Colonnade resident Dora Aminata Kellogg delivered a moving story during MHP’s 2023 benefit breakfast. Her journey began in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where she built a family and a successful business—a pharmacy, a supermarket, and a store. Her life would take a twist when, in 1996, war broke out in her country. While on a visit to the U.S., Dora was stranded in Maryland. “I faced a daunting choice: certain death if I returned or the uncertain path of starting over in America. I chose the latter and began taking American English courses and attending nursing school,” she said. 

However, Dora soon faced a litany of challenges: her husband died, she had major medical issues, and later financial ruin because she was unable to work. During these hardships, she found love again. “Mr. Kellogg [her late husband] and I faced life’s struggles together until illness took his ability to work, and we lost our home. Mr. Kellogg soon passed from a battle with cancer,” she added. 

Dora demonstrates great resilience and courage, stemming from her strong faith that she said kept her going. She is grateful that an organization like MHP exists, saying “for even with my resourcefulness, I could never have imagined the life I have now, having been through so much.” She added, “MHP community reflects an expression that guides me daily: to live by faith and not by sight. My minister, hearing about my hardship, told me about MHP. MHP didn’t just help me; they saved me. Like a dying plant given life, I found hope.” 

Dora’s story is a testament to resilience, one that showcases the power of community and kindness.