Salamawit's story

While we were in Ethiopia we met many children whose stories have impacted our lives greatly. Some of them we have tried to portray to you through our words and still pictures. Hopefully these stories have stirred your heart and maybe even challenged you on occasions.

We have not done justice to the amazing work that God is doing through Compassion in Ethiopia, neither have we been able to instill the sense of urgency and desperate plight of our brothers and sisters in this beautiful country.

One girl we met right back at the beginning of our tour was Salamawit. A young lady whose short life has been full of tragedy and who now is the 'guardian' for herself and her younger brother. Below is a link to a short film clip that was made earlier this year by Compassion International about this amazing woman of God. This film is very powerful and don't be surprised if it breaks your heart, our hearts were broken over and over again in Ethiopia. This is understandable as it breaks God's heart too. We need to have our hearts broken for what breaks His so that we can become more like Him.

The challenge is that it doesn't stop with our hearts being broken, it is up to us to put them back together through worship, service, love and compassion!

Matthew 22:36-39 (New International Version)
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

1 John 3:16-18 (New Living Translation)
We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P9VJd_YkHE&feature=related

Light in the community

Today we met 21 year old Fikadu Ketema. He was first enrolled into a compassion prject 16 years ago when things were particularly difficult. His father had been called away to live in the rural area due to a family bereavement and he was unable to take his family with him. At this time Fikadu's mother was suffering with malaria and could not get out of bed leaving the 8 children to fend for themselves. Fikadu had been attending the local school up to this point but now the family had no income except his older sister selling firewood so schooling was not a priority.

Fikadu was given the chance to join Compassion during the summer which excited him as he would be able to return to school due to the provision of school fees, uniform and school materials. Fikadu shared these with his brothers and sisters and encouraged us that if we support one child you do not only change the life of the child but that of their families and wider communities.

This was so evident within Fikadu's community today. He spoke of how his Orthodox community had been resistent to the evangelical teaching at the Compassion project. His father had initially not wanted Fikadu to join the project but his mother had insisted knowing that this would be the only chance Fikadu would have to be educated. Walking through Fikadu's community was such a blessing. They have benefitted from Compassion's work and now the community are receptive to the Lord and younger children in the community are all eager to register into the project. His family, now knowing Christ, have truly become a beacon of light in their community. "When we talk about God, they hear us and respect us" Fikadu testifies.

Fikadu is studying biology as part of Compassion's Leadership Development Programme. During the holidays he studies Christian principles of leadership such as Church planting, evangelism, stewardship and understanding the Bible. "My God is so good" says Fikadu, "My needs have been fulfilled beyond my wildest dreams."

The difference

“What a difference a day makes, twenty for little hours”
This morning I woke up, after a nice and well needed lay-in, knowing that I could afford to take a day without doing any work or essay writing and still have food to eat later. We put some clothes in the washing machine and some dishes in the dishwasher before going out in our car. We felt safe on the road knowing that most people obey the Green Cross code and are sensitive and careful when they drive. I have fresh clean drinking water at the turn of a tap and electricity at the flick of a switch. I am currently wirelessly connected to the internet on my laptop whilst watching a DVD about worship and caring for the poor.
We have spent the last 10 days visiting people for whom all these things seem a distant dream if not an impossibility! Whilst we were in Ethiopia we “struggled” with inconsistent water supply for washing and having to drink bottled water. We had days when electricity was powered by a generator as the rest of the country had their power cut as the hydroelectric power supply was being conserved because of lack of rain!

What a difference sponsorship makes
Compassion works with the poorest of the poor and through its holistic approach to child development works to break the cycle of poverty. Some effects are instant and some take place over months or years but everything that Compassion does prepares the children for a better, healthier life and eternity. Over and over again we heard stories and witnessed how the skills and provisions Compassion supplied went on further than just the assisted children and affected their families and their communities. Graduates from Compassion projects and Compassions Leadership Development Program told us of their plans to effect their wider community and even the country.

What a difference a letter makes
Words of encouragement are vital to the development of children. When we asked them if we could see the letters they received from their sponsor they gave one of two responses. Either they rushed off to a "safe place" and produced a bundle of papers with a big smile on their face; or their face dropped as they informed us that their sponsor had never written to them! One response was heart warming and the latter was heartbreaking!

What a difference we should make
The DVD still playing in the background is currently saying “We must go live to feed the hungry, Stand beside the broken, We must go, Stepping forward keep us from just singing, Move us into action, We must go”. 1 John 3:16-18 makes it clear that just saying or singing words of worship is not enough, they need to be acted upon and lived out. When was the last time you wrote to your sponsored child? A few words will go a long way and will make a huge difference. If you do not sponsor a child please consider what God is saying to you about your responsibility to the poor. How could you live a bit more simply do that others can simply live?

What a Day!

Today was the best! Tihun had travelled for 10hours yesterday just to see me. And she has 10hours journey back tomorrow and she is only 6. God had chosen me such an amazing little girl to sponsor - just perfect for me. She was so happy, confident and such fun. Never have I played so much football under the hot sun. Her ball skills were much better than mine! She threaded beads, whirled endlessly on the roundabout, blew bubbles in my face and laughed. And she is so beautiful. So many pictures of her to show you all. A very special girl whom I was so privileged to meet and pray for. With love to all my friends, Chris

Meeting my sponsored child, Anteneh

In the buildup to the trip the excitement was mounting at the prospect of meeting my sponsored child, Anteneh (which means "you are the one"). As the day approached I grew more anxious. Would I recognise him? Would he like me? Would I know what to say? I needn't have worried a bit though! As we walked scross the grass, we saw our children lined up with their project workers and I spotted him instantly! He was a beautiful boy with the cutest smile. I was grateful for the help of Joseph, our interpreter from the Compassion Ethiopia office., especially as Anteneh was so shy. I learned lots about his family circumstances, but most of all we have built up a relationship. He calls my daughters his sisters. I was able to tell him that I love him, that I am proud of him, and that God loves him too. It was special praying for him, asking God to give him big dreams in his heart, and for him to know God's love more and more. It was terribly hard saying goodbye to him when it was time to leave, but I know that this is a day that we shall both remember for ever. This is the day that the Lord has made. We have rejoiced and were glad in it!!

Lynne Farrell

Meeting Sefylesh (our sponsored child) (25/5/09)

Hi all
Sorry not to have put a message on here before but we have been busy!!
Well, today we met our sponsor child, Sefylesh. I didn't sleep last night worrying about meeting her! I need not have worried. We've had a fantastic day! She was REALLY shy – but how daunting to come away from a village to a huge city like Addis to meet people she didn't know! She left at 4 am yesterday morning, travelling on a bus with another sponsored child from the project and their project worker. They stayed overnight and will do so again tonight and travel down tomorrow. We had a great translator and managed, I hope, to show her how much we care about her. She told us that she works really hard at school and wants to be a teacher – what a good choice!

All in all, we are inspired to encourage more people to be sponsors. This has been an incredibly exhausting time but wow - we have seen first hand what a difference it makes to their lives. These children are God's children and despite their poverty they are thanking God for what they DO have!

Tomorrow we have to be up at 4:30 to leave here and catch a plane for Bahir Dar. So maybe it will be time for bed soon – I do hope so!
Love to everyone
Martyn and Gill

Building Bridges Through Sport and Song (28/5/2009)

A very enthusiastic group of children welcomed us to their project today shouting "Yes yes yes" as we pulled up in our buses. We were greeted with bunches of handpicked flowers for us all. They were clearly so excited to be able to have us visit them and once again we were overwhelmed by the generosity of the poor.

After an orientation session with the project director and accountant the guys were encouraged to play a long, hot and sweaty game of football! After 10 minutes of playing with a flat ball, which was all the football team had been able to practice with, we were able to bless them with their project gift which included a new football! This turned up the heat a bit and our guys were put through their paces! The children here love British football and all have a favourite team and players from Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool! Their skills were second to none despite the dry and dusty condition of the pitch and their poor quality shoes.

The group were also blessed with singing with the children who were eager to join in the actions of our songs in worship to Our God. We sang Lord I Lift Your Name on High, Our God is a Great Big God and Jesus Love is very Wonderful. They reciprocated by singing two equivalent songs in Amharic with which we were able to join in with the actions. This was a very special time of sharing God with the children.