Chicago's Very Own: Kenya Mission
Get ready to meet a man who works overtime cleaning airplanes and spends his paycheck to feed children living in orphanages. Here's our 'chicago's very own' . . .
Jane Boal, Reporter/Producer
February 16, 2008
A local man who works for American Airlines has been on a special mission for the past nine years. Percy Harrell works overtime for months at a time, to save extra money to help kids.
"A lot of times I have used my car as a hotel room," claims Percy Harrell.
At first glance.. Percy Harrell looks like an average employee at O'Hare airport. He works for American Airlines cleaning airplanes.
"A hundred nights in my car," Percy recalls.
What many people don't know is what he does in his free time. At least one-hundred times each year, Percy spends the night in his car. This allows him to work consecutive double shifts so he doesn't have to drive forty-five minutes home. With the extra time and money he saves, he travels to orphanages in Africa to feed kids who have AIDS.
"He takes a lot of his income and just gives it to the kids," says Minister George Willis, who is also Percy's friend.
Most of the children you see in this video, have been abandoned by their parents. Percy and co-worker friends (also from American Airlines) have been traveling to Kenya attempting to improve the quality of life where death from disease is eminent.
"So I had heard that in Africa, in general, about two million (kids) die a year?" Percy asks a social worker in Kenyan orphanage.
When the children die, they're buried (here) in the back yard cemetery. Many have also lost their parents to the AIDS epidemic. It's said, these kids are actually lucky to be here -in a place where hospitals resemble tied together shacks. At least they'll get some food and medicine versus living and fending for themselves on the streets in one of the world's largest slums.
"We came eight thousand miles to let you kids know that we care about you," says Percy to the kids.
For the past nine years, Percy has organized and inspired apporoximately twenty other employees and friends to go to Kenya. He helps them plan, gather items to donate, and book their prospective trips.
American Airlines employees, Rick Gillies and Eros Villaraza, have both joined the Kenya mission.
"And to hear their voices when they sing, believe it or not, that was like heaven on earth for me. It was awesome," recalls Eros Villaraza.
"Glad to see your face.. glad to see you..." The children sing.
The volunteers hug, pray and serve the kids high quality food, which was prepared by local hotels. The children want to give a gift of thanks. So they sing.
"So glad you came to see us..." The children sing and dance.
Since many in Africa are still uneducated about how AIDS is spread... it's the hugs that bring the children to tears.
"They was moved by the fact that we were able to embrace the children... You do not have to be rich, famous, or popular to make a difference in the world. All you have to do is care," says Percy Harrell.
"After working overtime for the past nine years, Percy says he's spent about twenty thousand dollars of his own income, all to feed the children in Kenya...
For Chicago's Very Own, I'm Jane Boal."
Percy says his group also built a medical center and community center. Last year they rented six buses to take the children on their very first field trip. For most of the kids, it was the first time they had been outside of the orphanage.
To help with the Kenya Mission:
Percy Harrell
c/o Missions of Mercy
PO Box 335
Beecher Illinois 60401-0335
708-595-6526
PERCY633@NETSCAPE.NET
This story first aired on WGN-TV News during Black History Month
Saturday, February 16, 2008 9 PM News
Copyright © 2008, WGN-TV
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