Jalyn is not a common name. Since 1880 only 2,378 people are named Jalyn in the United States according to babynameshub.com. I've only met one other Jalyn in my life and that was in San Francisco when Brian and I were scoping out various churches. I found it surprising that we even spelled our names the same. To date, that has been my only run in with another Jalyn, until now.
Today I was introduced to 3 month old, beautiful, wide-eyed baby Jalyn. She lives in the Mathare slum of Nairobi and is the third of three girls to her mother Asha. Asha is a young woman engaged in the YWE program.
Last July Asha was recruited into YWE and throughout the two week recruitment process, I was in the slums meeting with the young women. It was there that Asha learned my name and then decided that if she were to have a girl she would name her Jalyn. She did just that on October 28th, ironically just one day before Brian's birthday.
Baby Jalyn is such a healthy bundle of joy. Asha was so kind to welcome me into her home this afternoon so I could meet and hold the sweet little girl.
I don't really know what to say about having someone name their child after me. I didn't really think of it as more than them liking the name Jalyn than actually naming it after me. But then again, one of my colleagues pointed out that if the mother didn't like me she wouldn't name her child Jalyn. You just don't go around picking up names of people you don't care for. So with that, I'll blushingly accept the honor and pray that baby Jalyn grows up to be a strong vibrant woman; maybe even the first female president of Kenya!
Here's to you sweet baby Jalyn, may you have a happy childhood and grow up to be anything your beautiful heart desires.
Lovingly,
Big Jalyn
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