I have an honorary grandson whose name is Josiah. When he was 9 years old he went to Kenya with his parents on a Houses with Hope Mission trip with their church.
Honorary Grandson
The first day their team was in Kenya, they built a house for a very poor widow who was the guardian of her sister’s son, Joseph. She didn’t have money to send him to school, so Joseph was home the day Josiah’s team came to his village. Both boys were about the same age and they hit it off right away. Before the group left that day Josiah was heartbroken when he found out Joseph was an orphan and wasn’t able to go to school.
After he got back home Josiah couldn’t stop thinking about Joseph, and wanted to help him. Josiah asked his parents to find out how much it would cost to get Joseph in school which was $185.00. Josiah didn’t give it a second thought and gave all his allowance and birthday money to pay for Joseph’s school fees.
A year later Josiah and his parents went back to Kenya and they visited Joseph’s school. The principal told them he was an excellent student, but that his aunt was struggling to take care of him. Joseph went days at a time without anything to eat and had become withdrawn. One of our van drivers and his wife who were working with the team that day, Collins and Joyce Okello, with the help from Josiah and his family, brought Joseph into their home. He is now thriving thanks to the compassion and love giving by a child from accross the world. Josiah and Joseph keep in touch, and look forward to seeing each other every summer. I was blessed and inspired by this young man and hope we will all follow this wonderful example.
As 2018 draws to a close I hope each of you will consider coming to Kenya with us in 2019, and also giving an end of the year gift to help an orphan or a homeless family in Kenya. For only $400 or $35 a month you can provide a home for an orphan like Joseph.
Even if you can’t give the entire $400, a donation of any amount will help provide shelter to a family desperately in need of a home.
It is our prayer that each of us will follow the example of Josiah, and make a lasting difference in the life of an orphan boy like Joseph.
May God bless you richly in 2019,
Ronna Jordan
PS. Donations made online or postmarked on or before midnight on December 31, will be included in your 2018 tax-deductible giving statement.