Our Reason for Serving: Josh’s story

Josh Owusu grew up in Hampton, Virginia after moving to the US from the UK as a baby. He attended Bethel High School and then went on to William & Mary for college. He played many sports, including football, throughout high school and his freshman, sophomore, and junior years of college. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a 4.0 GPA in 2020 after receiving the Bill and Melinda Gates scholarship that would have allowed him to obtain his master’s and doctorate degrees. He was a part of Agape Campus Ministry his first two years at William & Mary and then BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) his last two years. Josh was also a  member of Greater City, the collegiate branch of 3e Restoration, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people on their journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Josh passed away unexpectedly and tragically on April 5th, 2022, just prior to his 24th Birthday.
“To Love Like Josh”
Josh was intelligent, kind, outgoing, loving, compassionate, humble, selfless, and a gift of grace. He was a godly man. Anyone who spent time with Josh never left his company before he prayed for them. He was known to send uplifting messages and bible verses to whoever he felt God “put on his heart” at the time. Josh devoted his time to praising the Lord and teaching children of his love. He volunteered at a Christian summer camp in 2021 and began his teaching career at Hampton Christian Academy teaching chemistry in the fall of the same year. Josh had a heart for the homeless and was always eager to help however he could. He was quick to donate food and his time to people in need. He prayed for those who ever mentioned a struggle to him and asked others to do the same.
Our Mission: “To Live Like Josh”
Josh is loved and missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. In honor of him, “Josh’s Gift of Grace” is dedicated to providing temporary/emergency housing to those in need while connecting them with other organizations to establish permanent housing and fulfill other needs. While Josh is no longer here to serve the way he use to, we wish to build something that he would have been proud of. We are committed to carrying on his legacy by living the way he did and serving others. The name Joshua comes from the Hebrew name “Yehoshua” meaning “God is deliverance.” Josh delivered like God does; he was true to his word and always there when you needed him. We hope to deliver in the same way to those who need a friend like Josh.
“To Serve Like Josh”
By providing temporary/emergency housing to those in the community who lack shelter, we hope to also provide a sense of security that they may have never experienced before. Shelter is a necessity and yet not a priority to many even though there are approximately 553,000 homeless people in the United States and approximately 6,000 in Virginia alone. These numbers are devastating but not beyond repair. By working with 3e Restoration, Inc., we hope to decrease these numbers starting with the City of Williamsburg and James City County. We wish to also work to distribute food and hygiene supplies to those who cannot afford them. We hope that through our service we will spread the goodness of God along with the spirit of Josh.