Noah's Tragedy and His Ark of Redemption “I’m ready and willing. I just need the opportunity.”

A photo of Noah center front squatting, and Noah's wife in a white blouse sixth from left. Oliver is farthest left in the multi-colored shirt. Robert is the tallest man in the white shirt, fifth from the right. Deborah is taking the photo. Taken during the Kenyan National Emergency April 2024 floods when the four families were driven from their washed away farmhouses to a Red Cross emergency shelter.

WhatsApp message exchange between doctor Noah Wekesa and Jack Carney, March 2025. They became close friends since first meeting in October 2023 through Oliver Juma, the man Jack has known and been supporting for five years along with his partner Deborah Ouma. Many tragedies have happened to Oliver, Noah, Deborah and Robert, the heads of the four subsistence farming families. Jack has been helping to keep them alive with money and words.

Context: Jack is asking Noah to comment about starting up a clinic to serve the poor farmers in his area.

Noah to Jack:

I’ve already thought it through. I have a good friend who is a fully registered doctor here in Kenya, but he's currently not practicing because the pay is too low. In fact, I know a few registered doctors who are in similar situations. I can work with one of them to officially register the clinic under their name, which keeps everything legal and safe. I won’t be operating as the doctor publicly—instead, I’ll take the role of manager, handling everything behind the scenes to make sure the dispensary runs smoothly. This way, we stay within the law and still get the clinic up and running to help the community. And I will employ other people here to work as cleaners and other work.

Jack to Noah:

Context: Jack is referring to Noah’s suicide attempt six months ago shortly after his wife and youngest daughter were struck by lightning and both killed instantly:

Do you think you’ve got the will to live now and the power to do that, and the inspiration, the memory of your wife, the friends you’ve lost, so many of the tragedies you’ve gone through, I’ll be standing with you in that loss. I think you can do it. How do you feel about that?

Noah to Jack:

Jack, you’re absolutely right and thank you. Even though my phone battery is low and I’m in a place where resources are scarce, something inside me is getting stronger. I’m not running out of power; I’m gaining it, through your encouragement, through this vision we’re building, and through the hope that things can change. Your words give me fuel, and I feel more determined than ever. So yes, I agree with you completely and I’m smiling too. I just need a fresh start and a safe, sustainable way to earn a living and continue helping people. With some support, especially through donations or a platform like Substack to share my story, I can reopen a dispensary and begin rebuilding my life with purpose and dignity. I’m ready and willing. I just need the opportunity.