Made my day + trip update

Today was another great day.  In my little adoption circle of friends, I heard fun news.  Some connecting back to Ethiopia, some starting to adopt again, some getting ready to travel, and one couple donating to our trip.  So glad for all those things!

Made my Day.

That's it.

Okay, you know me, I can't keep it that short so I'll share quick that Ryan and I have turned in our applications for the March trip and paid our deposit.  I'm looking forward to the small team that will be travelling together.  We're waiting to hear back from Hope Chest about Ryan doing work there.  Hope Chest doesn't start projects until all their funds are raised.  We have ~$30k to raise before the animal husbandry project is initiated by Hope Chest.  I've been praying that Ryan's skills will be put to use - that Hope Chest will support Ryan doing some livestock care, that we can raise funds personally to pull off some small community-wide livestock related medical clinics, or that we can raise the ~$30k to fund the project.  Big prayers, I know.  But I also know that I serve a BIG God.  Did I say I'm looking forward to our team travelling???

Made My Day

My friends emailed me today to let me know that they chose to sponsor Konjit and another child.  I am so thankful!  It made my day.  There are 70-ish children left that need sponsors.  It's a great Christmas gift to give a loved one.  It would also be something fun to do as a group at work or in your small group.

That's my challenge for the next week.  There are more than 20 people working in my building.  Even if just half of them would participate, together we could sponsor one child for a year costing us $40.  That would totally make my day.  Maybe two kids are possible.  That would be $80 in a year.  Definitely a good option if you can't commit to a $34 per month sponsorship.  Hmm, how can I deliver this to my co-workers in that busy little building???

In other fun news, FOVC transferred the agriculture money to Hope Chest this week.  It's a big step forward in raising the funds to begin (begin with Hope Chest, but continue with FOVC-Ethio) the livestock program.  Hope Chest, from what I've gathered, doesn't start the project until it's fully funded... which means we have some fundraising to do to get going!

Speaking of getting going, Ryan and I are planning to travel together in March on a small team to see the Shanto children.  Of course, I'm also looking forward to seeing my widows!  The trip will be for 12 days some time in the March 16-30 window.  I have joined Ingrid in praying for the perfect team members to join us.  If you're interested in going on the trip or supporting Ryan and I on the trip, let me know.

Check out Hope Chest Shanto care point to see the many kids who need sponsors http://www.hopechest.org/community/shanto/sponsor/.  I see their sad little faces and know that many of those children are new to the program.  They don't know what it's like to have their picture taken, they don't know what it's like to eat every day.  They haven't been to school.  And like most of us, they need a little love.  You can make a difference! It would make my day!

Konjit

Meet Konjit

She is another of my little friends from Shanto.  I met her on my first trip there.  Konjit has a twin sister who's also receiving assistance from FOVC-Ethiopia.  Each time I saw the girls they were mostly quiet and stand-off-ish.  But it wasn't always that way. 

Meet Konjit after she warms up to you:

She's one of the twins with matching glasses.  If I can tell them apart correctly, Worknesh is on the left and Konjit is on the right. These bright eyed little girls would light up a room.  Konjit is currently in first grade which makes me think that she's learned to read and write.   Konjit's sister is sponsored.  I can just picture her reading your sponsorship letter.  In fact, I would love to take a picture of Konjit reading your sponsorship letter when I travel in March.  Would you consider sponsoring Konjit?  Together, they can receive nutrition and education that will last them a life time. 

Sponsoring a child through hopechest.org can be life-changing for $34/month (or $408 per year).  To sponsor Konjit, click here.  To view other children who are also in need of a sponsor, click here. 

The other day I shared with you about sweet Hana who many of us loved as our own.  My friend's little daughter, Megan, decided to sponsor Hana.  I just wanted to share with you that Megan quickly started to put together a letter for Hana so that they could get to know each other better.  Tonight, I was chatting with Megan's mom who shared their creative idea for being able to sponsor Hana.  Megan's mom has a photography business.  Together Megan and her mom have included Megan's classmates on this project - of knowing Hana and getting her sponsored.  Sounds like M's momma will be taking a cute class picture with a quote or verse on it, then selling it to the class moms for $10.  The proceeds will support Hana.  With just 40 pictures sold, Hana's whole year will be sponsored.  It doesn't have to be photography, maybe you can rake leaves, cut wood, bring in your neighbors mail each day, etc.  Don't want to earn $408 raking leaves?  How about getting your office together to sponsor a child, or two?

There are 90 kids in Shanto's carepoint that need sponsored.   Will you help?

Hana

This is Hana:

We met Hana on our first trip to Shanto in June 2011.  While Ryan was working cattle, she appeared and proceeded to not let go of Bev.  They brought her back to the FOVC campus and everyone immediately fell in love with little Hana.  She's a gem!  But she was also really struggling from some health issues including Hep B and malnutrition.  Hana got to join the FOVC family that day along with her siblings.  She was treated for Hep B, began receiving a meal each day, and started school.

When I returned to Ethiopia in October, she was still well loved.  In fact, I got to see a little more of her attitude.  No more the quiet little thing, Hana was growing and doing well.  She was the center of attention and knew it.  She was quite surprised in October when she didn't get spoiled rotten by us!

Hana is one of many faces I look forward to seeing when I return to Shanto.  When I saw this picture on the Hope Chest Shanto site, it broke my heart.

Gone is her sweet smile, her ringlet hair, and her bright sparkle in her eye.  Hana is need of someone to sponsor her.  When you sponsor Hana, you commit monthly support and ongoing encouragement through prayer, letter writing, and relationship.  You can even go on a sponsor trip where you can meet her and get to know this gem of a child.

Would you consider sponsoring Hana?  It's $34 per month.  You can sign up here through hopchest.org

Postponed

I just got off the phone with Wil at Hope Chest.  The Vision trip planned for December is postponed.   I'm certainly bummed about not being able to go but I'm thankful for the wise decision making on their part.  It's been a year since I've been in Ethiopia and I am so looking forward to getting back there.  Hopefully the March trip works out!
 
In the mean time, I should be getting a better idea of development plans for Shanto in the next few weeks.  I'm looking forward to how Hope Chest will help Shanto become self-sustaining.  I'm also looking forward to how you might be willing to partner with Hope Chest in one of the development areas or by sponsoring a child.

it's okay

I'm getting excited for Ethiopia.  At the same time, a commitment to serve in Ethiopia is difficult.  It was my plan for us to return to California as a family in 2013, 5 years after our last family trip.  I was hoping for a long weekend getaway with Ryan.  Those are things we can't make happen when we're invested in Ethiopia.  I spoke to my dad tonight.  He's coming out to visit for Christmas.  I'm so thankful.  It's been over a year since he's seen the kids and since we're not getting out there, I'm so thankful he's coming out here.  It stinks that my kids don't really know their cousins and other family in California.  It's sad that I can't sit at my grandma's bed side when she falls and breaks her hip and has surgery like last week.  In that sadness, I continue to thank God for choosing us to play a small part in Ethiopia.  In that sadness, I continue to ask God to use us to be the hands and feet as we seek to serve the widows and the orphans.  

This week is the first team conference call.  I'm looking forward to meeting the others over the phone and hearing a little more about what we're doing.  I don't yet know a lot of specifics on the schedule, locations, etc.  In the next 4 weeks life will be busy, both of our work environments will get busier and more hectic, holidays will be on the door step, followed by dermatologist appointments (for my itching skin) and then leaving for Ethiopia.  I'm trying to be well rested... we'll see how that goes in the coming 4 weeks.

Application

With today being a federal holiday, I'm trying to catch up on a few things at home.  One of those things relates to my love for Ethiopia.  I've mostly filled out my application to do a visioning trip with Children's Hope Chest December 1-8.  I need to dig out my passport, knock the dust off it and grab some info that needs to go on my application.  I'm super excited to see how Hope Chest works and functions.  To see how the developmental side of things works in carepoints that are in various stages.  I'm excited to meet the staff - both the local Ethiopians and those travelling.

I haven't written much about the transition from FOVC in the US to Hope Chest.  For those of you who are curious, there's a couple reasons for the transfer.  FOVC in Ethiopia exists.  Desalegn and his staff continue to work diligently to provide for the needs of the locals.  The reach, and therefore the impact, of FOVC will increase with the partnership with Hope Chest.  Check out this picture:

Taken at Shanto. June 2011.

See Rick with those cute little kids?  It's such a joy to love on and support those children.  But it's heart-breaking to see the kids in the background.  The ones on the other side of the fence.  The ones who are in desperate need.  The ones that are hungry.  The difference between the kids snuggled around Rick and the kids outside the FOVC campus is fortune.  FOVC can only spread it's resources so far.  They aren't able to reach all the kids like this one

Partnering with Hope Chest is going to change some of that.  Hope Chest has gone in and studied the needs and written a developmental plan for the WHOLE town of Shanto.  I'm excited.  That includes adding a bunch more children to the sponsorship program (See Ingrid's blog for more info on that).  It will also include  agriculture programs as part of the development program.  I'm excited to see how God might continue to use Ryan and I in this journey.

Now back to that application...