The Inaugural “Run for Rebecca” will benefit Rebecca and the other orphaned children living at “Beat the Drum” Children’s Home in Kenya. This special place serves children infected with HIV/AIDS, and was birthed out of heartbreaking circumstances in June 2007. It was at this time that Partners for Care, a ministry founded by Connie Cheren of Alpharetta, Georgia, oversaw HIV/AIDS testing of children living in several Kenyan Children’s Homes. During the testing, it was discovered that five children were infected with HIV/AIDS.

Due to the special care and treatment needed by children infected with HIV/AIDS, a new Children’s Home was  needed. Partners for Care began raising funds to support the construction and operation of a unique Children’s Home - one which would provide a home-like environment for the care of orphaned children infected with HIV/AIDS.

“Beat the Drum,” named after the award winning film produced by David McBrayer of Roswell, is a result of a partnership between Partners for Care and Glory Outreach Assembly, a Kenyan church which operates this and several other Children’s Homes in Kenya.  The first home constructed at “Beat the Drum” is known as “Kathi’s House,” in honor of Kathi Gruber of Alpharetta,  Georgia. The dedication ceremony of Kathi’s House was covered in a touching 2 page article in the Atlanta Journal~Constitution in December 2007. Kathi loved children and had a passion for missions, but lost a grace filled battle with cancer in June 2007. Kathi herself had been an orphan, adopted from Korea in 1958.