Tips for your Missionary's Reentry.

TIPS FOR YOUR MISSIONARY'S REENTRY

 

1. SHOW AN INTEREST.

What your missionary has left their home country to go and do matters extremely to them (they would not leave if it didn't) and not asking about stories from their trip, not wanting to see their pictures and hear every little detail, etc. is hurtful, can be relationally damaging, and can make coming back even harder. Show you care (even if you don't - and if that's the case, ask Jesus why and for a heart that does care). Everyone existing on the planet wants to know other people care about what they do and who they love. Do everything you can to show that you do.

2. MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS

Perhaps your missionary is back earlier than planned due to political reasons/safety, sickness, or whatever. Regardless of the reason for reentry, chances are they will not have a home to go to, they won't have a job (may not want to get a job), and all their resources (and some of yours) were spent on another continent. Work with them. Love them with a grace that only comes from Jesus. They need you to make those kinds of provisions. It makes their life so much easier if these things are already in place before they even board their flight home. Airport pickup is another thing. Family members and friends should make every effort to be there.

3. DEAL WITH EMOTIONS

Your missionary will most likely be a mess for a while upon reentry. Maybe there are now people they love that they have left behind who are now on the other side of the planet. Visual sensory issues of their surroundings will most likely be the first they deal with. Most likely they feel like they've landed on another planet. It's great to love them where they are without becoming argumentative when it comes to their views. You need to realize they have changed in their time away. Here's why: they've seen things they cannot unsee (i.e. kids with legs blown up and put back together, sickness and disease, poverty unlike they've ever seen, demonic activity).

They will either come back feeling guilty, grateful, pissed or all of the above. They may feel guilty because they have so much, grateful for what they do have and for the chance to go, or pissed because it is the way it is and seems like you don't care or it wouldn't be that way in their mind.

If they have been around extreme poverty, ways that people spend their money could be another cause for strong feelings. Grocery shopping may not be the same mundane thing for them. You may now be rich in their sight. That $20 you just spent on makeup, cigarettes, or New Years Eve party face masks could have fed that starving family they were trying to find help to feed.

Attitudes about the American church may be another. Perhaps they've been in an area where Christians are under extreme persecution for their faith and now church seems dull with all the flashy stage lights. Perhaps they miss the passion they witnessed where they were.

These things happen (fortunately and unfortunately) to be a part of the new package. Emotions can be raw and they are real. Encourage them in healthy ways to cope with all the stresses of returning. And give them time but not too much space as these emotions can turn into severe depression and/or suicide. Research the warning signs as missionaries while they know the truth are not immune to these thoughts as Satan and his demons attack everyone. Be in their stuff whatever they are feeling.

4. PRAY

Hopefully you joined the team in praying for them leading up to their departure and while they were away. They need for you to pray for them in their return. It's a big deal to them that you are on your knees for them. Lift them up and place them in the best place they can be - in Jesus' hands.

Trust in the Lord.

 

 

There are days when you just lay in the snow, stare at the blue-musky-cloudy sky above you, remember being blanketed by a clear sky of stars as you were nearing your sleep to the listen of tiny running baring feet in the street below the verandah you were laying on, in a country you love that is halfway across the planet from where you are now (you were soaking in these last moments knowing this day of coming back earlier than thought may soon come), and you breathe in, create joy in the moment you're in, permit yourself to laugh at yourself as you flap your arms and move your legs to make the silly snow vision-ed angel you're making now, and you are glad to have lived it.

Today is one of those days.

 

I don't know what is happening in life.

 

I smile at Him, though my heart breaks, curl myself up as I am completely stretched out on this cold earth, and I dare ask why my life is so hard. I'm reminded of Paul and his journeys and how he had to tear himself away.

 

My latest journal find during a trip to Wally was a God-thing. It was the only one on the shelf, it happens to be my color, and the cover is just timely in this season of transition.



 

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding."

- Proverbs 3:5

Transitioning: prayers, gratitude, and a fro.

Let there be laughter - among this VERY cold snow (5 inches of it and counting I've heard).  ;)  I took my braids out last night and ended up with my first fro ever!!  (It took me over an hour to take them out!) 

My sister says I'm just bringing back the 90s.  :)  80s?  Lol.

I appreciate your prayers as I continue adjusting to life back
in the States.  It matters. 

I really started missing my kids late last night (after bragging on myself not losing it at life group lol) and I grieved not being able to say goodbye to my kids at the school before I left.  They were on break the week prior and we just ran out of time doing everything else the following Monday.  By the time I was able to get to the school, they had already gone home.  It's hard not getting to say bye but perhaps getting to say bye would have been harder.  I did get to go on a home visit to one of my students during the break and when I brought up the truth of not being able to extend my visa, she started to cry. 

"Izosh," I told her (which means "be strong").

I miss them.  I miss doing handclaps with Habesha and Sudanese.  I miss their hugs and the high fives.  I miss nearly being pulled to the ground by our KG students as they were so welcoming and just wanted to give me a kiss on the cheek as I entered through the gate.  I miss watching children run to me as they saw me coming when I was on the street.  It really happened.  I'm so glad I was able to go and to fight for them, and the fight continues.  For those experiences, I am grateful. 

I love my family and friends who pray and put up with me as I go through these transitions in having more than one home.  Thanks for your love, your hugs, your patience and your attempts at understanding with me!         

Besufekad: autistic child left alone with young cousin while parents work.

Besufekad Yohannes

 

 

Besufekad is a sweet four year old boy who has been in the sponsorship program for half a year without sponsors. While he has not been diagnosed by a doctor, it is believed that he has some form of autism as he cannot speak nor can he eat by himself. There has been some improvement in his disability as he is starting to call out for his parents, but that is all he can manage to speak. He is currently living with his mom and his dad, as well as his one brother and his sister (who are older than he is). His parents are both daily laborers who work 12 hour days. Since the family is struggling to make ends meet, they leave the four year old child with his eight year old cousin (as neither are enrolled in school) to watch him while they work. Monthly rent is 300 birr, just around $15 USD.

When I visited the boy my last day in Ethiopia, he was running around wearing only a tee shirt. Clothes, food, and a mattress are the current immediate needs for this family as the children are sleeping on the floor. I would also suggest a daycare should he find a sponsor so that he is not left alone with an eight year old who should not be forced to watch him anyway. If another sponsor were found, while the cousin is not in the BCI program, we may be able to find a school to enroll him in should someone be willing to cover the monthly fee. For BCI Academy, that fee is about 380 birr, or just under $20 USD a month.

If you are interested in helping this family, and helping Besufekad to live a healthier, more stable life, please contact me for further information.

Why the men of God need to be the men God has called them to be.

Hiwot Semeneh

 

"How do I minister to this family?" were among my thoughts during this home visit. Hiwot and her family's story is a heartbreaking one. Hiwot is an 8 year old child living with her mom and younger sister Matogas. BCI only accepted Hiwot as a child eligible for sponsorship as the sister is being helped by another organization. Hiwot is a grade 2 student. She would attend BCI but separating the girls is troublesome for the mom as responsibility is placed on Hiwot to help with her little sister as her mom is sick with complications due to HIV quite frequently.

Hiwot's dad is alive but there is no communication there. Here's a part of their story. When the mom was 9 years old, her family tried to engage her in an arranged marriage. She was moved from that area to get away from that situation. She moved to Addis Ababa and when she was 16 year old, she was raped and this is how Hiwot was conceived.

Some time later she met a man who was interested in helping her and took her and the child in as his own. However when the relationship progressed and the dad found out about the second pregnancy, he left the family.

Hiwot has been in the program for one year without sponsorship. Her favorite subject is English Grammar while Spoken is her least favorite. If she were to travel, she would go to China but couldn't tell us why. Her favorite food is eggs. When she is not in school, she plays or she studies, that is if she is not caring for her mom.

Current immediate needs include your prayers, a school fee of 380 birr (close to $40 USD) for the sister to join school at BCI with her older sister, rent of 300 birr per month ($15 USD) and food. The mother was very upset upon the home visit as she had asked the father to pay for the school fee but he refused to pay it. If you are interested in helping this family, contact me for more information.

Bemenet Olana

Bemenet Olana lives with her mom and her siblings. Her father is not in the home as he is disabled. He lives in a government camp in Addis Ababa as he was a soldier. Bemenet sees her dad monthly or every 15 days. The mom was not at home the time of the visit as she was at work. Bemenet is 12 years old and attends a government school where she is in 6th grade. Her favorite subject is math and her least favorite is English. She wants to be an engineer in the future.

When she is not in school, she helps her family and she studies. In the summer, she will play with her friends and she studies for her next year of classes. She is very smart. She stays in Debre Zeyit when school is not in session. If she were to travel she would go to London. If she were to live there, she would miss Ethiopian holidays. When asked her favorite holiday, she replied Christmas, Easter and the New Year. Easter is her most favorite.

When asked to describe herself, she said she loves school, she loves her family and friends, and her social life is good. The social worker said she likes to help other people. For example, if an older person needs a seat in the taxi, she will move so they can sit down. When asked what she is good at she said she's good at dancing. She has no fear in travel to the moon or other places in outer space.

Bemenet has been in the program for a year and a half but still has not been chosen for sponsorship. There are 5-6 people in the family living in the home with about 30 people living in the compound. They do not own the home they are living in. Extended family are letting them live there for free. Currently, her immediate needs include a backpack, but the family also needs a place in which to live and income to be able to pay their rent. Money for travel to see her dad more frequently would come as a surprise I think. Her favorite things to do with her family are just being together, joking and talking with each other.

If you are interested in helping this family raise Bemenet, please contact me for more information.

Fanu and Asnakech Chuchu

Fanu and Asnakech Chuchu's story is a sad one. Their dad passed away and after the mom remarried, she married a man struggling with addiction who did not make the best decisions when it came to the girls. He did not want them around nor did he want them to attend school. The mom has them live with their grandma, Gudo, for this reason. The girls only see their mom 2 or 3 times in a year. The girls live with their grandma in a home free of rent as they are living in the house as a guard. They have lived in the current home for 3 months.

Fanu Chuchu is a 12 year old girl attending a government school in a rural area. She is a grade four student and studies hard to do well on her exams. She and her 11 year old sister, Asnakech live with their grandma. Fanu's favorite color is red and her favorite animal is the lion. If she were to describe herself she would say she likes helping others and she is more outgoing than her sister. If she were to travel anywhere in the world she would go to America because she likes it. She would miss her culture and her family if she were to go. Her favorite class is English while her least favorite subject is math.

Asnakech is 11 years old and also attending a government school. She is a grade 4 student whose favorite subject is math and her least favorite class is Oromiya. Her favorite color is yellow and her favorite animal is the cat. She would also go to America if she were able to travel anywhere in the world and she would also miss her family and the culture. When asked how she would describe herself she said she likes to play with her friends and she likes helping others. She is more quiet than her sister Fanu.

Both girls speak Oromifa, another language in Ethiopia. Currently BCI only teaches classes in Amharic which would make it harder for them. Perhaps after they learn Amharic they will transfer to BCI Academy. If the girls were to be sponsored, they would tell their sponsors thank you and tell them about Ethiopian culture talking about how they get together for coffee ceremonies. They enjoy playing soccer, going to church where they are members of the church's choir and Asnakech likes studying.

As for current needs, medically the family is doing fine although the grandma is aging and says she is tired. The girls need new clothes and shoes as well as perhaps another mattress as the three of them sleep on one bed together. Rent is also a problem as they are now living as a guard in an unfinished house for free. This is meant only to be a temporary place for them so in time they will need a new place. If you would like to help these girls, please contact me for more information.

Water damage and sickness: a widowed mother and her eight children need you.

Dinagde Tolosa is an eight year old boy living with his mom and seven other siblings. He is the youngest of the family. The father passed away some time ago. Their mom makes traditional alcohol for a living but the income from this is not enough to feed all of them. Dinagde's favorite color is yellow and he attends a government school where he is a grade 1 student. If he were to travel outside of Ethiopia, he would go to Germany but he couldn't tell us why. He was very shy when we went on the home visit. When asked if he would be scared to go to the moon, he said he would not.

When he is not in school he helps his mom by cleaning the house. When he is not doing that, he likes to play soccer with his friends. He also likes jumping. If he had a sponsor, he would tell them about how he likes school and studies. The family is an Orthodox family and when I spoke about Jesus and part of my story, how they find a friend in me as I too lost my dad 10 years ago and part of the reason I am in Ethiopia is to help other kids like me, pointing them to the Father, they were really quiet. I could tell we were reaching some sensitive areas as their own sadness from the reality of their own experience was creeping in on their faces.

The entire family shares one mattress, if you can imagine how hard that would be. The home is also is need of repairs as when it is rainy season, there are many leaks and water damage as the back wall of the house is not attached in places. I asked the mom if her kids were getting sick because of this and she said last time they did get sick with a cough. If we were to buy another mattress, it may not be of great help to the family as the space is limited.

What you see in the above photos are evidences of their need. These are two opposite corners of their bedroom area. The photo on the left is the wall next to where they have their bed. The photo on the right is of the corner across from their bed. At the time of the visit, one of her older children was laying down sick on the bed.

I want to help this family get the food they need and to repair the home so the children have less of a risk of becoming sick. However, I can't do this on my own so if you are interested in helping me help this needy family, please contact me for more information.

Edelawit Abreham: Future Singer or Scientist?

Edelawit Abreham

Edelawit is one of our funny children, very outspoken and honest with what is on her mind. She is 8 years old and a grade 4 student at BCI Academy. Her favorite color is yellow and her favorite animal is the dog. She likes to play soccer. She said she wants to be either a singer or a scientist when she grows up however when we talked about chemical combustion, science labs, and dissecting frogs, she asked "okay tell me what is a scientist?" She said she would not want to ever dissect frogs because they are dead and she does not want to kill anything, and while it could be scary to see chemicals react, she said she would take great care in practicing these things in her lab if she ever had a class like that.

She likes to play a game called "ikaka" in Ethiopia, a make-believe game where she is a housewife, pretending to be cooking and if she has a doll, the doll would become her child. If she were to ever travel, she would go to America because she likes it. She said she would miss her family and her school friends, but she would work there if she could and would learn. When asked if she would ever go to the moon, she answered she would be scared to. When asked to describe herself, she would say she goes to church, she is learning in school, and she helps her family at home by obeying them. She loves her family.

If she were to ever become a singer, she would sing fast songs not slow songs because she likes to jump and see others dance. Her aunt Tsege, whom she is living with, agreed she is telling the truth. If she ever wrote the songs she would sing, the lyrics would be about all things like God's mercy and God's love. After talking it out more, she said she would want to be a singer most. If she were president, she said she would tell people to worship God, to help others, and to help the poor to know God.

Upon our visit, her and her family seemed to be doing well compared to others but her needs right now are shoes and clothes. Her aunt took her in after her parents passed away when Edelawit was very young and to protect her, the aunt has chosen not to tell her that she is not her mom and raises her as though she were her own biological child. This is common in Ethiopia. I'm told when Edelawit is older, they will tell her the truth about her history. If you would like to help Edelawit, please contact me with more information.

Abreham Shimeles and Bereket Tamirat

Abreham Shimeles and Bereket Tamirat

Abreham is seven years old and attending BCI where he is a KG 2 student. He is currently enjoying his week long break from school playing soccer with his friends. His favorite color is yellow and his favorite animal is the cat but he said he likes kittens best. When he grows up, he wants to be a pilot. His favorite holiday is Epiphany although he couldn't give us a reason why. During the summer he helps his grandma planting flowers in their garden. He lives with her and his brother, Bereket Tamirat, who is 13 years old and in grade 7 also at BCI. When their mom got pregnant out of wedlock, the two fathers denied they were his. The mom was not present at the time of our visit due to travel to Addis Ababa for treatment on her back. The grandma is a retired housewife and the family is living off the grandfather's military pension. She watches her third grandson for the mom by the day. Bereket says when he is older he wants to be an engineer. He wants to visit Italy because 111 years ago the Italians tried to help colonize Ethiopia and he wants to meet them and know their story. If he were to move there, he would miss his country and his family. Were his family to move with him, he would miss the holidays, mainly his favorite holiday which is their New Year celebrated on September 11th. After school, like any other child he likes to play. The family is an Orthodox family. Their current needs are food and a mattress and blanket so they are no longer sleeping on their floor. The boys also need new clothes and shoes. If you would like to help this family, please contact me for further information.

Update on Natnael Melaku and his brothers Yosef and Eyoatam (Booti) Getachew

I met this family on my first trip to Debre Zeyit. Nati, Yosef, and Booti seem to be doing well. The boys are fully sponsored except Nati who is in need of a full sponsorship as of late. Current immediate needs include food and a new mattress with sheets and a blanket as what they have now is worn out. The boys are sleeping on the floor because the bunk beds they had broke. The mom is also in need of better medical treatment for her spine in Addis Ababa. She has a slipped disc that doctors here have tried working on but she remains in quite a bit of pain and is usually in bed a lot because of it. Estimates on the cost for their needs is in review. Here's an update on the boys based on responses from an interview when we went on a home visit.


Natnael (Nati) Melaku
 

Natnael or Nati for short, is a growing teenage boy whose future endeavors include being a professional or Olympic swimmer or soccer player. His favorite subjects in school are physics and math while chemistry is his least favorite. His favorite holiday is Easter with the reason being it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ who gives him new life. If he were to ever move to another country with America and Canada excluded he says he would go to England. He would miss his family if this ever happened but if his family were to go with him, he says he would miss Kevin (another missionary and sponsor) as well as Easter. A normal week for him looks like school and studies with a little playing. On the weekends, he will do chores to help his family and sometimes he goes to church. He lives close to the family's live in restaurant (injera business) with his brother and his uncle. His uncle stays busy doing construction work but it's not enough to take care of him. When asked to describe himself, he said he likes to swim. When we talked more about his plans for his future, he understands that finishing school is important. He says opportunities for becoming a soccer player are more open living in Ethiopia than opportunities for becoming a pro swimmer, but he is also ready to face the challenge after we encouraged him to chase his dreams even if it is hard to achieve. On school breaks, he likes to go swimming in a lake near the airforce base but this is more for recreational purposes than for training as it is not made for that. When he goes to university, he would like to study physics. When asked something he doesn't like about himself, he said he doesn't like his response after or when someone else insults him. Nati is a sweet boy with a bright future so long as he works hard to reach what he strives for.


Yosef (Yose) Getachew

Yosef also known as Yose is a 16 year old orphan living with his grandma who works very hard to provide for his needs. When he grows up he wants to be a professional soccer player. He attends Joshua Academy in Debre Zeyit. His favorite subject in school is chemistry and he's not a fan of geography. If he were to move to another country with America and Canada excluded he would go to Spain so he can meet the famous soccer players there. If this were to happen he would miss his favorite holiday, Gena or Christmas. When he is not in school he is studying or playing, and doing chores on the weekends. When asked to describe himself, he said he would tell the person his name, that he is 16, and he likes to play socccer. If he could tell his sponsors anything he would say hello and thanks for what they are doing for him.


Eyoatam (Booti) Gedion
 

Eyoatam nicknamed Booti is about to turn 8 years old next week and is a grade 2 student. He says when he grows up he wants to be a doctor, and when we asked what kind of doctor he said internal medicine. His favorite subject right now is math while Amharic is his least favorite. He currently lives with his grandma who struggles trying to take care of him. When Bootie was young, his father passed away and his mom left him after a break down, but has now returned to the family. When he is not in school, he is studying or playing with his neighbor friends. He likes to play Hide and Seek with them, or they make their own games rolling a tire down the street. He enjoys reading science books which is what he said makes him unique. If he were to describe himself to someone else, he would say he is shy. His favorite holiday is Meskel otherwise known as Cross Day. His favorite food is pasta. If he were to ever move to another country with America and Canada excluded, he said he would go to Japan. When we asked him what he would miss about Ethiopia if he moved to Japan, he said he had no interest in leaving Ethiopia but said Japan to answer our question. If he were to speak with his sponsor he would say hi and would ask for a soccer ball.

Dembulit Meshesha: A Story of Hope, of Progress, of Change.

 

 

 

 

Daremyelesh and Mekdalawit Girma are precious twin daughters to Dembulit. Dembulit and her four children were abandoned by their father after the birth of the twin girls. As he left, he took away everything they owned so the choice left his family destitute. There had been times of sickness with Mekdalawit having fainting spells which led to a diagnosis of a heart problem, but most of that turned itself around and is believed to be accounted for as spiritual warfare as it was after she received Christ as her Savior. 

The family's current living arrangments are not good for them, but thanks to the support of generous donors and visiting missionaries, Dembulit and her children are moving into a better house. A missionary purchased her an oven on which she could make injera to sell and now she is selling the injera to hotels. Her new business is keeping her busy with the request of 25 injera a day.

It's great to hear stories like this that change is happening because of what we do. Should her business continue to thrive, while it is not possible now, it may mean that the girls eventually come off of support from BCDO due to progress in self-sustainability after being given a hand up after what seemed like impossible circumstances.
   
Thanks for the ways you have and continue to support this ministry. Lives are positively changing because of your obedience to do what God calls you to do. It's to Him we give all the credit, all the glory, and all the praise.



Surafel Tefera: quiet 9 year old boy whose talent is serving God.

Surafel Tefera is a 9 year old BCI student in grade 4. He lives with his mom and his brother, Abreham, who is in grade 9 and was taking an exam at the time of our visit. The father of the boys is not around as he abandoned his family and there is no relationship there. His mother was very gracious in welcoming our invitation as she was in bed sick with a cough she has already been taking medicine for. Surafel seems to be a shy one as he was hesitant in answering some of our questions about himself. He did tell us he likes playing ball and when he is older he wants to be an engineer. If he were ever to travel to another country with America and Canada excluded, he would pick to go to England although he wasn't really sure why. His favorite holiday is Gena (or Christmas) because it is the day we celebrate Jesus Christ's birth. Weekend activities include attending church at Zion Church in Debre Zeyit and he washes dishes for the family. During the week when he is not in school, he will come home, eat, nap, and play with his friends.

His hobbies or likes include going to church and being with his friends. When it comes to his behavior or what makes him himself, he says communicating with friends is a strongpoint. When we asked him what he is good at (or his talents) he said serving God. Surafel has been in the sponsorship program for 6 years. His mom makes handmade African baskets for a living and she sells them either on the street markets or to missionaries as they visit. Selling the baskets takes a lot of work and some of the larger ones she makes takes her two months to complete. Even so, the income is not enough for herself and her two boys. Surafel needs more sponsors to continue going to school, finish his education, which will give him a better chance at a good future. He needs sponsors to provide for his daily food. He needs sponsors who will support him medically. If you are interested in providing for Surafel's needs, please contact me for ideas on ways you can.

HIV+ 5 year old girl in need of immediate assistance: will you respond?



 

Fitsum Girma and her baby brother Fekadu

Fitsum Girma is a new child to the BCI child sponsorship program. She has been in the program for 3 months and the family has lived in the home they are living in for one year. This family is in desperate need of immediate action as the 5 year old's health depends on it. Fitsum is HIV+ as are her mom and her dad. Her little 3 year old brother, Fekadu, who is not in the program so far has miraculously escaped the disease. Fitsum is small for her age due to malnutrition. The last time the social worker came to visit and upon registration, the tiny girl was so weak she could not move. Today she was fairly active and a curious little girl. The mom says the difference is she started taking the HIV medication.

Worka, their mom, washes clothes for a living and their dad, Girma, is a daily laborer. They live in an unfinished house for free serving as a guard until it is finished. The living room is bare with only a small twin mattress on the concrete floor that the whole family of four sleeps on. There were no chairs and no bed frames, only a few decorations on the wall and a few metal pots. When the house is finished the approximate cost of monthly rent is 1000 birr or $50 USD, at which point they may need to move out to another home. Currently Fitsum is not sponsored so she is not receiving any benefits from the organization to assist her so she can be as healthy as she can be.

 Right now as you can see from the photo, her leg is wounded and even though she has sought treatment for the leg, the process has been repetitive as it will heal up as she takes medicine for it, but when she finishes the medicine, it returns. The social worker thinks this is a mix of poor hygiene and disease. When she walks and if you watch her, you will notice her leg is slightly bowed out. Girma told us there is a specialist in Nazreth, a good doctor, that if the assistance were to come in she could be seen for more effective treatment.

Amidst her current health concerns, Fitsum will need to start school next year to be on time with other kids her age. She needs assistance immediately. Your donation will provide food for her, education for her, and will help fund her medical needs. The mom may even be able to participate in one of the income generation projects in order to get the training she needs to better provide for her family and thus come off support. Until that day happens, the Girma family needs your help financially and this Orthodox family needs your prayers.



Deaf and mute single mom needs help in raising her 2 year old daughter.

 

Blean Girma's story is not an easy one. The tiny girl is 2 years old and her mom, Meseret, is deaf and mute, unable to hear her child and unable to speak with her. The mom's life is somewhat of a mystery. What we do know is when she was 9 years old, a family found her in Debre Zeyit crying and without any clothes so they took her in as their own. When she turned 16, she left the home and began work as a daily laborer trying to make it on her own. The area she was living in was not safe as it turns out. The husband of a couple living nearby raped Meseret when his wife was away and this is how baby Blean was conceived.

Even though they reported it to the police, there was no justice for the family. Meseret was a poor woman, unable to hear or speak, and she had no family so no one saw it worth fighting for. It didn't help that the man who did this was a traffic cop. She was offered to have an abortion, but she refused as Blean is a part of her. "She is her eye, she is her mouth," the social worker said. And she's right.

Times were hard two years ago and remain hard for this single mom on her own. She tried to make a living washing clothes and making a traditional drink that takes days to make, but even so, the income is not enough. They have lived in Debre Zeyit for three years now without assistance aside from the kindness of a friend who became her voice for us on our visit to meet the family today.

She says people come, and people take their photo, but nothing is given but hope that something will come of it. Immediate needs for the family include food, clothes, and rent. The social worker working Blean's case wants to see sign language school happen so she has a way of communication. Communication with the family to try and get her some help is hard as she has no way to speak or hear us. Outside of the mom's hearing loss and being mute, the family is healthy. Meseret was unable to attend school for a basic education as she has these disabilites. Life in Ethiopia is hard with an education, let alone going without.

Perhaps you feel the call to support this family until Meseret gets the training she needs to get out of the sponsorship program? Currently little Blean is not sponsored, so at this time she is not receiving any support.  (She did get beanie babies when I met her for the first time today).   

 



Debre Zeyit area childrens conference: will you help make it happen?

I need your help!!

We are planning to host a Debre Zeyit area childrens conference in conjunction with BCI's evangelistic outreach called Activity Day with a tentative date of February 7th, the first Saturday of February.

Here is a look at the tentative schedule:

10 AM - Opening with Prayer and Worship
10:30 AM - Bible Story
10:45/11 AM - Discussion in small groups
     Ages 3-5
     Ages 6-8
     Ages 9-11
     Ages 12+
11:30 AM - Lunch
12:30 PM - Crafts and Games
2 PM - Closing with Prayer and Worship

The theme of the conference is bravery and the kids would learn what it means to be bold and brave for Jesus Christ. A possible bible story may include that of David and Goliath, and how David was not fearful of the giant he faced but instead through faith and self-confidence, he was able to conquer the giant in front of him and parallel that with how Jesus faced an entire world's sin through death on the cross. The kids would also get to learn new games to play as well as have fun making a craft which is not something they get to do every day.

We would like to hold the event at Genesis Farms here in DZ, the same place we used for the womens conference for the moms of the program kids. Genesis Farms is free to use as in there is not a rental fee for use of the room but they do require a lunch purchase per person at the event. The cost for a traditional Ethiopian meal and soft drink to feed 300 kids and 15 adults with transport to and from the site is estimated at 9,950.00 ETB or $498.00 USD.

Now. Traditional Ethiopian food is fantastic, but another alternative (or in addition to) is to offer a snack-like lunch serving bread, cookies, juice, bananas and what I really want to see happen - ice cream. Ice cream by the scoop is 10 ETB or roughly 50 cents. The cost for feeding 300 kids and 15 adults this menu also including transportation to and from the site is estimated at 9,681.00 ETB or about $485 USD.

The total to be able to serve them both the traditional meal and the snacks is 19,631 ETB or almost $982 USD. The purchase of food is one thing we need to be able to use the space large enough for the capacity we are praying for. The cherry on top would be the gift of a free bible to every child who enters the conference room. Bibles can be purchased for 95 ETB or just under $5 each. For 300 bibles, the cost would be 28500 ETB or around $1425 USD. So altogether, I need 48,131 ETB or almost $2407 USD.

What might you be able to donate so this conference can happen? What if your dollar meant a child in Ethiopia who may have never heard the truth of Christ's love for them surrendered their lives to Him? What if your dollar meant they got their only meal that day? What if it meant more joy in their lives meeting new friends and hanging out with old ones? What kind of memory do you want to create for them? Trust me, if they received a free new bible, it would be the shock of their life, more than the ice cream. What might you sacrifice for Jesus? A year's worth of that plastic bottle soda on your break at work? A month of internet? A week without makeup? The boat sitting in the shed no longer on the water? The third vehicle? Your weekend getaway? Obedience to whatever Jesus has you do does not end in regret.

If you would like to donate so that this conference can happen, please contact me on how you can.

A mom's dreams: to better her childrens' lives and to return to school.

Selam (center), Abenet (right) and their mom (left)

 



Selam is a very active 4 year old girl who lives with her older brother and their mom. She wasn't always this active though. Until missionaries became involved in her young life, she was very fearful of anyone coming near her and she did not smile. You wouldn't believe this was ever true if you were to meet her now. The family's conditions while poor are on the up swing as they just received new bunk beds to sleep on from missionaries visiting from Canada and the house is in better condition than what they had before. The house they live in is a rented single room home at 450 birr per month. They like living where they are because their neighbors are friendly and treat them as family.

Selam's mom makes a living doing odd jobs such as washing clothes and selling injera. She did not finish school as she stopped at grade 6 and if she were to ever have the chance to go back, she would. BCI is currently hosting night classes for adults in DZ who did not finish their education. If she received assistance with school fees, transportation, and childcare, she would be able to further her education and get a chance at a better life. When asking these questions, it seemed like a dream too far to reach, or a joke to be a real question.

Selam's father is uninvolved in her life as he denies she belongs to him. Because of their situation, this made Selam eligible for the BCI sponsorship program. She is partially sponsored at this time. Since she is only 4, she stays at home with mom. Upon full sponsorship, perhaps she will begin nursery at BCI Academy where she will learn her ABC's in a Christian environment. Her older brother, Amenet Mulugeta, is 8 years old and going to another school. He is a grade 1 student.

Upon asking for their current immediate needs, the family was shy in answering but we were told they need teff for making injera (food) and she also needs cookware and/or a stove to cook on. As for medical needs, Amenet (the older brother, not currently a sponsor child) is in need of a doctor's visit for a concern on his head. Spiritually speaking, the family practices Christianity as they attend Meserete Kristos Church (the downtown branch) regularly.

If they could speak to Selam's sponsors, they would tell them thank you for making changes in their lives by supporting them as they strive to better themselves. Future goals include empowerment in being a business woman working for the needs of her family. She is very grateful unto God for the donors investing in their future. She dreams that her kids would live a life better than she, that they would grow up to make good decisions, to be educated and to help others. If things were different and she had finished school she would study to become a nurse.

When we asked the kids what their dreams for their future were, Amenet said he wants to be a doctor, and Selam, at age 4, answered in her own language (not English, not Amharic). We translated for her that she wants to be an astronomer some day. If you would like to offer financial assistance meeting current needs or investing long term in this family's future, please contact me for more information.

Snapshots with your heart's camera.

Have you ever stopped long enough in your day and caught glimpses of His majesty?  When was the last time you stopped what you were doing and looked up?

The bird as it glides in the air among solid white clouds, high above you over the water.  An oasis.  When was the last time you really saw creation, knowing the God who created all you see, created you?

The moment when the bigness of our God becomes small, then big again.

The God who made all you see, what you can't see galaxies away, desires intimate conversations with you.

He sees you.
He knows you.

And the bird show you see was just for you.

Moments you don't want to blink.  You think of reaching into your bag for your camera, but wait - your eyes will have to do because it is just that good.

Suddenly it doesn't matter...

Snapshots with your heart's camera.  A soul's oxygen from God in the beauty of His creation.  Don't rush it.

Moments such as these.

This is why we are here.

Family in need of new mattress and food for three boys.

Meet Yakob, Yisik, and Mussie Dereje, three brothers who have one baby sister named Lydia. They live with their mom and dad who are both HIV+ in the 2 room house pictured above. The kids are not HIV+. Yakob is fully sponsored however the other two are only partially sponsored. The kids have been in the program for 7 years except for Mussie as he has been a program kid for 2 years.

When Mussie grows older he wants to be an engineer and Yakob wants to be a doctor. Yisik didn't have an answer at the time. They are all attending BCI Academy and currently are preparing for a week of final exams. A normal weekend for them is spent washing clothes and attending their church, Meserete Kristos (the downtown branch). Monday through Friday they go to school, read, study, and play with their friends. They like going to church, playing and walking with their friends in their spare time. If they ever traveled to another country Yakob says he would miss his friends, Yisik says he would miss the shiro, and Mussie would miss dabo (bread). If the boys ever did get to travel to another country, Yisik says he would like to travel to Arab countries to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, while Yakob would like to go to America and Mussie would go to Canada both to see their sponsors.

On the summer break (coming up in two weeks), they plan on helping their mom, playing and visiting another village. When asked about their personality, character, and what makes them who they are, the boys took their time in thinking about their answer. Yisik says he likes playing but gets grumpy and cries sometimes. He likes that he can keep peace with his friends as much as he can but doesn't like that he gets angry at times with them. Yakob says he is tolerant to a point but when he reaches his breaking point, it takes a long time for him to calm down. He likes to pray and is a clever student. Mussie likes playing and that's all we got from him on the subject.

Yisik, Mussie, and Yakob

in order from left to right

 

They would tell their sponsors to pray for them, that they always pray for them and they miss them. They would like you to pray for their education. Yakob is in grade 4 and is 10 years old, Yisik is in grade 6 and is 12 years old, and Mussie is in grade 1 at 7 years old. As for their favorite subject, Yakob's favorite subject is science, Yisik likes math, and Mussie enjoys Amharic. The boys find studying the English language hard, whether it is Spoken English or English Grammar.

Currently the family could use a new mattress for the boys to sleep on as they have and are outgrowing their current one that all three boys share. The price for a large mattress is roughly 1800 birr or about $40 USD. The mom also mentioned they needed teff to make injera and for one month for a family that size, the estimate cost for the purchase of teff is between 400-500 birr or $20-$25 USD. If you would like to help deliver these items so the family gets all they have asked for, please contact me for further information as I would love to go shopping for this family.

 

Disabled girl child in need of diapers and a new home: can you contribute?

Mihret Lakew is an 11 year old girl child suffering from the devastating effects of meningitis. She contracted the disease due to not receiving the vaccine when she was young. It affects her ability to walk, to talk, and to control her bodily fluids. It prevents her from getting to do things any child would want to do. At 6 months she was a normal healthy baby and some time after that she began showing symptoms. She lives with her younger brother and grandmother who does the best to take care of her but with the minimal income coming in from selling injera, Mihret has been approved for the BCI sponsorship program and she's been involved with the organization for two years. She does have another sister who is currently living with their mom.

Mihret is a happy child who attends Zion Church regularly. If you pray around her, she will join you in saying "amen," as is custom for Ethiopians whenever they are in agreement with whatever you just prayed whether it was the end of the prayer or not, but her responses to other things are limited. She can hear you but can't speak to you. The living conditions are better than some and difficult as most. With Mihret's disability comes extra expenses and care that unfortunately some of her immediate family have made negative comments about that the grandmother is ashamed to mention. As of now, 100 birr ($5 USD) of her monthly sponsorship goes toward the purchase of diapers needed for the 11 year old. As you can imagine, this is not enough. The grandmother uses two diapers a day for her and she goes without at night sleeping on plastic that covers her bed. This is because she doesn't have enough diapers throughout the month so the grandmother is forced to stretch them out.

As if caring for Mihret does not bring it's own trials enough while living in Debre Zeyit, Ethiopia, the rest of the family have informed the grandmother they are planning on moving back in to their house and have made mentioning of kicking them out. As you can imagine, two diapers a day on a child who cannot control herself brings an odor. This is said to be the reason why they want to kick them out.



 There is a very old one room space that currently serves as junk storage in the back of their two room home that they would be considering living in again. Two years ago, this was their home. The walls are gone, the wood is falling out of the thatch and pieces of it are broken, and there are holes in the roof as shown in the picture above. The room is not sufficient for them to stay in. Their immediate need is a new home. While we are believing and have prayed for Jesus' continual healing as we have seen evidence of His miracles in that Mihret is making attempts at taking steps while scooting her bottom along the side of her bed, at this point in time she still requires a wheelchair. Having a wheelchair is a blessing and a curse as many homes, roads, and schools are not made handicap accessible. Most schools in Debre Zeyit do not accept children with disabilities. There are no special needs classes. Most of it is because of lack of training in how to care for these individuals among other developing world issues. The grandmother informed us Mihret was attending a government school, but the kids in the class were not nice to her so she withdrew her from the school. Seeing as Mihret is still using the wheelchair, the construction of a new house or the move to another house would require extra funding to build a concrete ramp for the family. The projected cost for serving this family is in the works as I want to help this family. 

Will you please support me in helping this family live a healthier life while being His hands and feet? What could or would you sacrifice for Mihret to have adequate diapers and a place to call home in the future? Will you help this willing grandmother take care of her disabled grandchild? If so, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to contribute toward loving the Lakew family.

Sisay Bekele: the boy who dreams of visiting Germany

 

Sisay Bekele is a 13 year old grade 8 student at BCI Academy. He lives with his mother and his younger siblings, a 6 year old brother and 1 year old baby sister. His father passed away when they were living in a rural area. He is currently partially sponsored. His favorite class at school is geography and his least favorite is spoken English. When he goes to university he wants to study geology. When he is not in class, he plays football (or soccer) with his friends. He also enjoys what he called "planting" or gardening growing sugar cane and coffee. Here is a photo of his garden outside of his room.

 

Sisay likes spending time with his grandfather in the summer break when school is not in session. He likes it because his grandpa is a farmer and they work the ground together. When school is in session, a normal day looks like class, tutoring, and on the weekend he plays with his friends and attends his local church. He said his favorite holiday is Christmas and when Christmas comes, he decorates the house. 

When it comes to Sisay's personality, he says he is a peacemaker as he does not like fights and what he does not like about himself is the fact he is slow to anger when someone touches him. Sisay has been in the BCI program for the past seven years and they have lived in their current home for 6 of those years. His favorite food is doro wat. Doro means chicken in Amharic and so this is a mixture eaten with injera, a sponge-like flat bread. (Doro wat is chicken wings usually mixed with boiled egg and shiro. It's a traditional holiday time food).

Sisay wants to travel to Germany someday because he likes their football players and there are more scientists there. When asked if he were to move to Canada, what would he miss about Ethiopia, he replied he would miss the holidays. Ethiopian holiday celebrations are specific to Ethiopia so that's why he would miss them.

His mom is working hard to provide for her family but life is hard for them. Sisay sleeps in his own room (unlike other BCI kids) and he sleeps on a mat on the dirt floor. This is his bed.

His mom stays busy raising her kids, making and selling injera and she also sells wood to construction areas nearby. She's a gobez (gobez means good job) mom because she works so hard to provide her family as well as putting her younger kids not of school age in a daycare. Even so, the money is not enough to make ends meet and as she is a widow and on her own, this is why and how Sisay qualifies for the BCI sponsorship program.

Sisay would like to say "God bless you" to his current sponsors for helping him and his family make it. He and his family appreciate what you are doing for them. If you would like to sponsor Sisay so that he is fully sponsored and receiving every benefit the full $90 sponsorship covers (medical, education, and food), please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to begin your monthly contribution.

Two siblings struggle with adult concerns living on their own.

Eighteen year old Gemechu Eyasu, a grade 12 student at the only school for 11-12th graders in Debre Zeyit called preparatory school, while better off than he and his sister had been, is struggling to survive living a hard life in Ethiopia. He and his sister, Merkitu, age 14 and a grade 9 student at Bishoftu Secondary School, live together on their own without any family to help them. The two kids lost their family some time ago and have lived in Debre Zeyit the past seven years. They do have an older sister who is not that involved at 20 years old and who left to marry at 19. Before entering BCI's program, the kids were totally on their own without any sponsorship or missionaries helping them have the place they live at now. Gemechu is partially sponsored and the two kids are in need of more people willing to share their finances.

Gemechu is studying hard preparing for the national exam for entrance to a university of the Ethiopian government's choice. You must get good marks (like all A's in our grading system in the west) in all the core subjects or you don't get to go to university. Habeshas do not get to choose which school they go to like you can in America as the government is different with less freedoms and programs. He thought of studying medicine but now he wants to be an engineer. Merkitu wants to go into medicine. With both students fastly approaching university, current needs aside from adult concerns like monthly rent and food cost include school needs like paper, writing utensils, and a laptop for university classes.

When not in school, Gemechu likes spending time with his friends, reading, and watching movies. Over the last summer break, he spent his time teaching 3-4 kids not in school and is a leader in his church's fellowship program. The kids do their own laundry on the weekends, clean the house, and Merkitu makes injera. Both kids attend church regularly as they are believers in Jesus Christ. When asked their favorite bible verse or a verse that gets them through, Gemechu said his likes 1 and 2 Timothy and Merkitu's favorite is Ecclesiates 9:11: "I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all."


Is God tugging on your heart to sponsor Gemechu or Merkitu Eyasu? To be fully sponsored Gemechu only needs one person to step up with $30 a month. If He's calling you to provide, sign up to make your donation at www.blessingthechildren.org/donate. These great kids thank you in advance and pray God blesses you and that He is with you. They pray for you that you live a happy life.

 

 

Princess Penelope from Pontagoon comes to visit

This child of God is worn out as she types this but I wouldn't have it any other way!

We had a special visitor at the Sunday School at Meserete Kristos Church this weekend. The kids love it when they have visitors! Introducing Princess Penelope from Pontagoon!
 

 

P came to talk to the kids about her Christian faith and the Armor of God as read about in Ephesians 6:10-18. The shield of faith that she made is quite impressive as she was so tired from her travels and in a somewhat quiet, relaxed and uh, very chill state. Praise God she was feeling more like herself today for the kids' lesson! She was so quiet upon arrival that she spooked one of our own, Eshetu, as she was just sitting there in the living room (where she is now) late at night. (Obviously, the latest airport run had slipped his mind).

P took the stage with boldness as kids of all ages filled the room. She did however fall asleep on stage and was even snoring as the kids were coming in finding their seats. After they were seated, the talk began. Did you miss it? Chicorellum. (No problem). I took very good notes:


Princess Penelope (from Pontagoon) (C) 2014
Hello boys and girls. My name is Princess Penelope. You may call me P for short.

Whew! This heat is doing crazy things to my hair!

Soon I'll be [sing it]

Afro, afro girl! Crazy girl with the afro!

Yes. In Jesus' name.

So, I've traveled a very far distance from my home in Pontagoon to visit you today.

You see, I believe in God. The Father. The Great I AM. The Prince of Peace. Jehovah Jireh. Jehovah Raffah. The Holy One. Yes, Him.

Do you know Him? Do you believe in God, too?

I hope you do. Princess P wants you to.

You see, boys and girls, without faith there is nothing.

Without my faith, I don't know how to go on.

Sure, I have palaces, a prince who loves me, and guards to protect me. I have dolls with their own closets full of clothes - but not an ounze of my hope comes from any of these things.

My hope comes from my faith in God.

Once you know that He's your everything, you see, we have an enemy. An enemy who wants to kill us, steal from us, and destroy us. His name is Satan.

Do you know him? Seen him?

What I know of him is he is no good boys and girls and the bible - that's the good book - tells us to flee from him.

We are soldiers in war against him - that is, if you believe.

In Ephesians 6 verses 10-18, we are told about the Armor of God.

Who knows what pieces of armor you need?

1. Belt of Truth

2. Breastplate of righteousness

3. Feet fitted with the gospel of peace

4. Shield of Faith

5. Helmet of Salvation

6. Sword of the Spirit - Word of God

7. Prayer

So, who came to church today fully dressed in their armor?

We want to be fully clothed in Christ. [Penelope holds her shield.]

Faith is the beginning. Faith is the foundation and with our shield of faith, we protect ourselves from the enemy.

My friend Jamie - you know her - is going to come back and she is going to help you with your shields of faith.

Whew! This heat! [sing it]

Afro, afro girl! With a sheild of faith!

[End Scene]

After the teaching was over and Princess Penelope had been taken back to the airport, in what was possibly the quickest airport run of all time, I came back we talked a little more about what we learned about our armor and we began handing out materials for our craft: making shields of faith.

For the most part, the kids were well behaved, sitting patiently waiting their turn for help with their pipe cleaner handles and placement of stickers. 

 



Towards the end of our time together, they showed me their shields. Some pretty cool shields of faith were leaving the room as we finished up. I asked the kids to help us keep the room clean and give the adults in the room their trash and a few did but most didn't and when they had gone outside, it looked like we threw a real party as the white backs of stickers were all over the floor. But, a selection of kids came back inside to help with clean up.

Ciao for now, Princess P! We are wielding our shields of faith!