Friday, December 19, 2014
My ramblings - what else? ;)
Until you have blown your nose into your bare hands because there was nothing else.
Until you have shaved by the light of your laptop because the light was something else.
Until you have washed your dishes with your laundry detergent because there is nothing else.
Until you have prayed prayers of "Jesus please don't let me poop myself" as you rush to the house because there is nowhere else.
Until you lay in a fetal position with a stomach ache so bad and you're tempted to dream of being somewhere else.
Until you invite children into the house and feed them, love and study them as they eat, knowing they have had nothing else.
Until you have eaten macaroni with ketchup - mix in some hot peppers -because there is nothing else.
Until you have fallen on your face as your heart was breaking at what is around you because it felt like there was no one else.
Until then, do not tell me you are poor because you, friend, are anything else.
Until you can acknowledge "blessed are the poor for they will inherit the kingdom of God" - want for nothing else.
Until you have felt the hand of God on your cheek and smelled Him so sweet you did not want to move as His presence is something else.
Until you know He the Lord our God is near to his beloved and brokenhearted as He could not fathom being anywhere else.
Until you preach the gospel in the streets to people who may harm you because they do not want to hear anything else.
Until you cast demons out and order them on their way "do not bother anyone else."
Until you fight for what is right so they see Jesus for who He is and nothing else.
Until your soul cries "Abba (Father)..." measure yourself against no one else.
Until souls come home dare not speak of anything else.
Until you are a missionary on God's mission, wherever you are, be no one else.
5 year old needs your prayers and a school fee.
Habtamu Adugna is a 5 year old boy with a very cute smile whose parents passed away when he was living in another village 25 km away. He moved here to Debre Zeyit about 1 year ago to live with his grandparents and uncle. The grandfather is a daily laborer as the sole source of income. His grandma, Tsehaye, was the only adult besides his uncle home at the time of our visit.
Habtamu's favorite game to play is football (or soccer) with his best friend named Ashenafi. He likes the color yellow, his favorite animal is a tie between hyena and dog, and when he grows up he wants to (Are you ready for this?) work in a slaughter house. The social worker thinks he made this decision as a choice career because there is a slaughter house nearby the home and it's a part of his environment - perhaps at 5 years old all he knows.
The family is an Orthodox family and upon permission of the household to speak about Jesus, we gave them the truth as Scripture tells us to do and it included an offer of salvation if they had not received Christ's gift. I told them Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that no one gets to the Father but through Him. I told them He never leaves or forsakes us, all He wants is our heart and we begin a daily walk with Him. I said that following Jesus comes with a price but choosing not to follow Him the cost is greater. "What good is it if we gain the whole world but lose our soul?"
I shared with them that one of the things we get to look forward to as followers is sitting in His lap and that His promise is that in Heaven (after we've received Him) the bible says there will be no more tears, crying, or pain. I also told them about hell, as in that is the consequence to not making that transaction because our God is holy and sovereign. I told them He is the hope of the world, and if they were losing hope they could talk to Him.
By the end of our visit, I asked them twice if they were ready to receive Jesus, if this was something they wanted to do. They sat there completely silent. Either they were not ready to accept Jesus or they had made their decision.
Currently one of the needs of the family (aside from Jesus) is money for Habtamu to start school. On the limited income they have, they simply can't afford to pay the school fee. To my understanding, the lack of money is the only thing stopping it.
If you want to sponsor little Habtamu so he can start school, you can begin his journey starting at only $30 per month. Just visit the link: www.blessingthechildren.org/donate. Then fill out the sponsorship form to begin your monthly donation.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
An abandoned mom and her 3 kids need you.
The Gameda Family.
Today I got to visit with the Gameda family. This family of four, mom and three kids, are desperate for sponsorship. The mom, Shewaye, washes clothes when she can but being a single parent makes it hard to continue working without leaving her youngest (a one year old) to fend for himself. The dad left the family. He met another woman and married her. From my understanding there's no support coming from him.
Dawit (age 12, grade 5 at a public school), Kalkidan (age 9, grade 2 at a public school) and Yabsira (age 1) live with their mom in a very small home at the cost of 100 birr per month (or roughly $5 USD). It was so small we met with the family outside. Of all the kids in the program, this family is among the neediest.
Kalkidan (the 9 year old daughter) was not home at the time as she was in school. I got to meet Dawit (the older boy) as he is a morning student and the visit was in the afternoon after he was out of school for the day, and I saw Yabsira open his eyes from his nap resting gently on his momma before we left. The tiny child was broke out in some sort of rash that the social worker called an allergy. The small red bumps were on his face and all over his body.
Shewaye informed us some people were helping send the kids to school and they bought them uniforms for them as well. When not in school, Dawit likes to play football (or soccer) which is what he had been playing as we arrived at the home. The sweet boy wants to be a doctor, his favorite subject is English, and his favorite animal is the lion.
This family is an Orthodox family. I saw her cross and asked her what it meant to her. (We were now starting to attract other curious people as we were sitting outside). She told us she wore it because it's tradition. I told her it meant more than that to me. It's about a relationship and an experience of forgiveness, not just traditional decoration. Then she said she wears it so others will know she's Orthodox, that she believes the cross. I pray they are in a real-life daily walk with Jesus because a relationship with Him is the only thing that will help them through.
To my understanding, these three kids are so new to the BCI program they do not have any sponsors yet. If you feel led to sponsor Dawit, Kalkidan, or baby Yabsira Gameda, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to begin your monthly donation.
Today I got to visit with the Gameda family. This family of four, mom and three kids, are desperate for sponsorship. The mom, Shewaye, washes clothes when she can but being a single parent makes it hard to continue working without leaving her youngest (a one year old) to fend for himself. The dad left the family. He met another woman and married her. From my understanding there's no support coming from him.
Dawit (age 12, grade 5 at a public school), Kalkidan (age 9, grade 2 at a public school) and Yabsira (age 1) live with their mom in a very small home at the cost of 100 birr per month (or roughly $5 USD). It was so small we met with the family outside. Of all the kids in the program, this family is among the neediest.
Kalkidan (the 9 year old daughter) was not home at the time as she was in school. I got to meet Dawit (the older boy) as he is a morning student and the visit was in the afternoon after he was out of school for the day, and I saw Yabsira open his eyes from his nap resting gently on his momma before we left. The tiny child was broke out in some sort of rash that the social worker called an allergy. The small red bumps were on his face and all over his body.
Shewaye informed us some people were helping send the kids to school and they bought them uniforms for them as well. When not in school, Dawit likes to play football (or soccer) which is what he had been playing as we arrived at the home. The sweet boy wants to be a doctor, his favorite subject is English, and his favorite animal is the lion.
This family is an Orthodox family. I saw her cross and asked her what it meant to her. (We were now starting to attract other curious people as we were sitting outside). She told us she wore it because it's tradition. I told her it meant more than that to me. It's about a relationship and an experience of forgiveness, not just traditional decoration. Then she said she wears it so others will know she's Orthodox, that she believes the cross. I pray they are in a real-life daily walk with Jesus because a relationship with Him is the only thing that will help them through.
To my understanding, these three kids are so new to the BCI program they do not have any sponsors yet. If you feel led to sponsor Dawit, Kalkidan, or baby Yabsira Gameda, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to begin your monthly donation.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Activity Day Success with Homemade Playdoh: Fun for all Ages as we learn we are New Creations
It's the first Saturday of December 2014 on the American calendar (it's March 2007 on the Ethiopian calendar) and we are bringing it in in Ethiopia with style: food for our bellies, food for our hearts, and tons of fun. Activity Day began with songs of praise followed by an opening prayer where we thanked Jesus for our day and asked Him to help us learn something new. I talked about being new creations out of 2 Corinthians 5:17 and continued through verse 19 on reconciliation. I asked the room full of kids of all ages how we think God makes us new. We received answers that God makes us new by asking Jesus into our hearts, that it's through our faith, and then I asked them to raise their hands to show me if they know in their hearts they are a new creation, not just head knowledge but heart knowledge. (I wanted to know if this truth had sunk deep within them). The entire room did and I talked about a little of God's unconditional love, that even when we pick bad things, we are still made new through His Son. We just have to go to Him and we give Him our old junk and He makes us new.
After hearing from God's Word, we split into two groups. The older children we sent to the school's library for a showing of the movie God's Not Dead. The younger children ages 3-11 stayed with us in the cafeteria for a craft. Our craft (thanks to Brad and Christi Bennik from Canada) was homemade play-doh. We decided the kids could make whatever they wanted to with it and we explained it was not food. The kids were given a choice of yellow or red dye for their small round ball of doh and then after it was thoroughly mixed, we gave them the choice to add glitter to make it shine. They had the choice of purple, blue, or green glitter for their creations. Catch a glimpse at some of their work!
Nearing the end of our craft time, the Lord showed me and told me to share with them that this is how He works. Modeling a play-doh heart, I asked them to take a look at it. (I wish I took a picture). I said, "It's looking a little pre-Jesus, you think? It's cracking and look here, it's broken," as I pulled the two sides apart. I grabbed the red dye. "But this is what happens when we ask Jesus into our hearts," I said, as I poured the red dye from top to bottom over the heart.
I asked them what they thought the red dye stood for after telling them to pretend it is Jesus. A child answered it was His Blood. I said "yes" and I explained this is what happens as He makes us new creations. We are washed of all our junk and then I said "Sometimes life happens and say there's a car accident, or we go to the doctor and we get a diagnosis, and we pick bad things... Sometimes we think it isn't different." I pulled the heart's sides back apart breaking it. I asked if God went anywhere and some looking at the heart, others looking at their own creations, and they said no. The red dye didn't go away just as He does not go away. We are still new and we are still His. God never leaves His children. We just get to keep going to Him, trusting Him and leaning into Him. The kids wrapped up making their new creations and the Benniks led them in a new game: balloon volleyball.
The fun and chaos continued until the movie was over and the food was ready to eat. After everyone was served their food, stomachs were full of injera, Activity Day concluded and the kids were taken back to their homes via the BCI Academy bus. Thanks to all generous donors for making a day like this happen in Ethiopia.
After hearing from God's Word, we split into two groups. The older children we sent to the school's library for a showing of the movie God's Not Dead. The younger children ages 3-11 stayed with us in the cafeteria for a craft. Our craft (thanks to Brad and Christi Bennik from Canada) was homemade play-doh. We decided the kids could make whatever they wanted to with it and we explained it was not food. The kids were given a choice of yellow or red dye for their small round ball of doh and then after it was thoroughly mixed, we gave them the choice to add glitter to make it shine. They had the choice of purple, blue, or green glitter for their creations. Catch a glimpse at some of their work!
Nearing the end of our craft time, the Lord showed me and told me to share with them that this is how He works. Modeling a play-doh heart, I asked them to take a look at it. (I wish I took a picture). I said, "It's looking a little pre-Jesus, you think? It's cracking and look here, it's broken," as I pulled the two sides apart. I grabbed the red dye. "But this is what happens when we ask Jesus into our hearts," I said, as I poured the red dye from top to bottom over the heart.
I asked them what they thought the red dye stood for after telling them to pretend it is Jesus. A child answered it was His Blood. I said "yes" and I explained this is what happens as He makes us new creations. We are washed of all our junk and then I said "Sometimes life happens and say there's a car accident, or we go to the doctor and we get a diagnosis, and we pick bad things... Sometimes we think it isn't different." I pulled the heart's sides back apart breaking it. I asked if God went anywhere and some looking at the heart, others looking at their own creations, and they said no. The red dye didn't go away just as He does not go away. We are still new and we are still His. God never leaves His children. We just get to keep going to Him, trusting Him and leaning into Him. The kids wrapped up making their new creations and the Benniks led them in a new game: balloon volleyball.
The fun and chaos continued until the movie was over and the food was ready to eat. After everyone was served their food, stomachs were full of injera, Activity Day concluded and the kids were taken back to their homes via the BCI Academy bus. Thanks to all generous donors for making a day like this happen in Ethiopia.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Growing in Talent and Potential: Help BCI Mom Strive to Thrive
Wolela Tsegaye, the mother of one of BCI's sponsor children, Eyob Teklu, has been fairly consistent in coming to one of our income generating projects learning and continuing to improve the skill of making paper bead jewelry. If you have seen one of our child information books, you may or may not have read about Eyob's story. Eyob's father passed away and his mother was very sick with tuberculosis. Her TB is no longer active but the illness has left her with a severe cough with which she will have coughing spells so bad at times I've personally wondered if she would ever catch her breath. Even so, she continues to show up for class.
I have seen her continue to improve with each new week, becoming more creative and more innovative coming up with new designs, something I tried to instill in the women when I arrived back here in Debre Zeyit nearly 3 months ago with the beads I learned how to make with permanent marker, paper, toothpicks and a bit of glue. When the class started after I arrived we had nearly 15 women attending and as of late, Wolela has been sometimes the only one to show up which shows me she enjoys the art, she's dedicated and the heart is in it to make her life better.
Wolela was the first to venture out in making cross designs after seeing my own playings with a paper bead cross pendant. I tend to favor hers more as she gives it that African jewelry touch and she kept toothpicks inside of hers to make it stay straight rather than using only the beading string like I did. You can see her modeling one of her first cross designs below.
She as well as the other girls would often ask for supplies to take home so they could work on making more and below is a photo of the next class when she brought in a couple attempts at tiered necklaces.
A set of earrings was our next design. I have not personally made earrings before but given that she is trying and I see her potential, we need more supplies. The more practice she gets the better she will become. We need earring hooks as the metal she used is actually not the safest as it will rust, more paper, more markers for designs and more glue.
If you would like to donate toward helping our income generating project of paper beads to continue, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to make your one time donation.
Wolela Tsegaye, center on couch, October 2014
She as well as the other girls would often ask for supplies to take home so they could work on making more and below is a photo of the next class when she brought in a couple attempts at tiered necklaces.
November 2014
A set of earrings was our next design. I have not personally made earrings before but given that she is trying and I see her potential, we need more supplies. The more practice she gets the better she will become. We need earring hooks as the metal she used is actually not the safest as it will rust, more paper, more markers for designs and more glue.
First set of earrings
Latest bracelet creation, End of November 2014
Monday, November 17, 2014
Desperate and Devestated in the Middle of Divorce
Sinite, a grade 9 student at a government school, never imagined her life would be this way at seventeen years old. Living without her mom as she's abandoned the family in the middle of a nasty, painful divorce has forced her to take care of her twelve year old brother, Sitota Esa, a new BCI program child who is in grade 5, and care for her aging and disabled military father all by herself. The father brings in about 500 birr from his pension from military disability, but 300 birr of that goes toward monthly rent for their rental home which doesn't leave much for food and other things. While disabled from service to his country, he can do some daily labor as he heals up from his wounds to help provide a little more to help feed his family but more responsibilities have been placed on the oldest daughter Sinite even as she tries hard to finish her studies at school and look forward to university. She fought to hold back the tears and avoid eye contact as I apologized for it being so hard and talking to her about how Jesus can walk her through it. Per Ethiopian custom, Sinite is arranging for community elders to try to bring her mom back to work things out with her dad. We tried very hard to encourage this young and fragile Orthodox family with kids who miss their mom and dad being together. It is so evident their hearts are hurting.
Sinite was a victim to cardiac problems when she was younger, a common problem in Ethiopian children that causes so many deaths. Because she survived, her dreams are of becoming a cardiac doctor to help other children in Debre Zeyit, which would fulfill a great need as the town is in dire need of good and well educated heart doctors. Her goal is to help prevent cardiac deaths.
Sitota likes going to school and like his sister has a medical mind with a goal of becoming a nurse. He wants to work as a pediatric nurse (one who specializes in children). Right now, his favorite classes are Grammar and Spoken English, and last year he ranked 26/56 which means he is an average student.
Sitota does not have any sponsors as he is very new to our program. Sponsoring Sitota for as little as $30 per month will help alleviate some of the heaviness from the unexpected reality of their parents' divorce and their dad's disability as well as help him reach his goal of becoming a nurse as your dollars would help him continue to learn in school and give him food. To sponsor Sitota, proclaiming the Lord has given him a hope and a future, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to begin your monthly donation.
Sinite and her brother Sitota
Sunday, November 16, 2014
An Eventful Week - with a broken arm.
I'm very aware of how God knew what He was doing giving me the parents I had. (That's not to say I was not aware - my parents were pretty gobez growing up - it was just...a moment).
God saw then these moments of treating Dawit's dad here in Ethiopia for his broken arm.
He had been in bed for over a week before I found out about it, according to my understanding. I'm so glad it wasn't worse. He fell from fixing a water tank, landed on his left side and back with his body landing on his left arm. He hurt his back and ended up with a radial fracture in his wrist. It was very swollen but he said the swelling had gone down and it looked so much better than it did when it first happened. I'm sure. Because I'm a beginner at Amharic, I looked from their house toward the school and saw the gate was open, so I went back to the school to see if Hiruy was still there or someone who knew both languages better to help me translate as Wendishet found me after school had let out for the day and told me about the accident. Thankfully he was still there and I asked if there were any extra cardboard laying around.
It was the only thing I could think of that might be around that would be hard enough for a temporary splint.
He lay it flat on the cardboard splint for a short time. I think general first aid is a new thing to them. He told us he saw a "traditional doctor," and after I asked my translator for an explanation, I found out this is an African doctor, a doctor like a physical therapist and this doctor massaged his injury, gave him some type of medicine in pill form called Clofen (a pain reliever I gather but it wasn't cutting it) and he was rubbing petroleum jelly on it. I knew there was more that needed to be done from the looks of his arm. Obviously he needed an xray, and a doctor who could set the bone and either splint it or cast it. An injury like this could affect him the rest of his life - work - everything. It was a miracle nothing else was wrong with him. Was he bleeding internally from the fall? What if he were? He had been laying there for days. Wendishet could have been a widow.
We finally got him to Dr. Solomon's clinic after fighting his thinking that he was a bother and trying to think of the best place to take him...one, a place with radiology and/or an orthopedic doctor and two, a place where he would get the best and quickest treatment, and then there was the issue of finding a ride to get us there. All of the above can sometimes be an issue. When we went into the room the doctor ordered an xray to be done the next morning as it was late. Yes, they have office hours. When we arrived the next day and he saw the xray, he diagnosed a radial fracture. (I knew the diagnosis before the doctor told him as I looked at the xray before he did - it was obvious enough for me to tell). The doctor asked me if I was a medical person. I said no, just a medical daughter and explained that my parents were of the medical field - my mom as a nurse and my dad as an EMT. I grew up with this. Turns out all those episodes of 9-1-1 late at night with Dad helped or something. Hmm...
We were given a referral to the only hospital in Debre Zeyit to splint/cast it. In Ethiopia, you have to have an appointment card to be seen at a government hospital and they were out of cards so we were sent away. This was not considered an emergency. (In an emergency situation, you do not need a card). We needed to make an appointment, fall from a water tank and then break our arm. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow is a cuss word! The medical staff are easily overwhelmed as I've found out other villages come to this hospital, so it really is take a number and wait. Maybe you'll be seen. Oy. So sad and maddening.
Tomorrow he goes to get his cast - one, two weeks from the day of the accident.
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Its been an eventful week but glory be to God, this man is in a cast! (Does that sound weird lol?!)
So, I go to take him to DZ's only hospital and I watch as people fill the seats before the doctor is even on the property. I see a man laying down with his head on his son's lap, all wrapped in a white sheet. No, he was alive, just sick and alive at least for now. I didn't take pictures even though I thought of it only to show what medical care is like here but to respect their privacy and since you need a permit to do almost anything and it being an election year (more potential for unrest during elections), I didn't take any so I hope my words paint an accurate picture for you. The waiting area was the same structure as our dairy farm barn only with benches and I noticed birds perching and walking through their tin roof's gutter. It looked like there were different buildings for the hospital the more you climb the concrete hill up past reception. We sat near the emergency, where the man was laying. I tried not to stare but I kept looking at this maybe 13 year old boy. I wondered if he was about to be an orphan. I wondered if that man knew Jesus. I wondered lots of things. I got up. I walked back toward the front of the reception to find Mekonnen as Kelkias had now arrived. There were people everywhere. While I hurt for the people waiting, I knew Mekonnen needed good treatment, better treatment than what I saw was available. So, we decided to leave DZ and head toward Addis.
I knew I didn't have enough money on me to cover everything, but I stepped out in faith God would provide.
So when we got to Gebreal Brook (where we treated Mulugeta and Nati, a kid with a hole in his heart) in Addis, I called my Mom. Even though I woke her up very early her time, she agreed she would send some more money to help cover the cost. I have three times I'm keeping up with: back home in America, Habesha time, and ferengi time. I may or may not have called her at 4am instead of 5am. Oops.
I paid 150 birr for a consultation and we got a referral as Gebreal Brook only had a chiropractor type doctor, not what we needed. She tells us the traditional doctor hurt him more than helped him as now we have two injuries to treat rather than one: a fracture and a dislocation. She referred us to Yordanos Orthopedic, a short drive from Gebreal Brook. As we're driving, I'm thinking this is about to get real because we head up in a little van up a one way alley, and then we have to get out because the alley we needed to turn into had a car parked in the way, but you could see the hospital from where we were - just a short walk. Glad he didn't break his lower extremities. It would have made getting there even more crazy.
As we waited for the doctor, I tried talking to a little girl who was with her dad and giving her doodle paper but she was scared of ferengi I think and before I could say "guadenya" or friends, she was off back upstairs with her dad. This child and a Sunni Muslim stuck out on this trip.
The Muslim sat right next to me fully dressed in a black burqa, the closest I've ever been to one. All I could see were her eyes and the bottom of her jean skirt underneath. I was not absolutely horrified as I've seen them before and God did break my heart for them on last year's trip, but I did ask Jesus for additional peace. Is she strapped, is she packing - I listened for a tick tock. Her husband seemed to stare me down with my cross bracelet and my Jesus shirt. Then as peace washed over me, my thoughts changed more toward empathy and wanting her to come to Jesus. After hearing of ISIS beheadings oddly enough, I felt safe. I wanted to ask her why she wore the burqa. Was it her own choice or was she forced? But it's our turn to see the doctor and we need to get our cast so into the tiny white room we go.
I give Yordanos points because they let me pay them only 500 of the 700 birr I needed to give them for the casting as I had run out of birr. We walked a short way to the van and our driver offered to give me the rest so we didn't have to leave entirely to go find a bank with Moneygram. Hallelujah. So now after a three day process from the time I found out about his accident, Mekonnen has a cast and has an appointment to go back to Yordanos in two weeks. The cast needs to stay on for 4-5 weeks.
Please keep praying for him and his family as he heals up from his fall. It's such a miracle that he was not hurt worse or killed.
God saw then these moments of treating Dawit's dad here in Ethiopia for his broken arm.
He had been in bed for over a week before I found out about it, according to my understanding. I'm so glad it wasn't worse. He fell from fixing a water tank, landed on his left side and back with his body landing on his left arm. He hurt his back and ended up with a radial fracture in his wrist. It was very swollen but he said the swelling had gone down and it looked so much better than it did when it first happened. I'm sure. Because I'm a beginner at Amharic, I looked from their house toward the school and saw the gate was open, so I went back to the school to see if Hiruy was still there or someone who knew both languages better to help me translate as Wendishet found me after school had let out for the day and told me about the accident. Thankfully he was still there and I asked if there were any extra cardboard laying around.
It was the only thing I could think of that might be around that would be hard enough for a temporary splint.
He lay it flat on the cardboard splint for a short time. I think general first aid is a new thing to them. He told us he saw a "traditional doctor," and after I asked my translator for an explanation, I found out this is an African doctor, a doctor like a physical therapist and this doctor massaged his injury, gave him some type of medicine in pill form called Clofen (a pain reliever I gather but it wasn't cutting it) and he was rubbing petroleum jelly on it. I knew there was more that needed to be done from the looks of his arm. Obviously he needed an xray, and a doctor who could set the bone and either splint it or cast it. An injury like this could affect him the rest of his life - work - everything. It was a miracle nothing else was wrong with him. Was he bleeding internally from the fall? What if he were? He had been laying there for days. Wendishet could have been a widow.
We finally got him to Dr. Solomon's clinic after fighting his thinking that he was a bother and trying to think of the best place to take him...one, a place with radiology and/or an orthopedic doctor and two, a place where he would get the best and quickest treatment, and then there was the issue of finding a ride to get us there. All of the above can sometimes be an issue. When we went into the room the doctor ordered an xray to be done the next morning as it was late. Yes, they have office hours. When we arrived the next day and he saw the xray, he diagnosed a radial fracture. (I knew the diagnosis before the doctor told him as I looked at the xray before he did - it was obvious enough for me to tell). The doctor asked me if I was a medical person. I said no, just a medical daughter and explained that my parents were of the medical field - my mom as a nurse and my dad as an EMT. I grew up with this. Turns out all those episodes of 9-1-1 late at night with Dad helped or something. Hmm...
We were given a referral to the only hospital in Debre Zeyit to splint/cast it. In Ethiopia, you have to have an appointment card to be seen at a government hospital and they were out of cards so we were sent away. This was not considered an emergency. (In an emergency situation, you do not need a card). We needed to make an appointment, fall from a water tank and then break our arm. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow is a cuss word! The medical staff are easily overwhelmed as I've found out other villages come to this hospital, so it really is take a number and wait. Maybe you'll be seen. Oy. So sad and maddening.
Tomorrow he goes to get his cast - one, two weeks from the day of the accident.
-----------------------------------------------
Its been an eventful week but glory be to God, this man is in a cast! (Does that sound weird lol?!)
So, I go to take him to DZ's only hospital and I watch as people fill the seats before the doctor is even on the property. I see a man laying down with his head on his son's lap, all wrapped in a white sheet. No, he was alive, just sick and alive at least for now. I didn't take pictures even though I thought of it only to show what medical care is like here but to respect their privacy and since you need a permit to do almost anything and it being an election year (more potential for unrest during elections), I didn't take any so I hope my words paint an accurate picture for you. The waiting area was the same structure as our dairy farm barn only with benches and I noticed birds perching and walking through their tin roof's gutter. It looked like there were different buildings for the hospital the more you climb the concrete hill up past reception. We sat near the emergency, where the man was laying. I tried not to stare but I kept looking at this maybe 13 year old boy. I wondered if he was about to be an orphan. I wondered if that man knew Jesus. I wondered lots of things. I got up. I walked back toward the front of the reception to find Mekonnen as Kelkias had now arrived. There were people everywhere. While I hurt for the people waiting, I knew Mekonnen needed good treatment, better treatment than what I saw was available. So, we decided to leave DZ and head toward Addis.
I knew I didn't have enough money on me to cover everything, but I stepped out in faith God would provide.
So when we got to Gebreal Brook (where we treated Mulugeta and Nati, a kid with a hole in his heart) in Addis, I called my Mom. Even though I woke her up very early her time, she agreed she would send some more money to help cover the cost. I have three times I'm keeping up with: back home in America, Habesha time, and ferengi time. I may or may not have called her at 4am instead of 5am. Oops.
I paid 150 birr for a consultation and we got a referral as Gebreal Brook only had a chiropractor type doctor, not what we needed. She tells us the traditional doctor hurt him more than helped him as now we have two injuries to treat rather than one: a fracture and a dislocation. She referred us to Yordanos Orthopedic, a short drive from Gebreal Brook. As we're driving, I'm thinking this is about to get real because we head up in a little van up a one way alley, and then we have to get out because the alley we needed to turn into had a car parked in the way, but you could see the hospital from where we were - just a short walk. Glad he didn't break his lower extremities. It would have made getting there even more crazy.
As we waited for the doctor, I tried talking to a little girl who was with her dad and giving her doodle paper but she was scared of ferengi I think and before I could say "guadenya" or friends, she was off back upstairs with her dad. This child and a Sunni Muslim stuck out on this trip.
The Muslim sat right next to me fully dressed in a black burqa, the closest I've ever been to one. All I could see were her eyes and the bottom of her jean skirt underneath. I was not absolutely horrified as I've seen them before and God did break my heart for them on last year's trip, but I did ask Jesus for additional peace. Is she strapped, is she packing - I listened for a tick tock. Her husband seemed to stare me down with my cross bracelet and my Jesus shirt. Then as peace washed over me, my thoughts changed more toward empathy and wanting her to come to Jesus. After hearing of ISIS beheadings oddly enough, I felt safe. I wanted to ask her why she wore the burqa. Was it her own choice or was she forced? But it's our turn to see the doctor and we need to get our cast so into the tiny white room we go.
I give Yordanos points because they let me pay them only 500 of the 700 birr I needed to give them for the casting as I had run out of birr. We walked a short way to the van and our driver offered to give me the rest so we didn't have to leave entirely to go find a bank with Moneygram. Hallelujah. So now after a three day process from the time I found out about his accident, Mekonnen has a cast and has an appointment to go back to Yordanos in two weeks. The cast needs to stay on for 4-5 weeks.
Please keep praying for him and his family as he heals up from his fall. It's such a miracle that he was not hurt worse or killed.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Will you sponsor 2 year old Nardos Melaku?
Introducing Nardos Melaku, age 2, and not sponsored. Little Nardos is new to the BCI program.
She lives with her mom, Ababa (which means "flower"), who she is very close to, and her older brother, Yohannis, age 7, and all of them would live with their dad too if he didn't skip out on the family after Ababa became pregnant with the youngest. Currently, Yohannis is a grade 1 student and goes to a private school near the home, a cost of 70 birr per month. They rent the house they live in at a cost of 350 birr monthly. They are fortunate enough to have a water source nearby, but it is not filtered water and for the past two weeks, that water pump has gone dry so they travel about 10 minutes away to get it. Ababa washes clothes and sells injera to take care of her and her family, but even so it is not enough. With a full sponsorship, Nardos will receive rice and grain for food and when she gets old enough she will begin nursery at BCI Academy. If you are interested in sponsoring tinnish (or small) Nardos, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to set up your donation.
Nardos Melaku
She lives with her mom, Ababa (which means "flower"), who she is very close to, and her older brother, Yohannis, age 7, and all of them would live with their dad too if he didn't skip out on the family after Ababa became pregnant with the youngest. Currently, Yohannis is a grade 1 student and goes to a private school near the home, a cost of 70 birr per month. They rent the house they live in at a cost of 350 birr monthly. They are fortunate enough to have a water source nearby, but it is not filtered water and for the past two weeks, that water pump has gone dry so they travel about 10 minutes away to get it. Ababa washes clothes and sells injera to take care of her and her family, but even so it is not enough. With a full sponsorship, Nardos will receive rice and grain for food and when she gets old enough she will begin nursery at BCI Academy. If you are interested in sponsoring tinnish (or small) Nardos, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to set up your donation.
Will you help Meheret Teka and her family?
Meheret Teka
Meheret is a grade 5 student at BCI Academy. She is partially sponsored. She is a full orphan as she lost both parents when she was living in another area outside of Debre Zeyit. Her relative guardian who was living in Debre Zeyit at the time of her loss took her in, but this relative, her adopted mom, has 4 children of her own. The siblings are in government school except for the youngest as he is only 2.
The Christian family once lived in a church compound and their church, Emmanuel, funded the place that they live in now. When we reached their home, I joked with Getu that you needed to be part mountain goat to get here. He laughed, because he and I both know the walk we walked today was not as bad as some treks these kids make every day. The view from the top of the hill is amazing, but if you don't watch your footing, you will keep rolling down the mountainside.
Front view at first firm foot setting outside their home
View of a church to the right of the home,
located on the top of another hill
View down the hillside to the left of the home
The area in which they live would be nice for raising livestock and chickens. The mom is asking for chickens to sell for more income as the family is needy. I'm asking not only for the chickens for the family but for a donkey as well so they are not forced to carry water by themselves alone. Carrying water the distance they need to gets heavy and can be dangerous if one were to slip and fall. The children share a small make shift bed maybe with a slice of foam in a small corner on the floor and it is hard for me to imagine how all the kids sleep on this small space. They would have to sleep on top of each other if not some of them on the floor, but even if a missionary were to buy or make a bed for them, the living area is so small it would not fit without the removal of some of the other furniture that they do have.If you are interested in sponsoring Meheret so that she is fully sponsored and receiving full support from BCI, please visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Child tempted to quit school due to lack of money and food: will you help this family?
Emebet Abera is 13 years old and is in the BCI program. She is a grade 7 student and she has a sponsor. Asegedech Abera is 15 years old and she is a grade 10 student enrolled in government school and is not in the BCI program. Getahun Abera is 14 years old and in grade 9. He is doing well in school, is not in the BCI program and he also attends a government school. He wants to be a doctor.
Alemnesh Degefa is their mom. She is 35 yrs old and she does not work because of her health. She has an eye and heart problem. Her husband passed away years ago after a construction accident as he fell from a pole and died.
They have no water access near their home. They have to travel distances to fetch it. Because the older girl fell and broke her arm trying to carry it herself, a missionary bought the family a donkey to help carry it. They have no income and the family waits on monthly donations. Another missionary also purchased chickens for additional food and income, however, three of those chickens recently died.
The above picture is part of the family's property. The traditional hut you see serves as their barn for the donkey and chickens as hyena roam the area at night. To the right of the hut is their very small garden which allows for some food but the weather can sometimes affect whether it grows.
Current needs aside from sponsorship include uniforms for Getahun as he does not have any uniforms for school. It is Ethiopian law that every student wear a uniform in school. It cost around 450 birr ($23 USD) for 2 uniforms for him.
They need prayers and action. The older kid is not wanting to go to school because they send him away without a uniform and his family does not have money for food. They only get 12 packets of rice monthly and when they are out, they are out. Alemnesh strongly asked that we encourage her children to continue school regardless of their current situation because she knows the power behind an education.
Current needs aside from sponsorship include uniforms for Getahun as he does not have any uniforms for school. It is Ethiopian law that every student wear a uniform in school. It cost around 450 birr ($23 USD) for 2 uniforms for him.
They need prayers and action. The older kid is not wanting to go to school because they send him away without a uniform and his family does not have money for food. They only get 12 packets of rice monthly and when they are out, they are out. Alemnesh strongly asked that we encourage her children to continue school regardless of their current situation because she knows the power behind an education.
This family is in desperate need of assistance. If you can sponsor Alemayehu, visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate to set up your monthly donation.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Ginchi: a mission within a mission AND Zion's International Service: Story Sharing.
Yard in front.
Side street view.
The building itself.
"Stairway to heaven" lol.
When we reached the Ginchi site, we had to walk a 5-10 minute walk from a part of the road where rocks made van travel difficult (not impossible as we went in the van on the way back - it was just curious to the driver in getting there). As soon as I walked through the gate I had the sense something was here for me. As we listened to the church staff share their project powerpoint presentation, giving us more of an eye for their vision and getting to explore their compound, I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of. (If you or your church want to see this presentation, please contact me via email. I'm sure these brothers and sisters will not mind my sharing if you are considering pitching in to help). I didn't say anything at the time because I hadn't prayed about it. Our own missionary go-for Eshetu is looking at being project manager (along with his girlfriend Ashley) in about 2 years.
Currently Ginchi is beginning a KG with the hopes of expanding to an elementary school with a youth center and health center. Right now they are working on funding and getting squared away with facilities: toilets with running water, a guest house so they can have a missionary program, classrooms painted and equipped with desks and chairs, etc. They are registered with the Ethiopian government to begin this work in Christ. They need a lot of work and the overall project will cost initially around $5,000 USD.
Ginchi Myung Song Church
Korean plant 5-9 years
(English: "Voice of the Gospel")
Area kids on playground on compound.
Adana in red
BCI kid checking it out
Future Guest House
Teff and wheat field
Currently storage
Classrooms building
3 girls of the 30 KG students
3 boys of the 30 KG students
So, I'm wanting to make this a mission within a mission.
Upon approval, I'm wanting to take some of the older kids from BCI's program (the ones who have shared with me they want to help other orphans when they get older) to Ginchi on some weekend to help with some of the painting and setting up the rooms. There's no reason they have to wait until later to help when there is opportunity for them to do so now. It gives them a chance to shine God's light.
Saturday was a fun and safe day of travels, and I've been feeling so much better. Thanks for your prayers as I've been healing up from this nasty upper respiratory cold and cough. Now, about Sunday!
So glad for Sheila Lamb and the Bible through Felt materials her and her troupe brought with them. The kids were very curious about the felt characters that confused some neighbor missionary's kids into thinking it was a painting at long distance. We talked about how Jesus loves all children and how he blessed them. The story in the teacher's book talked about kids getting healed from sitting on His lap, and by the end of the story, kids were amazing me asking for prayers for patience, help with studies, their own healing of sickness like Jesus did, and for help keeping Jesus first in every situation.
That afternoon, I got the privilege of sharing my story at Zion Church's International service where several different nations were represented. We also talked about God's provision as it's been an ongoing theme lately, and how we all need to learn the word "provided" because He is our provider and it's already done. I really like what Pastor Tadesse said in conclusion of Kelkias' speech at Ginchi: "If the need is big, God is bigger. If the need is bigger, God is biggest. If the need is biggest, God is Almighty." So true.
I'll admit, I was a bit nervous stepping into it as this is the first time I've grabbed a mic in front of a church since before my Grandma and Dad died but at the end of it, I was encouraged that I'm a gobez (good job) speaker, that I'm brave, and that I blessed them through it. Thanks so much to the Tiatia's for asking me to share!!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Orphans Sleeping on Sacks on the Concrete Floor - Save the Candy _ Feed the Child
Meet some very cute siblings Selamawit Yohannis and Getaneh Yohannis, ages 11 and 8 respectively, new kids to BCI's sponsorship program.
Currently neither sibling is receiving benefits from BCI. These orphans attend government school not far from where they live. Before their parents passed away when they lived in Addis Ababa, they were living in good conditions and attending a private school. Now they live with their grandma who is unable to find work and their aunt and two cousins, with the aunt the sole income - not much for a total of six in the house. They had not had breakfast when we visited as they were out of food. The kids are sleeping on sacks on the cold, sometimes wet, concrete floor as seen here:
Selamawit is a grade 4 student whose future aspirations are becoming a famous dancer. Her favorite color is yellow and her favorite animal is the dog. She likes to learn to read and she likes going to school.
Getaneh is a grade 3 student and he wants to be a compassionate person when he grows up, someone who helps or works with an orphanage. He didn't answer when we asked if he likes school. His favorite color is green and he, like his older sister, likes dogs.
According to their grandma, these kids are having trouble adjusting to the new reality of mom and dad not being here and not being able to attend a private school such as BCI Academy. It is hard for the family to accept the current circumstances. The family is of the Orthodox community. When on the visit I asked the social worker if they knew the difference between a relationship with Jesus and worshipping Mary as is taught by the Orthodox church. They are just learning that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. They are just learning there is no other way but through Him, not Mary, and not a priest.
Would God be moving your heart to respond to their need of sponsorship? Are you being called to give them breakfast? This Halloween, is your family called to save the candy, and feed the child?
To sponsor Selamawit or Yohannis, visit www.blessingthechildren.org/donate or call Melissa at 1.888.269.2719.
Selamawit is a grade 4 student whose future aspirations are becoming a famous dancer. Her favorite color is yellow and her favorite animal is the dog. She likes to learn to read and she likes going to school.
Daughters of the King - Women's Conference
I watched as eighty women filled the seats of the conference room at Genesis Farms, land for planting farmers started by the Dutch. Eighty daughters of the King. Whether they had accepted and began a real relationship with the Father or not, the work of Jesus Christ had already been completed over 2,000 years ago - it's our decision day, our moment of arrival at the Truth that matters. All of us, precious, costly daughters of the one true King.
The day began with prayer and worship in song. They sang a song about how God is our protector, we're never outside of His eye, and asking to protect us like we are in His eye. The Word of God was shared by a fellow Habesha. We limited her time of sharing to one hour. Many of these moms are the only ones available to watch their children after school, so we were on a tight schedule to have them on the bus in order for them to be home by the time their children arrived.
After a coffee break, the women were separated and placed into four groups. We had time enough for the women to join two of the four sessions. The first session was originally titled "Food Safety" but changed more to proper handwashing, led by Sheila Lamb, who showed the women what bacteria looked like on their hands after washing via black light. Despite some minor technical difficulties, the session went well. The second session was simply called "Crafts" led by Peggy Kohut where the women learned to cross-stitch, some for the first time. The third session was "Fun Times," my group, where we held a scavenger hunt for the women, and whoever found the most items within a five minute time frame won a prize. The idea of a scavenger hunt was very new to these women and it required some memory work as we translated the list of items but they enjoyed it, especially watching the winner wear the prize for a quick photo! The last session, but certainly not the least, is where we got our theme and calling for it - it was called "Daughters of the King" co-led by Stephanie Hastings and Sonja Ward. In this session, salvation was explained and the women made friendship bracelets.
When the sessions concluded, because we ran out of time during "Fun Times," as they were dismissed to retrieve their lunch - a traditional spicy Ethiopian meal - each of the women were given a balloon to pop. These balloons had a bible verse and either birr in denominations of 1, 5, or 10, or they had a 25 birr phone card. This went well, that is, until men from the street wanted to join along and I had to tell them these were only for the women, a risk one takes if ever doing something outside where others can see.
Before the conference concluded, we handed out gift bags to each woman and they each got a greeting card signed by all of us as a token for them to remember who they are in Christ: Daughters of the King. The gift bags contained various items such as lotion, wash cloth, soap, hand sanitizer, finger nail polish, etc. On the face of the greeting card was the conference's theme "Daughters of the King" with a crown and on the inside the second half of Isaiah 51:11.
The women seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Each lady also received a single rose and were told "Konjo" as they left the building. (Konjo is Amharic for beautiful as they are beautiful daughters of the King). After joining together for a group photo the ladies boarded the bus and headed for home as we waited for the bajaj. My ride back to the guest house was quite phenomenal as seven of us crazy soldiers piled into one bajaj with Kristi Bennik's (logistics and gift bag extraordinair) tote lids covering the heads of the gentle ones of us in the back seat. We made it back safely and I just know it was because of the prayers I (perhaps you) had been praying. While the day may be tiring as we gave it our all, it was a great day and so glad to see women show up in praise to Jesus. Glory be to Him, as He has called us all Daughters of the King.
The day began with prayer and worship in song. They sang a song about how God is our protector, we're never outside of His eye, and asking to protect us like we are in His eye. The Word of God was shared by a fellow Habesha. We limited her time of sharing to one hour. Many of these moms are the only ones available to watch their children after school, so we were on a tight schedule to have them on the bus in order for them to be home by the time their children arrived.
After a coffee break, the women were separated and placed into four groups. We had time enough for the women to join two of the four sessions. The first session was originally titled "Food Safety" but changed more to proper handwashing, led by Sheila Lamb, who showed the women what bacteria looked like on their hands after washing via black light. Despite some minor technical difficulties, the session went well. The second session was simply called "Crafts" led by Peggy Kohut where the women learned to cross-stitch, some for the first time. The third session was "Fun Times," my group, where we held a scavenger hunt for the women, and whoever found the most items within a five minute time frame won a prize. The idea of a scavenger hunt was very new to these women and it required some memory work as we translated the list of items but they enjoyed it, especially watching the winner wear the prize for a quick photo! The last session, but certainly not the least, is where we got our theme and calling for it - it was called "Daughters of the King" co-led by Stephanie Hastings and Sonja Ward. In this session, salvation was explained and the women made friendship bracelets.
When the sessions concluded, because we ran out of time during "Fun Times," as they were dismissed to retrieve their lunch - a traditional spicy Ethiopian meal - each of the women were given a balloon to pop. These balloons had a bible verse and either birr in denominations of 1, 5, or 10, or they had a 25 birr phone card. This went well, that is, until men from the street wanted to join along and I had to tell them these were only for the women, a risk one takes if ever doing something outside where others can see.
Before the conference concluded, we handed out gift bags to each woman and they each got a greeting card signed by all of us as a token for them to remember who they are in Christ: Daughters of the King. The gift bags contained various items such as lotion, wash cloth, soap, hand sanitizer, finger nail polish, etc. On the face of the greeting card was the conference's theme "Daughters of the King" with a crown and on the inside the second half of Isaiah 51:11.
The women seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Each lady also received a single rose and were told "Konjo" as they left the building. (Konjo is Amharic for beautiful as they are beautiful daughters of the King). After joining together for a group photo the ladies boarded the bus and headed for home as we waited for the bajaj. My ride back to the guest house was quite phenomenal as seven of us crazy soldiers piled into one bajaj with Kristi Bennik's (logistics and gift bag extraordinair) tote lids covering the heads of the gentle ones of us in the back seat. We made it back safely and I just know it was because of the prayers I (perhaps you) had been praying. While the day may be tiring as we gave it our all, it was a great day and so glad to see women show up in praise to Jesus. Glory be to Him, as He has called us all Daughters of the King.
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