Joy World, Faith, and a Blessed Challenge
At Joy World, Purity and the 83 girls are praying hard. Operational costs run close to $7,000/mo. Joy World generates income from apartments and farming, but donations are still needed. We have been able to send over $2,400 since March. Of course, during this difficult time, not all expenses are funded. Purity has been stretching our donations and her personal savings to keep operating until we get our Governing Board and donor network built up so we can fund Joy World steadily — hopefully by January.
Purity emailed me last Monday saying she has exhausted her personal resources and has no funds to purchase their annual supply of grains or to pay her dedicated workers. I urged her to keep faith.
Then, on Wednesday, a blessed challenge. A close friend and reader of this blog offered a matching grant. Our benefactor will match all donations up to $3,000. Plus, if we get $3,000 by the end of July, she’ll donate a total of $5,000. We’ve already received $550, so just $2,450 to go! Please read Linet’s letter, below. And spare what you can to help meet the match of our generous donor!
I have shared Joy World’s plight on this blog, including pictures and video clips of Purity and the girls who live there. Visiting those bright souls is an uplifting experience. Those girls’ light burns all the brighter in contrast to the very dark places from which they have emerged.
Today, I’m sharing one of the letters I received after my visit in March. Linet Nkatha’s story isn’t more terrible than those of the other girls I have met there. Each resident has suffered her own trauma.
Joy World trumps trauma. As a first responder chaplain, I know a bit about trauma, which is characterized by responding to danger when danger is no longer present. Joy World heals trauma by reinforcing the message to each girl in myriad ways that she is safe and loved. With the support of Purity, the matrons, the social worker, and the family of other residents, these girls revive and thrive. They become leaders in their classes and in the community. They are open-hearted and inspiring.
My efforts are to keep Joy World from having to close its doors and return these girls to the dreadful situations that got them there. This is not an exaggeration — there is no net in Kenya for abused and neglected children, especially girls. Joy World is truly the only thing between these girls’ safe, healthy, and hopeful lives and hellish abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Linet’s letter gives you a glimpse…
March 2023
Dear Gary,
My name is Linet Nkatha. I am in [12th grade] at Bishop Lawi Imathiu Secondary School. I live in Joy World family in Meru County.
I came to Joy World in 2018, when I was in grade 7 and a very young girl of 12 years old. This is after experiencing a very hard life at my home. I once lived with my mother, father, and my two younger siblings. We were the poorest in our community. No food to eat. No good place to sleep, no clothes to wear. It was only a miserable life.
In order to cater for our needs, my mother involved herself in selling illicit brew, which was against the law, but the only way for survival. When she was not at home, I was the one who continued with the brew business. It was a tough business when it came to running away from the police, who were always on patrol.
My father could not do anything to earn a living. He was just lying in the house , but expecting for food. No peace at home. My mother always told me to cope with the situation the way it was. Unfortunately, one day my mother was arrested and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. We were only left with my lazy father who had no knowledge of business and not willing to work. Life became so hard for us. We were always thrown out of school for lack of school fees and stayed hungry due to lack of food. We had a small house, which had holes; it was like sleeping outside.
The worst day of my life was when my father came back home later than usual and drunk. We were tempted to ask him for food because we were starving, but his reaction was very severe. He threw us out of the house with a panga [machete], so that we ran for our safety.
We were forced to sleep in the cold breeze outside, and we shivered until morning. In the morning, we started our journey to our grandparents’ home, which was 100 kilometers away. They had nothing to provide to us. I was forced to go and look for a job and the only one that I got was as a house girl in a neighbor’s mansion. I worked tirelessly to provide for my siblings and I usually prayed a lot for the mercy of the Lord upon us.
God answered my prayers one day. I met with this great man and woman [Purity and her husband, Lawrence], who felt pity on me and decided to help me with their love. They were also willing to take care of my two siblings. This is how I found myself in this peaceful, loving, Joy World home. They took me to school, mentored me, and gave me hope. I get food every day, a very nice place to sleep with a mattress and blankets, school uniforms, school fees, and all the basic needs.
When I grow up I would like to be a pilot and study abroad. I want to attain a mean grade of B+ or above in my [senior year] and help my community. That is, to take care of the vulnerable in society. I would like to thank you, Gary, for intervening in our lives to assist our mother in taking care of us in this hard time. You are like our father. We love you so much.
From,
Linet Nkatha
Joy World
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Special Note:
Donations are greatly valued and have immediate impact. All funds go to recipients in Kenya who I know personally. My community work account is monitored monthly by my accountant. ANY AMOUNT HELPS! To give, use the following options:
1. Use PayPal via this link. PayPal takes 3.5%; everything else goes towards the project.
2. Send a donation via Zelle to “GDLwrites@yahoo.com”.
3. Send checks to: Gary Lichtenstein, P.O. Box 212, Bluff, UT 84512.
Thank you for your compassionate heart, and God bless.
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