“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
This November, Forward Edge International celebrated 40 years of fruitful ministry at our annual Worth & Purpose Benefit for Children. As part of the celebration, Forward Edge’s Program Directors were invited to attend from around the world. As preparations and accommodations were being made, I learned that our Haitian Program
The Road to Today “Imagine a young girl forced to grow up inside a garbage dump, exposed to extreme filth and severe malnutrition, at risk of physical abuse, rape, drug abuse, pregnancy – and even being sold into prostitution by her family for first access to incoming garbage.” These were
It’s an exciting time at Forward Edge as we announce the launch of our brand new program, Create Hope Ghana, alongside our 40th anniversary celebration. We’re thrilled to witness the positive impact this program has already made on the lives of 75 children and their families residing in 10 different
12 yrs. old
Entered the program: January 2019
Leticia lives with her mother and two siblings in an old one-bedroom house that is in very bad condition and structurally unsound. Whenever it rains the house leaks badly and it is hard to find a dry place for the family to sleep. The family uses a paraffin lamp for lighting in, and firewood is used to prepare meals and boil water which is fetched from a tap that is closeby.
