One year ago we shared a story about a man named Abdul Kintu, a 42-year-old nominal Muslim living in Buyuki, one of the villages surrounding SOS. At a very young age, Abdul was diagnosed with Polio, which crippled his left leg and foot, limiting his mobility and causing chronic pain.
In early 2021 our community outreach team found Abdul at his ‘house' in Buyuki. He was living in a ramshackle tarpaulin makeshift home in a lonely area by himself. It was immediately evident that he was in need of proper shelter and physical aid. Our team introduced themselves seeking to come alongside him.
Through many visits throughout 2021, our community outreach team continued to build a relationship with Abdul and evaluate how best to minister to him. Determining that a proper shelter was what he needed most urgently, our team applied Abdul for the Joni & Friends Home Transformation and Accessibility program. A few months later, the application was approved, but the challenges were not over.
When our team shared the good news with Abdul and asked if he had a personal piece of land where a house could be built, he shared that he had none. We advised Abdul to talk with his father and ask if he would give him a portion of his land for the building of the house. Unfortunately, we learned that Abdul’s aged and frail father had transferred all land responsibilities to Abdul’s older brother, who had at one time squandered Abdul’s money and threatened his life (read previous blog post by clicking HERE).
Given the state of the relationship, it seemed impossible to Abdul that his brother might give him even a small portion of the large amount of property that their father owned. Regardless, we encouraged Abdul to plead with his brother, explain the situation, and share how he was in desperate need of shelter.
Sadly, Abdul’s brother had no desire to speak with him. After several failed attempts at a conversation, Anthony Basaba, SOS’s Director of Community Outreach, reached out to Abdul’s brother on his behalf. Thanks be to God that through this conversation Abdul’s brother agreed to legally give Abdul one acre of land!
Preparations for Abdul’s new home started at the beginning of November 2021 and the home was completed by the end of December. Throughout the entire process Abdul was in disbelief that this was actually happening to his life. He thought it all too-good-to-be-true. In addition to being able to provide Abdul a new home, we have also been able to minister to him by providing physical therapy to help improve his walking and relieve the pain in his disabled foot.
Abdul is thankful for all the ways that SOS has served him. And we are so grateful for you because you have enabled us to do so! We ask that you keep Abdul in your prayers. Although we have shared the gospel with him, he has not yet turned to Christ. Pray for our community outreach team as they maintain a relationship with him. And pray that Abdul would accept Jesus as his Savior.
