Rebuilding

View of the Church Shelter From the Bedroom That Was Crushed 

Eight days ago Snoden and Susan’s house collapsed from the heavy rains that characterize the rainy season in Sub-Saharan Africa. Their nine-year-old daughter was inside alone when the structure began to crumble. Thankfully, they got her out before the roof fell in on her bedroom, and their four-year-old son is fine. They recently finished construction on a small shelter adjacent to their house to serve as the temporary preschool. They immediately moved into that to get out of the rain. They were able to salvage a few pieces of furniture from the rubble and crowded it all into the tiny, unfinished building. Though they were safe and dry overnight, the house they had purchased from their landlord just two days before had fallen to the ground, and they were devastated.

The House Before it Was Completely Knocked Down

Snoden asked us to come as soon as the rains permitted our vehicle to navigate the treacherous obstacle course the road to the village had become. Steep and slippery ruts are being etched deeper and deeper into the roadway by the rushing water from an especially heavy rainy season. He assured us that his family had everything they absolutely needed. Susan was cancelling preschool indefinitely to buy them some time to get back on their feet. Besides, he said the church he had invested in over the past year would surely come to help. 

Susan, Doreen, and Snoden Loading our Truck with Bricks

We got to the village the second day. A corner of the house had broken off like so much gingerbread. Half the house was still standing, but we were glad to hear Snoden say they would demolish it before rebuilding. It was apparent from the complex network of long cracks that the construction would not withstand more rain and would be unsafe to live in. They’ve been saving to buy it for many months. Because it would take many more months to save enough to rebuild, we’re helping them get the process started. The sooner they get back into their own house, the sooner we can use the preschool building for the children of the village. We all want that. In the meantime, they are still cooking daily and feeding the orphans. 

Children of the Village Doing the Work

Most of the church never showed up to help—except to ask for a paid job on the demolition site. He did employ a few of them. And, when Snoden went to find skilled masons to reconstruct the walls, they quoted him an inflated rate. He says it’s because they know he’s friends with white people and expect more money. He continued the search until he found an honest man with an honest price. The foundation has been completely removed (It was a concrete frame filled with sand.) and the yard is full of bricks that have been painstakingly carried—sometimes one by one—to begin rebuilding. Very few adults came to help, but the children of the village were there right away, carrying bricks without even being asked. Besides the physical structure of his house, Snoden feels we need to rebuild the metaphorical structure of the church that meets in his backyard. He's understandably disappointed that they haven’t been there to help and have even tried to make a dime off his suffering. We feel this is a necessary discussion and plan to have it after the family is living in their own house again. Please pray for favorable conditions and diligent workers to rebuild what has been damaged.

Pile of Bricks in Front of the Demolished House

Please send financial gifts to Westworth Church of Christ, 5728 White Settlement Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76114, c/o Malawi Mission Work, or you can give with a click at http://www.westworthcoc.org/malawi-mission/ Thank you, and God bless.