Update April 5, 2016

We are happy to report that Doc has received a good report from the doctor.  His kidney function  numbers  are almost back to normal and  he is feeling more like his old self.  We believe  we know what happened  and plan to get our typhoid  boosters in the near future so that we are prepared  to return  to  Ethiopia.

We had  a  fantastic  trip and were so  blessed  by all the people  we worked with  there.

The plans  for our next trip are not known at this time but we will return  to do His work when He makes it  known to us.

Update Sunday March 27

Sorry that I haven't posted sooner, but it has been a busy time and poor or no internet.

After we visited the water projects, we traveled on to Awassa to visit another ministry where Galen's family/sponsors  2 children.  What a beautiful village where they live and such sweet families.  We visited each of their homes and prayed with their families. They are so precious. We were given bananas while there and they are delicious.

On Wednesday, we visited a monkey preserve where we fed the monkeys and even held them on our shoulders as they ate peanuts off our heads.  Really neat experience.  In the afternoon, we went on a rather rickety boat out onto Lake Awassa to see hippos.  We saw one very large hippo which was an incredible experience. The environment is so green and plush in this region as compared to the terrible dry, arid area of our water projects.

Thursday found us traveling back to Addis after stoppng in Arsi Negelle to see our first water project and interact with the children at the schoool once again.  They sang and counted with us as well as did fist bumps with Galen and his kids. Such a wonderful time.

Doc is still very sick and weak, but perseveres to visit the projects and love on the kids.  He says the only time he feels great is when he sees the children enjoying the water and hugging and playing with him. We drove back to Addis and packed up after dinner and Doc went to bed, exhausted and weak.  Praying to be well enough for the trip home on Fi night.

Saturday we did  couple of errands and went back to Children's Heaven to visit Hanna and share our final Ethiopian meal of injerra, chirro, lentils and potato/carrot dish.  When we finished lunch, Hanna presented Camryn with a special card from all the girls thanking her for the 120 headbands she made for them. Then, Hanna gave all the guys and children with bead necklaces with a cross made by the girls and she presented Kristin and I with a basket she had made during the week.  We celebrated with 1 final Buna ceremony and then had to say goodbye for this visit as it was time to move Galen's family from the guesthouse to Make Your Mark where they are staying and ministering for their final week. Doc rested there after the move until it was time to go to the airport.

Our wonderful driver, Tesfaye drove us to the airport and helped us get our bags to the entrance.  Doc was so tired and weak that I thought he would not make it to the gate, but we had lots of time and traveled slowly through the airport and he was able to rest in the gate area. We left Addis about 11pm for our 16-hour flight home to Toronto. When we arrived inToronto, it was very apparent that Doc needed medical attention so we drove directly to the ER in Wellsboro.  You should have seen the reactions of the medical personnel when we told them Doc was just in from Ethiopia and needed treatment for typhoid?  They said, "typhoid?  We have never seen that here in Tioga County.  Hang on while we research it."  They were wonderful and checked all possible infectious disease resources.  They discovered that he had received the appropriate treatment in Ethiopia, but was still quite ill due to dehydration.  So they have hospitalized him and are treating him with IV fluids and meds. He is improving slowly, but will be in the hospital till his kidney function numbers are adequate.

We had a fantastic trip to Ethiopia and trust that God will have us return again to minister to the needs of these precious people and to visit all our wonderful friends there. We believe the enemy tried to thwart all our efforts to work for God, but we are determined that he will not win.  God did wonderful things for the people and opened our eyes to even more needs.  So, God willing, we will go back again to serve Him. 

Thank you all for your prayers and support and I will try to post a final report after Doc gets home.

Water projects

Well, a lot of excitement  since I last  wrote . We have been busy working  with various ministries .  Friday  we went back  to Korah  to help with  distribution  to our 40 new families .  Galen  and  Kristin  and  family  met our new mom, Meron that we are sponsoring.  We also got to deliver the food to one of our new moms that is paralyzed .  She was so happy to see us and we sat and shared and held her beautiful  baby (pictures  on Facebook ). 

Saturday  we had a fantastic  day at Children's  Heaven  with Hanna and her girls. We played volleyball and Galen's  girls  taught them how to make bracelets with rainbow looms.  Kristin  and  I had the privilege  of  giving the teen girls their Girls  Day kits.  After a delicious  Ethiopian lunch, each of the 105 girls chose a new outfit from our store of new outfits as well as a headband made by Canryn (yes she made 125 headbands). As soon as they left our store they put on their new outfits. The smiles and laughter  were  overwhelming.

Somewhere, Doc contracted something  and become very ill. Sat when we returned  from Children's  Heaven,  Galen and  Abraham  and Temesgan  our interpreter took Doc to the  Bethel Hospital  ER.  They did blood work  and discovered that he has typhoid.  They gave him a shot and medicine and said it would  take a few days. Well, that it has. He rested  Sunday and then came with us to Awassa. We saw 2 of our new projects that provide over 3000 children  with clean water. There is a terrible  drought here and they are so thankful  for this water. We learned that we were the first white people  many  of  them had seen and they kept touching us and holding our hands. They sang for us and we were overwhelmed  with  their  joy and gratitude .  Nothing like knowing  you're  the instrument  by which these precious  souls  have water .  Thank you to everyone  of you back home that has donated . It is lifesaving .

We are in Awassa for 3 days to visit  another  ministry and also see hippos  and monkeys. We saw a lot of camels  today  and even had to stop on the road while a herd  of camels moseyed down the road.

This will  give Doc  a couple  of  days  to rest and recoup and be well  hopefully  before we fly home Friday  night .  If he's  not better in morning, Zalelam and Tesfaye will take him to hospital  here in Awassa.  Prayers appreciated.

Please check Facebook  for photos .

Thursday Morning

Greetings  from  Ethiopia .  Galen and  Kristin  and  family  arrived safe and sound yesterday  morning .  They were tired after their 20 hours of travel but ready  to visit Embracing  Hope in the afternoon. We came back to the guesthouse  for a delicious dinner  of spaghetti  and salad and watermelon .  Then they all played soccer with Batcha and Temesgan.  Fun end to a long day. Everyone  in bed asleep by 8.

Everyone slept soundly until we woke them for breakfast .  At 10 am today,  Galen, Kristin  and Doc went to tour the Fistula  Hospital and  Nanny stayed  with the children  while they did some school  work .

I am not able to send photos on my blog so please  follow Facebook  where I will post  photos and other  people's posts and photos.

The trip is going great. The kids have traveled  great. Today we are going to visit A Hope  for Korah and play some soccer. Tomorrow  we are going to participate  in distribution  for our 40 new families  at A Heart for Korah. That will be so exciting  for Galen's  family to meet these wonderful souls who are so needy but also very grateful .

Tonight our guesthouse  cook is making traditional  Ethiopian  food for dinner. Yeah. Even Doc is excited  as he has started to really like Tibbs and injerra.

Friday  night  we are taking Galen's  family  to Yod Abyssinia  for an  evening  of  traditional  Ethiopian  food  and cultural song and dance.

Saturday ,  Kristin  and the girls  are spending  the  whole  day with me at Children's  Heaven painting  nails and making  bracelets and playing games. Then we are giving the older girls the beautiful  Girls  Day kits made by the wonderful  people  back home and allowing  each girl to choose a new outfit ,  probably  their first ever, from the outfits  furnished  by a all of you back home. Also, I am going to be helping Hanna teach 4 or 5 mom's how to make  the sanitary  pads.  The men are going with us in morning for short time and then spending  rest of the day back at A Hope for Korah  doing Bible  study and playing  soccer.

Sunday we are  eating  lunch at a new restaurant  run by Almaz, the Orphanage  director when they adopted Markos.  She has since adopted  twins and started  a restaurant.

Monday  we leave very early in the morning  to drive south to Arsi Negelle  to visit our water projects  and then on to Awassa for a couple days. So thrilled  to have this fantastic  opportunity  with our famiky. Thank you Lord for all your blessings  and the opportunity  to serve You!!!!

Please continue to pray for safety  and  health . We are all doing great right now and hope to remain  so.  Thanks  for  all your prayers .

Monday

The view from out guesthouse . 

Saturday March 12

Our first week is coming  to  an  end . So much to share , but no words to express  the depth of our  emotions . 

We have been with the  poorest  of the  poor and it is so difficult to know  how  to  best help them. We interviewed  almost  100 families  who  are in desperate  need  and we were only able to accept 40 and have no idea where their sponsors  will come from  but God  does. 

They are precious  people  who want only to provide  food and a home (8×10 foot shack) for their  family. We had bought  some  bananas during the day for our team to eat but then had the chance  to  give them to some of the  families .  They were so thankful  for  a banana  that it almost broke  our hearts.

Thursday  we drove a couple  hours  outside  the  city  to Portuguese  Bridge .  It was built in the 1600s and is made out of ostrich eggs and limestone .  Amazing  construction . We hiked over 2 miles to the bridge and beyond to see baboons  up  close  and  personal .  Strange creatures. The hike was beautiful  but challenging  due to the altitude  which is about 8000 feet. Gives a new meaning  to  deep breathing .

We came back to our  guest house  for showers and then to dinner at _
Yod Abyssinia  Cultural  Restaurant .  There were 17 of us to enjoy 4 huge trays of traditional  Ethiopian entrees and injerra, all of which  were delicious .  As you eat dinner there , you are entertained by native Ethiopian  singers and  dancers.

Additional  thrill that night was a surprise by our friend, Josh who was here with his film crew, by bringing our  former  guesthouse  host Nati there to be  with  us. Perfect  evening.

Friday  was our 2nd and final day  of  distribution . We also held a graduation  ceremony  for the first  8 families in our Income Generation  program to complete  their 2 year mentorship and now each are self sufficient  in the business they  established .  This was so thrilling to  be a part of.

Saturday  was a trip to the Leper  Hospital  where we were able to purchase  some beautiful  items made by the residents .  Also took the team to Tamoca for coffee and the Post Office  area for souvenirs .  Then back to the guest house  so they could pack and head to airport .  So sad to see them leave .  They were a perfect  team and we  were honored  to be a part of their team.

God did amazing things this week and we are praying  for more opportunities  next week as we go to Children's  Heaven  and Embracing  Hope and back to Korah with Galen's  family  after they arrive Wednesday  morning .

Then we take them south to Arsi Negelle to see our 3 water projects. So excited  for them to see the results  of all our wonderful  friends giving.

Thanks for your prayers  and  keep them coming.0

Wednesday

We have had another  wonderful  day in Korah serving in distribution .  Each sponsored  family  gets 70 # of food (tef flour to make injerra, wheat flour, macaroni , rice, oil, bananas, 2 bars soap).  Wd  ee gave to about 70 families  today  and will do 70 more  on Friday .  It is exhausting but so rewarding. One man came  on all fours (polio) and others come with deformed feet, bare feet, blind  but all with a smile of thanksgiving .

After distribution  we enjoyed a special  time with our mothers and daughters. Gave the girls a bag of goodies like  crayons pens, pencils, nitebook, toothbrush  and  toothpaste  and M&Ms. Then mom and daughter  each chose a nail polish  and  painted  each others  nails. Finally, we gave each girl a handmade  dress, probably  the first new clothing  they've  ever  had.  Oh to see the  smiles on their faces and to experience  the  hugs from the moms as they left 

Tomorrow  we are traveling NW of the city  to  the  Portuguese  Bridge and to see some of the beautiful  country as well as baboons. We will back in Addis in time to have dinner  atYod Abysinia which is a  traditional  Ethiopian  restaurant  where they perform  their native dance during dinner.

Our  days  are long  and  exhausting  but well worth the energy. We are seeing lives improved  by our meager investment  and willingness  to serve them in love. Continue to pray. We are only half way through week 1 of 3.  Much more to do and water projects to visit before we return,

Tuesday night

I wrote last night but accidentally  erased it. Quick update. Please pray for the people of Ethiopia as the drought and closing  of the  dump has just magnified  their poverty situations. Our group divided  into  4 teams  today and each team interviewed about 25 families for the AHFK sponsorship  program. Stories were so hard to hear.  When  we finished  we were told to choose  the 5 most severe to be accepted  in program.  .impossible .  Then we were allowed to each pick 10. Still impossible  but had to be done. So we did our best with God's  leading. 

Now here is the next need . None of these  40 families  have sponsors yet in US.  Sponsorship  is $50 per month. Please prayerfully  consider. Pictures and stories will be forthcoming . 

We ended the afternoon with a mother daughter time of a snack and girls and mom's painting  each  other  nails . We told them a Bible  story  of Jesus love and salvation .   When they left  we gave  them  a  bag of treats and a new dress for each girl, wonderful way to end a very emotionally  draining day.

Please pray for both Doc and I as we have managed to get a very annoying  respiratory  condition  with coughing  and nasal drainage. We are continuing to participate  but it's tiring,

We are still so very thankful  that  we  came and pray God will use us mightily to improve their  lives and show  them  the  love  of  God .

Tomorrow  is  distribution  day . A lot  of  work  but so exciting  to see the joy on their faces to receive  1 more month of basic food staples. I'm not attaching  pictures  as I'm having difficulty  with  that but will post some pics to FB and share posts from other  team members ,

Almost There

It is 4am and we still have 4 hours to Addis Ababa.  It's been a good flight. Met an interesting gentleman from Canada who will be a good resource for Doc's Well porojects.  He may be a possible resource for some agriculture projects in the future.

I read a wonderful book that he recommended called Where a Bird Meets a Fish in the Sky, A Positive Response to the Need for Humanitarian Aid by Leo Seguin.  It is truly inspiring and giving us even more ideas of how we can help the people of Ethiopia.  "You may leave Ethiopia but Ethiopia will never leave you.

He observed that Ethiopians are wonderful, loving people, who despite living in one of the most challenging places on Earth, remain cheerful and enthusiastic and treat each other and visitors with dignity and respect. They desire a hand up, not a handout,

We will be meeting the team from A Heart For Korah in Addis when we arrive this morning. Anxious to meet new people with a heart for the people of Korah. Also, excited to take our several bags and bin of supplies to Children's Heaven in preparation for our day of new clothing shopping for the girls as well as a sewing day of Girls Day Kits and games and activities with Galen's girls.  They arrive on March 16 and we all go to Children's Heaven on Sat March 19.

Plus we are so excited to take Galen and his family south of the city 150+ arduous miles to see our 3 water projects and meet the children who are being blessed with clean water for the first time ever at school. They are so much fun to be with.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own undedrstanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."  Proverbs 3: 5-6.  This is our heart's cry for the next 3 weeks.  

I will add to this hopefully after we settle into out guesthouse and then post.

We arrived safe and sound at 8am.  it took us nearly 2 hours to get through customs and get our visas. The team from AHFK (A Heart for Korah) arrived before us but waited for us so we could all go to the guesthouse together.

Holy Savior Guesthouse is lovely and very comfortable.  After a delicious lunch, we went toKorah to visit some of our Income Generating (IG) families. They are doing amazing.  I'll try to write more later, but getting ready to go for dinner.

Prayer Request:  Doc managedd to get some terrible respirtory illness the night in Toronto and has not felt well for the flight or for today. So, he stayed at guesthouse and rested and we are believing for healthy night's sleep and that he will be able to join us tomorrow as we interview sponsor families and IG families.

Thank you, Happy in Addis,  Doc &Helen

Leaving Home

Well, we are finally all packed and ready to fly out tomorrow morning, We had so many supplies, thanks to the generosity of so many great people, that we have to take a 5th bag, The girls at Children's Heaven will be so blessed.  We fly out at 11am on Sat on Ethiopian Airlines and arrive Sun at 8am. Prayers appreciated.  Thanks and we love you all!!

Almost Ready

We are just about ready to leave for our 3 weeks in Ethiopia on Saturday.  Thanks to Brieanna and her wonderful help this past weekend, we are nearly ready.  We have packed 75 Girls Day Kits and 120 outfits for the girls at Children's Heaven. We are also taking 100s of cut pieces for the girls to make Girls day kits to sell and begin their own small business to provide income for their schooling through this new small business adventure.  We say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has donated either funds or goods or time, etc. We will be able to bless so many precious people with everything we are taking.  More to follow.

Counting Down

It is just 2 weeks until we head back to our 2nd home, Ethiopia.  People have been so generous with their time and money to see that we are able to go with new clothes and games and feminine products that will bless their lives beyond measure. 2 dear friends, Michelle Showers and Michelle Lawrence have worked so hard to cut and sew the items needed to provide 75 girls with their own sanitary kits as well as cut and sew more to take so the girls at Children's Heaven can begin their own small businss making and sewing these kits to earn more for their further education. Michelle Showers is having a sewing workbee this Sat Feb 20 at CNC in Mansfield from noon to 4 and Michelle Lawrence is having a workbee on Tues Feb 23 at Penny Havens Streeter in Troy to cut an sew and do whatever it takes to get kits ready as well as pieces for the girls in Ethiopia to sew.  Thank you in advance to all who have or will be helping with this project.  We are so excited at the response and the gifr this will be to our girls.

We have received many donations of clothing and money to allow us to purchase a new outfit for the 120 girls at Children's Heaven plus items to take to our families in Korah.  We have had a donation of 20 soccer balls and pumps to take to the boys in Korah where Doc and Galen will organize a soccer game for our Saturday there.

We will be taking Galen and his family to Arsi Negelle our 3rd week there to see our 3rd water project which is providing clean water to 4100+  children plus see the site for project #4 since we have had a sizale donation for that project. We hope to raise the rest of those funds at our 5K hopefully in the Fall.

As you can see by our photo, we are starting to pack the new outfits for the girls.  so excited.

We leave Sat March 5 and will arrive in time for church in Addis Ababa with our Ethiopian family.

Going Back March 2016

Greetings. 

This is a post to let you all know that Doc and I are returning to Ethiopia March 5-26. We are so excited.  It feels like we're going home.  I will write more later this week with details of the trip.  We covet your prayers.

If you still desire to support us financially, checks can be sent to

Doc's Well of Hope at POBox 21 Mansfield, PA 16933 or

Paypal at   paypal.me/DocsWellOfHope 

Thank you.