The Hope in Ethiopia: Zeway

Hope in Ethiopia has a new website!!!

2011-10-17T10:12:00.005-05:00

Please visit the brand new website for Hope in Ethiopia!!
AND
If you will be at T4A in Phoenix, stop by and say Hello! We'd love to tell you more about this awesome partnership!

Congratulations Dawit and Hiwot!

2011-08-21T20:11:00.010-05:00

A year ago we had a special guest to Austin, Dawit Kassaye, who was the FH Zeway director. Dawit is from Addis Ababa and it was his first trip to the U.S. He blessed many by his prayers, wisdom, and compassion for the poor.

In August 2010, Dawit decided to attend Denver Theological Seminary and after arriving in the U.S., re-acquainted himself with an old friend, Hiwot Alayew. She lived in Minneapolis, but that certainly didn't stop them from falling in love!

Dawit and Hiwot married today in Minneapolis and Hiwot will be joining Dawit in Denver so that he can finish his graduate work. Congratulations Dawit and Hiwot! Pray for God to richly bless their marriage!

Tom Sanchez, Global Outreach Pastor of Grace spoke at the reception.

Dawit, always mindful of the poor, shared about the drought in Africa during the reception, and made a call to action to his guests to care for the poor during his wedding speech. That is Dawit.

Hope in Ethiopia event

2011-08-09T13:26:00.007-05:00

We had a great event on Sunday sharing about everything God is doing in Zeway. In case you missed it, here are some pictures!

The Tesfa jewelry collection. Want to see more? Schedule a home party! Learn more here.

Beautiful artwork from the orphans of Zeway. Several pieces still available!

Baker Tuthill shares about how on his birthday, instead of gifts, he asked for donations for the orphans of Zeway. Baker collected $92.00!

2011-08-07T04:43:00.005-05:00

We are so excited to introduce another item that will continue to raise awareness to the Hope in Ethiopia partnership and the beautiful children of Zeway.

Ethiopian Clothing Cards
Artwork drawn by Senayet. Notecards designed by Kathy McClelland.

Designed by Senayet, this set of four clothing cards contains brilliant drawings of a dress, a pair of pants, a skirt and a sweater. Many of the colors in the note cards - red, yellow and green - represent those of the Ethiopian flag. Made by an orphan of Zeway, let this set of cards be a fun way to drop a note to a friend!

$10.00

Available here.

Flowers and Homes of Africa
Artwork drawn by children of Zeway. Notecards designed by Kathy McClelland.

Several orphan artists created this compilation of beautiful cards. The green bordered card containing neatly drawn flowers surrounding a house was done by Abyham. Gumane drew the hut and flowers in the brown border. The large vibrant and colorful flower with the blue border was the creation of Hiwot. And the delicate pink flower was designed by Samerawit. Use this diverse set of cards to send thank you notes knowing you are sharing the work of orphans.

$10.00 Available here

Bible Listening Groups in Ethiopia

2011-07-31T21:01:00.006-05:00

One of the amazing things that happened on our trip to Zeway this past June was being able to take a "Proclaimer" audio bible (www.faithcomesbyhearing.com), recorded in Amharic, the most widely-spoken Ethiopian dialect, as a gift for the Zeway Evangelical Church leaders. They had literally just started to tell us how they were struggling with being able to get the Gospel story out to people when we were able to give them this gift! It was a Holy Spirit moment, and as these pictures show, they are making great use of this very cool little black box. Praise God for this!

Hear More on August 7th

2011-07-25T09:30:00.002-05:00

God is doing so many wonderful new things through The Hope in Ethiopia partnership that we can't keep them to ourselves!

Please plan to join us on Sunday, August 7 in the Children's Auditorium at Grace Covenant Church at 1:15.

We'll share the ways ophans' lives are being transformed and how the community is transforming through orphan care. We’ll also share new plans to bring water to dry places, and an exciting extension of the partnership! The people of Zeway are encountering hope in the form of Jesus Christ and His provision through local churches, loving social workers, and the outpouring of love from the people of Grace.

We suggest you pack a sack lunch or pick up food and drinks before we begin at 1:15. All children are welcome, or you can pre-register your 0-4 year old children for childcare. Children must PRE-register on the Grace website. www.grace360.org The event will end at 2:15.

We hope this gathering will be informative, fun, and inspiring for both kids and adults. Feel free to forward this invitation to your adult communities, life groups, and friends!

Ibsa's X-ray

2011-07-18T20:14:00.005-05:00

This is a picture of Ibsa's hand. He injured his hand during a soccer game and he went to the FH offices to see if someone could help. Typically, Ibsa would not have seen that as an option, but with the support of the partnership, medical care is very much an option.

It seems simple enough to fix a sprained or broken finger, but many cases in Zeway and other parts of Ethiopia, it isn't simple at all. Many children who break a finger, arm or foot when young never get it medically treated and the bone realigns improperly and causes other related problems. It is very common to see a foot or a finger that has healed in a crooked and painful way.

We are thankful for the support of the partnership that Ibsa had his hand x-rayed and treated properly. He should be well on his way to recovery.

The Tesfa Jewelry Collection

2011-06-27T07:07:00.008-05:00

I love how God creates beauty from ashes. I love how God has allowed what most people would consider trash....old, unwanted paper...to be used by women to create a beautiful item. The paper bead. And I love how He has used those paper beads to help feed orphans in Zeway, Ethiopia.

When we first started the Tesfa jewelry collection it was just Cathy Clark & myself stringing up as many bracelets and necklaces as we possibly could. We were seeing beads in our sleep. But more women are getting involved and we are excited to see whats happening. Recently, a group of women who are in a Life group together asked if they could string up beads as a "girls night" activity. Here's what happened:

Another lady from church asked if she could make jewelry. She was given this box of beads:

And she made these:

It's so exciting to see how God is allowing so many people to use their gifts and talents to help the orphans in Zeway. Jewelry is just one, small way to get involved. Consider having a home party or giving Tesfa jewelry as a gift. These bracelets & necklaces are not just a fashion statement...they are opportunities to share about what God is doing in Zeway.

To see more of the Tesfa jewelry collection, click here.

Interested in a home party? Send us an email!

'Tie them as symbols on your hands......be careful that you do not forget the LORD'
Deuteronomy 6:8 & 12

Chala Update

2011-06-23T14:49:00.003-05:00

We learned that Chala indeed took his college entrance exams during the week of June 13, but we will not know the results until September. (the month he will also enter college if he passes). His sister, Genet, who took her 10th grade exams, will also wait until September to know if she passed.

Bezawork, the CHH director in Zeway, did say that he met up with Chala after the exams to ask him how he did. Chala said that math and physics were a bit hard, but he felt good about the rest of the exam.

Hopefully there will be good news in September!

from left to right: Bezawork (CHH director) Mohammed, Chala, Genet

Adoption Conference Update

2011-06-23T14:25:00.003-05:00

After the Zeway pastors, elders and wives came home from the Addis Seed Adoption Conference just over 3 weeks ago, they shared with Matt and John that they wanted to share what they learned about adoption and orphan care with their congregations.

They were eager to get started so they have set the dates of July 15 and 16 to have a local adoption conference in Zeway. THIS is fantastic!

Please be in prayer the weeks before and following July 15 and 16.

That the pastors would present a biblical based view of adoption and orphan care
That this biblical view would transcend any cultural biases
That families would be moved to care for the orphans in Zeway and even adopt them into forever families
That the orphans would be prepared for this!
For all the details to come together for transportation, facilities, schedule etc.

Thank you for praying! This is exciting times in Zeway!

Seeding Adoption in Ethiopia

2011-06-18T14:54:00.009-05:00

It was a lot like watching a president’s victorious speech on election night, or maybe how it must have felt to witness Lincoln unveiling the Emancipation Proclamation.

In a few years, I believe we’ll look back on the Seed Adoption conference I was able attend this June in Ethiopia and see it as nothing less than the spark of a national spiritual and cultural transformation for adoption and the orphan. It just might have been the beginning of the end of the Ethiopian orphan crisis.

I was blessed to participate (along with Pastor John Patterson from Grace Covenant in Austin) in one of three trainings in which hundreds of Ethiopian pastors, elders, and nonprofit leaders (both husbands and wives together) heard powerful messages about the nature and extent of the Ethiopian orphan crisis, scripture’s clear call to care for orphans, God’s invention and use of adoption as the means by which we join Him in right relationship, adoption in an Ethiopian historical and cultural context, and the practical aspects of adoption in Ethiopia. Session presenters included a member of the Ethiopian federal parliament, the former Africa director of Worldvision, the General Secretary of a large Ethiopian Christian denomination, a senior Ethiopian leader from Compassion International, Nick Ostermann (pastor of The Rooted Church in Fort Worth), and many others, all of whom were Ethiopian except for Nick. There were 150+ people in attendance, including 46 from Zeway and Food for the Hungry where our current orphan care and indigenous adoption initiative is centered.

My major take-aways from the conference include:

The training was very professional, motivational, theologically sound, and spirit-filled
Several key messages were repeated by almost all speakers (evidence of the Holy Spirit moving):

The church must be the answer to the crisis
Adoption is the most effective solution for orphans (as opposed to foster care or orphanages)
Individual action by everyone there was expected (“Each of us here can add one more child to our family.”)

The ancient Oromo (a large Ethiopian tribal people group) practice of “gudifecha” can serve as a strong foundation to build upon for Ethiopian adoption, but it needs the influence of scripture and other more acceptable modern practices to be truly effective
Adoption is the “heart of the gospel”, and all of scripture can be seen to be about God’s vertical adoption of each of us, which should motivate us to respond to His calls to care for orphans (through adoption ideally)
A new national Task Force on adoption and the church was formed, and two pastors from Zeway were elected to serve

There were many moving testimonies presented by attendees and speakers, and some of the key quotes I recorded include:

“I believe that God has raised Seed Adoption Ethiopia with a great and different vision to reach children who have no families/guardians and caregivers.”
“This is about you, not someone else.”
“Just like the stories of Moses and Esther, God can use adoption in Ethiopia to can change the story of our nation.”
“The orphan crisis is bigger than you think, not just children who have lost parents, it is humans who have lost our God.”
“Pure religion calls for men of courage and boldness, men who will march into dark and diseased places, take a child with difficulties and look at them and say you will be mine. Your identify will be in me and in this family, I am your father and you are my child. Pastors, men, my brothers, we must be the ones to lead the way in rescuing the fatherless.”
“God invented adoption, and it is at the center of His plan.”
“Local adoption is a lasting solution for the orphan crisis.”

I am so grateful for the Seed Adoption organizers, the individuals from Grace who helped underwrite the costs of the conference, and for my wife for making it possible for me to experience such an amazing event. Please pray for this movement to continue and for God to change the hearts of Ethiopians to give the millions of lonely orphans in their midst the families God intends for them to have (Psalms 68:5-6).

Zeway Missions Weekend Video

2011-06-13T09:17:00.002-05:00

On the weekend of June 12th, this video was featured during the church service. During the service, the video ended a little early to allow time for a live update about the most recent trip to Zeway. Now you can see the full video here.

Pray for Chala on June 13

2011-06-07T20:07:00.004-05:00

Please pray for Chala (red shirt). He is 17 and he'll be taking his college entrance exams the week of June 13.

He is a Zeway orphan who is overcoming tremendous obstacles as he lives without parental care with his 3 siblings. He is now the eldest of his family. Genet (in green) is 15 and will be taking her 10th grade exams the same week. Pray for her as well. Tariku is another brother who is not pictured and Mohammed is next to Genet.

Please pray for Chala specifically to pass these exams. The Partnership would like to offer him a scholarship to school and engage local leaders to mentor him. Pray that Chala would be an example for other orphans in Zeway to overcome their struggles!

One less orphan

2011-06-03T07:05:00.005-05:00

One of the unique things about the Hope in Ethiopia partnership was the decision to incorporate the dying widow. It was discovered that there were several children in Zeway that were not orphans, but that their only living parent was dying and that the child (or children) would soon become an orphan. The idea was to not only provide for the child, but also care for the dying widow and give them the comfort of knowing that their children would be cared for.

Something amazing is happening. HOPE. Hope is happening. You see, these widows are not dying. It is amazing what proper nourishment, encouragement, proper medication and JESUS can do.

Last summer we visited a father & son....Negatu & Johannes. Negatu was the widowed father who had active AIDS. Johannes is his son. Johannes had never been to school, Negatu had extreme guilt for the choices in his life and was a broken man. During this emotional visit, both father & son prayed to accept Christ.

This past March, we saw Johannes. He was a completely different child. His eyes sparkled, he was in school and he was a happy boy. But, Negatu was ill. Very ill. Not only did he have AIDS, but he also had TB. The outlook was grim. But God is a Healer and He hears our prayers.

John and Matt visited with Negatu & Johannes today. Negatu is healthy again!! Thank you God for hearing our prayers! They were overjoyed to see John and Matt and the hugs were huge and the tears were plenty. Johannes made them coffee and John said it was the best coffee he's ever had.

Why do I feel it's so important to share this? Because these children don't have to be orphans. With the church learning about indigenous adoption and the help being offered to the widows, transformation is happening. Mothers & Fathers are living. Children are thriving. And the Gospel is being shared which is the ultimate source of Hope.

Today my heart is full knowing there is one less orphan in the world.

A Cry from Zeway

2011-06-02T17:31:00.003-05:00

This post is authored by Dawit Kassaye who acted as Zeway Food for the Hungry Director for several years until continuing his studies at Denver Seminary. Dawit is pursuing his Masters in Biblical Studies. Dawit has walked with the poor in Ethiopia for many years and has a passionate heart for the plight of the orphan.

There are many barriers that inhibit many families from adopting children from within their own community especially in Zeway, Ethiopia. First, the level of poverty hampers the lives of so many people which would not let them ‘adopt’ a child into their family. These families normally have large families. The average number of children per family is six and mainly the father wins bread but the mother in most cases is a housewife or else makes a very insignificant amount of income. Thus, impoverished life situation makes them have a blind spot on orphan crisis. It would not let them bring in a child to include as a permanent family.

Second, many people are insensitive to the orphan crisis. It is a spiritual or social sense ‘leprosy’. Their antenna could not detect the danger. They comfortably live with the orphan crisis. The community at large the church in particular lost their sense for many reasons. As the crisis inundate like a tsunami no active response is being seen!

Third, the wrong assumption of the solution to the problem, that is, many think that the problem of the orphans can be resolved only via the adoption agencies or NGO. This has been reflected as I work in the area. Many families who can afford to help at least one child come to our project office along with orphaned child with the intention that we (as NGO) assist the child. These mindsets cripple them to care for the parentless. These agencies are erroneously considered as “parents” for the unparented. Many state that “these children are yours”, thus as I decipher the concept, it marks a shift of responsibility. However, what I actually appreciation with the BOG, FH/E Zeway and ZECF is that it is a partnership which saves itself away from this danger!

Fourth, many parents afraid that the ‘adopted’ child would spoil their children in character, discipline etc consequently they do not want to include them in their family. However, it is preferred to temporarily help a child away from their home. No one would dare to take a long life commitment of these kinds of children. Fifth, children are cheap! Culturally no due attention is given to children. Many are passive when they see orphaned, homeless, hopeless children sleeping on the street, begging daily for food on the street. Finally, if they ‘adopt’ they fear that the child when grow up would leave them to get connected with his or her distant or close relatives. This takes place occasionally.

To sum up, the stated problems should not leave us with gloomy future for these orphaned children. However, better strategies need to be designed and implemented via the families, community, church and government. I would argue that the church is the best solution to the stated problem because the church is given God’s heart for the orphans!

To hear more from Dawit and his work with the poor, listen to this FH podcast.

Broken Hearts for Orphans

2011-06-01T14:14:00.001-05:00

God is moving in Addis Ababa! Ethiopia is going to help lead the world of indigenous adoption and it is amazing to hear of the transformations!

A story from today's Seed Adoption conference:

After attending the first day of the conference, a woman went to the director of Kidmia and asked if there were specific children she could consider for adoption. The director said yes and gave her photos of two children who were available. She said she felt her heart move for adoption but she needed to talk with her husband. She went home and prayed and talked all night about God's heart for adoption and these two particular children.
In the morning the couple agreed that those two children were meant to be part of their forever family! She announced to the conference attendees on the 2nd day that her and her husband were going to learn more about the children and adoption that very day. The entire conference erupted in praise and they prayed for her in that Ethiopian power prayer way!

What is Indigenous Adoption?

2011-06-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

Indigenous adoption is the term that is being used to describe when families adopt from their own country. So in this Partnership, we are praying for Zeway families to adopt Zeway children.

This is still a very new and unknown practice for many countries. The U.S. is very progressive in their adoption of children (and for those who have adopted this may be surprising!). But in comparison to other countries, adoption is very well-accepted here.

The term and concept of indigenous adoption is still in its early stages and it looks different for different cultures. Here are a couple of Q and A that may help explain it from our viewpoint and working with Zeway.

Why is indigenous adoption important?
There are several reasons. 1.) International adoption (American families adopting children from other countries) will not solve the orphan crisis. It won't even come close.
2. Orphan care is just not enough. (see earlier post)
3. Children placed in permanent loving families in their own communities is the most sustainable, compassionate, and loving way to care for children who have lost their parents.

Why do the Zeway pastors and wives need to attend a conference to see the need and learn about adoption?

It is not that much different in our country. Especially lately, there have been conferences all over the country sharing the amazing stories of adoption and teaching people God's heart for adoption and the practical steps to adopt. Adoption is a big step for any family and shouldn't be done without planning, learning and preparation.

The other reason is that adoption can be very counter-cultural. In countries with extreme poverty and millions of HIV orphans there are many cultural challenges that can go with adopting a child. The Seed Adoption conference is teaching what adoption looks like from a biblical viewpoint. It is helping the people see how love and the biblical understanding of adoption can transcend the cultural norms.

Will the indigenous adoption process look the same as the process in the U.S. with home studies, court proceedings etc?
This is a good question and one that we are finding the answers to through the experts brought in by Seed Adoption. Indigenous adoption in Zeway and Ethiopia will look different than a U.S. process. Likely it will have a lot less paperwork. But our desire for the children is the same. We are praying for permanent Zeway families who will make the orphaned children beloved sons and daughters with all the rights and privileges as biological children.

Will Bridges of Grace be a part of facilitating these adoptions?
Nope. There are organizations out there that know how to navigate the legal processes, matching children and families, etc. We don't. We will put the right Zeway locals in touch with these organizations so they can work out the details themselves.

What does the Ethiopian government think about this?
God's timing is amazing. Right when the government is seeing indigenous adoption as an answer to the orphan crisis, many leaders in the Zeway church are also realizing their role in adoption. It is a perfect set-up for a cultural shift in how adoption is perceived and how the church can show God's love and compassion for the children.

This conference is just the beginning of God's work in the Zeway churches to adopt children. Please keep praying that their hearts would be open and that pathways will be made. We'll keep watching and praying to see where God takes this from here!

If you have other questions about indigenous adoption and what it means for Zeway, please ask!

News from Matt and John

2011-05-31T21:41:00.002-05:00

Today was the first day of the Seed Adoption Conference in Addis Ababa. Matt and John were in attendance along with over 150 pastors and wives from Ethiopia. There were 44 people from Zeway at the conference!

Matt reports that it is amazing to see the teaching of orphan and adoption care in Addis. Here are a couple highlights that he reported:

The speakers have not shied away from being very direct about who is called to care for orphans.
The speakers have been extremely knowledgeable, professional,and influential in the community including a member of parliament from the Ethiopian government.
There have been breakout sessions including the psychological challenges of children who have had difficult and traumatic pasts
One speaker was very direct in speaking to the men about the importance of their involvement as fathers

The conference was a full 9 hours with little time to talk with the Zeway pastors Matt said. They did have a special time of greeting as representatives of our church are very welcomed by the Zeway pastors. The conference will be all day Wednesday, and then Matt and John will travel to Zeway on Thursday where they will have a full day to debrief with them.

Please pray for continued strength and energy for everyone.
Please pray that God would move in the hearts of the Zeway pastors to care for the children with compassion and grace.

It was a great day for Matt and John and exciting to see God moving

Orphan Care Is Not Enough

2011-05-29T21:34:00.001-05:00

Orphan care has many different forms. It could be providing for them physically and academically with additional food, shelter and educational supplies. Orphan care is also providing children with mentors or adult support. It can also look like building an orphanage or setting up group homes.

These are all important steps toward caring for children who are without families and parents. But it is not enough.

In the Book of John, Jesus says "I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you."

Orphan care is necessary and a great step, but it leaves children as orphans. And as Jesus does not leave us as orphans, we shouldn't stop there either.

Which is why when the Zeway pastors said they would like to learn more about adoption of the Zeway children two years ago, we were in full support. When we heard of Seed Adoption, an adoption and orphan care conference, sponsored by many great organizations, we told the Zeway pastors about it immediately. They were also very excited to attend.

Orphan care is a step toward the ultimate form of caring for these children and that is making them beloved sons and daughters. In this Partnership, we want to strive for all the children to have forever families. Orphan care just doesn't seem like enough in Zeway.

Seed Adoption: 2011 in Addis

2011-05-28T12:48:00.000-05:00

Here is a short video about the conference the Zeway pastors are attending.

Seed Adoption - Ethiopia Project from Wiseacre Short Films on Vimeo.

Goals of the Partnership

2011-05-27T11:54:00.005-05:00

One of the most important goals of this partnership beyond caring for the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of orphans and widows is to to ensure sustainability. There is constant evaluation of how much dependency is on us and how much responsibility is being taken on by the orphans, widows and the Zeway church. Our ultimate goal is that the care of orphans and widows is fully sustained by the Zeway church and by the orphans too, but we provide them with a "boost" until that happens.

Sustainability looks very different for all kinds of relief and development. I'm by no means fully knowledgeable on this, but I do know what it means for the Zeway Partnership.

In full agreement and partnership with the Zeway Evangelical Church Fellowship (ZECF -about 10-14 united churches in Zeway), we have agreed to work with them to visualize and come to practice what the Bible says about orphan care and adoption. This is the ultimate way we believe God has revealed sustainability for orphan care in Zeway. The local churches will do it.

One big step in doing this is for the ZECF to understand what orphan care and adoption looks like on a theological and practical level. On May 31 and June 1, an orphan care conference hosted by Seed Adoption will be in Addis. From the help of many sponsors, we are funding 31 pastors and their wives to attend this conference in Addis. They will be attending some amazing sessions on orphan care and adoption taught by local Ethiopians and curriculum provided by Together for Adoption and several other well-known orphan and adoption organizations.

We are very excited to be a part of this. This is a huge step for the ZECF to care for orphans and widows and they are excited to be a part of it as well. Matt Kouri and John Patterson will also be attending this conference in Ethiopia, so we look forward to getting updates from them.

Zeway Pastors

2011-05-09T23:04:00.002-05:00

Thank you everyone for sponsoring a Zeway pastor and his wife to attend the orphan care conference in Addis Ababa! We only have two more pastors to sponsor, so let us know if you would like to help out.

We'll keep everyone updated on the blog when John Patterson and Matt Kouri travel to Addis at the end of May to attend the conference and debrief with the pastors. A very exciting opportunity to engage the local churches in orphan care!

Zeway House Gathering

2011-05-02T18:48:00.000-05:00

This last weekend we hosted a Zeway House Gathering. It was a post-trip follow-up for all the people who supported us in numerous ways. I loved setting up for this event and seeing everyone have a good time as they were able to learn more about this ministry. I think the great thing about Hope in Ethiopia is that you don't have to go to Africa to make a difference. There is always a need for prayer over these orphans and financial support of course, but there are other ways for our community to get involved. Like stuffing mailings, framing orphan photos, writing stories for our blog http://www.zewayupdate.blogspot.com/ and buying jewelry.

We served authentic Ethiopian coffee.

All of the jewelry profits from Funky Fish Designs go directly to Food for the Hungry to support the orphans. Please, please let me know if you need a Mother's Day gift!

We had framed artwork the kids made for sale as well.

Lots of pictures. Too many to do a slide show.

“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me? Declares the Lord.” ~ Jeremiah 22:16

Sponsoring a Zeway Pastor

2011-04-27T13:37:00.008-05:00

One aspect of this partnership that has been unique is the commitment of the local Zeway churches to care for the orphans and their desire to understand adoption.

But that is easier said than done, and many of the church leaders desired to learn more about what the Bible says about adoption and orphan care and how to do it on a practical level.

Bridges of Grace had planned on creating a conference for this very thing, but thankfully an organization called Kidmia approached us about an orphan care and adoption conference they are hosting in Ethiopia for pastors. We've known the leaders of Kidmia for a while and Together for Adoption has worked with them to provide curriculum. All this to say this is a great opportunity and it is going to be a great conference.

We'd love some help with this. The cost to attend the conference for a pastor and his wife is $70. This includes transportion to Addis Ababa, lodging and food for 2 days and the conference fees. The conference is at the end of May.

Would you be willing to pay $70 for a pastor and his wife to attend this conference?

We have 15 spots paid for, but a total of 31 pastors and elders have signed up to attend. Would you be willing to support a pastor to learn more about adoption and caring for the orphan on a biblical and practical level?

We have the names of the pastors and wives already, so we can send you the name of a specific pastor that you can sponsor. We are also sending 2 people from Grace to attend the conference and debrief with the pastors afterward, so we'll be able to give you an eyewitness account of how God used your donation.

Please contact Julie at bridges@grace360.org if you would like to sponsor a pastor or for more information.

What We Can Promise

2011-04-21T20:46:00.008-05:00

It is hard to go to Zeway and not want to make promises to fix many of their problems. What makes this especially difficult is that in Zeway, an amazing cappuccino costs less than a quarter, a hotel costs $5 a night and an good salary can be about $50 a month. How far our money can go in the Ethiopian economy.

So when a child asks for something or when the physical need is obvious, it is hard to not promise these kids that we will fulfill that need.

Especially when they ask for a bottle of water, a Bible, a stable home, school supplies, new clothes.

And while a big part of this partnership is supplying physical needs, when a team goes to Ethiopia, it is not our place to be the givers of these needs. We don't want to be viewed as
"Santa Claus". It is the role of FH and the local churches to deliver these things. People who are there everyday to mentor, follow-up, and be the daily support for these children.

So what is it that we can promise these kids? There is one thing that I have said to every kid that I have visited in Zeway. A promise I have made to each of them.

"I promise that I will ask about you. You are remembered. I may live across an ocean, but I want to know how you are -your health, your education, your siblings, your relationships, your soul. I will think about you and I will ask about you."

Mother Theresa wrote in her memoirs, "There are poor people everyone, but the deepest poverty is not being loved."

Dr. Karyn Purvis, a leading adoption psychologist, says that a basic need a child has is to know he is precious.

So how do we get these children out of some the deepest places of poverty? How do we fulfill their basic needs? We let them know they are loved. That they are remembered. That they are precious.

So that is one problem they have that I can promise to do something about. I promise to ask about them and to think of them and to remember who they are as children of God.

Can you make this promise to the orphans of Zeway too?

Soon we'll be publishing a photo book of the names and faces of all the Zeway orphans. With this, people will be able to know these children and pray for them. Others can promise to remember these precious and loved children.

It is the one promise we can make.

The Contrasts

2011-04-19T17:47:00.000-05:00

One thing I have learned that can make a trip to a far away impoverished land difficult is that I walk away with knowing the contrasts between how I live and how others live in this world. It is something we all wrestle with when we return home. How we spend our money and the amount of comforts we have is certainly a big contrast, but there are other cultural contrasts that I noticed this time.

One example of this is the status that animals have in our communities. On the main road to Lake Zeway there was a large animal that had died and the skin of the animal had been shredded off so just the rib meat was showing. Several street dogs (and all the dogs seem to be street dogs) were gnawing on the bones. Jokingly, Scott gave me a poke with his elbow and said, "Imagine Blueberry chowing down on that meat." (Blueberry is our very cute Springer Spaniel puppy). I chuckled and said, "Really? I went to 3 different stores looking for the perfect placemat to place Blueberry's food bowl on"
The contrast between street dogs eating rib meat and a rubber place mat for my dog's food struck both of us.

Another contrast I realized is when the Thackers, the Tuthills and I were talking with the social workers about ideas for children and youth ministry. We were talking about the choices that teens make and how to help them make good ones. In my head, I was preparing to talk about $5 choices verses $500 choices. The idea that some choices in this world have small consequences and how it is good to allow children to make poor choices when the consequences are small so that they learn from experiences and hopefully apply that knowledge when they are older and their choices have $500 consequences. I was trying to come up with a real life example of a $5 choice for a child in Ethiopia. I could think of none. The children there do not have the luxury of choices. They don't have choices in foods, choices in schooling, choices in what they use their money for (what money do they have?). How they dress for the weather or activities is not a choice when they have only 2 changes of clothes.

The choices these children have to make are all $500 choices. They all have big consequences. This is a contrast that makes me really want to pray and support these kids.

Defending the Fatherless

2011-04-10T19:23:00.004-05:00

Scripture mandates that we should do a lot for the poor. Here is just a smattering of what the Bible says:

Isaiah 58 says we should satisfy the needs of the hungry
Psalm 72 says we should have compassion on the poor and the needy and rescue their lives from violence
Psalm 74 says we should save the children of the needy
Matthew 25 says that we are to give them drink, food, invite them in our homes, care for them when sick, etc.

And Scripture also says in Deuteronomy, we are to "defend the fatherless". After watching Dateline about Vanya from Russia, I had to reflect on what I was doing to DEFEND the fatherless.

Defending, in my opinion, looks different than feeding, clothing, educating, or caring for children. It even looks different than caring for their spiritual needs - to give them a future and a hope.

Defending is a term that conjures up in me a bit of patriotism in fact (wrongly, I credit patriotism for this feeling). It's justice. We, Americans should understand the need for justice over even feeding these kids (after all, isn't our immediate reaction after feeding them is trying to figure out how they can prove themselves in an income generating activity and they can be self-sustaining? aaaahhh, I digress.)

Defending the fatherless is righting the wrong. It is defending the oppressed. It's justice and we like liberty and justice for all.

So what does defending the fatherless look like? I had to think on it and this is what I came up with:

It is defending the child whose distant relatives are trying to take away his parents' home.

It is defending the children in which the government plans to destroy their home without giving the children an alternative place to live

It is standing before an abusive family whom an orphan girl escaped from defending her and securing her legal documentation so she can attend school again.
It is telling a neighborhood that they are wrong for telling children they cannot use the public bathrooms and then building those children the "best bathroom in Zeway"

These are examples that I could come up with of how I'm supporting those who defend the fatherless. (And I do feel like supporting those who do the actual defending is how it can all works) It was good for me to reflect over that, not to prove anything about the Zeway Partnership, but because, I believe God, through Scripture, is asking all of us to be a part of caring for the poor and defending the oppressed.

I most certainly want to be a part of God's plan for this.

My Hero Zeritu

2011-04-01T21:40:00.013-05:00

Hero : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.

Meet Zeritu. Zeritu is an orphan living in Zeway. Her father died when she was young and she does not know where her mom lives. After Zeritu’s mom left her, she found the only other relative she knows, her aunt, and lived with her for a period of time. Like most parents in Zeway, Zeritu’s aunt could not afford to send Zeritu to school and instead made Zeritu work as a day laborer. Zeritu wanted to go to school and make a better future for herself. Since her aunt would not let her, Zeritu ventured out on her own.

By God’s grace Zeritu met an FH social worker in June of last year. As an orphan Zeritu was able to participate in the Child Headed Household (CHH) program. Zeritu now lives in a small one -room house that is rented for her by the CHH program. The house is owned by the mother of one of the FH social workers who lives next door to Zeritu and watches out for her as if she were one of her own children. Thanks to the food, shelter and funding provided by the CHH program, Zeritu was able to enroll in school. Zeritu is currently in 10th grade and her favorite subjects are physics and mathematics. In addition to her schooling, Zeritu also has had the opportunity through the CHH program to receive training in food preparation as a possible career.

Zeritu told us about her dreams for the future. In Zeritu’s words, “I need to be an engineer. Second, and most important, once capable, I want to support other children who face the challenges I have faced.” She went on to tell us, “I need my dream to become my reality. Please pray for this.” As I sat on a low stool just above the dirt floor in the corner of Zeritu’s home, in the midst of her humble surroundings and big dreams, the term hero came to mind. At that moment Zeritu became a hero to me. Zeritu ended her time with us by saying, “I am happy you are here to visit me. I thank you on behalf of all children who have lost their parents. Your support is awesome.” Zeritu, it is you who are awesome, and heroic.

Will

Old Wineskins

2011-03-30T21:48:00.005-05:00

I feel it. The pull of the world. Back to the comfortable life I knew before. Before going to Zeway. I keep telling everyone that asks about our trip that it was life-changing, but what has changed and what should I be doing differently? I feel stuck between two worlds, struggling with how to fit new wine into old wineskins. Scott and I are right back to our busy, over-committed schedules. The kind that numb us over time. But our hearts are longing for Zeway. Strangely missing and yearning to be with children we really hardly know, spending only moments with them. How is it possible that our hearts could be so knitted together in such a short time? But they are. As if they were our own children. Sadly, though, as each day goes by it becomes easier to separate these two worlds. Still questioning our comfort, yet all the while enjoying it. So we cling to our memories. We cling to opportunities to talk about our time there with others, look at pictures of those beautiful faces we fell in love with, and spend time with others who have been and seen. How can we fight our comfort and keep these worlds connected? Keep our hearts from healing and forgetting? All I know to do is pray. Will you pray with me? For these children and those that look after them. For more people to know about them. For wounded hearts and for new wineskins.

-Heather Thacker

If one falls down, his friend can help him up.

2011-03-30T13:32:00.006-05:00

Being warmly welcomed into someone's home is a blessing. When that warmth is accompanied by the smell of incense, a bouquet of flowers and the floor covered in beautiful green fronds it takes it to a whole other level. That was the welcome that those of us who were able to visit Chaltu and Alemetu received.

Of all the home visits that I was able to be a part of, there a few that are my favorites and meeting these two young ladies rises to the top of even that short list. Their story is unique and it tugs on my heart. I love to see the hurting have their needs met. I so long for the day when all the wrongs of the world are made right. In the meantime, this story brings hope and whispers of the day when every tear will be wiped away.

You see, individually both of these early teen girls had become orphans. They tried to survive on their own in different ways. Chaltu has no relatives. After she lost her parents, she would sustain herself through her efforts. She tried to be a house maid but this didn't work out. Next, she did odd jobs in exchange for food and lodging. At times she would have to move from place to place every one to two nights.

Alemtu also lost her parents. She tried to live with her uncle but he wouldn't even let her go to school. Instead he forced her to work. This was even more difficult for her because she is disabled. When she was young, Alemtu fell out of a chair and never received the proper treatment for her injury. She now walks with a severe limp and uses a cane.

Their stories intersected after they each heard of the Food for the Hungry (FH)/Bridges of Grace program. The focus on child headed households was exactly what they needed. They didn't even know each other but FH placed them in a humble room together. The leadership was wise in providing this for Alemtu because having Chaltu there to help her has been a blessing to each of them. I asked them if they had become friends and the words of the interpreter were not even necessary. They both smiled from ear to ear and the answer was clearly yes.

As the visit neared a close, they asked us to pray for them. There is a legend in their region that if your mother and father pray for you, then you will be successful. They told us that Dawn and Kathy were like their mother and that Will and I were like their father. We looked past the superstition and both Kathy and Will prayed for these two young believers. We know that their true Father is providing for them and we are just blessed to have a front row seat to take in the beauty. Please join us in praying for them too.

Greg

Beautiful Tihune

2011-03-30T06:44:00.007-05:00

I met Tihune for the first time last July when we visited Zeway. She showed up for the jewelry making training. She was by far one of the quickest learners and made some beautiful bracelets. Tihune was incredibly quiet. She rarely looked up from her beads and never smiled. It was apparent that this beautiful young girl carried a tremendous burden. Often, when I would see her looking at me, when I returned eye contact, she would look away. It was also obvious that she was new to this group of girls because her interaction was minimal.

I asked the social workers about her but nobody knew her story. She was brand new to the CHH program and they had little information about her. I tried to encourage her and love on her as much as I could in that day and a half that we spent together. But still, there was no joy in this young girls eyes.

When we did the art day, 3 siblings showed up....Kalkedan, Abraham & Liyot. There were delightfully cute and we soaked them up. We found out that they were Tihunes younger siblings. Knowing that Tihune was CHH (Child head of household) it quickly became apparent that she was the "mama" to these young children. Some of her burden was explained. But it would take 9 months to know the rest of the story.

When I knew I would be returning again and doing the jewelry training, I hoped I would see her. And I did. When we pulled up to the FH building, there she was. Standing with all the other girls we've grown to know and love...Melekete, Eden, Melesech, Belatu and more. AND SHE WAS SMILING! I was stunned. When I went around and greeted all the girls, she didn't hesitate to hug me. She kissed my face. I just looked at her and exclaimed "Tihune, you are smiling!" and she just giggled.

We had the opportunity to visit Tihune in her home on this trip. And our eyes were opened. As we arrived, we were greeted by her, her siblings Kalkedan, Abraham & Liyot and a 3 year old ball of energy & giggles named Radiette. She was excited to have us and we felt blessed to visit her. I asked her "Tihune...what has happened in your life since I saw you last?" The first words out of her mouth were "the first and most important thing is that I have come to know the Lord". I just cried. I was overwhelmed. The transformation in this girl was astounding.

But then I asked another question and I was not prepared for the response. I asked her "what has been your biggest challenge in taking care of the children". And she broke into tears. Her pain was still very fresh and raw. She shared with us that after her parents died, they were living with her older brother. He would drink alcohol and beat them all. She made the decision to leave their family home with all the children and was on her own with them. That is when FH found out about her....and when I met her last year. On top of all of this, her older sister died and Tihune (at the age of 17) is also caring for her niece, Radiette.

When we visited her, the Social worker informed us that the brother has left the village and his wherabouts are unknown. They quickly moved Tihune and the children to the home she grew up in and will know provide legal support and protection to make sure they can stay there...and that they remain safe from the brother.
When it came time to pray, I asked Tihune to come sit by me. When she sat down, she snuggled right into me. It felt like when my own daughter snuggles into my lap when she wants to be comforted. We wrapped our arms around each other and we sat there....cheek to cheek...in a loving embrace as Kathy prayed.

When are visit was over, it was clear that trust had been established. That is one of the many beautiful things about this partnership. These children are learning to trust again. They are learning that there are adults in their life that are loving them and praying for them. And most importantly, they are learning about Jesus and His love for them. The FH staff, the people from Grace who visit, the people who consistently pray, the families that make the photo pages and so much more are all acting as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus!
I saw Tihune one last time on Saturday. When we said goodbye there were simply not enough hugs and kisses. I pray that one day I will be able to return and visit her again. If not, I will rest in the knowledge that she is in very good hands. The best hands. The hands of our awesome God and His plan for her is perfect.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:2

What I Saw, Heard and Felt When I Met Hiko

2011-03-28T20:29:00.006-05:00

I met Hiko in June of 2009. It was my last visit of the trip we took to explore the possibilities of a Partnership between Grace, Food for the Hungry and the Zeway churches. Here is what I saw, heard and felt about that visit with Hiko in June 2009:

I saw a small, thin girl being coaxed down from a tree she was hiding in
I saw a small crowd of people gather around us as she came down from the tree.
I saw a small, thin girl being guided by the social worker to sit by me on a small bench.
I saw this girl cower and lean completely away from me.
I saw small fleas between layers of her clothing.

I heard questions from the social worker directed toward this girl.
I heard the social worker tell me her name was Hiko.
I heard that she was moved to this neighborhood after the social workers found her sleeping on her father's grave.
I heard that she did not have a place to live, but begged for meals and shelter daily.
I heard an old woman snarl something at this girl that I did not understand but knew it was not kind.
I heard nothing from Hiko. She said nothing.

I felt despair and hopelessness for this child.
I felt anger toward the people who treated her poorly.
I felt sadness that she did not speak or even seem to hear what anyone was saying.
I wept when I leaned in to hug her goodbye and she fell into me and knocked me on my knees and sat there on my lap.

The team left her thinking she would not survive.

She was added to the Orphan-Headed Household Partnership as soon as it was developed.

And then in March 2011, I met Hiko again.

I saw a beautiful girl walk up to me.
I saw that she had clean clothes, braided hair, a light in her eyes.
I saw that she was at school with a big smile on her face.

I heard that she had a home
I heard that she was doing well at school
I heard that she was attending a church
I heard that she remembered our first meeting.

I felt overjoyed.
I felt like praising God for his mighty works in lives
I cried tears of joy as I went to my knees to look into Hiko's eyes.

Hiko did survive. She is going to school. She has food and shelter. She is learning about God's future and hope for her life.

I Saw What I Saw

2011-03-27T21:43:00.006-05:00

I always listen for songs that relate to life. While I was raking leaves in the backyard today, I was listening to Sara Grove’s album “Tell Me What You Know” from a number of years back. The entire album expressed so much of what I have felt since visitng Ethiopia. I did a little digging tonight and discovered Sara wrote most of this album as a reflection on the time she spent in Rwanda. Another interesting bit to the story is that she was working alongside Food for the Hungry. The song “I Saw What I Saw” has stuck with me. Lyrics are below. Additionally, I have put together some of my favorite pics from our trip accompanied by the song. Enjoy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro5tGAUfqGo

I Saw What I Saw – Sara Groves

I saw what I saw and I can't forget it / I heard what I heard and i can't go back / I know what I know and I can't deny it / something on the road, cut me to the soul / your pain has changed me / your dream inspires / your face a memory / your hope a fire / your courage asks me what I'm afraid of and what I know of love / we've done what we've done and we can't erase it / we are what we are and it's more than enough / we have what we have but it's no substitution / something on the road, cut me to the soul / I say what I say with no hesitation / I have what I have but I'm giving it up / I do what I do with deep conviction / something on the road, cut me to the soul chorus / your courage asks me what I’m afraid of / your courage asks me what I am made of / your courage asks me what I’m afraid of / and what I know of love / and what I know of god

You are not Forgotten

2011-03-27T20:53:00.000-05:00

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." ~ Acts 1:8

Reading that verse in the past, I quickly summed it up saying, "Oh yeah God will take the Gospel to all corners of the earth." I was thinking in a very general sense of the Gospel being preached everywhere to everyone. But did you know there are very specific verses prophesizing the spread of the Gospel to Ethiopia? This gets me very excited! It reveals God's heart for the people of this country.

The first is in Psalm 68:31, "Envoys will come from Egypt. Cush will submit herself to God." Cush refers to the upper Nile region where Ethiopia is now located.

The other is Isaiah 56:4-5: "To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant - to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off."

The first recorded occurrance of the Gospel being taken to Ethiopia happens in Acts Chapter 8 when Phillip encounters an Ethiopia eunuch traveling home from Jerusalem who wants to be baptized. A eunuch is a high ranking Ethiopian government official. This official had been to Jerusalem to worship and was studying the prophecy of Isaiah. It makes me wonder if he was reading the passage above where God promises the people "an everlasting name that will not be cut off."

When the rich pass away they can extend the memory of themselves - the very proof of their existence. Libraries, museums and park benches are named after them and on their behalf. When the poor pass away, they pass away and are forgotten. But God does not forget them. When I look into the eyes of these children I want them to be remembered. I want them to know the One who is seeking them. I want them to claim their memorial and their name "better than sons and daughters." A name that will never be cut off.

(A special thanks to Cami Carter who provided me these prophesies when we were studying this Acts passage during Bible Study.)

Meet Will . . .

2011-03-26T11:03:00.005-05:00

There is always that one team member that is fun, easy-going, even-keeled, and never gets sick. Watch this video introducing that team member for us. We love you, Will!

The little ones...

2011-03-26T08:30:00.002-05:00

The team has been sharing their hearts regarding our recent trip to Zeway and as I have gone back and read them, I feel like I'm transported back every time. I love reading how other people felt and what happened within their hearts.

I've been thinking about the hearts here in Austin. Specifically, the hearts of the children of Grace.

I returned home from Africa to this beautiful drawing made by my daughter Mandy. On my birthday card she wrote "Mama, I love you more than you love Africa". When we said nighttime prayers with my 4 year old Loralee and after we said "Amen" she said "and Jesus, please take care of the orphans".

I have heard story upon story since returning from parents about their children wanting to help these orphans. I've had parents give me money that their little ones have saved and wanted to give to the orphans. Children have pictures on their bedside of the orphans. Families have their refrigerators covered with pictures of these orphans. The list goes on and on.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Move forward just a few chapters to Matthew 25:40, "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' God is stirring in the hearts of the children here and they are living out God's word!

It's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

Coming soon...

2011-03-23T22:30:00.001-05:00

I had the great privilege of joining the trip this March as the videographer. We took 12GB of pictures and over 180GB of video in our 6 days there. My desire was to capture the stories of the children so that our Austin partners would be able to connect with them in a deeper way. Here is a taste of what we captured in the form of a movie trailer. Thanks to Apple iMovie for the template that makes it easy to show off the kids and the team.

An Outhouse

2011-03-23T21:11:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it seems unusual to have a post about an outhouse. But there is a lot to this outhouse.

To the right is a photo of the house that the trip team painted. It is Mehiret, Lidia and Bedilu's house. You'll find more photos of this family soon, but I found a lot of significance in the outhouse that is the small mud structure recently attached to this home.

This outhouse represents dignity that the children were able to gain back through the help of Food for the Hungry. It is not uncommon for there to be a community bathroom for several houses together. Because of the HIV status of these children, their neighbors would not allow them to use the neighborhood bathroom. They were shooed away and forced to go the bathroom outside causing unhealthy sanitary conditions. With this outhouse, they were allowed to find their dignity.

This reminds me once again of the importance of one particular aspect of this partnership, and that is the ultimate goal of adoption of these children by Zeway believers. When these children have a forever family they will have advocates and a mom and dad caring for them 24 hours a day. A forever family will help these children regain their "status" and avoid situations such as begging for the neighborhood bathroom.

Please be in prayer that Zeway believers will be moved for the children beyond a weekly visit and check-ins. Pray that they will be moved to make the orphans beloved sons and daughters.

Conflicted

2011-03-23T20:35:00.008-05:00

My life is comfortable. I live in a nice five bedroom house in an upper class Austin neighborhood. My house always has electricity and water. If for some reason they go out, I call someone and it gets fixed quickly. I have a heater for when I get cold and an air conditioner for when I get hot. There is always a variety of healthy food on my table. I drink bottled water because the tap does not taste good. When I want new clothes, I go to the store and buy them (or order them on Amazon over my high speed internet connection). When I get sick, I have insurance and access to world class doctors. I have a master’s degree from a respected university. I work for a Fortune 50 company. There is always money in my checking account.

Zeway is for the most part a polar opposite of my life. The houses are typically one room; made from mud and straw. They constantly have to be repaired during the rainy season. Homes might have one electric outlet with intermittent power. Food is scarce and the menu is same thing day after day. People walk 20 minutes to get water that no one in America would (or even could) drink. Clothes are a need, not a want. In some cases, boys wear girls’ clothes. You take what you can get. Sickness is prolific and health care is marginal at best. People don’t worry about allergies; they worry about AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis. Education is often sacrificed in order to work for money to be able to eat. A 15 year old boy in 5th grade is not uncommon. University is a word not many children understand. There is no need for a checking account.

The time my wife Heather and I spent in Zeway this month was likely one of the most impactful weeks of our lives. We are still processing all we saw and experienced. Personally, I have felt conflicted since returning to Austin. I came back with feelings of hope and with emptiness all at the same time. Hope for the children we saw who live with joy despite dire circumstances. Emptiness in my soul for the comfortable life I live and a feeling that I am not doing enough to help the poor. I am wrestling inside… with myself and with God.

Adjusting back to my life here in Austin has been difficult. My job seems a lot less important than it did when I left. I am home, but my thoughts are still in Africa. My wife said it well, “I feel like I am sleep walking through my days. Never fully here.” Friends who had been to Ethiopia before us said we would feel this way. I am no longer skeptical to their forewarnings. Each day I wonder if I will always feel this way or will the busyness and comfort of my life consume the unsettlement I feel? I hope the unsettlement sticks around.

So where do I go from here? I’m not exactly sure. What I am sure of is this: if you believe the teachings of Bible, you should be helping the poor. I do believe the Bible, so that is what I want to do. I also believe the Bible teaches us to do things not out of duty, but out of love. I feel like I went to Zeway out of duty, I left feeling like I went out of love. I came home with a sincere love for Ethiopia, a love for the people from Food from the Hungry, and most of all a love for the children.

I am not sure what is next for my wife and me. Do we sell all our stuff and move to Africa? Not likely. Do we change how we live here in Austin? Probably so. Will we continue to care for and love the children of Zeway? Most definitely.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10

What We Didn't See . . .

2011-03-21T21:11:00.000-05:00

I have been blessed by taking two trips to Zeway, Ethiopia. The first one was almost 2 years ago in June 2009, when a team from Grace went to explore the possibilities of serving the Zeway church, Food for the Hungry and specifically, orphans who were heading their own households after their parents' deaths.

On this first trip, the team was broken by a despair and by a lack of light in childrens' eyes. We were broken by the poverty, but also by the lack of future these children had on their own. Their daily necessities, food, clothing and shelter, were ongoing struggles. A concern for the emotional and spiritual conditions were difficult to address because their physical conditions were so dire.

There was hope in Zeway at that time because of the desire for the staff of Food for the Hungry and the local churches to care for these orphans physical, spiritual and emotional needs, but the orphans did not know that yet. Their futures were bleak without intervention.

But all of that, the bleakness, the despair, the lack of light in children's eyes, we did not see that on our trip to Zeway in March 2011. That is something we did not see.

So what did we see? We saw light in childrens' eyes that were previously dulled. We saw orphans and widows who were bedridden before, greet us at their doors. We heard orphans, who were once choosing between work and school, now tell us that they were passing their college entrance exams. We heard AIDS widows tell us that they have peace because they know the partnership will help their children. All the glory goes to God as our eyes would not have been opened to this great need without Him and our resources would not have been used for this if it wasn't for His love.

With all the praise and glory going to God, He is using this partnership between the Austin church, Food for the Hungry and the Zeway church to intervene for these children. To provide them with their physical needs, to address their emotional needs, and to share with them the love of Christ and the hope that He can provide for their futures.

We saw joy, hope, community, and great futures ahead of these children. But our prayers and support cannot fall short as these children are some of the most vulnerable in the world and their situations can change overnight. Please continue praying for and sharing the stories of the orphans and widows of Zeway!

Abundant is Our Comfort In Christ

2011-03-20T14:24:00.001-05:00

Before I left on this trip to visit the orphans and widows of Zeway, Ethiopia several people told me something along the lines of, "Oh, I couldn't do what you're doing! My heart would just break to pieces. I would completely fall apart." Honestly, every time I heard this it reinforced my fear that I just might come unglued and, ridden with guilt, I would not be able to pull myself together as a functioning wife and mother for my family upon my return.

Well I was already fully committed and on board the flight from Houston to Frankfort when God reminded me of this part of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." (2 Cor 1: 3-5)

Here I was - not completely sure how I got there but wanting to make this journey with my husband who so desired to go - traveling across the ocean to 'comfort others with the comfort I, myself, received from Christ.' I began to pray that Christ would love and comfort these people through me. I prayed that His love and comfort would flow abundantly. It did.

You see motherhood makes you incredibly vulnerable. I was a sensitive person before I became a mother but after Matthew was born I felt like my whole heart was fully exposed. I had a rough pregnancy and all along the way I kept fearing that this child would be taken from me just like the one before. I thought for sure that the ache I felt to protect him would go away after he was born, but it didn't. I developed this strong sense of wanting to nurture him in a way I never felt before. Now that I recognize what it means to nurture a child, it goes beyond my biological family.

On this trip I realized that I am a mother in a much larger sense. I am "Mom" to my family but I was called to love on and nurture children halfway across the world. My most significant experience of this is with Edatu. She is only four years old and the youngest of four siblings - Binyam, Samarawit and Mintesonet. Her mother has HIV. Her whole family was placed in what's called the Defacto CHH (Child Headed Household) program of Food for the Hungry (FH). "Defacto" because one parent is still living but ill and not fully able to care for the needs of her family.

As we talked to this family and learned a little bit about how the FH program is helping them, Edatu kept looking at me, trying to capture my attention. I smiled at her and tried to love her with my eyes. Her mother, Selamawiet, began sharing what God is doing through the program, her voice got louder and louder and she stood up trying to fully express what the program has meant to her and her family. She said she had no words to say how much God has provided for her family through FH. After Selamawiet's powerful expression of gratitude, Edatu intentionally came over to me and crawled up onto my lap. She sat there quietly for the remainder of the house visit, including the part where we prayed over their family. To hold a child is to fall in love with a child. That is really all I felt like God wanted me to do during that visit.

At the end of the week we attended a play time for all of the CHH children. Edatu, along with her older siblings showed up for this gathering. I was so blessed to be able to spend more time with her, to hold her, color with her, and witness how all of her siblings cared for each other. I think God was reinforcing how important it was for me not to forget these children. To be diligent in prayer over these children and to advocate for them, similar to what I do for my own child.

In the past, I would have felt a tremendous amount of guilt over the position of these kids being born into poverty, especially Edatu as I felt a strong personal connection to her. I feel so humbled that God would choose to show me these beautiful people and how He is caring for them. I have a great sense that I don't need to carry a burden of guilt because of my birthplace, education, and family. It's all a gift. It's my response to this gift that's important.

So my heart is broken, yes. It is also comforted in what God is doing abroad to provide for these children. I simply got to visit them and love them with the love of Christ.

~Kathy

Here is a beautiful picture that Edatu's sister, Samarawit drew during our play day. We are planning to turn some of these drawings into note cards available for you to purchase. All of the proceeds will go directly back to Food for the Hungry helping support these orphans and widows. Be looking for these soon!

Back from Ethiopia....

2011-03-16T05:53:00.007-05:00

I am now 4 days back from Ethiopia and my head is still spinning. I feel like there will never be enough blog posts, hours, words or pictures to capture all that I experienced in 10 days. I thought I should just begin writing. Story by story. God is moving so mightily in Zeway that it feels impossible to encapsulate it all.

But not every story was 'happy'.

That is why I am starting with Eden. I felt God pressing on my heart about Eden before I left. She was heavy on my heart. I know now why.

When we pulled up to the Food for the Hungry building, I was not anticipating seeing her. On the bottom floor, there is a Hair dressing school. As I got out of the car, I looked into the school...again, not expecting to see her. Eden has epilepsy and previously was not able to attend the school because of her seizures. Then I saw her. And she saw me. She had been waiting. The social workers told her I was coming. It was an incredibly joyful reunion. And she looked AMAZING!

I visited with her briefly and had to leave to attend a meeting with the new Director, Samson. It was during the meeting that I found out that Eden had been taken in by a wonderful social worker named Tilahun. My heart leapt. Tilahun has an amazing heart for orphans and took in his first orphan while he was single and the child was just 3. That child is now 16. Tilahun loves the Lord with everything he has and loves these children with his heart and soul.

But the situation is not good. Eden has been struggling. Since I saw her last, she has lived in 4 homes. She quarreled with all her neighbors and they came to FH begging them to remove her. Finally Tilahun offered her his home. Tilahun asked me to speak to Eden "as a mother" and I honored his request. I spent an extended amount of time with her and shared Jesus with her.

Eden has deep pains and hurts. Can you imagine the pain she feels having been told that she is the reason her parents have died? That burden is too much for anyone to carry....let alone a child. Her soul aches and you can see it in her face. I loved on her as much as I could. I shared Jesus with her. When I would show her pictures and talk with her about John and the kids, she would smile as bright as the sun. But when I talked to her about Jesus, a sadness would overcome her.

My heart hurts for Eden. But my job now is to pray for her. I hope you will too. Pray that she can come to know Jesus as her personal savior. Pray that the Lord can break the ties she feels to this world. And pray that she can begin to accept the love from the One who loves her more than anything. Jesus.

We're Back!

2011-03-14T19:59:00.007-05:00

The team is back! We had a phenomenal trip. We had many house visits with orphans, we fell in love with the social workers and FH stafff, and our hearts were broken for the poor. Everyone stayed healthy, energetic, and maintained good spirits. It was a great team! We witnessed God caring for the orphans and widows in amazing ways through the hands and feet of the social workers and through the support of this partnership. We can't wait to tell you more. Keep checking in as the team will be posting their pictures and stories.

Great news on Melekete, Denebe, and Cherent!

2011-03-07T09:13:00.003-06:00

Julie and the team reported that they had a great day today filled with visiting many orphans! They learned that Melekete and Denebe, the two young orphaned girls with whom many of us have grown so close, now have a beautiful new home, with 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a courtyard! This is pretty unheard-of in Zeway where most homes are a single mud room with no plumbing at all. The funds from Grace's partnership used to buy her land (shown in picture here from our trip last June), and another donor covered the costs of her house! Praise God for this, and may He let her use her huge home as a place of respite for the other orphans in Zeway!

We also learned that Cherent's sister Kidist who had been in a bad living situation in western Ethiopia has escaped that situation and is now living with him in Zeway. She is 16 (and Cherent, pictured here, is 17) and they had been separated for the last 6 years. This is an answer to prayer for many of us.

Please join with us in rejoicing in this amazing news!

Sweet reunifications!

2011-03-06T07:47:00.004-06:00

The Zeway trip team made it safely to Addis Ababa last night with all luggage intact and no problems with customs or immigration! They had a good night's rest, then were at 5am by loudspeaker broadcasted prayer chants! They enjoyed a good breakfast then worshiped alongside the Ethiopians in Addis Ababa.

The team was reunified with Ephrem, the Food for the Hungry social worker who was paralyzed a couple of years ago and with whom many of us have grown very close. Dawn commented on her Facebook:

"Emotional, overwhelmed and joy filled...just visited with my brother Ephrem!!"

They had a good traditional Ethiopian lunch and then set off for Zeway. Julie reported that "The team is excited and wide-eyed and in good spirits."

Right about now they are entering Zeway and having a sweet reunification with the FH staff and probably some of the orphans.

Please pray for safe travels into the countryside, for good health as they adjust to bottled Ethiopian water and local food, and for a time of rejoicing as they rejoin their "other" children!

The team is on their way!

2011-03-04T14:47:00.006-06:00

The 2011 Zeway trip team (Julie Kouri, Dawn Patterson, Scott and Heather Thacker, Greg and Kathy McClelland, and Will and Ellen Tuthill) left on-time from Austin headed to a stop in Houston, then another in Frankfurt, and finally after 22+ hours arrive mid-day Saturday Austin time in Addis Ababa. They were all excited to be going and enjoyed a nice last US-based meal at the Salt Lick at the airport!

The team will be joined later next week by Chris Degarmo from Grace and Wendy McMahon from Food for the Hungry in Phoenix who will be shooting a documentary video of the project.

Please keep the team and this trip in your prayers, and if you would like to receive prayer updates via email, please email Matt Kouri at kourim@greenlights.org.

If you would like to download and print a day-by-day prayer calendar, you can find it here.

Loving from afar....

2011-03-02T05:35:00.006-06:00

It is amazing to see how God has loved on the orphans, widows and social workers of Zeway. What started as a "I think I have a project for the Bridges of Grace" has grown into an entire community of believers in Austin embracing, loving, praying for & supporting a community on the other side of the world.

Recently, the opportunity was offered for photo pages to be taken over on the upcoming trip. The response has been wonderful and the pages are delightful. In a country where possessions are so few, these pages will truly be treasures to the children. But we found ourselves wondering "will we have one for every child?"

God had that covered. He always does.

Our team received an email from a couple at Grace that included these pictures. Our hearts swelled. Not only did He have the children covered, He had the Social Workers, Grandparents, brothers & sisters covered.

There is something for everyone in the Hope in Ethiopia Partnership. What has God put on your heart? God loves these children more than any of us could ever imagine and clearly He is stirring in our hearts to love these children...even from afar.

For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church ~ Ephesians 5:29

March 2011 Trip Team

2011-02-04T14:37:00.001-06:00

We excited to share that another team will be traveling to Zeway this March. Trip preparations are well underway and we've seen God moved beforehand in finances, childcare, and many of the particulars that come with a trip like this.

Please keep checking on the blog as we'll have posts from the team as they prepare their hearts and minds to visit orphans and widows in their distress. We'll also have plenty to share when the team arrives in Zeway soon.

Celebrating the Little Things

2011-01-09T19:47:00.005-06:00

During the July 2010 trip, team members were able to observe the orphans in income generating training. One of the trainings is in hair styling. Here is Me
lekete and Genet working on the "hair board." Before the trainees are allowed to work on a real person, they must spend a good deal of time praticing.

Just recently we reserved a few updated photos of the girls hair styling training and Melekete has been promoted to a real live person's hair!

This may seem a bit silly to celebrate here, clear across the ocean, but Melekete is doing well. She is moving forward in her skills training -- this is a great thing to celebrate as we continuing praying for her and the other orphans of Zeway.

A beautiful offering.....

2010-12-24T07:21:00.002-06:00

On Sunday, I received the sweetest gift. The best part about it was that it wasn't for me. It was for the orphans in Zeway. A sweet friend approached me at church today and handed me a Christmas bag. She went on to tell me that her boys, Rocky & Jude (ages 3 & 5) had been saving their tithe all year for the orphans in Zeway. She asked if I would make sure it got to them. What a beautiful offering. Bless their sweet little hearts. You bet I'll make sure it gets to them. My heart felt so full of joy that these sweet boys already had a heart for children they didn't even know.

As I was driving home, I was reminded of Mark 12:42...the widow who gave her coins which equaled just a few cents. No, these boys aren't widows and as you can see, there is more than a few cents.....BUT....they gave what they had. You know, there was a whole lot of gumball or hotwheel money in that Christmas bag.

The Tanner boys blessed my heart today. Thank you Rocky & Jude. I know the orphans in Zeway are thankful too. If God allows me to return to Zeway, I think I would like to personally hand this bag....just the way it is...to the director of Food for the Hungry in Zeway. I think his heart would be touched. Just as mine was.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

2010-11-19T14:17:00.001-06:00

The Hope in Ethiopia partnership will be making ornaments this year that will feature a picture of an orphan and their beautiful artwork. When you purchase an ornament, you will be feeding a child for one month.
To purchase an ornament, simply click on the picture and it will take you to the website where you can make a purchase.

Thank you for your continued support of our Hope in Ethiopia partnership.

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me....." Mark 9:37

Click on the picture to purchase an ornament.

Meet Denachew

2010-11-01T11:30:00.008-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to Denachew. He is a sweet boy we had the privelege of visiting while we were in Zeway. Our team first met him when we visited his home and we painted his house. He was so eager to help and offered to carry our paint cans as we moved around the room painting the 4 walls that comprised his home. Denachew lives with his older sister Mesaye and they are both part of the Child Head of Household program through Grace and Food for the Hungry.

We were so blessed when we found out Denachew and his sister Mesaye would be at our CHH art day. During our visit, Denachew touched our hearts in a way we weren't prepared for. Several of the children drew individual pictures but Denachew had drawn several pictures in a series. Denachew was able to share with us he had drawn out Jesus betrayal, crucifixion and his resurrection! He told us that his neighbor had been reading him the bible and that he was learning about Jesus because of her. Here is one of Denachews drawing that he explained was Peter denying Christ and the rooster crowing.

As I began working on a special project for the orphans in Zeway, I began looking through their drawings and came across this picture. It occured to me that Jesus really is a universal "love language". He can build any bridge, close any gap and cover any language barrier for us to be able to love on these children. They are precious in His sight and I hope they are precious in yours.

The Hope in Ethiopia partnership will be making ornaments this year that will feature a picture of an orphan and their beautiful artwork. When you purchase an ornament, you will be feeding a child for one month.
To purchase an ornament, simply click on the picture and it will take you to the website where you can make a purchase.

Thank you for your continued support of our Hope in Ethiopia partnership.

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me....." Mark 9:37

FH Podcast about Zeway

2010-10-26T10:17:00.003-05:00

Check out the FH Podcast recorded at the Together for Adoption Conference explaining the holistic approach this Partnership is taking with churches in Zeway and Food for the Hungry. Dawit Kassaye from Ethiopia is highlight of the podcast.

FH Podcast

Dawit's answer to why he stayed in Zeway to care for the poor is especially inspiring.

Short Update from Zeway

2010-10-22T12:49:00.006-05:00

We received an update from Rachael who went to visit Zeway this past week (she lives in Addis). She took a photographer with her from the States, and he was able to get some outstanding photos that we cannot wait to share with you!

Please be praying for Lydia. She is a 13 year girl with 3 other siblings. Her sister who is 17 is head of the household, but there is a strained relationship between the two of them. Lydia has been extremely sick for several months now and she in the hospital currently. She is doing better, but she has been there for 4 days.

We also received a picture of Eden. If you recall, Eden was one of the first children the July 2010 team visited this past summer. Eden's story is very traumatic and heart-breaking. Below is a picture of Eden as of yesterday.Continue to pray for Eden. There are still many obstacles for her, but it is so encouraging to see her with a face that beckons a future and a hope!

Highlights of the Partnership

2010-10-11T18:47:00.003-05:00

A unique part of this partnership is that it is a community to community (c2c) model. We feel that it is important that the local community comes together to care for the community in Zeway. That is one reason why we have not offered sponsorships of single children. This is a great model too, but we are trying something a little different.

Why are we trying something new?

Because we believe that the Church can unify locally to care for the orphan. We should really be unified on most things, and orphan care is an easy common desire and concern.

We also feel that when the local community comes together, their support is magnified. Just as it says in the Book of Matthew that when 2 or more are gathered together to pray, God makes things happen. Also, when many people combine their gifts, ideas and efforts, great things are accomplished.

We also believe that when the Church in Zeway is unifed and supported as a community, their impact will be magnified.

We saw evidence of this first hand when the orphans gathered together to form grief and loss support communities. On one of the first meetings, one orphan stated "I thought I was the only one!" Now those groups are caring for one another, praying for one another, and being an extended family to others.

So how can you be a part of this community-to-community partnership?

A great place to start is to ask your small group, Sunday school, work friends, neighbors, anyone you are in a community with, to consider pooling your resources and supporting a community in Zeway. Go to the Food for the Hungry box to the left of this post to read more about donating.

We'll then send you a prayer book so that you can learn the names and faces of all the orphans in the partnership. We'll send you regular updates so that you can share them with your community. Your local community can pray together and rejoice together as we see community transformation through orphan care.

Hope for Ephrem & Tasfa Jewelry

2010-10-04T04:50:00.002-05:00

God never ceases to amaze me. When He calls us to do something, He is there with us every step of the way. The Hope for Ephrem jewelry sale was a major success. Within 48 hours, all the funds were raised to provide for his entire month of live-in physical rehabilitation! Sales have continued to pour in and we've been able to take that extra money and purchase extra supplies for the Tasfa jewelry to feed the orphans in Zeway. So, should I have been surprised when we were asked at the last minute to sell the jewelry at the T4A adoption conference? No. Over $1600 was sold at the conference! We are humbled by the way God is allowing us to help care for our dear friend Ephrem and the orphans in Zeway.

You lived among the least of these. The weary and the weak. And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away. All my needs you have supplied. When I was dead you gave me life. How could I not give it away so freely? - Lyrics, Follow you by Leeland

Hope In Ethiopia at T4A

2010-09-26T18:39:00.003-05:00

The Together for Adoption Conference is in Austin this coming weekend, Oct 1 and 2. Over 1000 people are expected from all over the country to learn more about how the Church can be a part of the solution for the global orphan crisis.

There will be two sessions that will focus on the Hope in Ethiopia: Zeway partnership. We are thrilled to be able to present to others what God is doing in Zeway, offer them the chance to come partner with us, and also encourage attendees with their own orphan care initiatives.

Please be praying for this weekend. Not only for the Zeway sessions, but also that more people's hearts would be broken, as God's is, for the orphan.

Hope for Ephrem

2010-09-17T13:55:00.003-05:00

While we were in Ethiopia, we had the priviledge of meeting Ephrem. He was a social worker in Ethiopia who was paralyzed in a car accident. Although his story is tragic, God has been faithful and continues to place miracles in his life. I made a personal promise to Ephrem that I would keep in touch with him and that He would always be a part of our family. Although Ephrem is paralyzed, he recently began feeling pain in his legs and the doctors are hopeful that his nerves have started to heal! This is truly a miracle!! Ephrem needs to go to a live in rehabilitation center for this care. The cost is $700 per month. It has been the burden of my heart to help my brother Ephrem. We've been in prayer about this and I have decided to donate 100% of the profits from my Funky Fish collection to help Ephrem with his medical expenses. Please consider making a purchase and helping our brother Ephrem. If you can't make a purchase, please consider spreading the word.

To see the jewelry, please visit www.funkyfishdesigns.com or Funky Fish on facebook.

Thank you.

The godlycry out and the Lord hears; he saves them from all their troubles.^{Psalm 34:17}

Artwork in Grace Gallery

2010-09-01T15:47:00.003-05:00

Be sure to drop by the Gallery at Grace Covenant Church to view the exhibit: Hope in the Faces of Zeway. During the summer team trip, the orphans in the partnership were offered paper, colored pencils and materials, and inspiration to create beautiful works of art. The inspiration were their own faces as they drew self-portraits.

There will be more to come on-line about the artwork for those of you who do not attend Grace Covenant, so please be looking for more information about the exhibit.

Enjoy a sneak preview of Hope in the Faces of Zeway:

There are never enough words....

2010-08-16T09:43:00.002-05:00

"So, how was it"? This is the question I am asked the most about my experience in Zeway. Most of the time, I find myself at a complete loss for words. How do you put an experience like this into words? Whoever coined the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words" was a true genius. If a picture is worth a thousand words....a video is worth even more. If you didn't have the opportunity to attend "Hope in Africa", I invite you to watch a video created by our trip leader, Matt Kouri. It truly captures the very essence of our trip and I believe it will touch your heart.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Please Support the Orphans of Zeway

2010-07-31T16:03:00.011-05:00

The orphans of Zeway and the Zeway partnership need your support. We would humbly ask that you pray about how God might allow you to be involved. You can:

- Commit to pray for one of the Zeway orphans (or all of them!) and even write them a letter
- Pray about whether God might be leading you to visit Zeway at some point in the future
- Pray about whether you can make a financial gift to the partnership. We are working to raise more than $200,000 a year for 3 years, and we are making good progress. But we need more support. You can give in a number of ways, including:

1. Make a commitment to a monthly pledge of $50 (or more!) which covers all of the costs of supporting one orphan. (click here)
2. Make a one-time gift to the partnership that will be use to support the partnership broadly. (click here)
3. You can even go shopping here for hand-made African jewelry! 100% of the proceeds go to support the Zeway orphans.

Thank you for considering being a part of what God is doing in Zeway!

Hope in Africa - August 1

2010-07-31T14:58:00.002-05:00

If you are in the Austin area, please join us in sharing how God is working in several countries in Africa. There will be food samples, cultural displays, videos and testimonies. It is on August 1 from 3:30-5:30 at Grace Covenant Church Auditorium.

People who served in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, and the DR Congo will be sharing and of course, the Hope in Ethiopia Summer Team will be sharing. Please join us!

More About This Rachael

2010-07-21T12:31:00.003-05:00

Out of the team of 5 who went to Zeway only 4 returned. Rachael Moise, recent masters graduate of social work stayed behind in Addis Ababa. She has lived in Ethiopia for several summers and returned this time for a 2 year stay working at a mission guest house.

Rachael goes to Austin Stone when she is in Austin, but upon hearing about Hope in Ethiopia and Grace's work there, she attended several gatherings to learn more. Her heart, her skills and her interests seem to just match perfectly with the vision of the Hope in Ethiopia.

She was able to join the team that went in July and as Matt recalled "She just looked like one of those girls who you see photographed in magazines serving in Africa."

It has been amazing to see how God is weaving all sorts of people into this Partnership and with Rachael's skills in social work, she is a perfect thread in His tapestry. Already, she is tackling several reports and research projects for the Partnership while she also serves at the missionary guest house.

So please be praying for Rachael as she serves alongside us, though across the ocean. You can read more about Rachael's adventures on her blogsite.

Relationship Built On and By Prayer

2010-07-19T15:37:00.000-05:00

by Ellen Tuthill, contributing blogger

A couple of years ago, my son came home from Sunday School with a small brown card from the Zeway team. It had the picture of a teenage boy on it. He was handsome and thin, sitting on a bed, alone. His name was Ibsa.

The card instructed us on how to pray for Ibsa, who was forced to be dependent on his not-entirely-dependable older brother. My son, being the dutiful first-born, was upset to hear that a big brother wasn't taking good care of his younger sibling, since Baker spends lots of time doing just that. He quickly fell into a pattern of praying for Ibsa, unprompted by us, in his bedtime prayers. He often prayed for Ibsa's brother to "do the right thing", because that's the way his own heart leaned.

Sometimes there would be weeks or months when he forgot about Ibsa, but then the young man would pop up again in Baker's prayers. It seemed like Ibsa had become very real to him, even though he lived on the other side of the ocean and lived a very different life. As my little son grew and developed over the last year, he started to be more concerned about Ibsa's emotions. We would read updates from the Zeway team and talked about how we wished we could give him hope. Baker began to pray against Ibsa's loneliness and for God to help him not to be afraid. And he always asked God to give Ibsa a safe place to live.

There isn't anything so sweet to me as seeing a 6-year-old start to understand that the world is much bigger than what he can see, and that God asks us to care about -- and for -- those who are far away and in distress. Whereas I can become despondent and overwhelmed at the thought of the great suffering in the world, my son is very comfortable just taking up the needs of one young boy in prayer. He feels that this is his job, and he does it, happily. He doesn't worry about what he CANNOT do.

I hope that I can learn from him how to shoulder not EVERY burden -- that's God's job, isn't it? -- but the ones that the Lord lays before me specifically, the children whose names I can know and speak out loud and pray over, and maybe even someday visit. I have a prayer list of Zeway's orphans on my fridge, and over time, I have gotten so familiar with their names that it almost seems like I know them.

Names are powerful things. We can't really know an individual until we know his name. I love supporting the Zeway partnership because there are real live children with beautiful Amharic names "living" on my fridge. There are real live friends from Grace going to Africa to meet these children, comfort them, pray for them in person on our behalf, and meet their many needs. And there are dedicated Christian social workers and pastors on the ground, every day, tending to these precious ones. These adults have names and faces too, and the team has asked us to pray for them as well. What a privilege. I'm so grateful that God has given all of us -- even my son -- a way to partner with Him in His mercies.

Back in the States

2010-07-15T14:30:00.000-05:00

The team landed safely back in the U.S. this afternoon, and they will be home this evening. Keep checking back as there will be more updates directly from the team and contributing bloggers.

Mark your calendars now for August 1. Bridges of Grace will be hosting a Hope in Africa trip update and all those who have traveled to Africa over the past year will share their stories -- from Zambia to Zimbabwe, Congo to Ethiopia, the Lord's name is proclaimed through the people of Grace in Africa!

Almost Done

2010-07-13T12:16:00.000-05:00

The team did some sight-seeing today and they spent several hours meeting with the Food for the Hungry staff and directors to discuss the progress of the Partnership. Food for the Hungry has been a blessing to work with as they listen and care for our participation in the Partnership.

Now that the team is in Addis, they have a bit more internet connection and they are able to send pictures. Enjoy!The team at church with Dawit translating -- nothing like impromptu speaking for short-term mission goers!
A widow and her childFather and son whom John prayed with to accept and trust Christ

Dawn and Melkete the Artist! Notice Melkete's beautiful hair!

Back in Addis Ababa

2010-07-12T12:31:00.001-05:00

The team is back in Addis Ababa now and wouldn't you know they are having Tex-Mex for dinner this evening. That should be interested!

Tuesday, they will visit a few government run orphanages in Addis. Pray that the Lord fills them with joy to visit the children, care and love them.

Before the team left Zeway, they made one last stop to Melkete and Denebe's house. You'll be reminded of their story if you watch the video on the side bar. Melkete has put her trust in Christ and is doing very well. Unlike our first visit to their house, Melkete and Denebe are joy-filled, they have their physical needs met, they are going to school and Melkete is beginning job training. The Lord has been gracious to let us be a part of this transformation!

Seeing God's Love in Nature

2010-07-11T16:32:00.001-05:00

As Norman Furley preached today at church, one way of understanding the vastness and careful concern of God's love is to find it in nature. That is what the team is doing today. Their trip is slowly coming to a close.
There is a lake near Zeway and a retreat center there. Odd that a retreat center and hotel would be located near such poverty, but that is the dichotomy of our world. The team retreated to this hotel for the night to debrief and be close to nature as they process and rest with the Lord.
Here, the team bought Dawit, who visited Grace in February, a massage (gotta love $9 massages!). He thoroughly enjoyed it! Dawit sometimes appear to hold the world on his shoulders as the director of many programs caring for the needy. Please pray for him as he makes difficult decisions daily. God's grace is poured on him daily and may it never cease!

Joy-Filled Day of Play

2010-07-10T19:17:00.000-05:00

Food for the Hungry regularly organizes play days for the orphans. It is time for them to safely play and for the social workers to check in with them. The team was able to participate in this play time, and they brought along art supplies so that the children could do some painting and have a creative outlet (these paintings and photos of the children will be on display in the Grace Gallery after they return!)

Most of the updates we receive are from text messages (texting is more accessible and reliable than internet connections) so the updates are a bit choppy, but precious all the same!

From the Team

The children loved the artwork and there are some awesome pieces. They loved it and we had a sweet time interacting with all of them. We got to see and get updates from Alemetsaye, Alemayhu, Mohomed and Chala, Cherenet, Hawa and many more.

We also played soccer and we re-enacted a rematch of the U.S.A verses Ghana. This time the USA won 5-3. Matt scored 2 goals and John was a rock wall on defense.

Keep praying for the team as they are on the down hill of time on the trip. They will be spending church with the Zeway Evangelical Church Fellowship today and they will have some time of good fellowship.

Making God's Blessings Available

2010-07-09T22:08:00.000-05:00

by Scott Thacker, Contributing Blogger

This past week I began reading a book by Mae Cannon on Social Justice. The opening of the book spends time exploring God’s perspective on justice and our part in seeing it carried out within the world we live in. As I read, the following quote stuck out to me: “Comprehensive biblical justice is the scriptural mandate to manifest the kingdom of God on earth by making God’s blessing available to all humankind.” It stuck out to me because it was the answer to why my wife Heather and I believe in caring for orphans – why we believe in Zeway. Plain and simple, we want to be a part of making God’s blessing available.

So what does it look like to “make God’s blessing available”? I think it takes a couple of forms. In scripture, the blessings of God were both spiritual (Matthew 5) and physical (Matthew 25). God’s expectation is that we will respond to those who are in need (hungry, thirsty, naked, in prison) while also sharing the good news of Jesus with those who are lost. That is exactly what our friends are doing this week in Zeway. They are loving the orphans by caring for their physical needs while telling them of the love of Christ. What an amazing thing to be a part of God’s work.

Do you want to be part of making God’s blessing available this week? Easy way to do it – pray. Pray for Ethiopia. Pray for the orphans in Zeway. Pray for the team. Let’s see what God does.

God is Moving!

2010-07-09T13:58:00.001-05:00

Today the team visited a few of the newest additions to the Partnership and those are widows dying of HIV/AIDS and their children who will be orphans soon. These visits can be very difficult and one can leave with great burden and a sense of hopelessness for the people in that household.

God blessed the team, however, by allowing them to visit Amaloek, whose situation is bleak, but not hopeless. Please read below the update from the team about this God-fearing widow.

The final visit of the morning was a mother, Amaloek, who has 3 boys 10 years, 6 years, and 4 months. She was stoic and they had the most barren house we had ever seen-- a couple pots and a canvas sheet on the floor to sleep on, no pad at all, and she is nursing a 4 month old.

Her husband left recently because he is a polygamist and has another family and provides her no support. She said she was mentally crazy, but then she found Christ and was healed!

She attends an evangelical church when she can. She had a Bible and reads it regularly, and she spoke about God in such a mature, sold-out way! SHe said she would rather have God than food, that she wants her boys to get a good education and grow up to be Godly men. WE were so encouraged by her. She asked us to pray that the God who rose from the dead would also bring her from the grip of this deadly disease, so we prayed with more vigor and faith than we had all trip for her and her boys. Please pray for Amaloek that He would heal her and continue to use her as an example of Christ for all. Her neighbors, the clinic staff, everyone is alwasy asking her how she does what she does with her strength, and she points them to God!

Didn't have a good pic of her with me now but more later. This one is Dawn giving her a Jesus necklace.

Praying for the Innocent

2010-07-07T20:59:00.000-05:00

by Brandi Banks, Contributing Blogger

The innocent whose innocence has been stolen. This makes my heart weep. I grew up in a very safe home. My father, who is in law enforcement, did experience many threats on our family, but I never knew about any of it. Why? Because, by the grace of God, I had my parents watching over me and protecting me.

These innocent orphans, however, because of the depravity of man, have been subject to fear, disease, and violence. Their parents have been taken from them, and they are left with the responsibility to grow up quickly, care for their young brothers and sisters, and be supernaturally courageous. I never knew this kind of fear or responsibility as a child. As an adult however, the Holy Spirit has opened my eyes and heart to God's order that we care for these orphans. I hurt for them, and it is my desire to do what I can to help them. When I can give financially, great. But, more importantly, I CAN PRAY. And, there is no circumstance that prevents me from that ability.

It's easy to see pictures of orphans and keep them two-dimensional in our minds. We must realize these are individuals that are uniquely created by God. We must be mindful of their souls and the eternal significance of their lives. I pray that these children would thirst for righteousness more than they thirst for water and that they hunger for intimacy with the Father more than they hunger for food. They need help. Let's shoulder their burden and let them be children again. To God be the glory.

_________________________________

If you have been moved by the Orphans of Zeway or with other orphan care situations, and you would like to contribute to the blog and share your story, please email kouri@austin.rr.com!

Hairstylists in Training

2010-07-07T15:36:00.001-05:00

The team arrived in Zeway this morning and they were able to visit a few of the girls who are in job training through the partnership. These girls are learning to style hair. Melkete, whom many have prayed for because she almost lost her home, is one of the girls in training.

A Visit with Eden

2010-07-07T15:06:00.000-05:00

The reports from Zeway can be heart-breaking. We know that the God above has placed His people exactly where He wants them to care for these children. It is not within the time frame or with all the measures that so often we would like to see. We are not always called to be rescuers of these children; we are called to pray for them, to advocate for them, to care for their physical needs, to point them to the place of an eternal banquet in which our cups will overflow: at the feet of Jesus.

Keeping all that in mind, still won't make this easy to read:

from Matt in Zeway:

Our first house visit was with Eden, a young teenage girl who is new to the partnership. She is in rough shape. She is HIV positive. Her father died last year and her mother died when she was 3. She also has epilepsy, and about 4 months ago had a seizure when she was roasting coffee and fell unconscience into the fire. She was severely burned on her left arm and leg. Because of our FH partnership and funding, they were able to get her to a hospital for treatment. She is doing better now but still has significant grief.

She opened up to us in an amazing way. Her step-mother who practically raised her refused to have anything to do with her since her father died and since she learned she had HIV. She is so desperate for a family, so much so that she called her relatives from another town and acted like she was a friend of herself and told them that Eden had died, just to see their reaction. They immediately came to Zeway and to Eden's house, but only to collect her things for their own use. When they saw her, they were angry and demanded that she pay for their transportation costs back home.

She wept with us, and when Dawn shared with her a very personal situation from her past, she immediately connected with Dawn, who got up to hug her, and they hugged for a very long time. Each time Dawn tried to pull away, Eden held her tighter. She is so in need of a mother.

We finally left and prayed for her, and we are happy that she will spend all day tomorrow with Dawn and several other girls getting trained on jewelry-making.

There is great sadness and great joy with these trips. Please pray; the Lord will remember His beloved.

Psalm 72:12-14 He will have compassion on the poor and needy. And the lives of the needy He will save. He will rescue their life from the oppression and violence. And their blood will be precious in His sight.

Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our sins. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him. And by His wounds, we are healed.

Arrival in Addis Ababa

2010-07-06T21:18:00.000-05:00

Our team arrived safely in Addis this morning with no glitches with baggage claim or visas.
In Ethiopian time it was evening and since only Rachael was able to manage some sleep on the plane, they went to their hotel to hopefully sleep soundly.

Soon they will be awakened to the sound of the Mosque intercom reciting morning prayers. While the population of Ethiopia is only about 32% Muslim and 61% Christian/Orthodox Christian, the morning prayers still dominate the sound in Addis.

They will awaken to this, if the sound of huge flying mosquitoes don't wake them first! (Matt reported big mosquitoes). Fortunately, malaria carrying mosquitoes don't live in the higher elevations of Addis (can't say the same about Zeway which is near the Rift Valley).

In a few hours the team will be on their way to Zeway. Pray for them as you go to bed and when you awake in the morning!

The Team Is Overseas!

2010-07-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

The Zeway Trip Team 2010 made it out of Austin well and they are now on the overseas segment of the flight.

God answered their prayer that the amount of luggage they were taking would be graciously approved at the ticket counter and it was. They paid a little for the humanitarian aid -- but that was over 200 pounds of books for an empty library in rural Zeway. Thanks to some very light packing the costs were minimal.

Even the $200 that was to be paid for the over-sized wheel chair was completely waived. Thank you God!

A Wheelchair for Ephrem

2010-06-29T16:29:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, our Zeway trip team had a conference call to discuss trip logistics as we prepare to leave on July 5. As we discussed luggage, Matt Kouri briefly mentioned we might have the opportunity to fly over a wheelchair for Ephrem, who several from our team met and prayed with last summer while in Ethiopia. Ephrem is on staff with Food for the Hungry (FH) and was severely injured in an automobile accident in Ethiopia a couple years ago.

God reminded me of an acquaintance I met through the adoption blogging community a few years ago while we were in process to adopt our son, Zane, from Ethiopia. Knowing it was a long shot, especially given our very short timeframe (2 weeks!), I emailed Drew and Carey in California. On Monday I heard back from Drew who graciously agreed to help and get in touch with a couple different organizations. By Tuesday Drew emailed saying an organization offered to give Ephrem a wheelchair. We were hoping to find a wheelchair with arms that lowered, making it easier for Ephrem to get in/out of bed from his chair and this particular wheelchair did not have this functionality. However, we felt like anything would be an improvement.

And then came Wednesday. Drew shared Ephrem's story with UCP Wheels for Humanity and they agreed to CUSTOM BUILD a wheelchair for Ephrem, with arms that lowered!! They felt like if we could move quickly, providing photos of Ephrem and various measurements, they could get the wheelchair to me in time. WOW!

God is good, abundantly good!

John Connelly, the FH country director in Ethiopia and his wife, Janice, worked quickly to gather the needed information and on Thursday it was emailed to Drew. Yesterday morning I received an email from Drew asking if we had been able to get the requested info yet. I frantically looked back through my email, knowing I had seen the information zip through my Inbox on Thursday....only to find Drew's email address had a typo. Ugh. My heart sank. I quickly forwarded the info to Drew, explaining the glitch and praying God would provide abundant time to the generous person who would need to build Ephrem's wheelchair.

Monday afternoon - that's right, I typed MONDAY afternoon, the very same day...I received an email from Drew with photos of a gleaming, beautiful, made-for- Ephrem wheelchair completed! Amazingly, UCP Wheels for Humanity had the exact parts needed in stock, and was very kind to quickly put it together. Drew had it packed and mailed the same day.

I awoke this morning to this photo of Ephrem below, minutes after being told about his wheelchair and seeing photos. I think the smile on his face speaks for itself.

God's love is abundant. He has knit together friends, strangers, and acquaintances to bring Ephrem a wheelchair. God did not need me, or any of us, to show His love in this tangible way to Ephrem - but He generously allowed us to play a very tiny part so He could share His joy with us and to bring Him glory.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for us in Ethiopia next week!

Wonderful and heart-wrenching Zeway updates!

2010-06-07T11:12:00.000-05:00

Friends of the Zeway Orphan Partnership,

We have received our quarterly report from Dawit and his team in Zeway, and we needed to share some of the highlights with you. Please read them to see how God is moving mightily and how you can specifically pray to Him for these orphans.

Important Updates and Praises:

47 orphans are currently fully covered by the program and more are being added, with a broad census of the region to occur next quarter.
Housing was provided to 10 of them including Ibsa and Cherenet.
5 new missionaries (called “holistic transformational development agents”!) we are funding received 15 days of training and were sent into rural areas around Zeway.
46 local community leaders (see picture below) were trained on the needs of the orphan-led household, after which participants pledged to help identify and support these orphans.
The Zeway social workers held a special day of prayer for Grace Covenant Church after Dawit returned from Austin.
Our mission team of 5 (John and Dawn Patterson, Heather Bauer, Matt Kouri, and Rachael Moise from Austin Stone) is almost ready to go to Zeway for 10 days on July 5^th. Praise God for providing the funds we needed! Please pray for our continued preparation.

CBO Orphan Training

Specific Prayer Requests:

Lidia, a 12-year old, recently got very sick and when FH went to take her to the hospital, she refused and said she wanted to stay home and die. She has become hopeless and needs the hope only Christ can provide.
7 of the 47 children are regularly attending a Christian church (praise God for that); please pray for the other 40, most of whom are Muslim.
Ibsa is still lonely and somewhat hopeless in that he lives alone still.
Cherenet’s sister Kidist lives in the country as a laborer and he is concerned with her and wants to be reunited.
Amanu and Muktar both need new homes.
Pray for the older girls in the program who seem to be seeking unhealthy relationships as their way out.

Trusting in Him,

The Zeway Action Team

Pictures from Tom's Trip in March

2010-05-12T17:45:00.000-05:00

Enjoy a few pictures from Tom's trip.
This is Tom's brother, Stephen. He spent the first day meeting children and getting right at their level to minister and love them.
Tom is here with Dawit (who traveled to Austin in February and spoke at the Missions Conference) Abei is on the far right. He is one of the 5 missionaries that Grace is supporting through the Partnership.Pray for Abei and his family -- they are on the front lines serving Christ!
A picture of the social workers who attended Stephen's class

Tom's brother training the social workers on grief and loss.

Keep in prayer the next team going to Zeway! They will be departing the first of July. Click here for more information on the trip and how you can support them!

Caring for the Widow and Orphan

2010-05-08T20:12:00.001-05:00

Pure and undefiled religion is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Bridges of Grace has used the command in James 1:27 as a foundation for their ministry. There are orphans ministries and non-profits all over the country that have sprung up in the past 5 years toting 1:27 on their banners.

And yet, there is a piece of it that seems like we've missed. We are to visit and care for orphans AND widows. We've moved forward to care for the orphan, but what about the widow? How can we use James 1:27 so diligently as the backbone of our ministry when we have chosen one vulnerable people group, but not the other?

Now we have justified this because the needs are so great, how can one ministry tackle the global orphan crisis AND widows in their distress? It is overwhelming enough to take in the numbers of one group of "the least of these" let alone to add widows as well. We do believe, however, that focusing on this one group, orphans, is not just justified, but right thinking. We all have God-given passions and talents, and we are finite beings in our time and ability to care, so singling out one group of people to care for is how we manage in this flesh.

But God is not going to allow our inability to care for both widows and orphans to limit His work. He is not allowing our susceptibleness to be overwhelmed by the suffering to single out just orphans in the Zeway Partnership.

We are rejoicing that God is allowing us to expand our care circle to include widows. Single parents who are dying of HIV/AIDS and who will not be there to parent their children within the year will now be a part of the Partnership outreach. God is allowing us to support the social workers and the Zeway Church body so that they can care for these dying mothers and fathers.

Here are some of the reasons why this is a desirable opportunity:

These dying men and women need care and love. They need to hear about the peace and comfort of our Savior through the social workers and Zeway church members.

In an environment where children of parents with HIV/AIDS are outcasts, these widows desire to know that someone will watch over their children.

The orphaned children will not go one day without knowing there is an adult who cares for them and is advocating for them after their parent dies.

There will be a transfer of trust as the child watches the social worker and parent forming a relationship.

The orphaned children will be admitted into the Food for the Hungry programs with little to no gap between losing their parent. They will not spend months or even years fending for themselves.

We are rejoicing that we will be able to care for orphans and widows as well. It makes sense that these two groups of people would go together in a circle of care, and we are blessed that God showed us His ways again through this Partnership!

Trip Update from Tom Sanchez

2010-05-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

Tom Sanchez, the Global Outreach pastor of Grace Covenant, went to Zeway with his brother who specializes in grief and loss counseling. As part of the Partnership, we are to provide a variety of training for the social workers and staff. Read below from Tom:

On April 11^th, Stephen, my older brother, and I arrived in Zeway, Ethiopia. We spent the evening visiting three of the child headed households that are the primary target of Grace’s partnership with Food for the Hungry and the Zeway Evangelical Alliance of Churches. The purpose of these visits was to expose Stephen to the actual living situations and stories that the social workers with Food for the Hungry deal with day in and day out.

On Monday morning, Stephen began a 4 ½ day seminar on Trauma, Grief and Loss for 50 social workers from three different ministry centers in Ethiopia. Although most of these social workers have college degrees, they have never been exposed to specific training regarding grief and loss in children. Since this has been Stephen’s specialty in his career as a school counselor for the last 20 years, his teaching was filled with real-life examples and stories that took it out of the theoretical arena to the very practical. The comments of some of the social workers at the end of the week demonstrated what a huge unmet need this had been and how very grateful they were for the training Stephen brought.

Meanwhile, I had a chance to interact with 9 missionaries that have been sent out of the Zeway evangelical community to mostly Muslim villages in the larger region around Zeway. One of these men is named Abei. For the last 10 months he has been spending eleven out of every fourteen days in a community about 15 miles out of Zeway. He is homeless, has no job, and carries a small leather bag with his personal possessions and a well worn Bible. His wife and children, Marta, Abram (5), and Lydia (6 months), live in Zeway. Marta shared with me that after he spends a weekend at home, on Monday morning she has his bag packet with clean cloths and she pushes him out the door, eager for him to return to the mission of carrying Jesus Christ to this community. In 10 months, Abei has seen 20-25 people come to faith in Jesus. He is considered a holy man in the community. He was asked to deliver the commencement speech and pass out diplomas at the local k-8 grade school. The “chief” of this village, a Muslim, has given him land for the purpose of building a church that will also function as his home.

I was deeply humbled by the price both Abei and Marta are paying with joyful hearts in order to fulfill God’s call on their lives. They are one of five missionaries that are supported through the partnership we have with this city and Food for the hungry. Praise God for the opportunity that He is giving us to be part of the miracles happening in this place.

Thank you Tom and Stephen for giving of your time and talents. Pictures from this trip will soon be posted!

2010-04-28T08:21:00.000-05:00

Saturday, May 15th @ 1:00.

Please send an email to ragznson@austin.rr.com and we'll be happy to provide additional details. We'd love to see you there!

Updates from Zeway

2010-04-12T10:24:00.000-05:00

God is moving in Zeway through the visit of Tom & his brother Steve. We thought we'd share with you a recent email from Tom:

It's 11:15 am Monday morning and Steve is in the first session of his seminar. There are right at 50 social workers here. Yesterday Dawit and Feye picked us up at the hotel in Addis and drove with us down to Zeway. It was a great time for Steve to get to know them a bit and vice a versa. When we stopped for lunch I suggested to Steve that he drink a Sprite instead of just water since he still wasn't feeling normal. The Sprite had an immediate positive affect on his body chemistry. He said it was the first time he had felt normal for days. He had another for dinner and is much, much better. Praise God for soda pop.

When we got to Zeway, we dropped our stuff at the hotel, (a different one than the one we stayed at before), and then went on three house visits. The first was a family led by a 17 year old girl with a 15 year old sister and a 9 year old brother. They are all HIV positive. They are Muslim. Their mother died 2 years ago and they are fairly marginalized by their neighbors because of the HIV. It was the first time to watch Steve work. It was fascinating. By the end they had cried, remembered, been affirmed, given purpose, and laughed. The second family was a 17 year old girl with three younger brothers. She is a brand new believer and they all attend a local evangelical church. Their mother took her own life 10 years ago and the father died of aids a few years ago and their step mother abandoned them. Steve really connected with these kids. In fact he is talking about "adopting" them through the sponsorship program, writing them and supporting them. The third visit was with Melekete and Denabe. This was refreshing to my soul. Denabe has grown so tall and Melekete has grown into a beautiful young lady. She is doing so very well!! She loves the Lord and speaks about her past with amazing calm and understanding. They have three new kittens in their home and it's wonderful to see how they care for and love the kittens.

After the visits we had dinner at a new restaurant in town and a great visit with Dawit and Feye. Back to the hotel where Steve and I have separate "cabin" like rooms. Lights out before 11. Best night rest for both Steve and me since we left the States.

Breakfast at 7, to the church where the seminar is being held by 8. I gave a devotional after the worship time and then Steve began. He is into the Trauma section and doing a great job. The social workers that I am watching right now are completely engaged, taking copious notes and working hard to understand. Lot's of information.

Tom

Tom in Ethiopia

2010-04-07T15:33:00.001-05:00

Please be praying for Tom, our global outreach pastor, and his brother, Steve as they travel to Ethiopia. Steve just happens to be a grief and loss counselor and part of the Partnership is to provide training for the social workers. Grief and loss is an appropriate place to start with the children, most of whom cared for their sick and dying parents in their own homes until the end.

Please be praying for Steve as he is doing 5 days of training. That can be exhausting on its own, let alone working through a translator. Most of the social workers understand English, but a translator will be necessary to avoid confusion and make sure the particulars are understood.

Also, be praying that Steve can overcome any cultural differences that may get in the way as he trains the social workers. Measures have been taken to make sure the information he is teaching is culturally relevant, but this is difficult to do entirely. Our prayer in the Partnership is that we will never leave American footprints in Zeway, but only the hand prints of God's work, not ours. God is cultural relevant wherever He goes!