Project Kengikat

I am grateful for

// October 27th, 2009 // Uncategorized

This past weekend was the 4th time my organization went to Shriner’s Hospital for Children here in Los Angeles and just like before I was able to do this outreach with people who are my friends and just like before the event was such a huge success and major blessing not just for the kids and their families, but for my friends and I. As I left the hospital and was talking with Niambi I thought to myslef just how very “thankful” I am to God for just how richly blessed my life really is. I thought it would be a cool thing to ask certain members of my blog network to do on blog on what they are thankful for. I never have group blogs on Project KengiKat, nor do I ask people to blog, that isnt why I created my network, but the people who do find the time to blog there have such powerful, empowering, uplifting, inspiring and even funny stories to share from their life.

How sweet was it to log into my network with the thought of asking people if they would do this group blog with me only to find that my friend Andreanna had already posted a blog about this very subject. I was so happy to see this and burst into laughter. I shot her a message and then sent a message to some members and friends on my network. Since Andreanna had called her blog “I am grateful for..” I kept the same title and so far others have honored my request, so this is my entry.

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Most of all I am grateful for my life, because when I look back over my life and what God has allowed my to come through, live through, grow through and yeah, even conquer I would be a fool not to be thankful for the awesome life I have. I am grateful for the parents God allowed me to enter this world through, had it not been for all they taught me I would not be here right now. I am grateful for my health….I know many who read this are going to look at this part of the blog and think “why in the hell is he grateful for his health?” Well I will tell you why. I came into this world fighting for my life. You see I was born with Sickle Cell and doctors told me parents I was not going to make it, even as I got better they said I would not learn much and that I would have the mind of child, they would always have to take care of me, I would never play any sports, would not be like other kids. They were right on one acoount, I was not like other kids…..I was a fighter from the very start and I refused to let anything, not even Sickle Cell or some report from doctor hold me back.

My entire life has been about refusing to give up, refusing to allow doctors, “friends” or anyone convince me that my life is not worth living, not worth fighting for, not worth celebrating, not work sharing or not worth being grateful for. However each day, right in the midst of the “perfect storm” I reached deep inside of myself and discovered that I am more then just the child of Kengi and Barbara, I am more then Sickle Cell, more then cancer and far more then HIV, so I’ve refused to allow any of these things to have power in or over my life. I refuse to allow them to shape me, mold me, hold me captive or cause me to be ashamed of who I am. Sicke Cell, Cancer, Homelessness and HIV are no match for me because I am not just a fighter I am the child of the one of only KING and in him I have favor, so I refused to be broke by things that do not have more power then me.

I am grateful for real friendships of people who know me, truly know me, love and respect me and what I do, who I am, people who see the color of my skin and LOVE IT and judge me by the content of my character, I am grateful for the gifts given to me to create, empower, inspire and press on even as I endure the ups, downs, twists and turns this life gives me, I am grateful for a medical team that stands with me and gives me what I need to battle back, I am so grateful the organization I created while I was homeless that I named in honor of my grandparents that serves homeless people, low income families, seniors, children as well as people with HIV and AIDS. I am grateful to be in my own apartment now, paying my bills, staying up as late as I want to, farting when I want to, talking as loud or soft as I want to and loving it.

I am grateful for the fact that I am in a place where I can start to rediscover and fall in love with me all over again, find peace and comfort in me all over again, smile for me all over again, cry for me when I need to. I am grateful for alone time where I can just sit with me. I am grateful that what I do is not to win friends, make money, be fancy or go fancy places, nope what I do is for humanity and after all God has done for me, given me I must stay humble and do all I can to reach out in love just as he has done for me.

I am grateful for The Leon and Mary Fields Organization. Do Something Saturday, Unpluggin HIV, Project KengiKat and the good for humanity that comes from these, I am grateful for each second, every minute of everyday God allows me to still be here.

I am grateful for my life, the love that comes from it, I am grateful for ME and I am so grateful to God for allowing me to still be here.

So what are you grateful for?