Jimmy Starfish

Most of us have heard the story about the young boy walking the beach strewn with scores of washed-up starfish that he was throwing back into the water one at a time. An old man chastised the lad saying, “You can’t save them all.” Undeterred, the boy picked up another, threw it back in the water, and said, “I saved that one.”

Meet Jimmy. He’s 17, lives at Pothawira, and would be pleased for you to know that he passed his chemistry test last week. With his million-dollar smile he could have a promising career as a tooth paste model, but he says he wants to be an accountant (no joke). As of yesterday, one of the bigger problems in Jimmy’s life was that his little brothers at Pothawira formed an ad-hoc, on-field committee to remove Jimmy as the soccer goalie when he let a shot through that they thought he could have stopped. Jimmy bounced back quickly, excelling at sweeper…and in reality, Jimmy has faced far bigger problems in life.

Five years ago, Jimmy found himself an orphan at age 12. He was faced with the bleak prospect of providing for himself…either as a day laborer, competing with adults for scarce jobs that pay roughly $2 day or begging. His childhood was over, until someone picked him up and placed him into safe haven that is Pothawira. Jimmy Starfish’s actual name is Jimmy Sandrum. He has flourished in this family. He’s a delight to be around. His future is bright. He has his childhood back…

…and along with the boy in the story, you, and everyone else who believes that each life is of great value, we celebrate.