Today was another day in Korah....and it's really hard to believe how much has happened in one day! First, I want to share a few pics of the sweet faces I have met today and a link to a Facebook Album to where all the pics from this trip will be stored:
Today was another day in Korah…and it’s really hard to believe how much happened in one day. But first, I thought I would share the sweet faces of some of the kids I have met:
And, we got to pick out five to be lunch. They tied them up and put them in the floor of our van! There were sheep under my feet!!
Although I wasn’t there to see the slaughtering, some of the guys from our team did partake in the killing of the sheep. It’s a guy thing, I guess.
We just saw the final product, which looked like this:
You roll the meat up inside this spongy like pancake, which is a very traditional Ethiopian meal.
What isn’t traditional is for a group of children, many of whom eat only what they can find on the street or in the dump, eating sheep for lunch on a Saturday!
The ministry there usually does not feed the children on Saturdays, so this was a big surprise for them. And, it is usually only on holidays or special occasions that they receive meat to eat!
They were all so precious getting their plate full of food from us, bowing their little heads to say thank you, and then enjoying every last bit. I have a video showing them all eating he food, and I will hopefully be able to download it at some point. (Probably not while I’m on this trip!) They were all so happy and thankful. We talked tonight during our “processing time” about what it was like to truly feed the hungry. And, not just bread and water…but a feast in their eyes. As one person said, I would buy them sheep every day! It was a blessing for us to give, and a true blessing to watch them receive.
So, while the sheep were cooking in the morning, we got to join the kids for their usual Saturday morning Bible program. It is so great to listen to their songs…sung with such heart and soul…and rhythm!! Then, a few of the children did a “drama” as they called it, which was very good! The skit was all about a witch doctor trying to convince people to follow her, and how easily people were drawn to the evil spirit and ignored the voice of God. Then, missionaries came to teach the people about following God. They drove out the evil spirits and prayed over each person.
After the skit, two of the older girls gave their testimony, and although we couldn’t understand a word of it, we were so impressed by all that they were doing in this program! It was really good stuff!
After they finished, it was time to do VBS for the first time. We knew it would be crazy because there were over 200 kids crammed in one room. But, it went well, all things considered. We sang some songs and shared the Bible Story of the Lost Sheep. We talked about how much the Lord loves them and knows them and cares about them. And, that they are God’s greatest treasure.
As we teach these lessons, I pray constantly that the truth will seep deep into their souls. I know on a daily basis, many of them may not feel treasured or special, and our one little lesson may not go that far. But, I pray that the Lord continues to speak this into their lives at least through those who visit them, that they will know somehow that God has called them by name, and chosen them.
This little girl was so proud of her picture. I was talking to some other kids, and she tugged on my shirt and asked "May I have a photo with you?" When I showed her the picture, she had the biggest smile ever. So precious. I doubt she had ever seen herself before....
We began to do face paint in one area, while the boys played soccer. But, before we knew it, we were literally overrun with kids. I can’t even describe the crowd that face paint drew…and there were moments when we literally had to ask them to back up because of the pushing and shoving to get a turn (and that was even with four “organized” lines! It was overwhelming, but so fun to see them light up at their new art. They didn’t even know what it looked like (and it wasn’t that great!), but they were so proud.
Here is a small glimpse of the craziness.
This was after we broke up the bigger crowd and were starting to put it all away. Multiply that by a dozen and that’s how many children wanted hearts, stars, crosses, and flowers. Wow. That really may have been my least favorite of chaotic moments.
Today was another day in Korah…and it’s really hard to believe how much happened in one day. But first, I thought I would share the sweet faces of some of the kids I have met:
We woke up this morning, after getting some good catch-up sleep, ready to go back and visit these children we met yesterday. On the way to the church, we got the awesome opportunity to buy lunch for the kids. But, NOT in the way you would think. We had no chik-fil-a drive thru or grocery store to stop by.
Instead, we found this guy with his herd of sheep:
Instead, we found this guy with his herd of sheep:
And, we got to pick out five to be lunch. They tied them up and put them in the floor of our van! There were sheep under my feet!!Although I wasn’t there to see the slaughtering, some of the guys from our team did partake in the killing of the sheep. It’s a guy thing, I guess.
We just saw the final product, which looked like this:You roll the meat up inside this spongy like pancake, which is a very traditional Ethiopian meal.What isn’t traditional is for a group of children, many of whom eat only what they can find on the street or in the dump, eating sheep for lunch on a Saturday!
The ministry there usually does not feed the children on Saturdays, so this was a big surprise for them. And, it is usually only on holidays or special occasions that they receive meat to eat!
They were all so precious getting their plate full of food from us, bowing their little heads to say thank you, and then enjoying every last bit. I have a video showing them all eating he food, and I will hopefully be able to download it at some point. (Probably not while I’m on this trip!) They were all so happy and thankful. We talked tonight during our “processing time” about what it was like to truly feed the hungry. And, not just bread and water…but a feast in their eyes. As one person said, I would buy them sheep every day! It was a blessing for us to give, and a true blessing to watch them receive.
So, while the sheep were cooking in the morning, we got to join the kids for their usual Saturday morning Bible program. It is so great to listen to their songs…sung with such heart and soul…and rhythm!! Then, a few of the children did a “drama” as they called it, which was very good! The skit was all about a witch doctor trying to convince people to follow her, and how easily people were drawn to the evil spirit and ignored the voice of God. Then, missionaries came to teach the people about following God. They drove out the evil spirits and prayed over each person.
After the skit, two of the older girls gave their testimony, and although we couldn’t understand a word of it, we were so impressed by all that they were doing in this program! It was really good stuff!After they finished, it was time to do VBS for the first time. We knew it would be crazy because there were over 200 kids crammed in one room. But, it went well, all things considered. We sang some songs and shared the Bible Story of the Lost Sheep. We talked about how much the Lord loves them and knows them and cares about them. And, that they are God’s greatest treasure.
As we teach these lessons, I pray constantly that the truth will seep deep into their souls. I know on a daily basis, many of them may not feel treasured or special, and our one little lesson may not go that far. But, I pray that the Lord continues to speak this into their lives at least through those who visit them, that they will know somehow that God has called them by name, and chosen them.
This little girl was so proud of her picture. I was talking to some other kids, and she tugged on my shirt and asked "May I have a photo with you?" When I showed her the picture, she had the biggest smile ever. So precious. I doubt she had ever seen herself before....
After VBS, we headed down the road to play soccer, blow bubbles, do face paint, and just hang out. As we walked through street after street of absolute poverty, it was easy to get overwhelmed. At any given point, you have 8 kids hanging on you, literally grabbing your shirt and walking in front and behind and beside you. I had children holding onto my arms with two others holding my hands, while also carrying another little girl, my bag, and my camera. As we walked down steep hills, it was hard not to say “Just let go for a minute! I need some space!” But, I would literally look down into their eyes, and think how much they craved these moments. At one point, a new girl had run up and grabbed my hand that I had not seen before. I was very tired and she was not. So, as I was thinking about letting go, I looked down and heard this: ”This is your only chance to show her what she’s worth. She’ll be gone as quickly as she came.” So, I did. I told her she was beautiful and stroked her face (while she still gripped my hand)…and an instant later, she was off running home as her mom yelled at her to come. She was gone as quick as she came…
When we got to the park, I was amazed at the beauty! Right in the middle of the poorest part of Ethiopia, was a beautiful place for the kids to play!
When we got to the park, I was amazed at the beauty! Right in the middle of the poorest part of Ethiopia, was a beautiful place for the kids to play!
We began to do face paint in one area, while the boys played soccer. But, before we knew it, we were literally overrun with kids. I can’t even describe the crowd that face paint drew…and there were moments when we literally had to ask them to back up because of the pushing and shoving to get a turn (and that was even with four “organized” lines! It was overwhelming, but so fun to see them light up at their new art. They didn’t even know what it looked like (and it wasn’t that great!), but they were so proud. Here is a small glimpse of the craziness. This was after we broke up the bigger crowd and were starting to put it all away. Multiply that by a dozen and that’s how many children wanted hearts, stars, crosses, and flowers. Wow. That really may have been my least favorite of chaotic moments.
As we headed back, I began walking with two of my special friends from the last two days, Betty and Tezita. (I mentioned Tezita yesterday, but totally misspelled her name.) Betty is the best big sister I’ve ever seen, and carried her precious baby sister on her back ALL DAY LONG. Her little sister, Huet (hue-it) is three years old and weighed about what Abby Kate does. I carried her a few times to give Betty a break, and I loved getting to love on every one of these sweet girls.
Once again, I found myself drawn to the older girls. Betty wanted me to come to her house for coffee really bad. And, asked me countless times if I would visit her there. She was a sweet and very kind girl, and spoke very good English. She said she works very hard at school, and wants to be able to take care of her family someday. I have no doubt that she will. I didn’t get to go get coffee at her house, but I am hoping to get to deliver a picture of our family to her on Monday when we drop back by Korah.
Tezita never left my side all day today or yesterday, and was very protective of me. Anytime I would walk over a stone or near a hole, she would tell me to be very careful, or would move me to the other side of her so I was safe. She was constantly teaching me words in Amharic and asking me what things were in English. She was a very smart girl. Here she is to my left.
I asked Tezita where her house was as we were walking, thinking she could point it out along the way…and she said “the church”. I asked her “Do you sleep at the church?” She does. I asked her if she had brothers or sisters. Her response: “No brothers, no sisters, no father, no mother.”
I hugged her even tighter and told her I would be praying for her. She is one of the sweet orphans who have been absolutely blessed by the ministry in Korah. She is going to school, being fed, and given a place to lay her head, when otherwise she would be a street child in the dump. It broke my heart. (And I told Mark she needs to come home with us)
In the afternoon, we went on two more home visits, where we saw heartbreak of a whole other level. Again, the smallest rooms you’ve ever seen, which served as a home for an entire family. Both of the women we visited today had lost their husbands and were now trying to support a family on their own. One was very sick with a heart condition and had sold most of her belongings to feed her babies, since her husband had died six months ago. This is her house:
And, this is her sweet face:
THIS is one of her sweet children. Isn’t she CUTE?
The other woman’s husband had also died after an illness, and she was also just trying to survive. Both of them had such sad stories and lived in such poor conditions, and were very similar to the two we visited yesterday in level of need. But, for only $120, our team was able to take care of the rent and food for all four families we visited for a month!
It’s amazing how little it really takes to help. Even though the need is still so big, we can all make a significant difference in the lives of these people, with the abundant blessings we’ve been given.
After we said goodbye to the children, we took a drive around the dump to see the rest of the land.
He knew what trash truck carried food, plastic, and fabric. He knew what time the Hilton Hotel dropped off their food trash and woke up before the sun came up so he could be there on time. And, he described the violent fights that broke out between children as they scrambled to get the best food off the trucks. He said the best trucks were from Hilton, Sheraton, and Ethiopian Airlines.
He described how the vulture birds would snatch food right out from your hand and how dirty and nasty they were. He talked about the hyenas, the sizes of cows because they ate so much. They had to run from the female hyenas because they would chase them down for food.
None of these kids go to school. None of them leave the dump. And, none of them have the ability to get themselves out. They sell what they collect from the waste of others, for pennies, and eat out of the garbage.
It was just unbelievable.
But, it made the significance of what Project 61 is doing even more apparent. They have sent 250 children straight out of this life and into a nice boarding school, where they receive an education, medical care, healthy food, and a happy life. They are continuing to work with the other children who still live near the dump (the ones we worked with this week), to continue to give them hope, education, and a healthy lifestyle too.
It’s just amazing to see what is being done. These are sights I never thought I’d see. But, I’m so glad I have.
Once again, I found myself drawn to the older girls. Betty wanted me to come to her house for coffee really bad. And, asked me countless times if I would visit her there. She was a sweet and very kind girl, and spoke very good English. She said she works very hard at school, and wants to be able to take care of her family someday. I have no doubt that she will. I didn’t get to go get coffee at her house, but I am hoping to get to deliver a picture of our family to her on Monday when we drop back by Korah.Tezita never left my side all day today or yesterday, and was very protective of me. Anytime I would walk over a stone or near a hole, she would tell me to be very careful, or would move me to the other side of her so I was safe. She was constantly teaching me words in Amharic and asking me what things were in English. She was a very smart girl. Here she is to my left.
I asked Tezita where her house was as we were walking, thinking she could point it out along the way…and she said “the church”. I asked her “Do you sleep at the church?” She does. I asked her if she had brothers or sisters. Her response: “No brothers, no sisters, no father, no mother.”I hugged her even tighter and told her I would be praying for her. She is one of the sweet orphans who have been absolutely blessed by the ministry in Korah. She is going to school, being fed, and given a place to lay her head, when otherwise she would be a street child in the dump. It broke my heart. (And I told Mark she needs to come home with us)
In the afternoon, we went on two more home visits, where we saw heartbreak of a whole other level. Again, the smallest rooms you’ve ever seen, which served as a home for an entire family. Both of the women we visited today had lost their husbands and were now trying to support a family on their own. One was very sick with a heart condition and had sold most of her belongings to feed her babies, since her husband had died six months ago. This is her house:
And, this is her sweet face:THIS is one of her sweet children. Isn’t she CUTE?The other woman’s husband had also died after an illness, and she was also just trying to survive. Both of them had such sad stories and lived in such poor conditions, and were very similar to the two we visited yesterday in level of need. But, for only $120, our team was able to take care of the rent and food for all four families we visited for a month!It’s amazing how little it really takes to help. Even though the need is still so big, we can all make a significant difference in the lives of these people, with the abundant blessings we’ve been given.
After we said goodbye to the children, we took a drive around the dump to see the rest of the land.
It was amazingly awful to see where these people are living. Right now, for a few reasons, we aren’t allowed in the most terrible part, but here are some pictures from the van window.
As we drove, we got to listen to a 16 year old boy who has been rescued from this life, who was riding in our van with us. Here he is with Sumer, who runs Project 61. He told us details about living there that were just unbelievable.
He knew what trash truck carried food, plastic, and fabric. He knew what time the Hilton Hotel dropped off their food trash and woke up before the sun came up so he could be there on time. And, he described the violent fights that broke out between children as they scrambled to get the best food off the trucks. He said the best trucks were from Hilton, Sheraton, and Ethiopian Airlines.He described how the vulture birds would snatch food right out from your hand and how dirty and nasty they were. He talked about the hyenas, the sizes of cows because they ate so much. They had to run from the female hyenas because they would chase them down for food.
None of these kids go to school. None of them leave the dump. And, none of them have the ability to get themselves out. They sell what they collect from the waste of others, for pennies, and eat out of the garbage.
It was just unbelievable.
But, it made the significance of what Project 61 is doing even more apparent. They have sent 250 children straight out of this life and into a nice boarding school, where they receive an education, medical care, healthy food, and a happy life. They are continuing to work with the other children who still live near the dump (the ones we worked with this week), to continue to give them hope, education, and a healthy lifestyle too.
It’s just amazing to see what is being done. These are sights I never thought I’d see. But, I’m so glad I have.
2 comments:
Amazing pictures and even more amazing stories. Thank you, Chelsea, you are a blessing...to the children of Africa and to all of us here in America. Love you!
Love your posts, and these pictures are beautiful! Blessings on the rest of your trip!
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