When Seth Kujat arrived in Mankato earlier this week, it was only the second time the Ohio native had been west of the Mississippi.

Eight months from now, however, Kujat plans to have visited all 50 states. And he will have done so building homes for the nation’s needy as part of what he believes is God’s calling.

Kujat, 23, set out in May on a mission to roof one Habitat for Humanity house in each of the 50 states in 52 weeks time. Mankato was his 17th stop and 18th week.

Working with Habitat for Humanity of South Central Minnesota, Kujat helped put a roof on a new home this week at 404 Stoltzman Road.

“I needed a house, and they had roofing available,” was his simple answer for why he chose Mankato.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian organization that builds affordable housing for the needy. The organization relies heavily on donations and volunteers for labor, but Executive Director Julie Schmillen said she’d never heard of someone taking it to the extreme that Kujat has.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “He’s a very pleasant young man, and he wants to give back to the community.”

Kujat describes himself as having lived a privileged life in tiny Litchfield, Ohio. He began roofing at age 16 and started his own business while attending Kent State University.

He said he was happy upon graduating in December but felt something was missing. Always a religious person, he decided to combine his faith with his experience in roofing.

“I knew God was calling me,” Kujat said.

He traded in his car and roofing truck for a used 1996 Ford Windstar minivan and raised $6,000. He began his tour in May, dubbing it “Leap of Faith.”

“Because it was,” Kujat said. “I didn’t know how it would go.”

It’s gone great, he said. He started in the Northeast and is working his way west. He left Mankato Friday for Brookings, S.D., and hopes to be in Oregon by the end of October before working his way back across the southern half of the country.

He uses the money he raised and donations for food, gas and other expenses. He sleeps wherever someone will have him. In Mankato, that was at the Catholic Newman Center. Schmillen took him to her family reunion on Labor Day.

Kujat said he would like to write a book about his experiences when he’s done. He’d also like to retrace his route and visit all the families who moved into the homes he helped build.