In a Perfect World – No Halfway Homes
March 10, 2010
Just yesterday I sat in amazement as a mother of one of Children’s Home Ethiopia’s beneficiaries came into the office and blasted the staff because her daughter had ignored her on the street. Not only did she pitch a fit to these staff members who are responsible for her daughter’s education, daily lunches, and general wellbeing, but she also had the audacity to express her desire that God strike down her little girl.
It turned out the incident where the mother felt ignored was a total misunderstanding. After overhearing her mother’s rants, this 13-year-old girl tearfully knelt in front of her mother to apologize for the misunderstanding. I had to bite my lip as I thought of the injustice in this situation – here this girl was, trying to restore the relationship with her furious and irrational mother. Shouldn’t the tables have been turned? Shouldn’t the 13-year-old girl have been the irrational, emotional wreck and the mother have been the voice of reason and reconciliation?
Of course such a scene is not the case for all of CHE’s beneficiaries. More often than not, I am amazed by the love and care these children receive from their desperately poor parents. But, there are those children, who need to be rescued from their own parents. The new girls’ halfway home started for children with such stories. The girls who reside there were basically pulled out of situations that were dangerous to their development and to their chances of ever leaving the streets. An abusive drunk for a father, a mother who steals her child’s clothing, and parents who let their young daughter roam the streets until the wee hours of the morning are some of the situations that the new halfway home’s residents are coming out of.
As I consider each girl who is at the new home, I have a swell of conflicting emotions from deep sadness to excitement. God has made these girls to be incredible young women despite their former home lives. One girl is brilliant and consistently top of her class. Another lights up any room she enters with a smile and her kindness. And still another has the ability to effortlessly make anyone laugh. I feel incredibly blessed to know everyone of the girls at the new home. And to think, their parents may never know what they’re missing.
In a perfect world there would be no need for halfway homes. Unfortunately this world is far from perfect, so I am happy to be a part of what Children’s Home Ethiopia is doing for the vulnerable children of this fallen world.
Thank you to everyone who gave to The Forsaken Children to see this Halfway Home become a reality!
Please pray…
- For the girls at CHE’s Girls’ Halfway Home. Pray especially that they will feel God’s incredible love for them through CHE’s amazing team.
- For God to radically change the hearts and lifestyles of their biological families.
- For Ethiopian foster families that will one day be able to provide these and other children with the families they need.
First Things First
January 20, 2010
My wife, Karyn, asked me to blog about The Forsaken Children’s hopes for 2010, which I thought was a great idea. As I sat down to do that, thinking through all the Board meetings and strategizing, I got a little bogged down and decided I wanted to make this blog a little more personal, from my heart. I want to tell you about MY hopes for TFC in 2010. After an incredibly productive 2009, I am full of ideas regarding what could happen in this new year. My hopes revolve around one thing though, and that is making life worth living for the Ethiopian children I have gotten to know since moving to Ethiopia last year. I have come to the conclusion that focusing on ministry (sharing Jesus and teaching new believers how to follow him) is the key to seeing this happen.
Keeping first things first. I don’t know if you have ever experienced this, but for me, being surrounded by extreme need constantly last year caused me to lose sight of the importance of ministry. What I mean is that I slowly began to focus more and more on fulfilling people’s physical needs rather than their spiritual needs. When Ashenafi, a CHE beneficiary who accepted Christ in early 2009, came to me, I didn’t think much about his spiritual health/growth, but rather I concentrated on things like the condition of his clothes, whether he was clean or not, did he look hungry?, etc… I know all those things are extremely important, but I also know that they will not last.
During my brief trip to the States over Christmas, I had the opportunity to clear my head a bit. As I processed through the past year I saw my tendency to focus on the practical and physical elements of my work in Ethiopia. I also remembered how sweet it was when I sat with Ashenafi during those first months of living here, and saw him weep as he accepted Jesus as his Savior. These integral elements of ministry – physical and spiritual provision – became competitors for me, physical often replacing spiritual. I saw my error was in dividing these two elements that must go hand in hand, and if either must be the champion as is the case sometimes, It must be spiritual provision, because it is the one lasting thing that exists in the absence of physical resources.
I have therefore come back to Ethiopia with a renewed excitement and commitment to ministry. As the foreigner here, I am mostly excited about the prospect of equipping Nega, Director of Children’s Home Ethiopia, and his staff with the time and resources to be first and foremost ministers of Jesus Christ. I want to see 2010 filled with opportunities for them to share Jesus in strategic and effective ways with the community of children and extremely poor families they work with daily. This will provide the lasting change that this community needs more than anything.
Universal Children’s Day
December 1, 2009
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Did you know November 20 was Universal Children’s Day? Universal Children’s Day was instituted by the United Nations to commemorate its adoption on November 20, 1959 of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (DRC). The DRC states, among other rights, that all children have, wherever possible, the right to grow up in the care and under the responsibility of his parents, and, in any case, in an atmosphere of affection and of moral and material security. Ethiopia is far from seeing such rights observed for what I assume is the majority of its children, nonetheless November 20 was marked as a day to be focused on the rights of the children of its country. The challenging question that I asked myself was, “what will I do to further the rights of the children of Ethiopia and for that matter, the world?” I think we all need to ask that question of ourselves, especially those of us who work or support causes that work with and for the children at risk in our world.
On another note, Karyn, Jack, McLaine, and I got to celebrate Universal Children’s Day with Children’s Home Ethiopia’s staff and beneficiaries. We had so much fun as we watched the children play games, compete in silly competitions, give impromptu speeches, sing songs, listen to a special message from CHE friend Elias, and of course eat cookies and drink punch. I particularly enjoyed watching Begidu cheer so hard for his friend in the banana eating contest, that at one point I thought he was going to fall over.
I love how CHE’s compound becomes a haven for these children who have close to nothing. It’s like they leave their worries at the gate and know that this place is for them. I believe each of these children and the many others who have no such gate to pass through in Ethiopia deserve such a place. A place where they can be kids and laugh, play, be goofy, and simply have it be about them for a change. I know many of you believe this too and act on your desire to see the rights of children fulfilled in this world – some through your partnership with TFC. Thank you for supporting children’s rights!
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Home… Well, Halfway There!
September 17, 2009
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| Happy at home! |
We have a Halfway Home!!! For those of you who haven’t heard, Children’s Home Ethiopia has had 5 children living temporarily at the Drop-In Center. These children were ready to be off of the streets, but needed a transition home prior to being reintegrated into a family. For some, there are no existing family members available or those who are available are ill-equipped for the task of raising a child. Others simply need to learn how to live within the confines of a home and with a family before they can successfully take that big step into their families’ homes. So, in many ways the Halfway Home is a re-parenting phase for these children.
For 3 months the Drop-In Center has housed CHE’s Halfway Home. This was not an ideal location for the home because of many reasons:
- The Drop-In Center and CHE offices are located here, so space was very limited.
- The Drop-In Center is right in the middle of the ghetto, if you will, therefore the children had direct contact with the streets that they once called home. Separation is key in the rehabilitation process.
- CHE’s Halfway Home Parents had no privacy. Their position is already demanding, so the added pressure of living at the Drop-In Center where many children come and go all day was overwhelming for them.
Thanks to an anonymous donor, CHE was able to rent a Halfway Home in the outskirts of Addis Ababa. I visited with the children at the new Halfway Home just the other day and was blown away by how this home accentuated their changing lives. The thing that stood out the most to me was how normal their home lives now seem – They eat dinner in a dining room rather than a spare office, they can walk outside their compound and play with other neighborhood children, they sleep without the constant noise of the inner-city (busy streets, car horns, club music, etc…), and the list goes on. Also, Abazu, the Halfway Home House Mother, looked at peace where previously the stress of living at the Drop-In Center showed in her countenance.
I am excited about this new phase in the life of CHE and the lives of the children living at the Halfway Home. I expect God to use this location to heal many wounds, restore many families, create new families, and to be a light to the community of God’s redemption in the lives of broken human beings.
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| Studying at the dining room table |
Kota Ganate Here We Come!
August 6, 2009
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| Jonathan with Children’s Home Ethiopia children |
Two days ago we picked up Jonathan (Joe’ brother) from the Addis Ababa airport. Tomorrow we load up the car with supplies, babies (Jack and Mac are coming!), Nega (Children’s Home Ethiopia Director), Jonathan, Rosa, Karyn, and me. We are going to Chencha, Ethiopia where the Kota Ganate Agriculture Project is officially starting. Our main purpose is to accompany Jonathan who will be staying in Chencha for one month to work alongside Terikine, the Kota Ganate Project Assistant Manager.
I am so excited about this trip. There are many reasons I’m excited, but the main one is because Kota Ganate is such an integral part of Children’s Home Ethiopia’s future. Kota Ganate will eventually not only fund the work CHE is doing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with at risk children, but it will also help prevent more children from meeting such a fate.
Chencha and its surrounding villages are known for its manufacture of textiles and many children are sent to Addis Ababa to work in textile mills. These children endure harsh living and working conditions and are denied their basic human rights. The “better future” these children and their families are promised is never realized and in fact, many of the children will end up escaping from these sweatshops only to be trapped in a life on the streets.
It is our belief that the primary causes of child trafficking in this area are hunger and poverty. Therefore to reduce the incidence of child trafficking we should focus our efforts on increasing food and economic security. Kota Ganate will do just that as well as partner with other organizations that are fighting to end child trafficking.
So, Kota Ganate here we come!
Check out Jonathan’s blog spot to get to know him and his passionate investment in this project.
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| Jonathan and Nega on KG future land |
A Journey of Love
May 26, 2009
Can a person love someone they have never met? I would have said no about two weeks ago, prior to Tom Ashworth and Kim McCoy’s (father and daughter) visit to Children’s Home Ethiopia. Undoubtedly Tom and Kim came all the way to Ethiopia because they had fallen in love with the children they had learned about, supported, and prayed for through The Forsaken Children. I was so impressed when Tom called several of the children by name when they first walked in the door – no introductions necessary. And Kim came just looking for Desse, the little boy she had been praying for ever since she learned of his struggle to stay off of the streets.
What’s more, it took Tom and Kim one glance before they began to love the new children coming to the Drop-In Center. After a week of seeing these new beneficiaries playing, learning, fighting (a lot), and simply living the tragic yet realistic street life, Tom and Kim’s hearts were in these children’s hands. At their goodbye ceremony, Kim’s tears and heartfelt message of love was so powerful that many of the boys were in tears. She simply told them that she loved them, a message that was hard for many of them to understand. Ashenafi, one of the new beneficiaries, said later, “How can these people love us? They’re not our family or even from our same country.” 
What an amazing picture of what God can do in a person’s heart. I believe it is because of their love for Jesus that Tom and Kim were so easily enraptured with love for these children – these strangers. Their love so impressed Ashenafi that the Holy Spirit moved his soul to accept Jesus as his Savior and Lord. Praise God for Tom and Kim, and especially for their love!
The Lost Boys
April 29, 2009
This is a guest post by Andrew Haberer a volunteer at Children’s Home Ethiopia drop-in center. Hope you enjoy it…
When Joe and Karyn asked me to write about the “New” drop-in Center Boys, I jumped at the opportunity. However, when it came down to writing about them it was a little more difficult. It is somewhat complicated to really sit down, and put in to black and white, the amazing personalities of these wonderful kids. Each day that I get to spend with the Lost Boys is wonderful, stressful, and shows me the unbelievable tenacity that each one possesses.
So, without further ado…here are the new boys.
Ashenafi Birihanu-13 years old
Ashenafi is the leader of the pack. He has a rogue streak that overpowers most of his activities. Most of the time he tends to acts as a surrogate father figure to the younger boys in the group. Several times I have seen him slip food to the boys and make sure that they are full. Other times he has fulfilled the role of the disciplinarian (or spiteful kid, I haven’t really been able to peg the spirit) when he breaks up a fight (or starts it-he has really good aim with a small rock).
He is really eager to impress in class. He remembers most of the English that he learns-although, sometimes he gets the pronunciation very wrong. He always likes to finish first, and, when he does not, the disappointment is clearly visible on his face. He, like the rest of the boys, has a sweet tooth and quick hands-sometimes you can give him a lollypop and it disappears before you can blink.
Aserat Tamrat-14 years old
Aserat is the second in the pecking order-and sometimes it seems as though he is trying to take the reigns from Ashenafi. He is a quiet kid around the adults, but really opens up when playing football (that’s soccer to all Americans reading). He tends to be aggressive with the younger boys, almost as if he is asserting his position in the pack. Even though he is 14, he has still not completed kindergarten, and struggles with English.
The good thing about Aserat is that he continues to put forth effort, even when he is struggling. He is clearly more agile than most of the boys and enjoys playing various sports (he was even supportive of Joe’s attempt to teach Foursquare-when compared with football, Americans play some pretty lame games…). He is a tough kid who has seen some tough times, but deep down inside is a little boy who wants to be loved.
Addisu Worku-12 years old
Addisu is clearly the most emotionally sensitive boy in the group; frequently you will see the tracks of tears apparent on his continually dirty face. He has large round eyes that silently scream a need for love and affection, but he is frequently picked on by the other boys. Addisu is easily frustrated, and frequently will have a breakdown when his project doesn’t turn out perfect.
He feeds on positive reinforcement and sometimes just needs a hug to make it all better. You can see, when watching from the outside, that he wants to be accepted by the older boys-even though they are, most of the time, the ones that cause him the most despair. When made to focus, he does well in class, but he is easily distracted and hard to get back on track.
Yohanis Tefre-8 years old
Yohanis is the youngest boy in the group, and one of the toughest. He has clearly been on the streets for a while, and bears the emotional scars of the life on the streets. Ashenafi favors Yohanis, and often the two are seen side by side-thick as thieves. It’s good to see that he is protected by the boys that he puts so much faith in.
He struggles with schooling in general-having no formal education-he has a hard time staying seated, paying attention, or remembering things like vocabulary and sentence structure. Yohanis also has a very sensitive temperament and can easily have his feeling hurt when he gets teased. He has a good aim with a rock, and he is quick to solve an argument that way.
Desalegn Tesfay-12 years old
Desse is one of the boys from the first group, but has just returned to the drop-in and has been attending regularly. He is a challenging boy to work with because he cannot let go of the street. He is hungry for love, and constantly desires outward displays of affection. Desse is one of the first boys to greet you in the morning, with a big hug and kiss, and he is usually the last one to leave.
He does very well in school work, and has excellent pronunciation of English (far above that of his peers). He doesn’t like to follow directions, though, and he often does his own thing. Desse is a good kid deep down, but finding that good kid and coaxing him to come around more often may prove to be very difficult.
Tamrat Talema-13 years old
Tamrat is a very physical kid. He doesn’t much care for School work, although he does well in class. His priority is sports. He is an excellent athlete, and he has superior ball handling skills. Tamrat is old enough to realize that he has personal weaknesses, but he lacks the motivation to work on improvement in those areas. During a rules wrap, he admitted that he “had to” fight everyday. However, he has shown significant progress in learning how to deal with anger in a more focused and positive manner.
He is a good kid, and he is learning to be more of an adult. Tamrat has some trouble with staying focused in class, and has only completed grade 3. Getting him to leave the street behind is difficult because he comes from a history of street dwellers.
Misrak Talema-9 years old
Misrak is the smallest boy at the drop-in, and, sometimes, I wish I could put him in my hip-pocket and take him home. He is a little firecracker, and he always has the energy-and ability-to run circles around almost anyone. His older brother, Tamrat, takes care of him.
The other boys at the drop-in seem to care deeply for Misrak, and they watch out for him. He does well with remembering English that he has learned, and, for the most part, pays attention in class-even though he is easily distracted. Misrak is most often late to arrive, and he tends to follow the crowd…Ashenafi looks after him and protects him.
Fikadu “Abi” Getachew-12 years old
Abi is a strong willed, often stubborn young man. He has a home, and a mother that wants him at home, but Abi prefers to live on the streets. He is good in school, eager to learn, but when things don’t go his way he tends to throw a fit. He tries really hard to remember, correctly pronounce, and effectively use the English words that he learns on a daily basis. This is a refreshing difference, and a help to the other boys in class.
When he gets ample attention-and plenty of positive reinforcement-he is well behaved. He often butts heads with Ashenafi and Tamrat, but they are able to resolve most situations without staff intervention. Abi is very helpful to staff members-often helping Abezu with meal preparation. He has a servant spirit, but sometimes it takes time to see what a great kid is inside the calloused exterior. Abi needs love and attention, but he is a good young man who is a help to everyone when needed.
Bitros Fikray-14 years old
Bitros is the newest boy to the drop-in center. He has only been coming for four weeks, and is only now starting to come into his element. His story is still unfolding, but we know he came from Sodo. He has a father there, but, like the other boys, the allure of independence has kept him in Addis. He has been smoking glue and chewing chat, but he has really done well since starting to come during the day.
Bitros has had the most schooling of any of the boys, and he does really well with English. It has been difficult for Bitros to fit in with the other boys-they have molded a strong group, but he is starting to fit in-thanks to football. He tends to be more sensitive than the other boys, mostly because he has not been on the streets as long as the other boys.
-Andrew Haberer, CHE Volunteer
NEGA, NEGA, NEGA!!!
February 18, 2009
The kids at CHE’s Drop-In Center are often dirty, smelly, disobedient, and ill-mannered. But they are also entirely worthy of God’s love. Isn’t it the same with each of us? We don’t always act as we should and sometimes we smell awful but God loves us just the way we are. God’s love and grace are freely given regardless of our condition or circumstance.
It’s because of His love and grace that Nega Meaza, Director of Children’s Home Ethiopia (CHE), cares so deeply for the children at the Drop-In Center. And what’s more…
These children LOVE Nega!
If you drive down the street with Nega in Mexico (the area where the Drop-In Center is located) you will hear “NEGA!” shouted from the mouths of numerous children and you will see them running as fast as they can after the car.
This image brings to life for me the words of Jesus in Matthew 19:14…
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Nega is imitating Jesus as he invites the children to come to him.
And the children come back again and again because they know without doubt that Nega’s love for them is real. Joe and I are honored to serve these children alongside Nega. He is truly an example of Christ in word and deed!
My dorky gift to give…
Nega needs to dedicate his time to ministering to the children, but the administrative demands of CHE often take his attention.
To be really honest, I have always wanted a “cool” spiritual gift — like discernment or prophesy. But God instead gave me the “dorky” spiritual gift of administration. For such a time as this!
It now excites me to be able to take some of the administrative load off of Nega’s back. I get a thrill out of helping maintain employee and beneficiary files, recording physical donations, organizing and filing paperwork, etc.
My goal this year is to get the behind the scenes “stuff” organized and running more efficiently, so that Nega will be free to do what God lets Him do so well…love on those kids.
Of course, I plan to do some loving on kids too!!! But isn’t it great how we all have different gifts and that, when used together, we can accomplish so much?
~ Karyn Bridges
(Cheerful Admin Dork)
