 40Occupation: Insurance broker for Commercial Lines Property and Casualty.Residence: Atlanta, Ga.Why are you going to Africa: I have been asked to assist Bill Cunningham in organizing the logistics for the children, including setting up the framework to track each child's history and other important information.I have been very blessed all of my life and I really want to give something back to society. This will be a personal growth experience for me and I am excited to spend the month in Africa helping less fortunate people.Additionally, my mother donated some of the first funds to get Help The Least of These off of the ground.The News-Press reporter Francesca Donlan and photographer Stephen Hayford are accompanying 10 people on their journey to Africa.Interactive postcards: View field reports from throughout the trip of how they are helping transform a village. 

Part 2:

Doug Ballinger of Estero believes in making dreams come true.But he never imagined joining forces with a 15-year-old boy.Last year, the retired Memphis businessman and his son, J.D. Ballinger, planned to build a small orphanage for two dozen orphans in Nairobi, Kenya.Through their nonprofit, Help the Least of These, they had built two churches in Nairobi and wanted to reach out to children.Thirty miles from Doug Ballinger's home, a young man battling cancer was praying every night for his wish. He wanted to build an orphanage in Africa, too.John Halgrim, 15, was dying. During the two years he battled an inoperable and malignant brain tumor, he grew convinced God wanted him to help the hungry kids in Africa.His wish merged with Doug's dreams on an October Sunday in 2007.Doug sat in the congregation at Summit Church in Fort Myers, stunned by the sermon. Pastor Orlando Cabrera had recently told Doug about a young boy's dream to build an orphanage. But he didn't realize - until that moment - the power of that wish.Pastor Cabrera showed them a video he'd made of John at his Fort Myers home."I know he (God) wants me to do this for the kids in Africa," John said in the video. "I honestly believe that one of the reasons I have this tumor is to make a wish and raise money for all the kids in Africa."The pastor told the congregation he would contribute the entire Sunday's offerings towards Help the Least of These to make John's wish come true.They collected $13,113 in one day."I was overwhelmed," Doug said. "It fit like a hand in a glove."Doug got the architectural plans to the Halgrim home the next week. They made one vital revision. They named it the John E. Halgrim Orphanage.John was very ill when his grandmother, Jackie Streit, held the plans in front of him.He lifted his hand and gave her a thumbs-up.John died one month later, Nov. 10, 2007."John knew he had made a difference," Doug said.Wishing wellAfter John died, the desire of others to fulfill his wish grew stronger.People who attended his funeral service donated more than $15,000. An anonymous donor gave another $15,500. Family and friends raised more money through golf tournaments, school fundraisers, car washes, garage sales, a garden club contribution and other donations. John's younger brother, Justin, poured his grief into a fishing tournament.John was also honored with a "Do the Right Thing Award" posthumously at Fort Myers City Hall chambers on what would have been his 16th birthday, this past Feb. 21."They're having a party in heaven today," said 5-year-old Jacob Halgrim at the ceremony.Fort Myers Police Officer John Harrington made a presentation of $250 to the John E. Halgrim Orphanage. The Fort Myers Little League dedicated Stadium Field No. 7 to John E. Halgrim. The plaque, which sits in his brother Justin's room, reads in part: "Whose life served as an example to all of us."More recognition and more money meant a much bigger orphanage than Doug had originally planned.So far, contributions total $50,000 with a goal of $75,000.Construction workers poured a foundation in Nairobi, Kenya, that could potentially support six stories and 250 orphans.They are now constructing a two-story building that will accommodate 60 children. Thirty children have already been selected for the orphanage. Many children have lost their parents through AIDS or political violence."Life over there is awful," Doug said. "There's a difference between the poor and the extreme poor. These are the kids nobody's helping."Nairobi is home to the second largest impoverished area in Africa, called Kibera. Almost 1 million people squeeze into an area smaller than one square mile and live in one-story shacks built from stick and mud with no utilities. They use plastic bags as toilets.Africa boundIn November, John's mother, Joanie Halgrim; his grandmother, Jackie Streit; his aunt, Sherrie Streit; Doug Ballinger and other members of Summit Church will step onto the rusty soil of east Africa.They will open the doors of the John E. Halgrim Orphanage and install bunk beds, paint walls and fill the cupboards with food.They will meet caretakers George and Miriam Dickson and hug and encourage orphans such as Angel Abigael, 3, who lost parents in recent political violence; and Alex Musyoka, 4, who lost his parents to AIDS.Pastor Cabrera gets misty-eyed when he remembers John's tenacity and the conviction in his heart.During one of his home visits with John, he asked him if he was sure about the orphanage. He thought he might reconsider and go on a family trip while he still could.John, who was lying on the living room couch, had just enough energy to prop himself up and look the pastor straight in the eye."God didn't want me to get something out of this," John said.Robert Halgrim Jr. is proud and humbled by his grandson's legacy."In 15 years, look what he did," Robert Halgrim said."He helped build an orphanage for 60 children. Look what he gave the world. I've had 65 years and I've never done anything like that. It makes you want to strive for something like that."John changed the life of his uncle, Ed Streit."He was a good kid - he is you and me," Ed said. "He had to decide how he was going to respond to his illness and it's in his response that he became a hero. I'll never be the same. I saw it with my own two eyes."Doug has been to Kenya four times since 2006. He has held hands with impoverished children and imagined the building that could keep them safe. Because of John, that building is bigger and better. Instead of helping 25 orphans, it has the potential to protect 250."I think John Halgrim would really like what's going on with the orphanage over there," Doug said.John's mom knows he would. She's braving a trek that will take her thousands of miles from home."I told him at least 100 times that I would finish what he started," Joanie Halgrim said. "This was his dream."ABOUT THE PROJECTThe John E. Halgrim Orphanage and Help the Least of These, Inc., are nonprofits working together to build an orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya.Help the Least of These can feed, house, clothe, teach and develop life skills for an orphan in a Christian environment for only a $1 a day, $30 a month, $360 a year.An anonymous donor from Fort Myers has offered to sponsor 10 of those children if others will sponsor the remaining 20.Thirty of the orphans who will live at the John E. Halgrim Orphanage have not been sponsored. A donation to sponsor an orphan, to "adopt a child," will take an orphan off the streets and put him or her in a home where he or she will feel wanted and cared for.

Each person - including a Naples tour driver, a retired speech therapist, and a high school teacher - believed they would prepare the John E. Halgrim Orphanage for dozens of children and help realize the dying wish of a Fort Myers teen. For a week, the volunteers worked side by side with about two dozen members of Kenya's The Glory of Christ Church painting walls, washing floors, installing windows, crafting bunk beds out of wood and pulling nails from the walls.

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Joanie Halgrim sat down and covered her face with her hands.She wasn't prepared for the nauseating smell of human waste and garbage, the gray concrete walls, the pools of water or the hole in the floor that served as a toilet.She and nine others from Southwest Florida flew 18 hours and 9,000 miles to Nairobi, Kenya, on Nov. 13.Each person - including a Naples tour driver, a retired speech therapist, and a high school teacher - believed they would prepare the John E. Halgrim Orphanage for dozens of children and help realize the dying wish of a Fort Myers teen.But Halgrim hadn't bargained for such a daunting challenge."How are we going to get this ready in time?" she asked.They had exactly one week to make it habitable for 60 orphans.Getting startedIt took the Southwest Floridians a few minutes to absorb the poverty. Taller buildings surrounded the orphanage with so much clothing hanging from them it looked like a quilt of fabric - all dripping into the street. The two-story building sat on a muddy road where children carried younger children across the street by leapfrogging across boards.They carried boxes and bags full of painting and cleaning supplies into the orphanage.The Floridians left their families and careers behind for 10 days to work hard for a teenager most had never met.John Halgrim, 15, died of an inoperable brain tumor Nov. 10, 2007. During his grueling medical treatment, he prayed fervently and wrote in his journal about his growing faith in God. The Fort Myers High School sophomore became convinced God had a higher purpose for him."I honestly believe that one of the reasons I have this tumor is to make a wish and raise money for all the kids in Africa," he said.John Halgrim was not discouraged when The Make-A-Wish Foundation couldn't help with that wish. His dream moved Orlando Cabrera, the pastor at Summit Church in Estero, to videotape Halgrim speaking about his wish and showed the video to his congregation. They raised more than $13,000 in one day and gave it to Help the Least of These, a global nonprofit capable of building the orphanage.After John's death, more than $50,000 from the community poured into the nonprofit.Painting powerThe Floridians flew to Nairobi on Nov. 13 and spent a week scrubbing, painting and polishing the orphanage.In their quest to support John's dream, they did more than splash color into a cold space. They transformed the lives of desperate children and profoundly touched their own in the process.For a week, the volunteers worked side by side with about two dozen members of Kenya's The Glory of Christ Church painting walls, washing floors, installing windows, crafting bunk beds out of wood and pulling nails from the walls.The church pastor, George Dickson, will run the orphanage alongside his wife, Miriam Dickson. They have two daughters: Hope and Faith.Many Kenyans had never picked up a paintbrush before.George Dickson considered painting an honor. He knew John's heart because both of them had been praying for the same thing, he said."This boy is crying out for kids he's never met and I'm crying for kids I see clearly," he said. "God made a divine connection when he made that dream a reality."Jason Plucker of Fort Myers also felt gratified being there."It's emotional seeing a mother realize the wish of her child," Plucker said as he looked at the volunteers sweeping and painting. "The kids are coming to a safe place. It's so special to be a part of this. It's awesome."John's grandmother took a break from painting and sat on a bench."It feels like you're walking through a dream," said Jackie Streit, 66. "It's John's dream, of course, but I had to pinch myself."She also tried to understand the brutality in the lives of these children."These children are hard-hit," Dickson said. "An orphaned child will go to the street,be suffering, be vulnerable. These are terribly beaten people."Victor Kamau, 20, and Paul Odhiambo Dickson, 19, who helped paint the boys room, take care of eight orphan boys. They will all move into the orphanage."They will be loved and not think of bad things," Paul Dickson said. "We will stay as a family. It is my duty to watch over them."It makes Kamau's heart happy to paint beside his Florida friends, he said."God has brought them here with a heart of passion to help the poor children," he said. "They're helping us from grass to grace."Permanent placeThe second day in Africa, the volunteers stopped working to worship. About 150 adults and children packed into the orphanage's main room, which had been transformed into the Glory of Christ Church. The Christian church met on that property previously but it was a tiny, hot building made of corrugated metal."It will be permanent," Dickson sang to the congregation as he pointed to the strong walls around them. "What the Lord has done for us, it will be permanent."The gray walls had fresh coats of white primer. Neighborhood children peered through the doors as music rang from the John E. Halgrim Orphanage.One of the orphans, Abigael Angel, 3, climbed into Joanie Halgrim's lap and sat there for a very long time. Tears fell down Halgrim's face."We prayed very hard and very long for a miracle," Streit told the congregation. Her words were translated to Swahili, although many knew English fluently."But what we didn't realize was that God had intended to use John and healed him in heaven. The miracle is right here."The sun streamed through the windows as adults and children danced to the music of the tiny but spirited choir.A woman wearing a white and pink shawl took it off spontaneously and placed it around Nancy Bucchop's shoulders as a sign of solidarity."Thank you, sister," Bucchop said.The 67-year-old grandmother from Fort Myers who had never met John Halgrim couldn't wipe the smile off her face."Today, America joined with Africa," George Dickson proudly told his congregation, "and I know from the depths of my heart that wherever John is he is happy that his vision has turned into a reality."Making it workSome of the Floridians were becoming tense a few days before move-in day. They didn't have mattresses or blankets. They hadn't budgeted for a washing machine or refrigerator.Streit, a mother of five and grandmother, couldn't stand the thought of Miriam Dickson hand-washing clothes for 60 children. She bought the appliances and instantly elevated the orphanage to the most affluent house on the street.The plumbing didn't work, the beds weren't finished, and the backyard was full of trash. They needed dishes, pots and pans, utensils and so much more. Time was running out and the overwhelming poverty and need wore on some of them.So many people needed help.Because of political unrest and widespread poverty, Nairobi has a 40 percent unemployment rate, according to the United Nations.Most live below poverty at less than $1 a day. The lifespan for an adult is 45 years and one in nine Kenyan children does not reach his or her fifth birthday, according to the United Nations."It's a God-sized problem," Doug Ballinger, the co-founder of Help the Least of These, reminded them. "We can't help all of them but we can help some of them. Even Jesus didn't get all of them."No one ever complained. They just worked harder.The Kenyans didn't see challenges - they only saw hope."The Bible talks about the city of refuge," said Pastor Joseph Africano, a friend of the Ballingers and Dickson who volunteered to work at the orphanage. "This is the city of refuge for the destitute. I feel like crying. I feel it in me the compassion and comfort of God's love. When you've shed enough tears God will come and wipe your tears."It's all goodHalgrim didn't think the orphanage would be ready until she saw the front doors painted sky blue.A big truck arrived and volunteers pulled mattresses off trucks and tossed them on the freshly finished bunk beds.She helped rip open the packages of seafoam green sheets and showed the local volunteers how to make a bed.Halgrim encouraged them to sing and a dozen women's voices rose up with laughter and a native song in Swahili.She tried to imagine the profound changes in the orphans' lives and tears fell.Sometimes she felt like her son stood right beside her."This is good, Mom," she knew he would say to her. "This is good."ABOUT THIS REPORTThe News-Press recently sent reporter Francesca Donlan and photographer Stephen Hayford to Nairobi, Kenya, to cover the opening and dedication of an orphanage in memory of John E. Halgrim who died last November at 15. Learn how volunteers from Southwest Florida transformed the lives of children in Africa and in turn, profoundly changed their own.Halgrim heritageJoanie Halgrim stepped into the John E. Halgrim Orphanage exactly one year after she buried her 15-year-old son.John Halgrim came from a family steeped in Fort Myers history.His parents Joanie and John Halgrim live in Fort Myers off McGregor Boulevard with his siblings, Justin 15, Jamie, 12 and Jacob, 6.His great-grandfather, Robert Halgrim Sr., worked for Thomas Edison on his estate. In fact, Edison helped fund Robert's education at Cornell.John and Justin had the rare opportunity to interview their great-grandfather for school history reports.Robert Halgrim Sr. served as curator of the Edison Winter Estate from 1949 to 1972, and passed those duties to his son and John's grandfather, Robert Halgrim Jr. He worked for the estate until he retired in 1994.The Halgrims also helped establish the Edison Festival of Light. John's great-uncle, Ronald Halgrim, was the pageant founder in 1938. He was also the city editor at Fort Myers News-Press.John, Justin and Jamie all served on the court in The Edison Festival of Light parade.As of Nov. 22, 2008, the Halgrim family shared another historical event: More than 51 orphans moved into The John E. Halgrim Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Day 2 - Joanie Halgrim took a deep breath when she stepped into the John E. Halgrim Orphanage for the first time Saturday.The orphanage is sandwiched between buildings with so much clothing hanging from them, the scene looked like a quilt of fabric - all dripping into the street.The orphanage sits on a muddy road where children carry younger children across the street by leap-frogging across boards. Inside it was gray and bare.But it didn't stay that way. Joanie and nine others rolled up their sleeves, painted, scraped and scrubbed all day Saturday. They sang, and the locals, who also helped transform the orphanage, gave them such a joyous, spiritual performance, it made some of them cry.Everyone saw the poverty around them and felt the hope."It was the hardest and best day of my life," Joanie Halgrim said.Pilgrims to African town burst into songs of hopenews-press.com/africa * View interactive presentation: Reporter Francesca Donlan and photographer Stephen Hayford are accompanying a woman from Atlanta and nine others from Southwest Florida on their journey to Africa. Read each volunteer's bio online. Also online: * Virtual postcards: Field reports on how these volunteers are helping to transform a village. * Photo galleries: Trip preparations, airport send-off, orphanage and images of John and family. * Online extras: John's journal entries and video of him discussing his wish.Word count: 238 

Day 3: Nancy Buchhop saw the John E. Halgrim Orphanage one year ago. It looked like a metal box with no windows.But it felt like an entirely different place Sunday.The sun streamed through the windows as 200 adults and children danced to the music of the tiny but spirited choir.A woman wearing a white and pink shawl took it off spontaneously and placed it around Nancy's shoulders."Thank you sister," Nancy said.The 67-year-old grandmother from Fort Myers couldn't wipe the smile off her face."The joy in the room is contagious," she said.Gold fabric was draped across freshly painted white walls. The congregation clapped, cheered, danced and prayed. And they celebrated the Floridians in their midst who traveled to fulfill John E.Halgrim's dying wish to build an orphanage.Most of them danced with the children that will live in the orphanage. Julie Graham held their hands and hugged them, Joanie Halgrim rocked a tiny girl, Jackie Streit waved back blessings and Jason Plucker pulled out a red soccer jersey and gave it to new friend."Today America joined with Africa," George Dickson, pastor and soon-to-be orphanage director, proudly told his congregation. "And I know from the depths of my heart that wherever John is he is happy that his vision has turned into a reality." 

Day 4 - The young boy arrived with his cousins to help sweep the floors of the John E. Halgrim Orphanage. He will be one of its first 60 residents.It took Graham all morning to figure it out."I learned how to say, 'I love you in' Swahili," she said with a smile.About two dozen locals in Embakasi, Nairobi and a group from Fort Myers worked side by side and transformed entire rooms from white primer to permanent blues, creams and yellows. The water came on and three men finished constructing 30 bunk bed frames.The Floridians flew to Kenya on Friday to help put the finishing touches on an orphanage named after a Fort Myers boy who had a dying wish to help children in Africa.Most of the locals working hard Monday were also orphans as children.Victor Kamau, 20, and Paul Odhiambo Dickson, 19, lost parents at a young age.Kamau and Dickson and most of the children who will live in the orphanage don't know how their parents died.But they all grew up quickly. Kamau and Dickson take care of eight orphan boys.They live together in a tiny corrugated metal sheet house that always feels too hot and can't accommodate all 10 unless they are sleeping. By the end of this week they will call the orphanage home."They will be loved and not think of bad things," Dickson said. "We will stay as a family."It makes Kamaus' heart happy to paint beside his American friends, he said."God has brought them here with a heart of passion to help the poor children," he said. "They're helping us from grass to grace." 

Day 5: Boys living in one of the most impoverished areas in the world shared something with a Fort Myers soccer team on Tuesday: the same orange soccer jerseys.Joanie Halgrim and nine others from Southwest Florida delivered soccer shoes, balls and jerseys to a team deep in Kibera, a desperate part of Nairobi, Kenya. This group of boys have been playing soccer in their bare feet and didn't have uniforms.Joanie Halgrim's son, John Halgrim had a dying wish to build an orphanage in Africa. He died last year at 15 and his mother and the Florida group flew to Kenya last week to realize that dream.But Joanie Halgrim had a wish of her own.She wanted boys who loved soccer like her son, to have shoes, soccer jerseys and soccer balls. The Halgrims, along with friends and the Island Coast Soccer Association in Fort Myers, made that happen.It wasn't easy to get to those boys.The group passed sights they had never seen before: Babies with no diapers, one-room shacks built out of sticks and mud, emaciated dogs, a river flooded with garbage and a putrid smell of human waste. But deep in the section of Kibera, one of the largest slums in Africa, is a preschool. The school was established by "Help The Least of These," which also helps support The John E. Halgrim Orphanage. Joanie handed out orange jerseys - the same one her son and his soccer team wore."It was the highlight of my day," she said. "Those are our best memories of him - playing soccer."She didn't just stop there. She played soccer with the kids and kicked a soccer ball into the goal almost a dozen times to the thrill of the children. 

Day 6: NAIROBI, KENYA - The dream of a Fort Myers teenager officially came true Thursday for nearly 60 African orphans."It's a happy day," yelled Pastor George Dickson into a crowded room. "It's a happy day."Area pastors, friends, neighbors, church members, American medical missionaries from Tennessee joined a group of Southwest Floridians to celebrate the grand opening of the John E. Halgrim Orphanage in Nairobi.Joanie Halgrim gave all of the orphans T-shirts with their names and the words "Something Heavenly" written on them. She read one of her son's journal entries that he wrote shortly before he died of a brain tumor last year at 15."The moment you lose faith, you lose everything," she read from his notebook.It was John Halgrim's faith in God and his wish to build an orphanage for kids in Africa that led Joanie Halgrim, her mother, Jackie Streit and eight others from Southwest Florida to travel to Africa to see her son's dream come true.J.D. and Doug Ballinger, co-founders of Help The Least of These, combined forces with Summit Church in Estero and friends around the world to make it come true. Both of the Ballingers attended the grand opening. They had planned to build a much smaller orphanage until their plans intertwined with John Halgrim's wish."God had a better plan because once we met the Halgrims things changed pretty quick," J.D. Ballinger said.Music filled the orphanage and spilled out of the freshly painted sky blue doors into the muddy streets. The grins on the children's faces made orphan directors George and Miriam Dickson proud and happy."It's an unspeakable joy," said Miriam Dickson. "They already call me mama."These children have suffered unspeakable tragedies, she said.Elias Mugo, 14, described himself as slave. His parents died and he tended sheep and goats. He had no shoes and his legs were covered in cuts when Miriam Dickson first saw him. No one gave him soap or water."I'm very happy because I was a shepherd and I'm glad to be here living in a good place," Mugo said. "I'm so very happy I can't explain it."Three siblings lost their parents to AIDS and the townspeople shunned them. These tiny boys were forced to live on the streets with their bodies covered in boils. None tested HIV positive and all will live in the orphanage.The group from Florida hugged, kissed and cuddled the children who will move into the orphanage on Saturday. Joanie Halgrim and Streit handed out pieces of cake.Sheila Eunice Wanjera, 12, knelt down next to Joanie Halgrim and quietly thanked her. Wanjera wants to be a doctor and her new life may give her a chance."This orphanage will expand and grow to the joy of John Halgrim," George Dickson said. "It will bring light and hope and joy to the hurting."" God had a better plan because once we met the Halgrims things changed pretty quick."-J.D. Ballinger 

Chapter 7

They've seen its misery all week and, on Thursday, they encountered Africa's magnificence.Most of the group from Southwest Florida drove three hours to western Kenya along the Trans-Africa Highway to experience a day on safari at Lake Nakuru National Park. 

They saw thousands of pink flamingos, water buffalo bathing in mud, zebras kissing and got up close with a rhino. They even saw their first African sunset over the vast Rift Valley.

"We needed a day like this," said Jackie Streit, John Halgrim's grandmother.Streit and nine others have spent the last week painting, scrubbing and preparing the John E. Halgrim Orphanage for Wednesday's opening. They came to Nairobi, Kenya, to celebrate John E. Halgrim and his wish to build an orphanage for African children. 

Thursday provided some emotional release.

"It's sad to see there is so much beauty and so much poverty here," said John's mother, Joanie Halgrim."We needed a day like this."

DAY 9 - Doors swing open

A small crowd peered past the freshly painted blue doors into an orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya, as 51 orphans held plastic bags with their belongings and entered their new home.The neighbors who peeked through the doors called it "The Big House," or the "American House."Everyone else called it the John E. Halgrim Orphanage."This is the first children's home," said Daniel Afune, 24, of Nairobi, who helped paint the orphanage and knows many of the children from a Kenyan church they attend. "It is amazing for us. They say this house looks like heaven. They say these people have seen God."John Halgrim's faith in God and his dying wish to build an orphanage led his mother, Joanie Halgrim; his grandmother, Jackie Streit; and a group of strangers from Fort Myers to Kenya last month. Their quest to realize a 15-year-old's dream transformed the lives of desperate children and profoundly touched their own.Completing joyThe children's eyes widened when they entered the orphanage Nov. 22. They touched wooden bunk beds made up with sheets and soft striped blankets. Nancy Buchhop, of Fort Myers, had sewn colorful patchwork pillowcases for each child with one special fleece square to rub if they got scared.Afune spoke with five siblings who arrived together."They are so happy to see this," Afune translated for them. "They see a new mattress, a new bed, a new pillow. They have never seen anything like that in their lives."Most orphans sleep on the floor and have never held a blanket, said Pastor George Dickson, who will run the orphanage with his wife, Miriam Dickson.All of them have been abandoned because their parents died of illness or violence.Many of the children suffered abuse and others lived as slaves.After Elias Mugo, 14, lost his parents, adults forced him to tend sheep and goats. He had no shoes and his legs were covered in cuts when Miriam Dickson first saw him. No one gave him soap or water."I'm very happy because I was a shepherd, and I'm glad to be here, living in a good place," Mugo said. "I'm so very happy, I can't explain it."The happiness in the orphanage was contagious."You cannot complete joy alone," said Miriam Dickson. "You need two, three or more to complete joy."From dump to divinePeople in the community, orphans and others thanked Joanie Halgrim and the Ballingers for the orphanage.J.D. and Doug Ballinger planned to build a much smaller orphanage until their plans intertwined with John Halgrim's wish last year. The Ballingers, co-founders of the global nonprofit Help The Least of These combined forces with Summit Church in Estero, and the community to raise more than $75,000 to make John Halgrim's dream a reality.The night of the orphanage's grand opening, the Ballingers reflected on the years when the property acted as a garbage dump and then filled up with sewage."There were 10,000 blessings along the way and 1,000 tears," J.D. Ballinger said.But on that celebratory day, the men absorbed the blessings."It felt like all during that development process we were in a war," J.D. Ballinger said."We would get beat up for a little while and then have a victory. So it feels like we have not gotten to the end of the war, but we can see the end of the war. There is a sense of accomplishment and a feeling that it was worth all of it."George Dickson believed in every battle. He has faith the orphanage can sustain itself on donor support of $360 per child per year. That's $21,600 to keep the orphans clothed, fed, healthy, and housed.They have already rented out three of four kiosks in front of the orphanage to local businesses to help offset costs.The John E. Halgrim Orphanage can change his country, George Dickson said."We hope by doing this we'll help make Kenya and this nation a better nation for the future," he said. "So we think the most important thing is to invest in the future of the youth - the children. They are the people of tomorrow."Out of AfricaThe Floridians left Africa on the evening of move-in day. They felt tremendous pride in the orphanage but overwhelming sadness at leaving the children behind.Julie Graham, a 24-year-old Estero resident who works at Summit Church, bonded all week with 4-year-old Alex Musyoka. Graham learned how to say "I love you" in Swahili. The young boy bonded with Graham and stayed close to her all week long. She wept after she had to let him go.Radcliffe Weaver, 73, a tour driver from Naples, told the children that people asked him how many children and grandchildren he had. Before Africa, he told them none."Now I am going to say 51," he said. "I love you very much and am going to come see you again soon."The only one who didn't cry was Bill Cunningham.When his friends from Southwest Florida left Africa, he stayed behind.He quit his job in Naples, sold his house for a loss and traded in a six-figure salary for a position as coordinator for the orphanage. On the verge of 50, Cunningham wanted to do something meaningful in his life. He's going to stay as long as they need him.He's living in a 10-by-14 room beside the orphanage's main room on the first floor.He takes cold showers and endures toilets that are holes in the floor. But he's happy about it. One of his first jobs is to orchestrate the orphans' very first Christmas.Christmas in AfricaCunningham bought a Christmas tree last week and will gather stockings and buy toys and clothes to put under that tree."I want them to experience what I experienced as a child," said Cunningham, who had eight siblings. "When we did go downstairs, the tree was packed with presents. I want them shocked and surprised Christmas morning. I want them to have sodas, treats and foods that they normally wouldn't get as well."While the orphans have their first and best Christmas, the Floridians who left them behind will also have a different kind of Christmas."You can't come to Africa without being changed," J.D. Ballinger said.The holiday will be simpler at all of their homes this year."Being in Africa makes you realize you don't need so many things," Jason Plucker said. "It's just not that important."Doug and Mary Ballinger are exchanging underwear for Christmas - for the orphans."We found out that none of them had underwear," Doug Ballinger said. "That's all we're going to do for Christmas."Joanie Halgrim and her family will lean on faith during their second Christmas without John Halgrim. She reminds herself of John's own words in his journal."The moment you lose faith, you lose everything," he wrote.The Dicksons believe the orphanage is rooted in faith.Their family, including daughters Hope and Faith, has a new, much larger family to share Christmas with this year."To us, this is a miracle," Dickson said. "We know this same God who spoke to a young man, who gave the vision to men and women to run with a dream into the depths of Africa."His face lit up."A dream came all the way to Africa and when it did, Hallelujah."