“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!
In his book, “Empowering Children”, former Forward Edge board member, Dr. Ravi Jayakaran, shares the importance of involving children in the process of their own development. When a community invests its resources in its children, it invests in its own future. Just as Forward Edge values all children and believes
Many of us have seen profile photos of children in sponsorship programs; they are often solemn, sad and sometimes down-right angry looking. I know I have thought at times, “Wow, that poor child must be so unhappy!” But then I come across a video from the same organization in which
Our children’s programs had wonderful Christmas programs full of food, music, celebration, and the true meaning of Christmas – in fact at least 13 people were saved through these programs! Oaxaca Haiti Kenya Uganda Ghana Cuba Oaxaca Haiti Kenya Uganda Ghana Cuba In Oaxaca, families were invited for a delicious
Ever wonder if you’re really making an impact in the life of the child you sponsor? The very fact that your child knows you chose them shows them they are special and that they matter. They know they’re important to you and also to God, you may even be an
13 yrs. old
Entered the program: May 2025
Moses lives with his grandmother and older sister in a rented one-room wood house with a dirt floor and a sheet metal roof. The family has no furniture and uses candles for light. They share a poorly-constructed communal outdoor kitchen with neighbors that uses firewood for cooking. Water is fetched from a nearby river and boiled for drinking. The neighbors also share a communal pit latrine made of sheet metal that is in poor condition and there is no bathing facility.
Moses’s mother has addiction issues which prompted her to attempt drowning Moses and his sister in the river when they were younger, as she was struggling to care for them. Fortunately, they were rescued and taken to their grandmother who is raising them. His mother fled and her whereabouts are unknown.
Plus bonus group fundraising ideas!
