Major General Dowd - University of the Cumberlands

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Amanda Walton ’02Miles of Smilesaway from CumberlandsBy Laura Silvers, ’11Imagine selling your home, resigning from a job that you love andleaving behind all of your family and friends, everything that youhold dear, to go to a place with no running water, no electricity andnone of the comforts of home. That is exactly what Amanda Walton,’02, did in 2010, when she traveled to the Tumaini Miles of SmilesCenter, an orphanage and school in Kakunga, a small rural area northof Mombassa, in the Republic of Kenya.Meaning “hope” in Swahili, Tumaini currently serves 180 students,30 of whom are orphans, but the center is constantly growing. Here,Walton is helping to organize an after school program for the children.She also teaches English, Christian education and physical education.In addition, she makes bricks, visits widows and relieves the overworkedTumaini workers.For the daughter of David and Judy Walton and the older sister ofBrandon Walton, ’04, Tumaini is a long way from Knoxville, Tenn.,her hometown, and from Cumberlands, where she earned a Bachelorof Science degree in psychology and worked as an admissions counseloruntil becoming a full-time missionary. She was a standout volleyballplayer during her college career and served as coach after she graduated.She first journeyed to Tumaini with the International Sports Federationa few years ago and finally embraced a passion for Africa she had heldsince childhood.More trips followed, and she began to realize more and more that Godwas calling her to do more than just visit. During one trip, she talkedwith Rose Bugusu, director of TMSC. “After a two-hour conversationabout the needs of the organization, it clicked in my mind that thosewere the gifts God had given me,” Walton says. TMSC was in desperateneed of an organized after school program for the children, and sheknew that she could help them get it off the ground and teach theleaders how to make it successful.“After that visit,” Walton explains, “home looked different; as if I didnot belong there anymore.” She remembers that God impressed uponher heart, “‘Amanda, it’s time for you to return everything that youhave to me, because it is mine anyway. I’m going to take what yousurrender and make what is good great.’”Still, the decision to go into full time ministry was difficult. SaidWalton, “When I first surrendered fully to doing this, I asked God,‘Why?’ I felt like I was [already] in a place where I could serve Him andI enjoyed it. His answer was, ‘Right now, you have what you think isbest, but I have something better for you.’”Life has changed for Walton since her arrival at TMSC because an14 • CumberlandToday • Winter 2011
“I receive morelove on a dailybasis than Icould ever givein a lifetime.”Winter 2011 • CumberlandToday • 15
Page 1 and 2: Winter 2011umberlandAN ALUMNI MAGAZ
Page 3 and 4: Dear Alumni and Friends of UC,Recen
Page 5 and 6: Leadership in a Free and Strong Ame
Page 7 and 8: Cumberlands Ranked inWashington Mon
Page 9 and 10: campus newsComing This Spring!Your
Page 11 and 12: Five individuals inducted into theA
Page 13 and 14: Digging Deeperstudent spotlightKyla
Page 15: The Future and You“I love Cumberl
Page 19 and 20: measure to catch a glimpse of what
Page 21 and 22: ming 2010Winter 2011 • Cumberland
Page 23 and 24: homecomingIn the Homecoming Game, t
Page 25 and 26: Cumberlands inducts six new members
Page 27 and 28: Photo submitted.Major General Kenne
Page 29 and 30: where he served from 2007until he a
Page 31 and 32: of Cumberland and would love to hea
Page 33 and 34: 1930’sMargaret Jean Harrell, ’3
Page 35 and 36: away July 11, 2010, after a short i
Page 37 and 38: Brittney House, ’09Young Alumni A
Page 39 and 40: Hubert F. White, ’23, Posthumousl
Page 41 and 42: Honor or Memorialize a Friend or Lo
Page 43 and 44: Where are they now?Dr. George G. Ra

Major General Dowd - University of the Cumberlands

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