The following is a letter from one of the women going on the Ethiopia Trip:
Hello family & friends!
I am pleased to share with you some exciting news! In February I will be traveling to Ethiopia! Jesus has been preparing me for this trip for the last 20 years. He has given me a passion for children – for the fatherless. He also placed within my heart a love for other countries and people groups. As a young child my grandma Jackie would have me write letters to missionaries and learn about what they did and who they served. She didn’t realize it – but she was watering the seed placed in my heart.
I know that I could send money, I could send material things – but lately God has been showing me that these basic needs met, are not the only thing these kids need – they need love, someone to love them and show them how important they are. Jesus loves them – he has not forgotten them. He created them, and each child lying on a dirt floor is HIS child. His children are alone, and they are hurting.
Can you imagine not having your mom to comfort you when hurt – or your daddy to cheer you on when you do something well? I look at my children who are so loved and adored & I just can’t imagine if they were left alone with no one. Ethiopia has millions of children living in poverty without a mother or father. I can’t be there to love and hold them all – but I can love and hold a few of them. I want to be Jesus to these kids.
Our group will be traveling to bring donations to a ministry called Yezelalem Minch. YM was started by a girl who grew up a sponsored child of World Vision. Yezelalem Minch is a community based care & support to orphans & vulnerable children. They offer care to destitute orphans who don’t have an extended family. YM is a ministry that helps children and families affected by HIV stay together and become productive members of society. They aim to keep children off the street. While there, we will also be purchasing goats and chickens for the families in their community program, so these families can have a start to support themselves and their children.
We will also visit a couple other orphanages, and a trash dump where many children live. One orphanage we will be visiting takes care of children who are HIV positive. I believe the places I will be going is where Jesus would choose to be here on earth. As a mother, my heart aches for these children. I want to be there loving these children the way Jesus loves them. There is a verse that says “Once our eyes are opened we cannot pretend we do not know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows we know and holds us responsible to act.” Proverbs 24:12. Well this is me acting on what I know. Some people are unable to go, and instead, support those who do go, with prayer and finances. I hope you will remember us in prayer! Thank you for listening and taking the time to hear the latest with me. I have a DVD available to anyone who would like to learn more about the ministry we will be helping with there! Just call or email me and I will send it to you!
Please consider partnering with us financially and prayerfully as we head over to Ethiopia to be the hands and feet of Jesus! We will travel Feb 23 – March 3, 2011 and we have to raise $5,000 more to go. This will cover our flights, transportation, food and the guest home. 45% of the cost of the guest home will go directly to the ministry of Yezelalem Minch. Also, for ever $25 donated, a chicken will be purchased and given to a family in need. After we have raised $5,000 – 200 chickens will be given to 40 families.
I want you to be a part of our group - to be invested in our trip and the lives we will be changing. I will love updating you with pictures and videos from our trip! When I return I will put together a slide show and video compilation of our videos of the trip :) Just so you can get a glimpse of where we will be look at the links below!
Here is a sample of a couple of the places we will be visiting:
This is Yezelalem Minch, its a slideshow of their different areas of how they help children and families, we will be staying here:
AHOPE - an HIV+ orphanage
Korah Dump - for years has been a "colony/community" for lepers and those with HIV, it is located on a trash dump:
Kolfe Orphanage:
If you would pray for me, I would appreciate it ::: (1) I am having anxiety leaving my kids and husband. I worry how my kids will do while I am gone. I often pray that my children will be world changers; I want to be an example to my kids. (2) Please pray that we can raise the funds needed – it’s approaching fast! (3) Also, please pray for safety for us! (4) Each of us are mothers to young children, so please pray that our children handle our absence well.
I am anxious to experience Jesus there and return to tell you about the way he worked through us and in us!
Seeking to build the Kingdom,
Crystal
