My Fasting Blog
Scriptures of Meditation:
Nehemiah
Ezra
Isaiah 58:6-12
Isaiah 61
Other resources:
My Utmost for His Highest
Compelled by Love, by Heidi Baker
Mother Teresa
1/10/11
Simple today, get focused and organized. Try to eliminate the clutter and set my heart on what God wants for me.
1/11/11
I read all of Ezra and Nehemiah, I didn’t realize how much those 2 books go hand in hand. Beginning to see it tie into Isaiah 58 and the vision of One Child. How each of us has our role, our gift and our part to play in restoring God’s kingdom on the earth. Repairers of the breach. Restorer of streets to dwell in.
Began listening to some intense worship.
1/12/11
Started the day with worship…intense, deep, cleansing, convicting worship. Understanding that worship is necessary to water the seeds of our sweat in the ministry. It restores, strengthens and turns the focus not on what I do, but in Who God is and my personal relationship with Him. What I do means nothing without who I am in Him. Starting to see the pride of my own heart rising to the surface and have that dull ache and lump in my throat knowing that I have to let my Redeemer deal with it. A deep desire to be alone is consuming me. Even with shutting out the voices that I have grown accustomed to with social media, there is still so much to do and things that seem pressing. Learning to prioritize never becomes a habit that takes no thought, it is always something that has to be intentional.
Opted to read a passage for today from My Utmost for His Highest…
Have You Ever Been Alone with God? (1)
Jan12, 2011
When they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples —Mark 4:34
Our Solitude with Him. Jesus doesn’t take us aside and explain things to us all the time; He explains things to us as we are able to understand them. The lives of others are examples for us, but God requires us to examine our own souls. It is slow work— so slow that it takes God all of time and eternity to make a man or woman conform to His purpose. We can only be used by God after we allow Him to show us the deep, hidden areas of our own character. It is astounding how ignorant we are about ourselves! We don’t even recognize the envy, laziness, or pride within us when we see it. But Jesus will reveal to us everything we have held within ourselves before His grace began to work. How many of us have learned to look inwardly with courage?
We have to get rid of the idea that we understand ourselves. That is always the last bit of pride to go. The only One who understands us is God. The greatest curse in our spiritual life is pride. If we have ever had a glimpse of what we are like in the sight of God, we will never say, “Oh, I’m so unworthy.” We will understand that this goes without saying. But as long as there is any doubt that we are unworthy, God will continue to close us in until He gets us alone. Whenever there is any element of pride or conceit remaining, Jesus can’t teach us anything. He will allow us to experience heartbreak or the disappointment we feel when our intellectual pride is wounded. He will reveal numerous misplaced affections or desires— things over which we never thought He would have to get us alone. Many things are shown to us, often without effect. But when God gets us alone over them, they will be clear.
-Oswald Chambers
1/14/11 and 1/15/11
Learning about the true meaning of being poor in spirit, how important it is for us to be interdependent and willing to share all of what we have with each other. We must receive just to live. How much I have learned that I don’t know by reading the lifetime of wisdom of Mother Teresa, this particular phrase has haunted me the past day or so…
“Hungry for love, He looks at you. Thirsty for kindness, He begs from you. Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you. Sick and imprisoned for friendship, He wants from you. Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks of you. Will you be that one to Him?”
I’m being challenged to start believing God for signs and wonders. Not only in our every day life, but on each of our trips. Jesus told us that we will do greater things than He did, through the power of the Holy Spirit. The key to this is operating in love and wow, I’ve got a long way to go. Our teams are getting great at seeing needs and finding ways to meet them – which must continue – but I’m also ready to see our teams start laying hands on the sick, blind and broken and seeing their restoration and healing manifested in front of our eyes. Not for our glory, but because when Jesus is lifted up then He draws all men unto Himself.
Being poor in spirit does not mean being depressed and having nothing, but a posturing of the heart where one is wholly given, fully yielded, completely desperate, and totally dependent on God alone. This is a paraphrase of something that I read in “Compelled by Love”, by Heidi Baker.
1/16/11
It’s been rewarding to already see the fruit of becoming more focused and the freedom there is in not knowing. I’m not omnipotent, surprise – I know, but God is – so since He is, I don’t have to be. All I have to do is listen, obey and trust. My job is to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. I find it easier to breathe and easier to hear and the pressure of the always impending “to do” list eases. His burden is easy and his yoke is light. It’s a change from “doing” to “being”.
1/17/11
Finished reading “Compelled by Love” and it has revolutionized my vision beyond what it has been. There’s so much more. Walking in love is the only key to operating in the supernatural and the only way to revival is through love.
We had an interesting conversation with some friends today that are planning to go with us to Ethiopia in July. We were amazed at the opposition and resistance that they have received from their own family…Christian family, I might add. Somehow those who have not grown up in church seem to get this whole love and action thing more than the church. This has really bothered me the past year and honestly, to the point of rage. I realize that is an issue for me and I am learning to ask God to let me learn how to walk in love and have compassion on the church. Finding a balance between compassion and justice is such a fine line and after reading the words of Mother Teresa, I’m realizing how much farther I have to go and that this will be my life’s ambition.
Just as a whole, why is the church so anti-love? Seriously, if we break it down – that’s exactly what we are. When we are anti-love, we are anti-Christ. As we talked with our friends, it dawned on me that they have taken that step to operate in faith and in deed. Love is staring into the face of God, listening to His heart and doing what He says. Obedience and surrender should be our daily posture. The Lord took me back to when Moses was in front of God’s face for 40 days on the mountain and when he came down, his face was so radiant that it had to be covered…it was almost offensive to those who saw it. And these were the chosen people of God. Then the Holy Spirit brought to my memory James chapter 1: 23-27:
23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Well, when a member of the body of Christ stares into the Word of God, the face of God and chooses to walk in love…our lives become a mirror of God. And those who are either complacent or ignorant (this includes me!) when they see the reflection of the challenge of love on the faces of those close to us, the easiest thing to do is to tear that person down. Why? Because we are offended by the love of God and challenged to become that same reflection. Do we fear that if we reflect God that we will lose ourselves or our identity? In fact, it’s quite the opposite…in Him we FIND ourselves and our purpose.
Verse 25 talks about looking into the perfect law of liberty, well – what IS the perfect law of liberty? Let’s start with Isaiah 61:1-4
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.[a]
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,[b]
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.
3 To all who mourn in Israel,[c]
he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins,
repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,
though they have been deserted for many generations.
This is not just what Jesus was called to do…this is what WE are called to do…everyday as a lifestyle! I have to remind myself and those reading this that all of this challenge is as much for me as for anyone. I have to check the motives of my heart every single moment of every single day. At first, this stressed me out because I began looking for every mistake or judgment that crossed my mind…but now, I’m releasing the Holy Spirit to have free reign in convicting me. Strangely enough, the last two nights in a dream the Lord has revealed the ugliness of my motives. These are “little” things and to be up front, I’m right in my perception and discernment but I’m now aware that I’m wrong in how I have left this gain a root in my heart. Minor just isn’t minor any more. I pray that my heart and spirit would be so enlarged daily that I don’t ever get complacent in holding myself accountable to the mirror of the Word and the Holy Spirit.
The western church just has not been used to being poor in spirit and I don’t mean that we should desire poverty or beat ourselves up…but be so dependent on God for every day that we live. Many places in the world have an unusual advantage because they are so poor in the natural that they have no choice but to trust God for their next meal, their next breath. We suffer not in the natural, but we suffer from a different kind of poverty – poverty of spirit. This is VERY different from being poor in spirit. We have forgotten how to love, in order to love…we must be able to receive the love of God. We have become so ill-equipped because we are so self focused and full of pride.
This brings me full circle once again to the reason for this fast, what is the kind of fast God wants from us?
Isaiah 58: 1-12
1 “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.
Tell my people Israel[a] of their sins!
2 Yet they act so pious!
They come to the Temple every day
and seem delighted to learn all about me.
They act like a righteous nation
that would never abandon the laws of its God.
They ask me to take action on their behalf,
pretending they want to be near me.
3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
‘Why aren’t you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
and you don’t even notice it!’
“I will tell you why!” I respond.
“It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
you keep oppressing your workers.
4 What good is fasting
when you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
will never get you anywhere with me.
5 You humble yourselves
by going through the motions of penance,
bowing your heads
like reeds bending in the wind.
You dress in burlap
and cover yourselves with ashes.
Is this what you call fasting?
Do you really think this will please the Lord?
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression.
Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!
10 Feed the hungry,
and help those in trouble.
Then your light will shine out from the darkness,
and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.
12 Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities.
Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls
and a restorer of homes.
This is LOVE. This is God. Anything other than this is simply the spirit of the world, the spirit of anti-Christ. In order for us to walk in love, we MUST look into the perfect law of liberty, understand who we are, deal with our pride and learn how to receive and give the powerful force of love.
1/24/11
We spent the past few days with our travel group families and while we were driving, strangely Psalm 23 came to mind and especially the phrase, “you restore my soul”. I thought about it as the miles passed and I realized that God has divinely and strategically placed each of our families together for a much greater purpose. The connection we have through adoption was just the first step, there is something very special about this group. We sharpen each other. We make each other laugh. Most importantly, we make each other love more. Being around them restores my soul.
Today, I had another very fruitful meeting and received an invitation to go to Cambodia and also a healthy dose of confirmation. Confirmation that it’s time to re-prioritize the investment of my time…yes, even more strategically than before. Change is good. Challenge is good.
1/27/11
Coming closer to the end of the fast, I’m excited about the strategies that God has given our ministry during the last few days. I guess we had to get through the heart issues at the beginning of this time before we could hear effectively on all that God has set before us as priorities. It means cutting out some of the “good” things and focusing on the very next step of obedience, even if it doesn’t make complete sense. We are taking a look at our time, our systems, our accountability and how we raise funding to support the work God has called us to. I’m realizing that it’s not just ok to ask people and businesses for support. In fact, it’s part of my stewardship in the ministry to not only cast vision and support other ministries’ vision but to realize that we have to ask in order to receive. God has recently reminded me through random situations these past few days that His favor is on us. My daughter’s latest memorized Scripture is Psalm 5:12, “You will bless the righteous, oh Lord, you surround them with favor like a shield”. A couple times as I flipped channels today, I’ve ended up watching a minister talking about favor as our inheritance. In my Bible reading, it’s been all about Joseph. I got an email from a friend today who is also doing the fast and the closing was this phrase,” May he also remind you that his favor is for a lifetime.”
I choose to press more and more into His favor, we gain God’s favor by seeking His face. It brought back to mind one of my favorite quotes from a book called “Finding Favor with the King” by Tommy Tenney: “No matter how skillfully you manage to move the heart of man, you still haven’t done much if you stop there. Artists, musicians, writers and advertising agencies all depend on this ability to influence humanity. Learn this lesson from Esther: if you move the heart of God, you move the hand of God. One nod from God and destiny is altered. Nations transformed, history rewritten.”
1/28/11
Some days it’s just one of those crazy frustrating days that I wish I understood...it's part of my control issues being worked through. I KNOW this, but man sometimes the human side and the father in me (that wants to fight for my kids) just comes out and it's not the prettiest thing. One of the things that I'm trying to learn is how justice must be accompanied by compassion and sometimes justice just wants its way and wants explanations. My idea of justice is not always God's way. We are grateful for those in our lives that allow us to be real and honest with and for them to feel free enough to kick our butts with perspective and the Word - we need it. Looking back it will be amazing, walking through it...not so glamorous. But I guess redemption isn't always polished.
1/31/11
Today is the last day of our social media fast. However, it is not the end, it’s the beginning of what I desire to become a lifestyle of dependence on the Holy Spirit. I’m learning more and more that above anything else, I need Him. Our confidence and hope are in Him. Other things in life are good, but ultimately unnecessary in comparison to the wisdom and favor of God. Our job is to seek first the Kingdom of God and not the next trend or marketing tool…again, I’m reminded that it’s not about building our kingdom at all and when it’s not about us, we eliminate the sense of competition, a life of works and strife. We must strive for excellence and be aware of the times and seasons – but be more aware of the greatness of our God.
Orphan Awareness Video
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Chosen Fast and Resolution - The Next 21 Days...
It is the season for new year's resolutions and goal setting, as of yesterday we still had not set specific resolutions/goals out there for ourselves personally or as a ministry. Well, I mean of course there are goals that we hope to accomplish but what I mean is nothing specific that we felt led to do outside the usual. That changed yesterday.
Our pastor (Sharon Daugherty) issued a challenge to our body of believers to set aside the next 21 days as a fast to seek the face of God for direction and for His kingdom to be manifest in our lives, our land and the world. She read out of Isaiah 58: 6-12 and that's when it hit me because that's the scripture that I have been meditating on for the past few months and it has seemed to become somewhat of a theme for One Child Campaign. While she was speaking, I asked the Lord what this fast should consist of and slowly I felt that I needed to fast things that would hinder my seeking first God's kingdom for our family and ministry. Sometimes, these are things that are good but can still be a distraction. I wanted to also challenge each of you, our friends, family and supporters to ask God what he would have you to do these next few weeks.
The first thing that we felt to set aside are all forms of social media: Facebook, Twitter, etc. We know that this is the way that we keep in touch with almost everyone, so especially for me, it is a sacrifice. I love the people that God has brought into our lives, but feel that He's wanting to speak to us and give us a strategy for the next year...and if that means tuning out some of the distractions that I have created for myself and get focused on getting plugged into the Vine and learn how to be a more productive branch, then that's what we need to do. If God speaks to us to fast other things as well during this time, we will.
My mind went immediately to all the reasons why I just "can't" unplug: we are raising support for the ministry, our adoption and we need a big marketing push for our March 11-20 (spring break) Ethiopia orphan awareness trip, etc., etc., etc...but it cut deeper when I felt the Holy Spirit ask me if I trusted Him more than social media and marketing...ouch. Whose Kingdom am I building anyway? Ouch. That did it - so from today, January 10 - 31, we will be on a break from FB and Twitter - a kind of "anti-marketing" in the world's eyes, but a statement of faith that if our God is for us, then what could ever stop us.
We will be checking our email during this time a couple of times a week, so if you have questions or need to contact us, you can do so at caleb@onechildcampaign.com or becca@onechildcampaign.com. We will also be checking voicemail and returning calls a couple of times a week.
We ask that you pray for us during this time that the purposes of God for One Child Campaign and our family will be accomplished. Here is a list of things that we are believing God for during this chosen fast:
- direction and prioritization for the ministry
- to effectively build His kingdom and not ours
- to never operate out of competition, only out of love
- discernment
- for our hearts to be daily broken for what breaks the heart of God
- to hear His voice and obey
- greater faith, vision and resources
- provision for the ministry and our family
- strategic ideas, systems, projects and partnerships
- a removal of distractions
- structure for volunteers and interns
- wisdom and insight
- orphan awareness trips to fill up, so more people and churches can be activated
- our ministry partnerships: Covenant Church/Orphanages, Heavenly Hope Ministries, Children's Hopechest, CFI Drop-in Center/Hope for His Children, Emmanuel Orphanage, Hope for the Hopeless, Grace Baptist in Kombolcha, Project 61/Korah, etc.
- doors to be opened that no man can shut
- to be able to give to others more and support other ministries
We also commit to praying for each of you in these areas, if you are willing to commit to standing with us in prayer for these areas - please email us and let us know. When each member of the body does it's part, together we are stronger. We'd love to also hear from you if you feel to participate in this fast and what God is speaking to you. In these days, it's never been more important for us to hear the voice of God and walk in our calling.
Much love to you all, we look forward to the greatness of God being manifest in your lives!
Caleb and Becca David
Isaiah 58:6-12:
6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
11And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Our pastor (Sharon Daugherty) issued a challenge to our body of believers to set aside the next 21 days as a fast to seek the face of God for direction and for His kingdom to be manifest in our lives, our land and the world. She read out of Isaiah 58: 6-12 and that's when it hit me because that's the scripture that I have been meditating on for the past few months and it has seemed to become somewhat of a theme for One Child Campaign. While she was speaking, I asked the Lord what this fast should consist of and slowly I felt that I needed to fast things that would hinder my seeking first God's kingdom for our family and ministry. Sometimes, these are things that are good but can still be a distraction. I wanted to also challenge each of you, our friends, family and supporters to ask God what he would have you to do these next few weeks.
The first thing that we felt to set aside are all forms of social media: Facebook, Twitter, etc. We know that this is the way that we keep in touch with almost everyone, so especially for me, it is a sacrifice. I love the people that God has brought into our lives, but feel that He's wanting to speak to us and give us a strategy for the next year...and if that means tuning out some of the distractions that I have created for myself and get focused on getting plugged into the Vine and learn how to be a more productive branch, then that's what we need to do. If God speaks to us to fast other things as well during this time, we will.
My mind went immediately to all the reasons why I just "can't" unplug: we are raising support for the ministry, our adoption and we need a big marketing push for our March 11-20 (spring break) Ethiopia orphan awareness trip, etc., etc., etc...but it cut deeper when I felt the Holy Spirit ask me if I trusted Him more than social media and marketing...ouch. Whose Kingdom am I building anyway? Ouch. That did it - so from today, January 10 - 31, we will be on a break from FB and Twitter - a kind of "anti-marketing" in the world's eyes, but a statement of faith that if our God is for us, then what could ever stop us.
We will be checking our email during this time a couple of times a week, so if you have questions or need to contact us, you can do so at caleb@onechildcampaign.com or becca@onechildcampaign.com. We will also be checking voicemail and returning calls a couple of times a week.
We ask that you pray for us during this time that the purposes of God for One Child Campaign and our family will be accomplished. Here is a list of things that we are believing God for during this chosen fast:
- direction and prioritization for the ministry
- to effectively build His kingdom and not ours
- to never operate out of competition, only out of love
- discernment
- for our hearts to be daily broken for what breaks the heart of God
- to hear His voice and obey
- greater faith, vision and resources
- provision for the ministry and our family
- strategic ideas, systems, projects and partnerships
- a removal of distractions
- structure for volunteers and interns
- wisdom and insight
- orphan awareness trips to fill up, so more people and churches can be activated
- our ministry partnerships: Covenant Church/Orphanages, Heavenly Hope Ministries, Children's Hopechest, CFI Drop-in Center/Hope for His Children, Emmanuel Orphanage, Hope for the Hopeless, Grace Baptist in Kombolcha, Project 61/Korah, etc.
- doors to be opened that no man can shut
- to be able to give to others more and support other ministries
We also commit to praying for each of you in these areas, if you are willing to commit to standing with us in prayer for these areas - please email us and let us know. When each member of the body does it's part, together we are stronger. We'd love to also hear from you if you feel to participate in this fast and what God is speaking to you. In these days, it's never been more important for us to hear the voice of God and walk in our calling.
Much love to you all, we look forward to the greatness of God being manifest in your lives!
Caleb and Becca David
Isaiah 58:6-12:
6Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
7Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
8Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy reward.
9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
11And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Final Day in Ethiopia/Closing Thoughts
Day 8 in Ethiopia – Addis Ababa 1/3/11
There was a feeling of melancholy lingering in the air this morning. How is it that a people, a nation and a culture can get under your skin in just over a week? As the team got ready and had devotions, there was a mixture of sadness, gratefulness and resolve in our hearts. It took us longer to get down to breakfast than usual. It was as if we thought that our moving slower would also slow time before the team had to leave the cradle of civilization.
To lighten the mood, one of our most creative team members (Briea) opted to inject some fun into breakfast. The manifestation of that creativity was in the form of a French toast One Child Campaign logo. I have to say it was quite impressive and made me wonder if we should have a contest to see who could come up with the most creative materials to recreate our logo…but French toast might be hard to beat – anyone up for the challenge?
Our morning destination was just about a block or two from the guest home, so we walked this neighborhood taking in the sights, sounds and smells that we have grown so accustomed to this past week.
For the past year, One Child has locked arms with Compassion Family International, a drop-in center for 50 of the most destitute children in the community of Lafto. The little girl that our family sponsors is here. As a sponsor, I cannot tell you how important it is for a sponsor to visit the child, family and drop-in center where they sponsor to see it firsthand. I’ve had the privilege to see Aden 4 times in the past year and to see her growth, maturity and health increase has been phenomenal. I’ve posted about sponsorship before, but I cannot reiterate enough of how much sponsoring through a trusted ministry can do.
Peter and Elza Abera oversee and run CFI and Peter, as a child, was sponsored. Through this, he was able to receive an education, his redemption and salvation. You can see the evidence of the fruit of sponsorship through his life – from an African country boy born into an Orthodox family to a leader of Christ multiplying love in his country. Their passion for not just these kids, but also their families is commendable. They go beyond just feeding, educating and discipling these children. They have gone and shared home visits with just about every one of these families. What they have found are people that want to be heard, loved and given a chance at a better future. CFI has given their kids that jump start, though some of the stories that they have shared with us are heartbreaking, but there is hope.
Our team met with Peter to discuss the history and challenges of their ministry. I was so pleased to find out that the local government has entrusted several more kids into their care and now they have about 61 kids that they serve and support. On week days, all kids are provided lunch and are taught general hygiene and they all brush their teeth before heading back to school.
It was somewhat of an unusual day because we weren’t quite as hands on as previous days, but I’ve come to learn that there are reasons that God has ordained different experiences. We got to see with our own eyes, how sponsorship and care for the kids should be. We felt almost like we were peeking into their typical day and seeing the smiling faces while they received with a few basic necessities was encouraging. There’s no pretense here, just a passion to serve their community in any way they can. We look forward to seeing all that God will continue to do through our partnership with them.
PICS OF THEY DAY:
Today reminded me of the power of one. The power that Love gives us when we step out in faith and do what God created us to do. What God created us to do shouldn’t be viewed as an option, but as a matter of stewardship. I encourage you to read the story of the three servants in Matthew 25. Obedience is not optional. If we say that we love God but do not obey Him, we don’t really love Him. Too often, we get caught up in our society, our culture, our comforts and what we think are our dreams and we completely forget that we should be living God’s dream for us. Our lives are not our own and should be lived as such. This is for me just as much as it is for those reading it. I have to be reminded of this and constantly ask God for my heart to remain broken for the things, people and situations that break His heart. I pray for an awakening for us all to know our calling and to walk it out – it’s our responsibility and we will be held accountable for it.
Your calling may not be full time ministry to orphans in Africa, but I do know that if and when you join us on a trip like this one – your spiritual ears will be keen to the voice of God. Some people have told me in the past that they don’t feel “called” to go and I do know some are not called to full time ministry like this, we need all parts of the body…however, I do believe that there is nothing more effective in igniting passion (whatever your role in the body may be), than at least going once. It is always God’s will for us to go into all the world. It is always His will for us to love and reach out to the destitute, the widow and orphan.
Isaiah 58: 6-12
So, I end our trip blog posts by issuing a challenge: will you be one person who will change the life of one child? If you will, please contact us and we will share many different ways that you can get involved in long term, sustainable, empowering solutions for hundreds in desperation. There is someone waiting on the other side of your obedience.
There was a feeling of melancholy lingering in the air this morning. How is it that a people, a nation and a culture can get under your skin in just over a week? As the team got ready and had devotions, there was a mixture of sadness, gratefulness and resolve in our hearts. It took us longer to get down to breakfast than usual. It was as if we thought that our moving slower would also slow time before the team had to leave the cradle of civilization.
To lighten the mood, one of our most creative team members (Briea) opted to inject some fun into breakfast. The manifestation of that creativity was in the form of a French toast One Child Campaign logo. I have to say it was quite impressive and made me wonder if we should have a contest to see who could come up with the most creative materials to recreate our logo…but French toast might be hard to beat – anyone up for the challenge?
Our morning destination was just about a block or two from the guest home, so we walked this neighborhood taking in the sights, sounds and smells that we have grown so accustomed to this past week.
For the past year, One Child has locked arms with Compassion Family International, a drop-in center for 50 of the most destitute children in the community of Lafto. The little girl that our family sponsors is here. As a sponsor, I cannot tell you how important it is for a sponsor to visit the child, family and drop-in center where they sponsor to see it firsthand. I’ve had the privilege to see Aden 4 times in the past year and to see her growth, maturity and health increase has been phenomenal. I’ve posted about sponsorship before, but I cannot reiterate enough of how much sponsoring through a trusted ministry can do.
Peter and Elza Abera oversee and run CFI and Peter, as a child, was sponsored. Through this, he was able to receive an education, his redemption and salvation. You can see the evidence of the fruit of sponsorship through his life – from an African country boy born into an Orthodox family to a leader of Christ multiplying love in his country. Their passion for not just these kids, but also their families is commendable. They go beyond just feeding, educating and discipling these children. They have gone and shared home visits with just about every one of these families. What they have found are people that want to be heard, loved and given a chance at a better future. CFI has given their kids that jump start, though some of the stories that they have shared with us are heartbreaking, but there is hope.
Our team met with Peter to discuss the history and challenges of their ministry. I was so pleased to find out that the local government has entrusted several more kids into their care and now they have about 61 kids that they serve and support. On week days, all kids are provided lunch and are taught general hygiene and they all brush their teeth before heading back to school.
It was somewhat of an unusual day because we weren’t quite as hands on as previous days, but I’ve come to learn that there are reasons that God has ordained different experiences. We got to see with our own eyes, how sponsorship and care for the kids should be. We felt almost like we were peeking into their typical day and seeing the smiling faces while they received with a few basic necessities was encouraging. There’s no pretense here, just a passion to serve their community in any way they can. We look forward to seeing all that God will continue to do through our partnership with them.
PICS OF THEY DAY:
Today reminded me of the power of one. The power that Love gives us when we step out in faith and do what God created us to do. What God created us to do shouldn’t be viewed as an option, but as a matter of stewardship. I encourage you to read the story of the three servants in Matthew 25. Obedience is not optional. If we say that we love God but do not obey Him, we don’t really love Him. Too often, we get caught up in our society, our culture, our comforts and what we think are our dreams and we completely forget that we should be living God’s dream for us. Our lives are not our own and should be lived as such. This is for me just as much as it is for those reading it. I have to be reminded of this and constantly ask God for my heart to remain broken for the things, people and situations that break His heart. I pray for an awakening for us all to know our calling and to walk it out – it’s our responsibility and we will be held accountable for it.
Your calling may not be full time ministry to orphans in Africa, but I do know that if and when you join us on a trip like this one – your spiritual ears will be keen to the voice of God. Some people have told me in the past that they don’t feel “called” to go and I do know some are not called to full time ministry like this, we need all parts of the body…however, I do believe that there is nothing more effective in igniting passion (whatever your role in the body may be), than at least going once. It is always God’s will for us to go into all the world. It is always His will for us to love and reach out to the destitute, the widow and orphan.
Isaiah 58: 6-12
So, I end our trip blog posts by issuing a challenge: will you be one person who will change the life of one child? If you will, please contact us and we will share many different ways that you can get involved in long term, sustainable, empowering solutions for hundreds in desperation. There is someone waiting on the other side of your obedience.
Day 7 in Ethiopia - Addis Ababa 1/2/11
Day 7 in Ethiopia – Addis Ababa 1/2/11
After what seemed like a solid week of going non-stop, we decided that Sunday should be our official day of rest. We slept in, started packing and had time to hang out together.
When we left the Ethiopia Guest Home, went out for lunch and then opted for a cultural experience to get us a little deeper in to the history and heart of Ethiopia. We headed for Entoto Hills with the intention of going to the former king’s palace, but our guide, Nebiat gave us an alternate suggestion of visiting a 130-year old orthodox church with ancient paintings. Since this would be a first for even me, we took the gamble and went just a few kilometers farther up the mountain.
This church was built by the king and was the first church in Addis Ababa and there are springs nearby that are believed to provide healing for HIV/AIDS. We have pictures, but it’s so hard to describe how incredible it was to look at murals of Bible scenes, characters, saints and martyrs from floor to ceiling. Our guide took us through some of the basic orthodox beliefs and explained the reason for the three sections of the church (the Trinity). He even played one of the original drums and sang one of the songs that the priests would sing before a service.
As we exited the church, we headed to the bonus feature of this location – a stone hewn church. Right on these same grounds, there is solid piece of limestone and out of it was carved a church. I have never been up north to the famed Lalibela or Axum, so this was a small glimpse into the incredible culture, history and genius craftsmanship of the Ethiopian people.
We walked into the hand made, limestone church and the beauty of standing in this cold, yet somehow warm cavern was peaceful and awe inspiring. The stone church also had three rooms just like the other place of worship, but the colors of the cold rocks and the warm lighting were an interesting dichotomy. We ended our tour with a team photo and headed down the hills to finish up everyone’s souvenir shopping at the market and a stop at Kaldi’s for another caramel macchiato.
We ended our day at a wonderful traditional Ethiopian cultural food and dance restaurant. We all shared an array of foods while watching the unique and stunning dances of Ethiopian tribes and regions. It was a perfect end to an incredible day.
PICS OF THE DAY:
After what seemed like a solid week of going non-stop, we decided that Sunday should be our official day of rest. We slept in, started packing and had time to hang out together.
When we left the Ethiopia Guest Home, went out for lunch and then opted for a cultural experience to get us a little deeper in to the history and heart of Ethiopia. We headed for Entoto Hills with the intention of going to the former king’s palace, but our guide, Nebiat gave us an alternate suggestion of visiting a 130-year old orthodox church with ancient paintings. Since this would be a first for even me, we took the gamble and went just a few kilometers farther up the mountain.
This church was built by the king and was the first church in Addis Ababa and there are springs nearby that are believed to provide healing for HIV/AIDS. We have pictures, but it’s so hard to describe how incredible it was to look at murals of Bible scenes, characters, saints and martyrs from floor to ceiling. Our guide took us through some of the basic orthodox beliefs and explained the reason for the three sections of the church (the Trinity). He even played one of the original drums and sang one of the songs that the priests would sing before a service.
As we exited the church, we headed to the bonus feature of this location – a stone hewn church. Right on these same grounds, there is solid piece of limestone and out of it was carved a church. I have never been up north to the famed Lalibela or Axum, so this was a small glimpse into the incredible culture, history and genius craftsmanship of the Ethiopian people.
We walked into the hand made, limestone church and the beauty of standing in this cold, yet somehow warm cavern was peaceful and awe inspiring. The stone church also had three rooms just like the other place of worship, but the colors of the cold rocks and the warm lighting were an interesting dichotomy. We ended our tour with a team photo and headed down the hills to finish up everyone’s souvenir shopping at the market and a stop at Kaldi’s for another caramel macchiato.
We ended our day at a wonderful traditional Ethiopian cultural food and dance restaurant. We all shared an array of foods while watching the unique and stunning dances of Ethiopian tribes and regions. It was a perfect end to an incredible day.
PICS OF THE DAY:
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Day 6 in Ethiopia – Addis Ababa 1/1/11
Day 6 in Ethiopia – Addis Ababa 1/1/11
We welcomed in the new year in Africa…what a wonderful place to be while we each resolve ourselves not to self-dedication in dieting, exercising and the like but by serving and committing not just this year, but our lives and our love for the cause of justice.
One of those causes is partnering with the ministry of Project 61 in Korah, a leper colony of over 120,000 people. The exact number of this community is largely unknown but we have heard estimates between 120,000 and 160,000. Many of you are familiar with Korah and through others’ posts as well as ours. Our October team discovered through talking with the leadership here that clean water is essential to change in this rejected and impoverished area. Our initial estimates and number of water wells needed weren’t quite accurate after having a chance a few weeks ago to talk with Sumer Yates about the project. There are a few ministries working on this project and we are looking forward to partnering and raising funds to support this work. We got a chance to meet with Sumer and it looks like the first step to this water project is securing the land (there is not much available and usable land in Korah) for the community center that is envisioned. The wells or at least one of them would be located here. As more details are shared, we will post and keep this project communicated to you. Since last June, there has been a lot of progress and changes in this area, including the city dump in which most of this community found it’s food and source of income. The dump is shutting down which is partly a good thing, but it’s a double-edged sword because almost this entire community’s income comes from finding items to recycle from the trash. The city dump land has been sold and will soon be in the hands of a French company that has plans for that area…but there’s a desperate need for alternative, sustainable jobs for the people of Korah.
This morning we had the chance to join up with a Visiting Orphans team, as well as with Derek and John from Thompson Station Church to go to Korah and visit the kids. Our first stop along the way was for the VO team to purchase 5 sheep that were to be slaughtered for a meal for a part of the community. The One Child team was able to give some towards the groceries needed for the meal as well. Suffice it to say, that watching 5 sheep being chosen from a flock on the side of the road, tied up and thrown in and on top of the vans is not an every day occurrence that any of us were used to. Neither is watching them being slaughtered, cleaned and butchered in front of our eyes.
There were some activities for the kids, but for the most part our team just loved on the kids that were near us. As we got ready to go, I ran into Cherrie Cornish whom I had met on our October team, right after she had found two twins that had been born in a tiny, dark, dirty home right next to the church. The whole story of their survival is a complete miracle, you can read more at http://babyjuddah.blogspot.com , but what a joy it was to see how these sickly, tiny babies have grown and thrived in just a couple of months with simply clean water, formula and warmth. Baby Juddah still has some serious health issues, but Cherrie soon will be able to take him to the US for an emergency surgery on his head and skull. She told us today that a hospital in Virginia is donating this surgery completely and he will get the health care that he needs and 6 months of recovery time.
Today was such a great example of David’s words in Psalms, “How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Today, several ministries and individuals were a picture of the body of Christ, working together for the greater cause - love.
PICS OF THE DAY:
We welcomed in the new year in Africa…what a wonderful place to be while we each resolve ourselves not to self-dedication in dieting, exercising and the like but by serving and committing not just this year, but our lives and our love for the cause of justice.
One of those causes is partnering with the ministry of Project 61 in Korah, a leper colony of over 120,000 people. The exact number of this community is largely unknown but we have heard estimates between 120,000 and 160,000. Many of you are familiar with Korah and through others’ posts as well as ours. Our October team discovered through talking with the leadership here that clean water is essential to change in this rejected and impoverished area. Our initial estimates and number of water wells needed weren’t quite accurate after having a chance a few weeks ago to talk with Sumer Yates about the project. There are a few ministries working on this project and we are looking forward to partnering and raising funds to support this work. We got a chance to meet with Sumer and it looks like the first step to this water project is securing the land (there is not much available and usable land in Korah) for the community center that is envisioned. The wells or at least one of them would be located here. As more details are shared, we will post and keep this project communicated to you. Since last June, there has been a lot of progress and changes in this area, including the city dump in which most of this community found it’s food and source of income. The dump is shutting down which is partly a good thing, but it’s a double-edged sword because almost this entire community’s income comes from finding items to recycle from the trash. The city dump land has been sold and will soon be in the hands of a French company that has plans for that area…but there’s a desperate need for alternative, sustainable jobs for the people of Korah.
This morning we had the chance to join up with a Visiting Orphans team, as well as with Derek and John from Thompson Station Church to go to Korah and visit the kids. Our first stop along the way was for the VO team to purchase 5 sheep that were to be slaughtered for a meal for a part of the community. The One Child team was able to give some towards the groceries needed for the meal as well. Suffice it to say, that watching 5 sheep being chosen from a flock on the side of the road, tied up and thrown in and on top of the vans is not an every day occurrence that any of us were used to. Neither is watching them being slaughtered, cleaned and butchered in front of our eyes.
There were some activities for the kids, but for the most part our team just loved on the kids that were near us. As we got ready to go, I ran into Cherrie Cornish whom I had met on our October team, right after she had found two twins that had been born in a tiny, dark, dirty home right next to the church. The whole story of their survival is a complete miracle, you can read more at http://babyjuddah.blogspot.com , but what a joy it was to see how these sickly, tiny babies have grown and thrived in just a couple of months with simply clean water, formula and warmth. Baby Juddah still has some serious health issues, but Cherrie soon will be able to take him to the US for an emergency surgery on his head and skull. She told us today that a hospital in Virginia is donating this surgery completely and he will get the health care that he needs and 6 months of recovery time.
Today was such a great example of David’s words in Psalms, “How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Today, several ministries and individuals were a picture of the body of Christ, working together for the greater cause - love.
PICS OF THE DAY:
Day 5 in Ethiopia – Woliso 12/31/10
Day 5 in Ethiopia – Woliso 12/31/10
Today would bring a 2-hour drive south to a town called Woliso. The mission today: buy a cow. Yes, a cow. One of our primary objectives is to come up with solutions for orphanages and ministries here that are holistic and sustainable. We met up with Job, the founder and director of Emmanuel Orphanage, to discuss our plan of action and make sure that we were making the best use of the funds we had been given for this project. We are so grateful to the Anson and Singleton family for making this incredible donation possible, so that we could affect the lives of these kids on a long-term basis.
We discussed many options and finally landed back with Job’s feedback, that we would purchase a cow. If any of you know me, you KNOW that I know nothing about livestock other than I like to partake of the food benefits they provide. LOL! If I’m being totally honest, I was intimidated and had no idea how this would be pulled off but we trusted that God would make a way for whatever His desires were for this time.
We got in the van and picked up someone that Job knew, who had a friend with some cows for sale. We got off the main road and onto a bumpy dirt road and we couldn’t help but think we were in for a whole new experience. We pulled up to a non-descript, rusty tin gate.
Behind the rusty gate, were some small homes, piles of hay, a dog, clothesline, and around the corner was the “barn”. Sticks, mud and tin with a concrete floor surrounded me as I walked in to view our purchase prospects. I like to shop, but had no idea where to begin other than, “that one looks nice”. Thankfully, one of our team members (Kimmy) has had some experience with cattle and together with the help of Job, Nebiat (our guide) and the farmer we narrowed our choices to two animals. One was a 3-year old, pregnant cow and the other a 2-year old cow. Further discussion and price negotiations were now in full swing and with the help of our guide and expert panel of cow purchasers, we decided on the large, healthy 2-year old and Nebiat got the price from 15,000 birr down to 13,000 birr. That is under $800 USD and everyone that we have discussed this with here since has told us that we got an amazing deal for this animal.
This cow brings a few solutions to the orphanage. It should be able to provide milk for the 45 kids here daily and eventually, they plan to breed it and keep the cycle of growth going. They may even have some milk to sell locally to create some revenue for their ministry. They live by faith literally day to day. A place for the cow will be created on the large plot of land at the orphanage and then it will be moved in.
After acquiring the cow, it was lunchtime and we got to spend it at the wonderful Negash Lodge surrounded by beautiful nature and monkeys.
We made our way to Emmanuel Orphanage, just a 10-minute drive from the lodge and were welcomed by mostly older kids. Many of them have been here for a very long time and I recognized several of them. They all piled out in an orderly manner and gathered around us to greet us. Once they welcomed us, we had the opportunity to share about the generosity of some of One Child’s supporters who gave this gift - which now will allow them to have a cow. They clapped with joy and appreciation!
Job gave us a tour of the facilities and I was shocked and slightly embarrassed to find a couple of posters with tons of pictures from our last team that was there in October with my brother’s and my name written on them…but it was a very kind gesture of their appreciation of our partnership with them. As we walked, we had a chance to discuss in more detail his vision, the challenges they face and solutions they are already working on and how we can help more in the future. The thing that we love about Job is that he has never asked us for anything, he has faith that somehow God will provide for this vision. Here is a brief overview of our findings:
Progress
- they have a small tract of land that they use for growing teff (a staple grain here in Ethiopia)
- they have begun growing a few mango trees and beans
- they have been working on the landscape
- they have burned some areas of grass to help it grow back stronger
- they hope to buy or gain access from the government to a huge tract of land behind the property that would allow them to grow more crops and not only feed themselves, but also sell to those in the area which would create revenue
Challenges
- the biggest issue we discovered is that almost EVERY one of these kids has malaria and a few of them go to the hospital weekly. They need a solution. This is a bigger issue than I could have imagined. This land used to be a swamp and it took over 10 truck loads of dirt, etc. to fill it in – we believe this may have a lot to do with this issue. One of the little boys, probably around 2 years old was out with us as we walked the grounds and just a few minutes of exposure to the sun zapped him of energy and he fell asleep in one of the team members’ arms. This is just one of the symptoms of malaria.
- each child only gets 1 injera, twice a day
- there is no real medical support
- they need clothes, diapers, shoes and choir robes
- their beds are in horrible, horrible shape, pieced together by rope, cardboard and old mosquito nets.
- they need new mattresses quickly and plywood to support each mattress on the bunks
- sheets and blankets are old, ratty and dirty
- they have 4 small toilets in the ground and some open drainage that needs to be addressed and bathrooms upgraded
- at the present time, the government is willing to sell the land for agriculture (which is irrigated) for $10,000 USD
- they hope to help about 77 other community children outside of the orphanage with an after-school type program that would provide funds for school fees, uniforms, books and hopefully meals as well, currently they are not able to do so.
- the church on the land can use some structural work and also work on the inside to make it more comfortable and usable for them
- this area is 99% Muslim
- a few of the kids here have some severe psychological problems
- the staff rarely gets paid and when they do, it might be around $30 USD for a month’s worth of faithful, sacrificial servanthood
- the fence around the property needs to be fortified
Walking into today, I had no clue as to how much we would discover these needs. One Child’s purpose is to connect individuals, churches and businesses to empower faithful servants of God, just like Job and Emmanuel Orphanage. If you feel compelled to be a part of any of these solutions or to champion this project under One Child Campaign, please contact me at caleb@onechildcampaign.com
Before we had to leave, the boys’ choir sang for us and we got to worship along side all of them one more time…always a stirring and moving time and then reluctantly, we drove away. As we pulled out, Job was informed that they needed to come up with 35 birr/student in additional school fees for the kids to go back to school. Once again, he did not ask for anything, we actually only gathered that’s what the need was…and we were able to give the 1400 birr needed to cover that cost for them. It truly is more blessed to give than to receive!
PICS OF THE DAY:
Today would bring a 2-hour drive south to a town called Woliso. The mission today: buy a cow. Yes, a cow. One of our primary objectives is to come up with solutions for orphanages and ministries here that are holistic and sustainable. We met up with Job, the founder and director of Emmanuel Orphanage, to discuss our plan of action and make sure that we were making the best use of the funds we had been given for this project. We are so grateful to the Anson and Singleton family for making this incredible donation possible, so that we could affect the lives of these kids on a long-term basis.
We discussed many options and finally landed back with Job’s feedback, that we would purchase a cow. If any of you know me, you KNOW that I know nothing about livestock other than I like to partake of the food benefits they provide. LOL! If I’m being totally honest, I was intimidated and had no idea how this would be pulled off but we trusted that God would make a way for whatever His desires were for this time.
We got in the van and picked up someone that Job knew, who had a friend with some cows for sale. We got off the main road and onto a bumpy dirt road and we couldn’t help but think we were in for a whole new experience. We pulled up to a non-descript, rusty tin gate.
Behind the rusty gate, were some small homes, piles of hay, a dog, clothesline, and around the corner was the “barn”. Sticks, mud and tin with a concrete floor surrounded me as I walked in to view our purchase prospects. I like to shop, but had no idea where to begin other than, “that one looks nice”. Thankfully, one of our team members (Kimmy) has had some experience with cattle and together with the help of Job, Nebiat (our guide) and the farmer we narrowed our choices to two animals. One was a 3-year old, pregnant cow and the other a 2-year old cow. Further discussion and price negotiations were now in full swing and with the help of our guide and expert panel of cow purchasers, we decided on the large, healthy 2-year old and Nebiat got the price from 15,000 birr down to 13,000 birr. That is under $800 USD and everyone that we have discussed this with here since has told us that we got an amazing deal for this animal.
This cow brings a few solutions to the orphanage. It should be able to provide milk for the 45 kids here daily and eventually, they plan to breed it and keep the cycle of growth going. They may even have some milk to sell locally to create some revenue for their ministry. They live by faith literally day to day. A place for the cow will be created on the large plot of land at the orphanage and then it will be moved in.
After acquiring the cow, it was lunchtime and we got to spend it at the wonderful Negash Lodge surrounded by beautiful nature and monkeys.
We made our way to Emmanuel Orphanage, just a 10-minute drive from the lodge and were welcomed by mostly older kids. Many of them have been here for a very long time and I recognized several of them. They all piled out in an orderly manner and gathered around us to greet us. Once they welcomed us, we had the opportunity to share about the generosity of some of One Child’s supporters who gave this gift - which now will allow them to have a cow. They clapped with joy and appreciation!
Job gave us a tour of the facilities and I was shocked and slightly embarrassed to find a couple of posters with tons of pictures from our last team that was there in October with my brother’s and my name written on them…but it was a very kind gesture of their appreciation of our partnership with them. As we walked, we had a chance to discuss in more detail his vision, the challenges they face and solutions they are already working on and how we can help more in the future. The thing that we love about Job is that he has never asked us for anything, he has faith that somehow God will provide for this vision. Here is a brief overview of our findings:
Progress
- they have a small tract of land that they use for growing teff (a staple grain here in Ethiopia)
- they have begun growing a few mango trees and beans
- they have been working on the landscape
- they have burned some areas of grass to help it grow back stronger
- they hope to buy or gain access from the government to a huge tract of land behind the property that would allow them to grow more crops and not only feed themselves, but also sell to those in the area which would create revenue
Challenges
- the biggest issue we discovered is that almost EVERY one of these kids has malaria and a few of them go to the hospital weekly. They need a solution. This is a bigger issue than I could have imagined. This land used to be a swamp and it took over 10 truck loads of dirt, etc. to fill it in – we believe this may have a lot to do with this issue. One of the little boys, probably around 2 years old was out with us as we walked the grounds and just a few minutes of exposure to the sun zapped him of energy and he fell asleep in one of the team members’ arms. This is just one of the symptoms of malaria.
- each child only gets 1 injera, twice a day
- there is no real medical support
- they need clothes, diapers, shoes and choir robes
- their beds are in horrible, horrible shape, pieced together by rope, cardboard and old mosquito nets.
- they need new mattresses quickly and plywood to support each mattress on the bunks
- sheets and blankets are old, ratty and dirty
- they have 4 small toilets in the ground and some open drainage that needs to be addressed and bathrooms upgraded
- at the present time, the government is willing to sell the land for agriculture (which is irrigated) for $10,000 USD
- they hope to help about 77 other community children outside of the orphanage with an after-school type program that would provide funds for school fees, uniforms, books and hopefully meals as well, currently they are not able to do so.
- the church on the land can use some structural work and also work on the inside to make it more comfortable and usable for them
- this area is 99% Muslim
- a few of the kids here have some severe psychological problems
- the staff rarely gets paid and when they do, it might be around $30 USD for a month’s worth of faithful, sacrificial servanthood
- the fence around the property needs to be fortified
Walking into today, I had no clue as to how much we would discover these needs. One Child’s purpose is to connect individuals, churches and businesses to empower faithful servants of God, just like Job and Emmanuel Orphanage. If you feel compelled to be a part of any of these solutions or to champion this project under One Child Campaign, please contact me at caleb@onechildcampaign.com
Before we had to leave, the boys’ choir sang for us and we got to worship along side all of them one more time…always a stirring and moving time and then reluctantly, we drove away. As we pulled out, Job was informed that they needed to come up with 35 birr/student in additional school fees for the kids to go back to school. Once again, he did not ask for anything, we actually only gathered that’s what the need was…and we were able to give the 1400 birr needed to cover that cost for them. It truly is more blessed to give than to receive!
PICS OF THE DAY:
Day 4 in Ethiopia – Addis Ababa 12/30/10 by Caleb David and Kara Diffie
Day 4 in Ethiopia – 12/30/10
We were not fully prepared nor do I think that I could be for what we would see, hear and smell at our first stop of the day. 110 kids in an orphanage, we were excited to see them all and though they are safe within the walls and not on the streets – the challenges that stared us in the face were evident. Jimmy and Rachel Gross met us at the gate, they are missionaries of justice here in Addis Ababa. They moved their three kids here to Addis Ababa with them this past September. We had brought a couple of huge suitcases of clothes and toys for this orphanage. For the record, you will notice that the name of the orphanage, photos and its location in the city are not mentioned. This is intentional as orphanages and some others require full privacy. Sometimes this is for a good reason, in this case, we understand because there are some serious needs here.
First, Jimmy and Rachel took us into the special needs rooms and we got to love on some precious kids. We did our best to hug them, hold them and give them eye contact that they so desperately craved. I held a girl who had to have been 6 or 7 years old but had no verbal skills. She screamed, pulled at my face, poked at my eyes – not out of anger, but curiosity and lack of social skills. Each time I would try to put her down she would scratch at my arms and even tried to bite me. We spent a good amount of time there and then were taken to the room with the kids who were extremely sick. There were about 4 or 5 of them in about 3 beds. We laid hands on them and prayed.
We walked over to the main building where we were greeted by a swarm of toddlers and younger kids. We gave hugs and shook hands and then made our way upstairs to the first of two baby rooms. The first room was for babies that had recently arrived and weren’t ready yet to be put into the main baby room. There were probably about 10-12 babies in this room. We continued on into the main room and we were greeted by dozens babies all wanting attention. There were about 3 workers for about 40 babies. What immediately struck us is that they were in need of much more staff. You could see fatigue in each of the workers’ eyes. The nannies started to change diapers but seemed like at least every other baby we held was soaked completely through with urine. Most of the kids screamed and screamed for attention as they saw more adults and in hopes that their emotional and physical needs would be met. It was daunting, overwhelming, scary and heart breaking.
Jimmy and Rachel come as much as they can and we tried to put ourselves in their shoes. Ethiopians can adopt at little to no cost within their own nation, but for some reason, it just hasn’t caught on here yet. Not all Ethiopians are living in poverty, so this is part of the solution to the orphan crisis here. There has got to be a way to increase adoption awareness here and find creative solutions. Another thing that this orphanage needs probably more than anything is help – nurturing volunteers and staff. One Child is committed to being a part of helping Jimmy and Rachel meet the desperate needs that we encountered and they see almost daily.
We joined Jimmy and Rachel for lunch at an incredible Indian restaurant where we got a chance to know them better and we’ve decided that we kinda love them. There’s just something about being with people of like mind and heart!
Hope for the Hopeless Drop-In Center was our afternoon ministry site, but seems like we were ministered to more than the kids we met. I had been here before a couple of times, but didn’t get to make it back on our October trip. This ministry is also very special and goes out to rescue street kids and allows them to eat, shower and be prayed for. This location is very small but can house about 12-14 kids permanently. As I stepped out of the van I was enthusiastically greeted and hugged by the sweet, joyful and beautiful, Meron. She is around 15 years old and has a gut-wrenching story. I recognized several of the kids from previous trips that have had incredibly hard lives beyond our imagination in just their few years. The kids excitedly showed us their rooms and beds, some eager to spell, some eager to show us their photo albums, some eager to show us their wall posters and others to show us all their meager worldly possessions that were contained in a few small envelope boxes.
The director was not here this day, seems that he was out visiting their large orphanage or had some meetings. We went into the small chapel and shared a few words, then asked if any of the kids would like to share with us. We wanted to give them an opportunity for their voices to be heard, without judgment but only love and acceptance. Several of the boys shared their stories that were similar yet unique, many of them came from outside the city and their fathers beat them when they tried to intervene. Some of their parents had passed away and were sent to live with relatives or neighbors until the kids couldn’t take it any more and felt life would be better alone fighting for survival on the streets.
Meron’s story has been told before by others, but never have I heard it straight from her soul. This is very much an abbreviated version, many details have been left out for the sake of time. She doesn’t know where she was born or who her parents are/were. She was taken in by a family who took care of her a while and sent her to school, until they had to move. She was a very smart student, but had to move to her neighbors’ home but after a while they didn’t want her anymore and she was left to live in the streets. She ended up in Addis Ababa and found the police and they tried to help her, she kept running away because she was under so much emotional stress. They kept bringing her back, one time they found her and she had been severely raped and molested. She was so out of it that she doesn’t even know or remember how she got to Hope for the Hopeless. She wept through her story and you could see the joy fade and shame rise. She sunk down in her seat and wept, our team got up and got to minister to her, hug her and tell her how brave and beautiful she is. We were able to speak life and hope into her and pray over her.
One of the boys that I’ve connected with deeply on previous trips is also at this location and it was so wonderful to see him grow in wisdom and his leadership. This ministry really is bringing hope to seemly hopeless lives and redeeming them through the love of Christ. Saying goodbye here is always so hard, but after about 3 or 4 rounds of hugs and kisses we had to leave with the promise of returning.
Day 4 by Kara Diffie
Dirty faces, tattered clothes, cold little hands; these are the images stuck in my mind. I can try to write the things I saw. I can try to explain the emotions that well up at just the thought of these images but it would hardly be adequate. How can you describe desperation? How can I even scratch the surface of such horrid reality? I've never fully understood Jesus' desire to "let the litte children come..." But today, I think I caught a glimpse of why He enjoys, no... why He loves little kids.
We pulled into the gated complex of an orphanage here in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. As our team exits the van, we are greeted by mobs of little children who quickly grab our hands with no question or wonder at us being perfect strangers. It was such an eagerness to seen, to be touched, to be loved. My heart was moved when I saw their beautiful eyes asking for nothing more than a moment of my time.
We were shown around by two of the most beautiful people, Jimmy and Rachel Gross. Having felt pulled to this place and with thoughts only of being obedient to what God has called them to, they moved their young family to Ethiopia. Jimmy and Rachel have taken great strides in building relationships with the leadership of this orphanage. After only a few months of visiting and volunteering, there is already evidence of their presence in this place.
They take us to the two small rooms that house the special needs orphans. My intial thoughts of visiting these rooms were of hesitancy and fear. But as we walked in, my heart swelled with love for the sweet babies we found there. Sitting in a crib was a lovely seven year old girl who was no bigger than a one year old. Her small body was twisted and deformed, but as I picked her up, all I saw were her eyes and the smile in them. She drooled and waved a hand back and forth, then layed her head on my shoulder in contentment. I stood there just loving her. It was one of the most precious moments I've had here.
We were then shown to the baby room where there were dozens of babies and very few workers. This room, in Rachel's words, is a vortex! Once you go in it's hard to leave! Picking up a baby girl that was crying, I knew I was hooked. After a few funny faces and some kisses she was all smiles. Walking around the room, going from bed to bed, each baby had already experienced more difficulty than I could imagine. I watched as the workers made an attempt to clean the babies up. Almost every one was wet or soiled. Yet it seemed like a never ending chore of diaper changing, feeding, and soothing. The room was a rollercoaster of sound. One child starts crying, then the rest follow, then there's a lull and all seems peaceful. Before you know it, everyone is crying again. It was overwhelming for me after less than an hour of being in the room. Looking in the faces of the the nursery workers you could see the exhaustion etched on their faces. We attempted to alleviate some of the burden but we were only there for such a short time that it's hard to imagine making any difference at all.
Our next stop was a drop-in center called Hope for the Hopeless. It's a place where street kids can come and get a meal and shower. They are free to come and go, but they must abide by the rules of the organization. Each child came to greet us with a handshake and a hug. We were welcomed in and shown around the premises. One of the two girls who are regulars at the Drop-in center greeted me with an embrace. With a very thick accent she asked me what my name was and told me her's was Meran. Her face shone with joy and when she smiled I felt myself begin to smile as well. Meran then grabbed my hand and took me to where she slept. She was so excited to show me all her things. Her whole life fit in a box at the end of her bed.
We were brought into the chapel and all the kids came in and one by one they shared their story. None moved me like Meran's. The telling was done thru a translator so I'm sure I missed a great deal of the story. But what I did hear was enough to know that this girl has not only lived thru alot, she has overcome alot. After abandonment, hunger, gang rapes and more, she has, at the age of 15, somehow managed to become a lovely picture of the grace of God. Not one of us had a dry eye at hearing her story. It was her story, and so many like it that have inspired me to action.
I know I'll be back there some day. I hope to see Meran many times and to continue to see God healing and restoring what satan tried to destroy.
These few days have been so full, it feels as tho I've been here for such a long time but it's been just a few days . As the time for me to go home approaches I know there is so much more that I want to do here. I need more time!
This hasn't been just a trip. This has been an experience that opened my eyes to see the world around me; to see people thru the eyes of God. Dirty faces tattered clothes are no longer what I see. Now I see the children that God loves so desperately. The ones that He rejoices over!
To the King
For the Kindom
PICS OF THE DAY:
We were not fully prepared nor do I think that I could be for what we would see, hear and smell at our first stop of the day. 110 kids in an orphanage, we were excited to see them all and though they are safe within the walls and not on the streets – the challenges that stared us in the face were evident. Jimmy and Rachel Gross met us at the gate, they are missionaries of justice here in Addis Ababa. They moved their three kids here to Addis Ababa with them this past September. We had brought a couple of huge suitcases of clothes and toys for this orphanage. For the record, you will notice that the name of the orphanage, photos and its location in the city are not mentioned. This is intentional as orphanages and some others require full privacy. Sometimes this is for a good reason, in this case, we understand because there are some serious needs here.
First, Jimmy and Rachel took us into the special needs rooms and we got to love on some precious kids. We did our best to hug them, hold them and give them eye contact that they so desperately craved. I held a girl who had to have been 6 or 7 years old but had no verbal skills. She screamed, pulled at my face, poked at my eyes – not out of anger, but curiosity and lack of social skills. Each time I would try to put her down she would scratch at my arms and even tried to bite me. We spent a good amount of time there and then were taken to the room with the kids who were extremely sick. There were about 4 or 5 of them in about 3 beds. We laid hands on them and prayed.
We walked over to the main building where we were greeted by a swarm of toddlers and younger kids. We gave hugs and shook hands and then made our way upstairs to the first of two baby rooms. The first room was for babies that had recently arrived and weren’t ready yet to be put into the main baby room. There were probably about 10-12 babies in this room. We continued on into the main room and we were greeted by dozens babies all wanting attention. There were about 3 workers for about 40 babies. What immediately struck us is that they were in need of much more staff. You could see fatigue in each of the workers’ eyes. The nannies started to change diapers but seemed like at least every other baby we held was soaked completely through with urine. Most of the kids screamed and screamed for attention as they saw more adults and in hopes that their emotional and physical needs would be met. It was daunting, overwhelming, scary and heart breaking.
Jimmy and Rachel come as much as they can and we tried to put ourselves in their shoes. Ethiopians can adopt at little to no cost within their own nation, but for some reason, it just hasn’t caught on here yet. Not all Ethiopians are living in poverty, so this is part of the solution to the orphan crisis here. There has got to be a way to increase adoption awareness here and find creative solutions. Another thing that this orphanage needs probably more than anything is help – nurturing volunteers and staff. One Child is committed to being a part of helping Jimmy and Rachel meet the desperate needs that we encountered and they see almost daily.
We joined Jimmy and Rachel for lunch at an incredible Indian restaurant where we got a chance to know them better and we’ve decided that we kinda love them. There’s just something about being with people of like mind and heart!
Hope for the Hopeless Drop-In Center was our afternoon ministry site, but seems like we were ministered to more than the kids we met. I had been here before a couple of times, but didn’t get to make it back on our October trip. This ministry is also very special and goes out to rescue street kids and allows them to eat, shower and be prayed for. This location is very small but can house about 12-14 kids permanently. As I stepped out of the van I was enthusiastically greeted and hugged by the sweet, joyful and beautiful, Meron. She is around 15 years old and has a gut-wrenching story. I recognized several of the kids from previous trips that have had incredibly hard lives beyond our imagination in just their few years. The kids excitedly showed us their rooms and beds, some eager to spell, some eager to show us their photo albums, some eager to show us their wall posters and others to show us all their meager worldly possessions that were contained in a few small envelope boxes.
The director was not here this day, seems that he was out visiting their large orphanage or had some meetings. We went into the small chapel and shared a few words, then asked if any of the kids would like to share with us. We wanted to give them an opportunity for their voices to be heard, without judgment but only love and acceptance. Several of the boys shared their stories that were similar yet unique, many of them came from outside the city and their fathers beat them when they tried to intervene. Some of their parents had passed away and were sent to live with relatives or neighbors until the kids couldn’t take it any more and felt life would be better alone fighting for survival on the streets.
Meron’s story has been told before by others, but never have I heard it straight from her soul. This is very much an abbreviated version, many details have been left out for the sake of time. She doesn’t know where she was born or who her parents are/were. She was taken in by a family who took care of her a while and sent her to school, until they had to move. She was a very smart student, but had to move to her neighbors’ home but after a while they didn’t want her anymore and she was left to live in the streets. She ended up in Addis Ababa and found the police and they tried to help her, she kept running away because she was under so much emotional stress. They kept bringing her back, one time they found her and she had been severely raped and molested. She was so out of it that she doesn’t even know or remember how she got to Hope for the Hopeless. She wept through her story and you could see the joy fade and shame rise. She sunk down in her seat and wept, our team got up and got to minister to her, hug her and tell her how brave and beautiful she is. We were able to speak life and hope into her and pray over her.
One of the boys that I’ve connected with deeply on previous trips is also at this location and it was so wonderful to see him grow in wisdom and his leadership. This ministry really is bringing hope to seemly hopeless lives and redeeming them through the love of Christ. Saying goodbye here is always so hard, but after about 3 or 4 rounds of hugs and kisses we had to leave with the promise of returning.
Day 4 by Kara Diffie
Dirty faces, tattered clothes, cold little hands; these are the images stuck in my mind. I can try to write the things I saw. I can try to explain the emotions that well up at just the thought of these images but it would hardly be adequate. How can you describe desperation? How can I even scratch the surface of such horrid reality? I've never fully understood Jesus' desire to "let the litte children come..." But today, I think I caught a glimpse of why He enjoys, no... why He loves little kids.
We pulled into the gated complex of an orphanage here in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. As our team exits the van, we are greeted by mobs of little children who quickly grab our hands with no question or wonder at us being perfect strangers. It was such an eagerness to seen, to be touched, to be loved. My heart was moved when I saw their beautiful eyes asking for nothing more than a moment of my time.
We were shown around by two of the most beautiful people, Jimmy and Rachel Gross. Having felt pulled to this place and with thoughts only of being obedient to what God has called them to, they moved their young family to Ethiopia. Jimmy and Rachel have taken great strides in building relationships with the leadership of this orphanage. After only a few months of visiting and volunteering, there is already evidence of their presence in this place.
They take us to the two small rooms that house the special needs orphans. My intial thoughts of visiting these rooms were of hesitancy and fear. But as we walked in, my heart swelled with love for the sweet babies we found there. Sitting in a crib was a lovely seven year old girl who was no bigger than a one year old. Her small body was twisted and deformed, but as I picked her up, all I saw were her eyes and the smile in them. She drooled and waved a hand back and forth, then layed her head on my shoulder in contentment. I stood there just loving her. It was one of the most precious moments I've had here.
We were then shown to the baby room where there were dozens of babies and very few workers. This room, in Rachel's words, is a vortex! Once you go in it's hard to leave! Picking up a baby girl that was crying, I knew I was hooked. After a few funny faces and some kisses she was all smiles. Walking around the room, going from bed to bed, each baby had already experienced more difficulty than I could imagine. I watched as the workers made an attempt to clean the babies up. Almost every one was wet or soiled. Yet it seemed like a never ending chore of diaper changing, feeding, and soothing. The room was a rollercoaster of sound. One child starts crying, then the rest follow, then there's a lull and all seems peaceful. Before you know it, everyone is crying again. It was overwhelming for me after less than an hour of being in the room. Looking in the faces of the the nursery workers you could see the exhaustion etched on their faces. We attempted to alleviate some of the burden but we were only there for such a short time that it's hard to imagine making any difference at all.
Our next stop was a drop-in center called Hope for the Hopeless. It's a place where street kids can come and get a meal and shower. They are free to come and go, but they must abide by the rules of the organization. Each child came to greet us with a handshake and a hug. We were welcomed in and shown around the premises. One of the two girls who are regulars at the Drop-in center greeted me with an embrace. With a very thick accent she asked me what my name was and told me her's was Meran. Her face shone with joy and when she smiled I felt myself begin to smile as well. Meran then grabbed my hand and took me to where she slept. She was so excited to show me all her things. Her whole life fit in a box at the end of her bed.
We were brought into the chapel and all the kids came in and one by one they shared their story. None moved me like Meran's. The telling was done thru a translator so I'm sure I missed a great deal of the story. But what I did hear was enough to know that this girl has not only lived thru alot, she has overcome alot. After abandonment, hunger, gang rapes and more, she has, at the age of 15, somehow managed to become a lovely picture of the grace of God. Not one of us had a dry eye at hearing her story. It was her story, and so many like it that have inspired me to action.
I know I'll be back there some day. I hope to see Meran many times and to continue to see God healing and restoring what satan tried to destroy.
These few days have been so full, it feels as tho I've been here for such a long time but it's been just a few days . As the time for me to go home approaches I know there is so much more that I want to do here. I need more time!
This hasn't been just a trip. This has been an experience that opened my eyes to see the world around me; to see people thru the eyes of God. Dirty faces tattered clothes are no longer what I see. Now I see the children that God loves so desperately. The ones that He rejoices over!
To the King
For the Kindom
PICS OF THE DAY:
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