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.