We got the keys!

Over the last few months, we have been searching for a home that we could rent and hopefully purchase at some point. Most rental properties here are really run down and most properties for sale are out of our price range. We have looked at house after house and every time we got close to purchasing a piece of property, something would fall through. Someone would come and offer more money or something would be revealed about the property that made us pull out. We have been frustrated and discouraged many times over the last few months.Just a few weeks ago, we were shown this property. Right away we liked it and saw its potential. We were able to negotiate a good price because the house is owned by a muslim man who is trying to get all of his wives out of this Christian neighborhood. (When fighting breaks out you don’t want to be the only muslim in a Christian area or vice versa.) He has allowed us to pay one year’s rent (often landlord’s require 2 years rent up front) up front and has said that 100% of our rent money will go towards the purchase price. He is giving us a year or two to come up with the rest of the money to purchase the land. He is selling the house next to ours too, so if we can raise enough money, we can buy both houses.After meeting the owner and beginning the negotiations, government officials came and offered him almost twice what we are paying in rent and he turned them down because he likes us. I feel like God was showing us favor! Every house that we looked at and lost in this process does not compare to the quality of house we have finally ended up with!! God has been so good to us. When we felt discouraged, He was protecting us and preparing this place for us. No other renters have lived in the house so it needs little fixing up!We are interviewing house parents tomorrow, starting repairs on Wednesday. We are shopping for furniture and household items. We hope to start housing our first ladies in a couple of weeks!Keep checking our blog for photos and updates!!!