Unlikely Gifts: A Kupenda for the Children Podcast

About Unlikely Gifts: A Kupenda for the Children Podcast

"Unlikely Gifts" is a podcast for anyone looking for hope amid difficult circumstances. Life can be beautiful, unexpected, and, at times, profoundly difficult. It helps to hear from others who have grown from life's challenges and joys. That's why Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer are sharing how their experiences working with families impacted by disabilities in Africa have taught them about life’s most amazing gifts and its hardest tragedies. For further information, please check out the following resources: Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Kupenda for the Children

Category

religion & spirituality · religion & spirituality · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Mar 2023

Latest episode

2 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Jul 2026

   Joy

   In this episode of season 2 of Unlikely Gifts, Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer to explore the surprising gift of joy. Through stories of children with disabilities, personal experiences of grief and illness, and reflections on purpose, community, and service, they discuss how joy differs from happiness and why it can endure even amid suffering. Listen as they share what they've learned from families impacted by disability, the connection between joy and calling, and how giving ourselves to something larger than ourselves can transform both our lives and the lives of others. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   26 Jun 2026

   Community

   In this episode of Unlikely Gifts, Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer to explore the vital role community plays in creating lasting change for children with disabilities. Listen as they discuss how communities can both perpetuate and dismantle stigma, why collaboration is more effective than condemnation, and what they have learned about belonging, inclusion, and human connection through their work across Africa and beyond. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   19 Jun 2026

   Patience

   In this episode of season 2 of Unlikely Gifts, Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer to explore the role patience plays in creating lasting change. Drawing on personal experiences, disability advocacy, and years of community transformation in Kenya, they discuss what it means to persevere through misunderstanding, suffering, and slow progress. Listen as they reflect on lessons learned from children with disabilities, the power of relationships over productivity, and why some of the most meaningful miracles take time. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   11 Jun 2026

   Wisdom

   In the second episode of season 2 of Unlikely Gifts, Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer to explore the meaning of wisdom and how it has shaped their journey serving families impacted by disabilities. Listen as they reflect on the surprising role a tiny elephant shrew played in Kupenda's founding, the lessons they've learned from children and families often overlooked by society, and why true wisdom begins with humility, listening, and recognizing what we do not know. Together, they discuss how challenging harmful beliefs, valuing every person's contributions, and embracing our shared brokenness can transform individuals, communities, and lives. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   4 Jun 2026

   Friendship

   In the first episode of season 2 of Unlikely Gifts, Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer to explore the deep co-visionary friendship at the heart of their work supporting families impacted by disabilities. They reflect on how their shared vision, cultural differences, personal struggles, and spiritual grounding have shaped a lifelong partnership built on trust, resilience, and a commitment to transforming stigma into dignity and hope. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   9 Apr 2023

   Hope

   In our sixth and final episode of season 1 of "Unlikely Gifts," Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders, Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer, to discuss the role that hope plays in their mission to families impacted by disabilities. Listen as they explore the sometimes painful origins that give rise to hope, how it compares to optimism, what it means to hold it for others, and how it can be a driving force towards new and life-changing opportunities. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   3 Apr 2023

   Grief

   In our fifth episode of "Unlikely Gifts," Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders, Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer, as they explore their connections to a grieving world, particularly in their work with families impacted by disabilities. Listen as they discuss the forms grief takes on, what this grief represents, and what universal applications there are to navigate through it. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

8. 

   27 Mar 2023

   Healing

   In our fourth episode of "Unlikely Gifts," Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders, Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer, to discuss the topic of healing. Listen as they describe common expectations versus actual experiences of healing in the communities impacted by disabilities they serve. And hear how a greater understanding of healing's various forms can liberate people to be more powerful vehicles of "Kupenda" or "love" towards others. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

9. 

   20 Mar 2023

   Suffering - Part II

   In our third episode of "Unlikely Gifts," Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders, Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer, for part II of our discussion on how they experience suffering, both in their own lives and in those of the families impacted by disabilities that they serve. Listen as they discuss how to "live the questions" that suffering brings and build meaningful connections from that place. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

10. 

    14 Mar 2023

    Suffering - Part I

    In the second episode of "Unlikely Gifts," Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders, Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer. Listen as they discuss the topic of suffering in their work with families impacted by disabilities--how it is experienced, what meaning can be drawn from it, what is helpful, and what it means to "suffer well." For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

11. 

    13 Mar 2023

    Love

    In the premiere episode of "Unlikely Gifts," Frank Boswell sits down with Kupenda for the Children co-founders, Leonard Mbonani and Cynthia Bauer, to discuss the topic of "love." The word “Kupenda” in Swahili means “a constant state of loving.” Listen as these two individuals share stories about demonstrating love to children and families impacted by disabilities, how they have seen this love take root and grow in various communities, and what they have learned in return. For further information, please check out the following resources: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Kupenda for the Children (https://kupenda.org/) Introduction by: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Tom Tasselmeyer (https://www.wbaltv.com/news-team/177f1093-c194-4ee7-853a-d25c18f4d3c8) Moderator: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Frank Boswell (https://www.huntvalleychurch.org/sermons/previous-sermons/preacher/frank-boswell/) Guests: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Cynthia Bauer (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#CynthiaBauer), Leonard Mbonani (https://kupenda.org/our-team/staff-members/#LeonardMbonani) Audio engineering: (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk)Phillip Knowlton (http://www.opposit.co/) Music composed by and used with permission from: Jacob Sanders (https://soundcloud.com/whalehawk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

12. 

    1 Mar 2023

    Teaser

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.