Some of you may remember ACE building Kal a home in the Galina area a few years ago. During that time, one of his peers who was working with ACE then, Lecepth, ran into some challenging problems where he, his wife and two children were living. Lecepth asked if he could rent the house ACE was building for Kal until he could get his home built right next door.
Kal and ACE agreed, allowing Lecepth to rent his home for approximately $28US a month. Many of you and your churches helped complete what is now the prettiest house in the neighborhood.
Lecepth and his family are now safely in their home next door, and Kal is finally in his! Needless to say, Kal is quite happy. For the first time in his life, he has his own water meter in his name and, soon, his own electric meter. Why is that a big deal? In Jamaica, many people “borrow” electricity from the power company. We used to see in the paper where people were electrocuted weekly. Unfortunately, it hasn’t stopped and many times, church people are guilty of the very same thing. But Kal officially owns his own utilities, and this speaks volumes for who he is. He may be deaf, but he knows that part of ownership is taking responsibility.
And he loves the colors Marla picked out for him! All he needs now, he says, is a swimming pool in the back yard! Congrats, Kal, for a growing up and becoming independent.
TRIP COST
There is an old proverb, “If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.” History proves that lasting change in a poverty culture is achieved by empowering the people to reach their full potential and become self-sustaining. ACE is invested in our community long-term and in conjunction with our partners in the US, we are identifying the circumstances of those around us in order to find real solutions for their unique needs.