Today, we experienced God in even more amazing ways.
Acer Heye, from Wycliffe Ministry picked us up at 9:30 to go to Children's Heaven for their 7-year anniversary celebration. Children's Heaven is a community based nonprofit organization which, since starting operations in July 2004, has dedicated its efforts to improving the lives of HIV/AIDS orphaned girls living extremely vulnerable lives in the slums of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The program currently benefits more than 80 girls with about 200 on the waiting list. Children's Heaven provides essential services to teenage girls along with compassionate care, love, hope, security and spiritual guidance. They also seek to equip the girls with skills and an education to help them lead healthy and productive adult lives.
The program consisted of testimonies by some of the girls and mothers, dances by several of the girls, followed by the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony enjoyed by all the guests (except Doc). Oh my, it was incredible. They also sold beautiful handmade crafts by the girls and moms; I had a terrific time blessing the ministry by purchasing many of these items to bring back to America to share with those of you who share our vision.
But, best of all, were the testimonies of the girls and the moms and Hana, the director. One of the girls shared that she was sick and dying when she came to Children's Heaven and that Hana saved her life. Now, she is doing amazingly well in school and wants to become a doctor; WOW! One of the moms shared, with tears streaming down her face, that she and her 3 daughters had been a part of Children's Heaven, but have had to move back to their very rural, poor community because she could no longer afford to live in the slum (she paid rent). She desires to move back to the slum so that her girls can return to Children's Heaven (we learned from Hana that the mom has AIDS and is terminal).
Now, here is the exciting God part of the story. Just a few days before we left the states to come here, an empathetic sister in the Lord who I met through Markos' adoption, facebooked and said that she and her husband would like to send some money with us to use as God revealed the need. Ah hah! Guess what? The need was revealed today at Children's Heaven. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we told Acer's wife, Kimberly what we wanted to do: to give this large sum of money to this mom so that she could move back to the slum and her girls could return to Children's Heaven. Kimberly began to cry, she called Hana over and told her and she began to cry and then they called the mom over and told her, and guess what, she began to sob. They told the girls, who hugged us and cried and thanked us profusely in Amharic "a-meu-seu-ge-nal-lo." We were told that this generous gift of money for the mom would provide her rent for 1 year. Praise the Lord!!!!
Also during our sharing with individuals from both Addis and the US, Doc was made aware of their need to purchase land (albeit very poor land) for this ministry, as their rent will be increased from 4000 Birr to 15,000 Birr in December. So, he went for a short walk to view the property being considered. It was a working farm (if you could call it that) of 3-4 acres between their current building and the street encased by the slum. When he got inside the barn, he saw conditions that were at least 70 years old and less than profitable. There were about 25 Holstein cattle (now that excited Doc) that were as emaciated as the people, yet these are their sole income and means of a living. Whew!! We believe that the property is going to cost over a million Birr ($72,000). In the states, we wouldnt pay $25,000 at the most for this rock pile, yet for Hana, this is a castle. So, now we have a new challenge.
However, after our 8 days here, we have come to realize that NO challenge is too big for our GOD. So, be warned, we are on the prowl to pursue like-minded servants of God who want to participate in another of God's incredible life-changing ministries in Addis Ababa.
Also, God in His divine plan, allowed us to sit with an American nonprofit group, EOR (Ethiopian Orphan Relief) based out of Oregon who spent all day yesterday investigating providing clean water wells, cisterns, etc. and are sharing all of their info with us. WOW!! We have encountered so many different people with connections to clean water operations and now, must prayerfully consider the best option for us. Some are much more costly than we had anticipated, but may prove to be the most sustainable for many years. So, please pray with us for the wisdom to know who and where.
Monday we leave for Menz, and 3 eye clinics in 3 very remote, poor villages; one of which desperately needs water. However, we have been told that it may be very costly even to get the sand and gravel and clean water equipment to the village (it may have to go by donkey).
Also, we are trying to prepare ourselves for the fact that we may freeze in Menz. Our accommodations changed unexpectedly and are less than stellar (according to our team leader); meaning either cold showers or no showers, maybe bathrooms or holes in the ground, sleeping bags that we need to spray with bug spray and Deet before we put them on the beds or whatever, and who knows if we'll have electricity. So, as Doc says, we are in for another God adventure. What better way to spend our elder years!!!
Again, we thank you all for your love and support and ask that you pray specifically for us next week as we venture into an even poorer area of Ethiopia, but where we desire to show the love of God and His believers and to minister to the very best of our ability in providing eyeglass care.
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