Happy Easter- Melkam Fasika!

It was Easter in Ethiopia this weekend, a week later than the rest of the world. Here it is called Fasika. I love Easter in Ethiopia. Actually it is my most favourite time of year here.

Little Salam poses for photo on Good Friday

Most Ethiopian Orthodox Christians finish a 55 day fast on the morning of Fasika (precisely 3am in the morning). The last 3 days before Fasika, many strict Orthodox will not eat anything or drink any liquids at all. They will spend as much time as possible at church praying so that they

can feel closer to God.  

                                              

We are so blessed to be able to celebrate Easter in Ethiopia. There is so much opportunity to share God’s love and have a response of understanding and desire to really know Him. Many hearts are turned to Christ and are open to His sacrifice.

We held an Easter program on Friday for our families at Grace. At the end we showed the Jesus film. Most of the mothers had never seen his life brought to life like this. They do not have TV's nor watch films. It really moved me to look into so many mothers eyes as they left, seeing that they were REALLY so very grateful for what their Savior had done for them.

Thank you Jesus for all you have done. Your sacrifice was not in vain.

He made the ultimate sacrifice so we would truly know Him and know His love. Let’s not forget about the many who are still yet to know His life changing sacrifice.

The mothers and children watching the Jesus film

Step Forward!

 

Some days it is hard to step up and be all I am expected to be. Like today, I want to run and hide. I want to go back to being the person who has responsibilities only for my husband and children. And some days even that is a challenge. I don’t want to have to be confident and bold and to be seen... and criticized. Today I cannot see what Jesus sees in me, why He picked me for this extraordinary life, the extraordinary opportunity to speak into peoples’ lives. I want to disappear.

Do you ever have days like that?

So I took my heart to God today. “I don’t know what you see in me. Can you please show me... again?” I turned to my bible for answers, for his love, his redemption and what I needed to hear.

In Mark 3:3 the words in red on the page stood out to me. “And he said to the man with the withered hand “Step forward”. I went back and read from verse 1 all the way through. And read again. I could not get my eyes off the words STEP FORWARD. I so related to the man with the withered hand, with all my imperfections and shortcomings. Jesus was asking ME to step forward.

All of a sudden the answer became very clear. I knew it well, had lived it well, but through circumstances, daily life and self-pity, I had taken my eyes off the answer. HIM. It was not about- MY Ability, MY Strength, MY Godliness.

It is about HIM.

It is about Obedience. Obedience to STEP FORWARD. He is the healer, He is the redeemer, He is what is needed. All I am asked to do is to step forward so I can be used. Used to be able to display His miraculous power, His Love, HIS ABILITY. He will use my withered hand or whatever I have on hand that I consider imperfect.

2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me

Today, I encourage you to Step Forward. All of heaven is waiting on you to STEP FORWARD. No ‘buts’, no thoughts of your inabilities, because....it is not about you, it is not about me. It’s about Him. It’s about why he came. It’s about the lost and their need to find Him.

It’s time to move our butts forward. It’s time. He's calling you to “STEP FORWARD”

Dee

This Story Has To Be Told!

You know how when you meet someone so extraordinary, or something happens in your life that is so compelling, so out there that you can’t help but want to share it? How can you not! That’s how I have felt about Workinesh and her daughter Shashi. The change in their lives has been so amazing it is hard to believe unless you have seen it with your own eyes. The change has been so impacting, I wanted you to know about it too. A story like this can’t be left untold.

Last week I sat in Workinesh’s home as she made coffee and we celebrated Shashi’s 2nd birthday. We sat and reminisced, she shared her story with those that had not yet heard.

The first day we met Workinesh and her children

Baby Shashi and her twin sister were brought to us 2 years ago. They were 4 weeks old, weighing 2 kgs each. Their grandmother brought them in, she feared for their lives, she knew that they would be dead soon. We were told that their mother, Workinesh, was at home very sick and unable to care for the children. Workinesh today tells us that neighbours had stopped asking how she was, but would only walk in to check if she had died yet. Workinesh remembers laying on the bed while the children slept on the dirt floor. She waited for them to die before she did. She said that if she did not hear a noise for a while she would think ‘oh good, they are dead, it is better this way as they are starving’. Workinesh never once breastfed her babies, she was far too sick after giving birth. Their grandmother would beg from neighbours for milk for the first month, until she came to her daughter one day and said, "If these children stay with us, they are dead, can we at least give them for adoption so that they might live."

So we found the twins, their older brother and grandmother at Grace’s gate in need of much help. We visited Workinesh and found her close to death, we spoke about the medical help she needed, and about the care of her children. We offered to take the children into temporary care until she was strong enough to take them back. Looking at her, it was an obvious concern of the ‘what if’s’ that were left unspoken. There is always hope, especially when God is involved, and more than that, there can be miracles when God is involved. And over the next year we watched one in front of our very eyes. But not without loss...

Very shortly after the twins came to us Shahsi’s sister passed away. She was HIV+, and struggled to gain weight. It was a sad loss. We visited Workinesh regularly and told her of Shashi’s progress. Sister Ababu was so diligent at bringing Workinesh to all her appointments and making sure she took her meds and ate right.

I think there are 2 kinds of miracles in life, both God given and God breathed. Both are God’s amazing ability not our own. Sometimes we have to work hard to see it happen and sometimes we do nothing at all, but the outcome is always only in God’s hands. This miracle took prayer, faith, diligence and determination.

The first time Workinesh was healthy enough to hold Shashi again was amazing. Everyone present could not believe the amazing change in Workinesh, nor could she believe the amazing change in Shashi, the daughter she thought she would never hold.

Today Workinesh tells the story of when Shashi was first reunited with her, 1 year and 2 months after she came to grace. The relatives did not believe it. They had all presumed Shashi was dead or in a foreign country, never to be seen again. A huge party was thrown in Shashi’s honour, a celebration of a child that they thought was lost, but very much alive and in her mother’s arms!

To look into Workinesh’s eyes, they are full of such love, admiration and pure joy for her daughter. And there is such a sweet, sweet bond. It is a beautiful thing to behold.

I look at Workinesh’s life, and feel such honour to have met her, to have been able to play a part in keeping her family together. I see the bond of a mother and daughter, who against all odds are happy and expectant of the future, and seeing this, I know that there is hope for all of us!

Dee

Workinesh overjoyed to see her daughter Shashi.

Celebrating Shashi's 2nd birthday

Wow. What a month. Wow. What a year.

January 1, 2012

After a week of settling back into home here, we entered our crazy life, catching up on the last 3 months and awaited decisions.

Many new faces greeted us. New young mothers and a few new employees at Grace. A lot happens in 3 months, whether we are present or not, there is need, and hope is found through Grace.

First day back... The first day back at Grace, I found myself choking back tears throughout the day. I dove straight back into the thick of it with a hospital trip to see 2 young Grace kids. One little boy had his appendix out. I stood shocked at the sight of his frail skeleton body. He was a young healthy boy three months before. The stench of the hospital made me want to throw up. It smelt the same as always, the smell of body odour, old blood, filth and urine. Tears welled up as I heard sister Ababu in a cheery voice say ‘oh, I am happy, it is cleaner today’. I couldn’t see ‘clean’. I could smell was death and rot and see grot and old bloody sheets that had not been changed for days.  I could feel the hopelessness and desperate need around me and it was overwhelming. I felt incapable and inadequate to my calling, and I needed fresh air. I needed to breathe. And when I did...breathe....I realised it was all a part of transition and re-entry. This site and occasion was no different from any other hospital visit, but after three months in Australia, I was no longer immune or used the sights of poverty that hit me in the chest and left me breathless as today.

We walked into the paediatric ward, with a courtyard of visiting family members. Each time we go, we discreetly keep our eyes open for situations that may need our assistance. Sometimes the nursing staff will alert Sister Ababu. It may be a desperate mother who cannot pay her bill. Sometimes it may be children who are there with a terminally ill mother but the young children have nowhere to sleep. The extreme illnesses of the children is the most heart breaking of all. Children with illnesses like asthma or pneumonia in Australia can easily access medical help and can regain health quickly. Here these illnesses are often life threatening.  My gaze skims the room. A little girl of about two sits on the bed moaning in pain. Her legs so swollen she cannot walk. Another small child, his chest so swollen breathing heavily, waiting for heart surgery, but unable to get it. A little 3 year old girl, her rectum sitting out of her anus screaming in pain. Kidist asked the mother how long she had been like that until they came to the hospital that day. “One month” she replied, (big breath...moving on). The little girl we came to visit, sits lethargic with her little sunken eyes staring at us. She had had diarrhoea and been vomiting for three days. This seems less of a concern than the other children in the ward, but we have seen children die from simple things like this. Sister Ababu spent years working in paediatrics at the hospital before we were blessed to have her work for us. She is well known and has the approval to walk in and attend our beneficiaries. She attends to baby Eyerus, inserting her IV and getting her settled. We prayed for Eyerus and her mother, and left. A couple of weeks later, Eyerus is doing much better and is back in Baby Day Care healthy and well.

Two weeks on... We are feeling more grounded and at home. I am blown away with the opportunity we have to make a difference and impact the world around us.

In just the last week-

-We found a very sick mother and premi baby in a house in need of admission into hospital. It was a close call and the mother may have died if it was not for Sister Ababu’s intervention. Mother and child are doing well and have made much improvement in 24hours.

It is amazing how close to life and death we are here.

We really need to appreciate every minute of every day.

- Grace Children’s Home celebrated with a Christmas party for the kids. Lots of fun, laughter and joy. Watching the children open gifts (donated by Lara Knight and the New York Mothers volunteer group  www.mama-love.org), some children opening gifts for the first time in their lives. At a time where many children may be feeling loss, we are able also bring love.

-We were also able to bring Christmas presents to the Special Needs School. It was the first time for me to visit the class, I was moved to tears and so appreciative to be part of the special time, and to witness firsthand the joy seen on the children’s faces.

-Grace helped facilitate a 5 day Voluntary Counselling and HIV Testing course, thanks to Milli, a nurse from the US, volunteering with Grace.

-Kidsit and Worku left on a road trip in hopes to reunite a little boy with his father.

-Melishew held a one day training for 40 Grace Centre Day Care and Kitchen Assistant staff. It was a great way to spend the last day of 2011, and step into the New Year, being inspired and equipped. Melishew had the opportunity to learn many things during the 3 months in Australia and she was eager to share it with the rest of the ladies and see positive things being implemented in the centres. It was exciting to see Melishew implementing what she had learnt, and more exciting seeing the ladies excited about what they had learnt from her.

In the last couple of months we have had new children come into Temporary care, referred to us by Woman Affairs. Children who have been abandoned or had parents die. This has left us with little space, but much opportunity to love more children that very much need it, and a big reminder that we need to build a bigger place to enable the children to sleep, eat, learn, love, grow and play in a home that has enough room.

We are anticipating a great 2012! January will start us off with 3 groups coming to Grace. One from America and 2 from Australia. The American group, lead by Millie McCarty, will run a 5 day training program for newly graduated psychologists from around Ethiopia, some people from other local NGO’s and our 2 social workers, Kidist and Worku. Grace Centre is proud to be able to offer this training to the community as it is our goal to not just equip people at Grace, but the community around us. By building bridges and joining hands, more can be done for those in need. Leith Harding, who brings a team at least every year (more commonly every 6 months) comes with a bunch of enthusiastic volunteers. It is always a pleasure to have Leith and Zed with us, they are very much family and a great support to all that is being done at Grace. Leith will also be involved in selecting a psychologist that QUT Australia has funded for Grace.

With the New Year in, it brings excitement and expectation. At Grace, we are so expectant of great things this year. We are expectant that God will do above and beyond, prayers will be answered, lives will be changed, mothers and families will be equipped, budgets will be met, and goals will be fulfilled. We want to thank you for your ongoing support. Support through your prayers, through your sponsorship, your donations, your encouragement, and support through simply taking an interest in what is happening through Grace. Thank you for remembering the poor and needy, the fatherless and the forgotten.

May God truly bless your year this year!

Dee and Andrew x

Why We Do What We Do!

So we are heading back to Ethiopia in two weeks. I have had some time to do some reflecting, not a lot (5 kids etc, that’s life), but have been asking myself why I do what I do. Many people have asked me this too. And I have found myself asking this question several times being back in the land of plenty.

                    

Coming back here, there are a lot of things I can see that stare me in the face. Things that our kids miss out on being in Ethiopia, for example, an excellent education, a passionate youth group, English church, the social aspect of a class room full of children to do life with, resources, the beautiful beach, family, close friends, air-conditioning, clean roads, good hospitals... the list obviously goes on and on, but you get the point. So it is natural that I have been weighing up pros and cons of our choices we make for our family.

... so I started listing some of the reasons we do what we do...

1. If I can see a need and can do something about fixing it, why wouldn’t I? I am someone who has gets irritated listening to people who complain about something that is not working, but do not have any helpful solutions to fix it. What is the use of saying ‘it’s not working’ when everyone can see the obvious. Right? Let’s be a part of the answer!

2. I don’t fit, and I don’t want to. I think we can spend most of our lives trying to fit into what society says what we should be, how we should act, what we should do. We care about what people think of us. When really, we should be living out our lives to a one man audience, and be all that God wants us to be, not what society expects us to be.

We spend all this time trying to fit in, when really, we were born to stand out!

Mat 5:14-16"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” (Message translation)

3. We see that our kids are getting a better life. This is not so much a reason as a positive outcome. I know my parents would say this is crazy and does not make sense. But it is true. I see all the wonderful things that the kids miss out on, but man they gain so much from living in Ethiopia that this society does not offer. They are exposed to more than most people would be in their whole lives. They understand tolerance and acceptance. And they are not exposed to all the bad stuff kids are interested in- peer pressure, sex, drugs, media, society’s idea of what you should look like etc etc. In living in Ethiopia for 5 years, I was surprised to come back and see 14yr olds looking like 18yr olds, smoking pot and having sex. It’s a crazy world we live in. We are blessed to teach our kids the value of serving others.

4. I don’t want to live my life as an ‘under dog’, we were all made for greatness! I recently had an interview with a good friend who was doing up a story on me in a past students magazine.  I grew up as a very quiet underachiever, and as I told Fiona in the interview, I doubt any one would remember me. I wasn’t someone that people looked at and said “wow she will do great things!” I wanted to believe that I was born for something great, born to make a difference in the world, but didn’t have the confidence that God would see me as that. The great thing is, it doesn’t depend on how great we are, it starts with knowing how great God is, and believing that He will do great things, then stepping up to participate in His greatness. Now as I look at Grace and the people we are in contact with everyday, the responsibly I have, the hand I have in changing peoples’ lives, I can’t help but want my life to say- YOU CAN DO IT TOO!

5. There is greater joy in obedience. Your first initial response might be ’yuck, that does not sound fun’. But I have always been a bit of a rule keeper. I see that when rules are bent then the freedom of God’s blessing is restricted. So when God said go, it got to the point that how could we not. We didn’t know what we were jumping into, but just knew where he wanted us to be. And until he says otherwise, Ethiopia is our home.

6. I am selfish. You may wonder how moving to a third world country, giving up finances, friends and family is selfish. For as long as I can remember my heart has been in Africa. I dreamt of helping people in Africa since I was little. Now I am living the dream (granted sometimes the dream goes a little nightmarish).  It’s not just about sacrifice; there is also great internal and external reward to the life we are called to.

I would rather have the moments of nightmare in living my dream, than the nightmare of not living my dream!

I feel like I could continue come up with so many reasons, but will close with point 7...

...when I was young, real young, I had this recurring dream about a baby lamb walking across wooden planks, he fell into the mud and drowned, I felt so helpless watching and not being able to do anything. It was so disturbing as a child that I would try to re-dream and change the ending. That dream has been with me for almost 30years. I have it deep in me where I cannot be satisfied knowing there are people drowning in life, suffering in a sinful world, I cannot simply stand by and watch, walk by and look another way, do life without trying to do something significant to make a difference. Jesus tells the parable of going out after the one lost lamb in Luke 15:3-7.

There are many one lamb experiences everyday in our lives. And we were not born to simply live our lives.

Why do you do what you do?

Dee x

Special Needs. Special Kids. Special Times!

Wonderful things have been happening at Grace in the last month!!

I received emails from Cheryl and Kate last week that set my heart bouncing. For those that don’t know, Kate and Cheryl are part of a wonderful team of long term volunteers at Grace, but also very special friends that I am looking forward to seeing again soon. I was so excited about their update that I just had to share it with you all.



In front: Tefare, Gedafew and Abraham in class



Cheryl writes “I can hardly wait for you guys to come back and see the special needs school and our students that we have sent there.  It will make your heart smile.  They are all so precious - it makes your day to see them each day so anxiously anticipating their day at school and seeing their excitement when they return.  Little Abraham (the little boy with Down's Syndrome that we saw in the streets regularly) is bursting at the seams every morning along with Tefare (young teenage boy with cognitive delays) and Gedafew (who is mute) . The three of them seem to be good buddies.  Tefare has assumed the "big brother" role and looks after them.  Fantaye's  (who is 16 and has severe scoliosis as well as cognitive development issues) carer said that Fantaye has been so excited after returning from her day at school that she has been calling out the names of other Grace workers at afterschool care.  She said that she has never seen her do that before.  Nati (6 year old who is Autistic) is still settling in.  It takes him a little time to settle in each day, but when asked he went to the black board on the second day and wrote on the board with the teacher as she reviewed some amharic letters...



Fantaye and her carer at school



...The school is a government run school, so there is no funding for the special needs program.  A man from Holland came and built a block building for the offices and the special needs part of the school along with a playground.  The principal has expressed some needs to us.  I think that it is good for us to help to an extent as they are taking several of our kids into their program.  We got some paper, crayons, exercise books, and a curtain w/ rod (the sun shines right into the window making it quite hot in the room) for their classroom.  They have a break time in which they serve tea to the kids.  They would like to serve bread as well, but they do not have the funds. With our five students there are now 37 in the classroom. The principal said that many of the students come from poor families and would benefit greatly from some bread at break time as many of them come not having had breakfast.  We are meeting with the principal next week to discuss the few things that we can do to help and to invite her to come and tour Grace so that she understands where we are coming from and what we are already doing...”



Nati at school with his Grace Carer



Kate adds “It is so beautiful to watch and Cheryl’s heart is beautiful to behold. Cheryl has been busy settling the kids into their new school and finding ways we can bless the school – simple things like providing some bread for a snack a couple of days a week, a ream of paper, crayons, some pencils and exercise books and a few reading books. Things that most of our schools take for granted but that bring such smiles to the faces of these kids and their teacher.  It is so incredible to see these kids, usually outcast by all, find acceptance and a place to learn...”

Now how fantastic as that!! I am beside myself with joy and cannot wait to see it for myself. To be involved in such a life changing project, to be a part of what God is doing through Grace is so humbling, so rewarding, so amazing. I could not imagine any better place to be, than where God would have us.

To continue the fantasticly busy but blessed month... 

Immanuel team handing out school bags



Catalyst team standing by the swings they made



“We were blessed by two special teams of people, one from Catalyst Church in Ipswich, Queensland (16 fantastic people who blessed us, the beneficiaries and staff of Grace and the local people in Bahir Dar in incredible ways) and one from Immanuel Baptist Church in Duncan, Oklahoma (8 amazing people who made us laugh and also blessed all the people they came in contact with)... They accomplished so much in their short time with us.  We have hot water systems that work in all our centre, a new gate and fence, a great new play area, reinforced play equipment, so many people were blessed with items for their homes and new clothes, our car works, great new shelves, improvements to our small business shop and small business products, kids who have been blessed and had their lives touched by the time invested in them, new backpacks for all our school kids (about 135), an organised aid room and list for our new storeroom manager, surveyed land, held in our clinic, new friends, lots of fun and lots of special blessings for those of us here long term.  I can’t say thank you enough for all they contributed...”

Wow, thank you Catalyst Church, and Immanuel Baptist Church! We so love you guys!

I want to congratulate Marcie and Sefinew who had a baby girl named Naiomi. We are all thrilled for them and pray for their stay in the US, that they get a well earned rest and have every success in raising awareness and funds that Grace needs, in their 7 months they are in the US.

At this point I feel like offering a free set of steak knives, because there is more, there is always more as God continues to do great things among his people in Bahir Dar (as well as our own). And I encourage you to get involved, whether it be through prayer, sponsorship, donations big or small, everyone can be a part of making a difference.

Thank you again for being a part of this journey.

Love Dee xx



Fantaye and her carer Hamelmal at school



Australian Adventures

With our stay in Australia already more than half way finished, I wanted to make sure I shared some of our journey here with you. I can’t believe it has been 2 months since we have been back, yet at the same time feel that it has been so long since we were at Grace.

So a few highlights...

It was a huge highlight to have the kids in school this time. I want to give a huge thank you to Hillcrest Christian College (www.hillcrest.qld.edu.au) for allowing all five of our children to attend a whole term of school. They opened up their hearts and classrooms to us and made our children feel so welcome. As Josh said so well on his last week of term “I feel like this has been the best time in my life”. Thank you so much Mr Keith Francis and Mrs Ruth Burgess for your generous gift and support to our family during our stay. It has been immeasurable. Your generosity humbled us and we feel blessed to find a school with such high excellence in education, Christian ethics and also such an amazing outward focus in the community. Thank you.

To have the opportunity to bring Melishew to Australia for 3 months has been tremendous so far. Melishew has been a valuable employee at Grace for more than 4 years, is a founder of Grace Children’s Home, oversees the children’s care in the orphanage, runs the literacy program for our mothers, and helps oversee the day care centres at Grace. She was so brave travelling half way across the world on her own and proved that she could really do anything from there. Hillcrest has also allowed Melishew to observe and learn in Prep and Kindergarten and the teachers and staff have been so willing to help, answering any questions or queries she has had. It has been a great opportunity for her to see for herself the excellence with which education can be delivered and see in practice the children learning so well. She is also studying for a Certificate in Training  through LearnMe, a local training orgaisation. We hope to get her as equipped as possible before we head back at the end of November. She cannot wait to get back to Grace in Ethiopia and use the tools she has gained so far.

We have had both some really great speaking engagements, and some really great rest time as a family, special times catching up with some of our ‘Grace families’ who are very dear to us as the children in them had once been at Grace but have now found their forever families.

We were blessed with a week on Stradbroke Island recently. It was an amazing time, so much fun and laughter, sun and sand. It was a very special time baptising Joshua and Melishew, and Sara learnt how to ride a bike. It was a real opportunity of creating memories that last a lifetime for the kids. I want our lives to be that constantly, and the time away really reminded us of this.

Our friends who we are staying with have been amazing in opening up their home to us. We are in their 3 bedroom granny flat with a huge yard for the kids to ride bikes and play in. What I am really enjoying is that there are NO cockroaches, I do not miss those little friends in Ethiopia.

One of my highest highlights is being back at Dream Centre, our home church. We have also had the opportunity to spend time with some wonderful church families who support Grace and our family, who have really come alongside and encouraged us, but nothing is like being at home. The kids are all being recharged, God is doing fantastic stuff in their lives too.

To share a few funnies... Sara asked one day, shortly after arriving in Australia, if grapes were alcoholic. Haha, love it, and really, I get it. Mekonnen calls burgers ‘boogers’ and says he doesn’t like the green things in them (pickles). He is also at 5, quite fond of the ‘woobies’. And living on the Gold Coast during summer, there are plenty around. Sara’s first day on the beach was entertaining for all of us, for as soon as she got back into the car, she exclaimed “oh mummy, did you see the man with earrings in his boobies!?” We all just burst out laughing. Life is certainly ‘different’ here to say the least.

I have some wonderful news to share about the goings on at Grace while we have been gone, but I will wait to share that in my next blog soon. I can hardly wait to tell you.

Thanks everyoe for your love, prayers and support.

Below a just a few photos of our time here....

 Lydia with her friend Georgia at school on Sports Day. Both Lydia and Sara were able to experience what real highschool was like for the first time.

 Picking up Melishew at the airport just after midnight.

Berhani on Stradbroke Island. Gee she makes me smile :)