Joska

Head Teacher’s Greeting:

Receive greetings from Joska Center. We thank God for the great success of the term. This was a good term with the great blessings of visiting teams and partners.

Jane Waweru

Head Teacher, Joska

Current Stats:

Number of Students: 848.

Unsponsored Students: 393

Term Highlight:

• Both of our primary and high schools were actively involved in the National Music Festivals where they advanced to the regional level. They had an amazing time singing, dancing, and connecting with students from other schools.
• Our high school students enthusiastically participated in the National Sports Games competition, reaching the regional level. They competed in volleyball, soccer, and netball, showcasing their athletic prowess.
• Our dedicated staff members embraced the spirit of friendly competition. They engaged in the inter-staff contest hosted at Joska-Ndovoini, which included sports evangelism featuring soccer matches with the community members. Our students also had the chance to explore indoor games like badminton.
• A new believers class was held, leading to the baptism of 45 students. This marks a significant milestone in their spiritual journey. We warmly welcome them into the fellowship of the Lord’s house and the joy of being part of our faith community! Praise be to Jesus.

Transformation Story:

Mike is a 14-year-old boy who comes from a modest background in a family of two siblings. Unfortunately, both of his parents have a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and they do not contribute to the welfare of their children.

The influence of Mike’s parents has caused more harm than good on their children. This resulted in the introduction of drugs and alcohol abuse to Mike’s 10-year-old brother, Paul. Fortunately, Paul is now our student and is undergoing counseling and holistic rehabilitation, showing remarkable progress and transformation since joining our school.

Due to a combination of life’s challenges and domestic violence, Mike’s parents abandoned him and his brother. They vanished without a trace. Mike had to take on the responsibility of caring for himself and his brother until he eventually moved in with his grandmother. He attended a local school while living with her, but life with their elderly grandmother was difficult. They often went to bed hungry due to financial constraints.

Amidst the confusion of abandonment, one of Mike’s younger siblings was left alone to roam the streets of Kavombo village within the Joska community. This is how we crossed paths with him, eventually recruiting him into our school. This connection revealed their family’s struggles and challenges.

Paul’s social worker worked tirelessly to track down Mike’s parents. They eventually located them in bars and intervened to facilitate reconciliation. The parents agreed to return home, and Mike joined them. However, the happiness was short-lived as Mike’s father disappeared again without notice.

With his father gone, Mike’s mother struggled to provide for the family due to her addiction and dependence on her husband. She turned to Mike to support the family financially, often sending him to neighbors for work. Mike’s mother even went as far as hiring him out to neighbors for tasks such as tending to cows, gardening, and collecting firewood to sell.

Given his newfound role as a provider, Mike had little time for school. He would leave early in the morning to work and bring back money to his mother. If he returned without money, his mother would respond with threats, insults, physical abuse, and even throwing him into a compost pit. This cycle continued until one day, just like his father, his mother disappeared as well.

Mike sought refuge with a neighbor he used to work for. The family’s social worker conducted home visits to check on Mike and his mother, but they were nowhere to be found. After extensive efforts, the social workers eventually located Mike, but attempts to contact his parents remained unsuccessful.

Upon finding Mike with the neighbor, they discovered he was being mistreated. The neighbor prevented him from attending school, forcing him to tend to cows and endure hunger until late evening. Mike’s social worker took decisive action, ensuring his enrollment in our MOHI programs.

Today, Mike is a student at our Joska center, where he has access to basic needs and education. He’s transformed into a content and joyful boy. We are grateful for having rescued him from the hardships he faced and from the mistreatment that could have shattered his potential.

*Name changed to protect privacy

Partner Activity:

• Grand Canyon University students visited us. They spent the night at Joska and engaged in interactive sessions with our learners. They played a pivotal role in learner mentorship, shared their musical talents, and even joined in some dance sessions. It was a revitalizing experience for our students.
• 26 members from Eastside Christian Church came to visit. They provided essential dental services to both learners and the community, ensuring everyone received proper care. The team also administered fluoride treatments to all learners and organized a fun-filled Olympics with various teams, awarding the victorious participants with medals.
• Lifespring Christian Church made their presence felt. They hosted Vocational Bible Studies at Joska day school, engaging students in enjoyable games and activities. As a delightful treat, they shared snacks with the learners, making it a truly memorable day.
• Snyder Memorial Baptist visited our center, creating a wonderful experience for our learners out in the field. Their time spent with the students was highly appreciated.

Prayer Requests:

• Please join us in prayer for the 381 students at Joska Center who are still awaiting sponsorship
•  Pray for the new students who will be joining us by December of this year. We ask for God’s guidance and provision to ensure their educational journey is supported and successful.
• Pray for our partners and their families, asking for God’s protection, long life, provision, and blessings to be upon them. We thank God for their support which has seen many lives transformed.