Joska

Term 1, 2023

Receive greetings in Jesus’ Name from Joska Center. We are excited to have had a successful term. Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we transform lives through the love of Jesus.

Lilian Karemesi and Jane Waweru

Head Teachers, Joska Center.

Total Enrolled: 1,417 students
Total Unsponsored: 437 students

Joy* is in grade 4 and a student at our Joska Center. She and her younger brother were brought up by a single mother in the Bondeni community. Joy’s mother was an alcoholic and the abuse made her very violent toward Joy. Eventually, Joy’s mother abandoned Joy and never returned. Joy was forced to live on the streets begging for food and looking for odd jobs to buy food.

This was very traumatic for Joy, but her neighbors noticed this and she was taken in by a safe house nearby. Through this safe house, she joined Missions of Hope Bondeni Center. Though she had somewhere to sleep and food to eat at night. The trauma of being abandoned by her mother still weighed heavy on her. She was saddened each time she would see her fellow classmates have wonderful mother-daughter relationships. This was when her social worker thought it best for her to be transferred to Joska boarding school where she could be surrounded by people who care for her at all times.

Once Joy moved to Joska she began to see a therapist and work on her healing. During this time her mother had joined a rehabilitation center where she was working on becoming sober. Once Joy’s mother finished rehab, the social worker went looking for her to see if she was interested in reconciling with her daughter.

The social worker told Joy’s mother about the hardship that Joy had endured while she was left alone. Joy’s mother was deeply moved and agreed to talk to Joy. A video call was arranged and talking to her mother as well as reconnecting with her brother brought her real joy. The mother and daughter cried as they reconciled.

Once the meeting was over Joy was overwhelmed with gladness and told anyone who would listen that her mother had returned. Once the school holidays started Joy went back to live with her mother and younger brother. She had missed and craved the love of a mother. Since her mother stopped drinking she had lots of affection towards Joy. This healthy relationship has given Joy new hope and new joy.

We thank God for this family’s restoration.

*Name was changed.

• We thank God for the 234 new junior secondary students who were recruited under the new school curriculum. We thank God for availing the resources to allow us to open this new section of the school.
• Our track and field athletes competed with other students from different schools in their school district. They did their very best and managed to qualify for the next round.
• Our high school participated in the county sports competition. Our basketball team won the tournament and came back with a trophy. Congratulations to our team!
• Both our primary and high schools participated in the National Drama Festival competitions. Our students had a great time interacting with other students from other schools as well as competing in song and dance competitions.
• Our students were taken through different trainings this term that taught them skills like; peer mentorship, trauma coping mechanisms, and guidance and counseling. We have also taught them tools to deal with family conflict, effective study habits, and other tools that have created a great culture of care and concern among our students.

• We were pleased to have Brian Smith from AgriStewards who visited our school and the Joska Farm. He trained a team to start Gardens of Faithfulness in the community. The training aimed to empower and grow healthy communities through a program called Farming God’s Way.
• Amity Christian Church and Dayton Christian Church visited our school. They had time to talk to and interact with the students. They also came for Sunday service. This was a great worship experience with the learners.
• Brook Wilson came to visit and he met all the OHC community Pastors and their wives. He visited them at their homes to pray with them and had a group lunch.

• We held an open air church service in the community over Easter. We praise God that 2 people gave their lives to Jesus during the service. 
• We held an overnight prayer service with the community in Joska at the end of March. One person gave their life to Christ! Praise God! 
• During a home group bible study meeting, a mother and daughter reconciled their relationship after many years of not speaking to each other. Praise Jesus!

• Pray for our students and their families for an economical breakthrough during these tough economic times. 
• We pray for our country during this political unrest. 
• Pray for the health of our students and staff members as the seasons change. We pray that our students and staff remain in good health.