This is Jenny. She is a single mom that we were able to support in a time of crisis.  Jenny needed a house.

Her previous house didn’t have running water, a bathroom, a kitchen, or a floor.  But that would have been acceptable for her if it wasn’t so close to the water.

You see, being too close to the water meant that when the water rose, crabs would come out of her dirt/mud floor into the bed she shares with her kids, and pinch them.  Being close to the water meant she lived in the preferred location for drunken knife fights by rival gangs, leading to sleepless nights of praying that the violence wouldn’t spill into her house.

This family had experience enough of that already, having recently weathered the stormy relationship of an abusive father and husband who left behind a broken family and an HIV infected mother.

We asked her how they protected their possessions in the house.  She said that if she didn’t leave someone to watch, even the nails and roofing materials would be taken.  Can you imagine coming home and your entire house is stolen….?

The church in Gualay had come alongside Jenny, moved her from her old house into a transition house where she was safe.  They made plans to build her a house on solid ground, surrounded by her church family.  They did this without knowing where the money would come from.

That’s where we came into the story.  Compassion told us about Jenny and we jumped at the opportunity to get involved.  We became the answer to Jenny’s prayer.

Here is a picture of Jenny’s new house that will be completed next month.

We got a chance to personally meet Jenny and her family after touring her old neighborhood. This is Jenny’s daughter showing us her prized painting…of a house.  It was the only decoration in the house where they were staying.  (Look closely in the picture of Jenny and you will see it.)

I say “was” because her daughter insisted that we accept it as a gift.  I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house during this exchange.

It now hangs at BTI360 HQ, a constant reminder of what an honor it is to serve and the priceless gifts we receive in return.