Not enough time :(

I had really good intentions of updating this blog as I was preparing for my trip. However, with the busy schedule I have been keeping this fall I just haven't had time.

I leave in 11 days!! A dear young friend is coming over today to help me think, shop and pack! I am looking forward to the help.

I think when I return I will just post all the information and pictures on our regular blog. So check here! I plan to print my blog someday so I think it would be good to have it all in one place.

I have been overwhelmed at the support I have received. I raised over $3500!! It paid for my trip and some of the money went to help my friends, Brad and Sharon, finally some money was given to buy supplies for the orphanage. Thanks for your prayers!!

Seeds of Hope

We started sponsoring a child. He is a 7 year old boy and I can't wait to meet him! The child sponsorship program was named, by us Americans, "Seeds of Hope". Please read below to see how significant that name is to the people of Shanto.

Here's a note from Desalegn about the meaning of "Seeds of Hope:"

Thank you so many million times for giving this great name for our (FOVC's) child sponsorship program. It is really very blessing name.

By the way Seeds of Hope stands for "Yetasfa Zer" in Amharic and it has much blessing meaning. Some times due to heavy drought and lack of regular rain the farmer uses his all seeds for feeding and some clever farmers save a few seeds for sewing (it may not be more than 10 gm, imagine how small it is). Now that small amount of seed which helps to revive again is "Yetasfa Zer"/ Seeds of Hope in our context!

So thank you for this name. You are always great for us!!!

Ethiopian food

We tried Ethiopian food for the first time. We ordered lamb tibs. It was yummy :) The boys especially liked no utensils and secretly I did too since I didn't have to keep reminding the boys to use them! My boys love to eat with their hands so I think we will be stopping by that Ethiopian restaurant more often.

FBC Mission's Conference

This weekend my church is having a mission's conference. After the banquet tomorrow Sharon and I will have a display set up and be available to talk with people about our trip. Our church is very mission's minded and I have felt such great support for this trip.

Want to make a difference in a child's life?

Southern Ethiopia is an area that is fairly untouched by forgeign aid like World Vision and other child-sponsorship organizations. FOVC is currently caring for 57 children. One of Team Tasfa's goals is to set up a child sponsorship program. Our family is going to sponsor a child. Would you consider sponsoring a child? If you do I will personally hug them for you and give you a personal update on them after I return in January. Please read below:

Friends of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (FOVC) is currently responsible for 57 orphaned children in Shanto, Ethiopia, a small, remote village in the Sidama region. Twenty-four of these children joined FOVC in mid-September after the local government, seeing the work done by FOVC, requested that these children be admitted into the program. While we are thankful that the local government is supportive of FOVC's projects and is seeking help for the children in their community, the admittance of 24 new children has placed a significant burden on FOVC. FOVC's Executive Director, Desalegn Daka, reported that these children "need immediate support to sustain their lives."

All 57 children are in need of sponsors. $35 a month will provide a child with food, clothing, education and medical care. As a sponsor, you will receive photos and biographical information of your child, and the opportunity to communicate with your child 3 times per year. It is our hope that a long term relationship will develop between children and their sponsors. Your tax-deductible gift will have immediate impact and will offer hope to a child desperately in need. Please contact Sharon Bonnett at followingthewayhome@gmail.com or leave a comment below for more information.

FOVC's mission is to reduce and break the cycle of poverty and to ensure that all orphans and vulnerable children grow up in safe, permanent foster families and have quality education and the help they need to be successful in life."

Support

On September 21st I dropped 90 support letters in the mail. 25 days later I have collected $2495! I only need $237 more to meet my goal. Praise God!

Post from Sharon

My friend, Sharon, is the one who told me about this trip. Her and her husband, Brad, adopted a little girl from Ethiopia last February. I will be traveling with Sharon in December. She wrote an interesting post on her blog recently about Ethiopia. Read here.