Leah has been a widow for 3 years since the passing of her husband in 2020 during COVID pandemic. She supports her family of seven (5 children and 2 grandchildren). Together with her family, Leah has lived in the depleted house for 16 years, enduring the harsh weather conditions including termite invasion. Leah’s house was infested with termites in April 2021 which fed on the house’s timber, cracking the walls and finally making the house tilt. In addition to termite infestation, Leah’s roof had rusted and was leaking during rainy days.

“Being the head of the family and trying to make a living has not been easy. I had to endure living in deplorable conditions because of the little I get; I used to put food on the table and pay school fees for my children. My friend and I prayed and fasted for a new house, as we had already planned to take a loan to build a house. And our God of miracles, decided to answer my prayers through Nyanam. Thank you Nyanam, Onsite ICF and First Presbyterian Church for blessing me with a new house, may your pockets never run dry’’. -Said Leah, Nyanam Widow

As a widow with limited financial resources, Leah was supported by her friend through long periods of prayer and fasting for many days so she could get a better house. During the fasting and prayers, Leah eventually got courage to share her plight with one of Nyanam’s counsellors Reverent Nicodemus. In her plea, Leah was troubled and questioned whether God had forgotten her and her suffering. Leah felt it took long for God to answer her prayer for a good and safe house.

To supplement her prayers, she started planning to acquire a loan to build a safe and comfortable shelter for herself, children and grandchildren. Her housing situation not only limited her physically, but it also robbed her of her social life. She narrates,

“Because of my housing situation, I spent most of my time worried and working so hard to save up for a new house. The little income I got from selling cassava, I could split between food, school fees and save a little for a new house. This was hard. Sometimes, I went without saving anything because the money I got from selling wasn’t enough even for food. Although, truly, all our prayers are never in vain. I never thought that one day, I would be among those to be blessed with a new house.”

Leah tried her best, however she wasn’t able to save enough to build a new house. When Nyanam was doing group visits asking widows about their housing situations, Leah was among the first widows in her group to be nominated and proposed for the housing project. Through strategic partnership and financial support from First Presbyterian Church, Leah’s house was among the first 4 houses to be constructed in the project.

Leah, like the other 3 Nyanam widows, has a three-roomed house built using Onsite ICF technology (foam blocks). The house has a sitting room, Leah’s bedroom and another room which she had as a bedroom for her children and grandchildren or a store.

“This is truly the day that the lord has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Today I want to appreciate my mother for the way she has always stood in the storm and when the wind blew her way, she adjusted her sails without giving up. Thank you for always being there for us no matter how hard it gets. You have proven to us that a mother's strength is a force to be reckoned with, as you forged through the fires of adversity.”-Leah’s Daughter
“The book of 1st Timothy 5:5 says, the widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and ask God for help. Leah, my sister, today we are here to celebrate God’s answer to one of your prayers. The God of Ruth, Esther and Sarah will never forsake us, he may take time to respond but eventually he will respond (God’s time is the best). May our good Lord bless your new home, may he continue opening doors for you that no man can shut.”-Agnes Nyanam Widow and a member of Leah’s Leadership Circle“I am so happy that I am alive to see my sister-in-law welcomed us to her new house. All I can say is, with God what’s possible will always be infinitely greater than what we believe to be probable. And we can be thankful that such a reality means that where we see a wall, God wishes to unveil a horizon’’. -Leah’s brother-in-law

Written by: Evelyn Odhiambo - Youth and Communications Manager at Nyanam

Blessed with a new house. The story of Leah, a Nyanam widow