“Don’t worry Mum, keep trusting in God. Who knows? Maybe next month we’ll be in our own home.” Joseph fervently prayed for God to provide a new home for his family, and encouraged his mother, Alice, to keep faith.
In a humble home in Kenya, Alice lived with four of her children and one grandchild. Her unemployment and reliance on sporadic, low-paying work made it nearly impossible for the minimum wage to cover the family’s essential needs.
They lived in a small wooden house with a dirt floor, an outdoor kitchen and no electricity. The communal pit latrine for their bathroom was in poor condition, and the family fetched water from a shared well.
During the warmer seasons, their dirt floor became breeding grounds for dust and fleas, while the rainy seasons brought cold, muddy interiors, making the family vulnerable to colds and infections.
Alice shared of their living conditions, “I lived in a house without power, an uncemented floor that would at times have fleas. I didn’t have a decent bed and would sleep on the floor.”
Two years ago, Forward Edge purchased land in Kijabe, Kenya with the intention of constructing houses. Due to the urgent and severe circumstances facing Alice’s family, they were chosen to receive the first new home!
It’s possible that YOU even played a role in making this answered prayer a reality. If you contributed to our Giving Tuesday fundraiser in 2021, your kind and generous contributions were used for the construction of this home. You are then a part of Alice’s family’s journey and the answer to their prayers!
The construction of the new home began, but the children were kept unaware, purposefully, to ensure that it would be an amazing surprise when the day came to reveal the house to them.
On August 7, 2023, Alice’s children returned from school unaware of the extraordinary surprise awaiting them. Their mother directed them to an unfamiliar place, and they were overwhelmed to hear her reveal, “This is our new home!” Filled with joy, the family entered their new home for the very first time. Amidst tears, Alice expressed her thanks,
“I am grateful to God for blessing me with a home! A home with electricity, floor tiles, and a great bed! I am short of words and much overwhelmed with joy. God bless everyone for the great work of changing my life. I am soo happy!”
Not only did the family celebrate together, but the community joined them in enthusiastic jubilation in cheers of praise, singing and joyful dancing! Smiles were everywhere and tears of happiness flowed.
Alice and her family’s new home stands as a testament to God’s faithfulness as they enjoy the essential comforts of electricity, plumbing, a bathroom and furniture. Jane, the director of our Kenya program shared,
“It is surprising how the new home has brought the family closer to God through gratitude. It has brought peace and harmony to the family since the mother is much relieved from the mental distress of finding rent each month which she could not afford. I saw God at work through the provision of resources until the completion of the project. What can we say? God blesses all He loves to bless!”
Joseph’s humble and faith-filled words to his mom, “Don’t worry Mum, keep trusting in God. Who knows? Maybe next month we’ll be in our own home,” encourage us to not miss the opportunity to trust God with our lives today. Whether it’s small or big requests in our hearts, God holds us in His hands and He sees us. He truly loves to bless His children!
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Berenice was used to seeing the same narrative play out around her growing up: a life marked by poverty, wealth inequality, and barriers to education. Most families in her area in Oaxaca, Mexico have traditionally come from smaller villages in search of a better life and are facing severe unemployment
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I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sheri Stanley, our Director of Operations & Mobilization, to hear her Forward Edge Story. While what we spoke about was only a fraction of God’s incredible works in her life, these significant moments were an inspiration to me, and I hope they
10 yrs. old
Entered the program: April 2022
Mary lives with her grandmother, four cousins, a nephew and a niece in a rented two-room stone house that has electricity, a cement floor and a good bathroom facility. They fetch water from a neighbor’s borehole. Mary’s grandmother is the main provider for the family but her mother is employed as a maid and helps out.
Mary's cousin, Robinson Numi, is also in the Mama Beth program.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
