Let's Build Joe a House!

I met Joe, a bright young man with a great smile, about six years ago at Bishop Wanjala’s church. He loves to read and he loves to worship the Lord with vibrant singing and dancing. I’ve always enjoyed his company.

Joe has had a very difficult life. His mom rejected him from infancy because he wasn’t fathered by the man she married. Subsequently, he’s been shuttled back and forth between relatives and his mother has verbally abused him his entire life.

As if that wasn’t enough, he’s fallen on some especially tough times lately. Several months ago, he contracted tuberculosis. He grew extremely sick and weak. He came back to Nairobi to be treated. His mom reluctantly allowed him to sleep in her house, as long as he stays away during the course of the day.

Throughout all of these hardships, he’s maintained a positive outlook on life. His trust in the Lord has never wavered. He knows God has a plan for his life and he’s eager to put all of the past behind him.

He finishes his six-month TB treatment this Sunday, the 31^st. On that day, his mother will unsympathetically kick him out of her house.

He’s not yet back to 100%.

In fact, he doesn’t have enough strength to work.

He needs a place to lay his head. He needs help.

Will you help build Joe a house?

Bishop has agreed that he can stay on his church compound rent-free in an already existing room (about 10 x 10 feet). It’s rather crudely constructed (of corrugated iron sheets), but would suffice. It does, however, need several improvements to make it habitable.

In an act of faith, I’ve scheduled a “fundi” (carpenter) to come on Thursday morning to start the improvements. He’ll be finished by Saturday.

Please consider becoming involved in this project. Besides the structural changes, Joe will also need some bare essentials with which to live. The prices listed are approximate:

House ($270):

• Cement the floor - $50
• New corrugated iron sheets for the roof (the current ones are scrap pieces; it leaks during rain) - $70
• Plywood to help insulate it from the cold - $60
• A wooden door and frame - $30
• Nails, hinges, latch, padlock, etc. - $30
• Labor - $30

Furniture ($110):

• Bed frame - A church member will donate one
• Foam mattress - $20
• Blankets and sheets - $40
• Coffee table - $20
• Couch - $30

Other essential items ($150):

• Utensils, such as Kerosene cooker, basin, bucket, flask, pots and pans, silverware, dishes, etc. - $50
• Food items to get started - $25
• Clothes (right now he only has 1 pair of trousers and 5 shirts, 3 of which I gave him) - $30
• Personal grooming items - $15
• Miscellaneous - $30

GRAND TOTAL - $530

Acts 2:45 tells us that the people

“gave to anyone as he had need”.

Indeed, this young man has a need! He has nowhere else to go. He has no one else to turn to.

If you want to help build Joe a house, you can send your contributions to my Omaha address –

PO Box 34083

Omaha, NE 68134

Make the checks out to me, but indicate “Build Joe a house” on the memo line. If you want to pay for a particular item in the list, specify that as well.

Whether or not you’re able to help Joe financially, please offer him a word of encouragement! I’ll compile them and give him a printed copy. You can email your words of encouragement or post them here on my blog.

Please also remember to pray for him!