In this episode, we welcome back Ron and Suzanne Owens, the Village Project Director and CEO of Sozo Children, to continue sharing the inspiring journey of the organization. Picking up from last week’s story about building wells, we dive into the next chapter: constructing “God’s House” and the incredible ways the land itself provided for the project.

Highlights:

• The story behind the “Water, Walls, and Worship” fundraising dinner that made the well project possible.
• How eucalyptus trees on the property became the key building material for God’s House, and the symbolic meaning behind it.
• The hands-on process of building, including community involvement and sharing faith with local workers.
• The vision and design of God’s House, and its significance as a place of worship and community gathering.
• The parallel development of Sozo Trading, the organization’s thrift store in Birmingham, and its role in supporting both local and international ministry.
• Stories of generosity, community support, and the impact of donations—highlighting record-breaking fundraising days and the ongoing needs met through the thrift store.
• The growth of Kids Club and Women’s Ministry, serving hundreds of children and families with meals, education, and spiritual support.
• Reflections on the broader mission: strengthening families, empowering communities, and the hope that one day Sozo’s work will no longer be needed because families are thriving.

Links & Resources:

• Photos and drawings of God’s House www.instagram.com/sozochildren
• Sozo Trading information and donation details: www.instagram.com/sozotradingco
• More about Kids Club: www.sozochildren.org

Thank you for listening and being part of the Sozo story! For more information, visit our website and check out the links in the show notes.

www.sozochildren.org

In this episode of the Sozo Podcast, we welcome back Ron Owens, Village Project Director and Sozo CEO Suzanne Owens, to continue telling the story of how Sozo Children began. Picking up after the land purchase in 2014, Ron shares how Engineering Ministries International (EMI) partnered with Sozo to design a master plan for the future Sozo Village. We hear the incredible backstory of drilling the first three wells on the property — from small yields to a miraculous 22,000 liters per hour — and how God turned a “mistake” placement into the community’s primary water source. Along the way, Ron and Suzanne reflect on God’s provision, the importance of different gifts working together, and how water became both a practical and spiritual lifeline for Sozo Village and its neighbors.

From Thrift Store to Choir Tour: The Vision Expands

In this episode of The Sozo Podcast, Haley Jones sits down once again with Sozo Children founder and CEO Suzanne Owens to unpack a pivotal season in the ministry's journey. From the move into their Avondale headquarters in early 2015 to the grand opening of Sozo Trading Co. that summer, Suzanne shares the behind-the-scenes story of how a passing comment at a donor dinner sparked the launch of a thrift store that now serves thousands.

But that’s not all—this episode also dives into the heartwarming origins of the very first Sozo Choir. Hear how a vision planted in 2007 came to life in 2016, as 21 children from Uganda traveled to the U.S. for a six-month tour that would forever shape their lives and the hearts of everyone they met.

Highlights:

• How a business partnership with RJ Mechanical made Sozo’s headquarters and thrift store possible
• The logistical mountain of bringing 21 Ugandan children to the U.S. for the first choir tour
• The unexpected spiritual, emotional, and academic growth the choir kids experienced
• Why reverse mission trips matter—and how they’re changing lives

Tune in and be reminded: when you follow God’s lead, even a simple idea can change the world.

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