A Promise Kept: The Birth of Gary and Lesley Scherer Wound Care and Community Clinic
- Sami Burnette & Jimmy Okech
- Feb 12
- 4 min read
Life has a way of altering our path in a single heartbeat. One moment Gary and I were dreaming of the future, sitting in a Burger King in Southern California, meticulously clipping coupons—because even when you’re planning to change the world, you can’t pass up a good BOGO deal! Between bites of our Whoppers, we were fueled by a shared vision to bring healing to those in need. He had just encouraged me to take the leap and register Everlasting Hope-USA as a California non-profit when he suddenly passed away. In the wake of his loss, I felt a crushing sense of panic, sadness, and helplessness. Yet, even in those dark hours, I believed the mission was still possible.
A Vision Rising from the Dust
The original blueprint for this project was never just a small-town clinic; it was a monumental vision designed to impact the world. It was a plan so vast and sophisticated that it felt like building the Scripps Research Institute right in the middle of nowhere, in the heart of rural Kenya. This was a world-class 4,620 sq ft blueprint for total community care.
This massive vision included:
Specialized Surgical & Maternity Wings: Featuring a delivery room, minor surgery suite, and labor recovery areas
Advanced Diagnostics: A full laboratory, specimen collection center, and an ultrasound department.
Comprehensive Health Stations: Dedicated areas for wound care, dental, vision, and a community pharmacy.
Global Infrastructure: An Information & Communication Technology (ICT) center to connect this rural outpost to the world.
The Plan: Gary Had a Big Dream- Gary was big as you all Know-He had a Big Heart!
Grounding the Legacy
When Gary passed away, the weight of this "huge" plan felt even heavier. But the mission to help the world didn't fade with his passing. To make the dream a reality in the immediate future, we adapted. Honoring Gary meant moving forward, even when my heart was heavy. With the incredible support of friends and the Safari Golf Club and All African Golf League (California Chapters), we held a charity golf tournament. Through these efforts and additional donations by Lesley from “API George funds,” the dream began to take a tangible form; this was early November 2025.
In November, after Gary’s passing, I made the journey back to Kenya. I was no longer just dreaming; I was executing the plan, not that I knew how, but I had to step out in faith and try. In my empty head and panic, the voice in my big head was screaming, “all we can do sometimes is to try and start with a baby plan!” We had to transition from that sprawling vision to a more focused "Actual Plan". While this new plan may look small compared to the original, we believe it is the vital first step toward that much bigger dream.
The New Plan.
A legacy taking root in the heart of rural Kenya
The search for land was daunting, as the costs of land were high. In a beautiful turn of fate, I returned to my ancestral land; a portion of my inherited land was to make this dream come true. In the name of my dead ancestors this land had to come to life. A section of this land had to be ultimately donated to Everlasting Hope USA. This dead land rose to “live” Garys' legacy. We didn't just find a location; we found a home. It was a joy to commission a dream I did not have alone, but a dream I shared with Gary and Lesley Scherer.
As an orphan who grew up in the streets of Kenya with nothing, the process not only lit up my soul, it was a labor of love.
A Sacred Start: We broke ground by praying for the earth and using a pickaxe in the middle of nowhere.
The Ground
Breaking Ground
Foundation and Materials: We traveled to Kisumu to buy foundation materials.
A Taste of Home: While overseeing the work, I enjoyed a lunch of local insects—a delicacy I grew up eating—connecting my past to this new future.
A Leap of Faith
After the ground was broken and the foundation was laid, the moment came when I had to leave Kenya. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done—to fly away from those rising walls without knowing exactly how the rest would come together. I left that soil behind not with a finished building, but with a heart full of faith and hope. I didn't have all the answers, but I knew that the same God who provided the land and the foundation would see the roof through. This clinic is rising because a community of compassionate hearts refused to let a dream die.
Die! We as the living within Gary’s network refused to die! Our deepest gratitude goes to the Safari Golf Club, the All-African Golf League, Lesley Scherer, Kevin Scherer, the Gary and Lesley network from Horizon Church in Rancho Santa Fe, Gary, Lesley and my network from API, my friends from Gilead Science Inc, everyone who contributed and finally, my family.
Gary and Lesley Scherer Wound Care and Community Clinic will stand as a testament to a promise kept by a community who care for each other regardless of how vast our differences are. We are building a legacy of hope that even death could not stop.
Follow for more Adventure into this wonderful journey!
Created by George Orwa.
Comments