Now that my St. Veronica Church project in Kenya is finished and dedicated, except for a few minor details, my attention has been drawn to a situation in Tanzania - the next country south of Kenya. People laughed out loud when I said that St. Veronica Church will be my last project! I guess they know me by now. It also makes a difference when you actually know something about the situation you are committed to helping! I just can't stop trying to help!
Minor Seminarian Filbert Amos Kileo (age 14 on the right), with his mother, Jesca Maurus Nyoni, and sister, Jackline Amos Kileo, in front of the Seminary with Bishop Mhasi. (Notice the Immaculate Heart of Mary or Sacred Heart of Jesus images on the mother's skirt.)
I am sponsoring young Filbert through Minor Seminary since his mother and younger sister are unable to pay for his annual tuition, room and board. The cost per seminarian is $800.00 a year for tuition, room and board.
Father John Judie, who volunteers in Tanzania mostly, told me about young Filbert's situation. He was sent home from the seminary because his single mother, Jesca, and younger sister, Jacklin, could not afford the $800.00 tuition, room and board. Since young Filbert has the same first name as Bishop Filbert Mhasi, Bishop Mhasi intervened and brought him back to the seminary and told him, "I will find the money somewhere." When I was told about it, at that price I decided to "sponsor" him through his seminary years, as long as possible, because the Archdiocese of Louisville paid for all twelve years of my seminary education when my family could not afford it at that time. Bishop Mhasi told me that his mother cried when she heard the good news. I too was age 14 when I started seminary. I told Father Judie and Bishop Mhasi that I had one stipulation that there be no pressure on him to be ordained, even though we all hope it will happen! Going to Seminary is about discernment, not a decision to be a priest. That comes much later, especially at age 14. There were 60 of us who started seminary in 1958 at age 14 and only 5 of us were ordained in 1970.
When Bishop Mhasi was here this past summer, I asked about Filbert's mother, Jesca. I was told that she is a single mother with two children. Filbert's sister, Jacklin, lives with his mother in a rented one-room situation with one small bed for mother and a small couch for her daughter. Father Judy told me that because of this, young Filbert will not be able to go home since there is only one real bed in his mother's rented one room living situation. He will have to live with the local pastor when school is out.
This situation bothered me greatly. I usually do projects that help a whole community, but this time I decided to break from that pattern and try to help just one struggling family. I asked Bishop Mhasi to investigate how much a small house would cost to build. He had an architect friend to supply me with drawings and the financial costs. When the report came with a cost of only $13,000.00 in American dollars for a new, small, simple three-bedroom house, I was hooked! I wrote back and asked him what it would cost for her to own the house, own some new furnishings and own a plot of land large enough for a small vegetable garden. I was told that that total would amount to $15,500.00. I knew then that I was hooked for sure!
I know I can't change the whole world, but I am very excited to know that I can change the life of one family drastically for such a small amount - a fully furnished house on a plot of ground where she can grow her own vegetables without her having to pay rent on a one-room living situation. I really want her to own this house, not rent it, so she can have a better life for herself and her two kids going forward!
I am committed to having this house built, even if I have to pay for a large part of it myself! I'll cut back wherever I can, knowing that I can do this alone if I have to! Now that I know about this situation, I can't just "do nothing" about it.
However, if you would like to help me out with this project, make your tax-deductible check out to
Father John Judie Ministries - Tanzania House Project
and send it to me for deposit.
Rev. Ronald Knott
1271 Parkway Gardens Court #106
Louisville, KY 40217
for questions call me at
1-502-303-4571
A REAL HOME FOR A MOTHER, DAUGHTER AND SON
$13,000 for the new three-bedroom house
$1,200 for the land with a lot large enough for a vegetable garden
$1,300.00 for necessary furnishings
TOTAL
$15,500.00
unless something was overlooked or prices rise
Donations totaling $8,500.00 for this project (including my own first personal donation of $7,000.00) have already been sent for deposit. Another generous check has been promised, but has not yet been received. When we reach our goal, anything above that stated goal will be used for inevitable unforeseen "overage costs" caused by rising prices or overlooked details.
PROJECT ALERT!
At this point, the above goal has already been met, but it already needs to be adjusted. I estimate that we will still need @ $4,500.00 to completely finish this project. This adjustment will include a recently overlooked septic tank system and any unforeseen rises in building material costs. If no one steps forward to help, so as to get the house completed soon and before costs continue to rise, I will try my best to finish funding this project personally if that is what it takes!
The drawings below shows what this new small house will look like when finished. If we start right away, the builder promised that he could have it ready to move into in @ two months. He is ready when the funds are ready. Bishop Mhasi has agreed to oversee this construction process personally so that it will be done without any abuse or corruption of our donations.
Come on! Let's do this!
In case you can't read the print.
front and back VERANDA = Porch
middle LOUNGE = Living Room
right DINING = Dining Room
WC = Toilet/Bathroom
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