tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15703934926871700212024-03-14T13:06:11.181-05:00Give me Your eyes...This is an updated diary of an adventure God seems to be taking me on...from my own little world to helping orphans find hope in Ethiopia. Along with such an adventure, I hope and pray to grow closer to these children, grow closer to my own children while watching them reach beyond their own needs to help those around them. I can't wait to share this new endeavor with you.Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-9367399986914082712013-09-08T16:20:00.000-05:002013-09-08T16:20:01.865-05:00Backwards to go Forward<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Children eating from leftover money since Feb.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been 6 months now since we discovered that Kechene Care Point had secured two funding sources, one being used for the kids and one being used for other purposes not appropriated for the school. As my earlier post, "Working through Sadness," stated, it has been a difficult journey and a HUGE step backwards. I have been waiting for deadline after deadline for this man to admit that he did wrong and for the "authorities" to take him away and reprimand him. If that happened, we were going to step in and continue sponsorship with the 156 people who had been committed to supporting these beautiful children. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children enjoying food this summer from last sponsorship deposits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Backward</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the deadlines were never met. The director of Kechene never admitted any wrongdoing and therefore did not own the problem. Could this happen again if we continue sponsorship with Children's Hopechest at Kechene with this man as their director? YES! This is a problem on many obvious levels for Children's Hopechest, for me, and for all the sponsors. We CAN NOT continue to send money to a man who could take from the destitute when money was meant for them<u>. Therefore, we regretfully and with deep sadness, yet conviction, have to pull out of the Kechene sponsorship program. </u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been in prayer about this for months. I have asked God for justice, for clarity, for direction, for peace and for children to be cared for!! And...I have actually had my prayers answered! It has not been easy, however, but over time God has given me clarity, direction, peace, and<u> above all notice that 156 children are getting fed and will go back to school this month to continue their spiritual journey to eternity with their Savior</u>. There is no justice yet for the man who did wrong, but that is not for us to do.<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Matthew 7:1-2 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."</i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Library shelves and books from last summer's art show fundraiser and other donations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The clarity-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems clearer than ever that God is not ready for me to go back to Ethiopia. I was looking at all our goals on the right margin of this blog and everything was met in a very timely manner, except one area, my trip back to Ethiopia. I had fundraisers, a sale, family putting money in for my birthday and Christmas, etc., but whenever I would expect a great increase, it just didn't go anywhere. Then, when I was to get my ticket and trust in God for the rest of the money, we got word about Kechene being in trouble and going to visit would not help the situation. I had clarity about what</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not to do. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrgI5MQpUzTYpCvkjYFB3-HmFumbvNOSV_Z4SoxWgg-94ujz8p_xFJXycsojnjpDnn3qwuJGaAbkbKBY36PFJ-LDHkDyKhJ1MZkiSY4Q0VLXsgwRep52SDgjDj2lUpxGxPunua56M1-Y/s1600/IMG_2751_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrgI5MQpUzTYpCvkjYFB3-HmFumbvNOSV_Z4SoxWgg-94ujz8p_xFJXycsojnjpDnn3qwuJGaAbkbKBY36PFJ-LDHkDyKhJ1MZkiSY4Q0VLXsgwRep52SDgjDj2lUpxGxPunua56M1-Y/s320/IMG_2751_2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Tables being made from the art show fundraiser and donations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Direction-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Now what?</i> Several messages that I feel I have gotten recently have been all pointing to a friend of mine who became very involved in "Schools for Haiti." Her father had started the non-profit family organization by first going to Haiti and building schools for Haitian children. He became such a relief to the people of Haiti that he was considered family to them. Now, since his death in 2012, Penny has gone twice and plans on traveling several times a year to continue her father's legacy and bring others with her. She recently told me she is in need of over 100 sponsors! Again, after much prayer, I felt like this was the direction God was calling me to go, helping Penny and her family with "Schools for Haiti." <a href="http://www.schools4haiti.com/how-you-can-help/sponsoring/">http://www.schools4haiti.com/how-you-can-help/sponsoring/</a> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmQ90j2NnAWIfRU2xyx8-TB_0R1jAQorA31th6XsjNcAAGN9A5bH4JGgwN5bmyKCXgYeRUG_mQdI0X-xWFbHYtcu8pPWYYpKaErORvu3LSB0VUbvhAMZFqg9AsjriaQLjNi3VhvnCjEY/s1600/IMG_5129_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmQ90j2NnAWIfRU2xyx8-TB_0R1jAQorA31th6XsjNcAAGN9A5bH4JGgwN5bmyKCXgYeRUG_mQdI0X-xWFbHYtcu8pPWYYpKaErORvu3LSB0VUbvhAMZFqg9AsjriaQLjNi3VhvnCjEY/s320/IMG_5129_2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Uniforms being made for the children at Kechene from last sponsorship deposits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Peace-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously, since Feb., I have had very little peace about our school starving of food, money, schooling, medical supplies and support due to being misled and having to possibly abandon them completely. I was unable to share any of this with anyone except those who were close to the situation. I was lonely and sad and NO peace about the situation. It was a really tough time. However, as time does, God has healed that brokenness and desperation. He has shown me wisdom through others, like our son, that would share that it's not about what I have done or not done, but rather what He will do and to rest and have peace knowing He has it covered.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; font-style: italic;"> Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." </span><span class="Apple-style-span">I have since had peace and understanding for something so sad and so BACKWARDS.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">But then last week in church, I had the words I needed to bring all this out of despair and go forward! It was a great message on "Uncommon Courage" and the courage to follow your calling. I thought this was going to be hard to hear and accept since I felt my calling may be done and dead. However, not so!! The notes I took went something like this, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">"With God, the way FORWARD is often BACKWARDS." </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 20px;"><i>Judges 7:2b-3 "In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mt. Gilead.' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten-thousand remained."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">With the story of Gideon, I was reminded of his lack of courage and God's amazing faithfulness. Even though so many of Gideon's army left, God continued to move him forward with the mission. Gideon kept losing more and more men and God kept promising strength from Him. Gideon had to go by faith instead of his own strengths.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><b>God doesn't call the equipped, but rather he equips the CALLED. </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">It was such a great message for so many situations, but for my "calling," I felt like God was saying, "Yep, we took a step backward, but now it's time to go forward." Things were learned, people were moved to do great things, people changed, children's souls were saved, children fed and clothed and loved. Families got to be a part of something other than themselves and REALLY made a difference in a little one's life. I got to be a part of that, but that isn't necessarily all there is. God's plan is still unknown, but moving forward is not an option, it's a command. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Moving forward could look different for one person to the next. However, after doing some research about a variety of non-profit organizations that allow you to sponsor a child, I would love to give you a list of trustworthy options. If sponsorship is not for you at this point, perhaps God is calling you to see first hand the least of these and what you can do to help. Or perhaps, you are feeling more like putting that $34/mo. into something that is more local and can touch those in your own communities. Whatever you feel moved to do at this point, please make sure that you pray about it and DO IT. It is so easy for us to let the $34/mo. be used up in our own families...and it WILL. When our little boy from Brazil died last Jan., my husband and I were tempted to just let the money go back to the bank account, however, there are so many needs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">So, I encourage you to pray about it and choose wisely. I still endorse Children's Hopechest 100%, but CH and I understand how painful this was and if you want other options, there are many needs in many organizations and we are all working for the glory of His Kingdom!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Options for sponsorship:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Children's Hopechest <a href="http://www.hopechest.org/community/ketma">http://www.hopechest.org/community/ketma</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">World Vision <a href="http://www.worldvision.org/">http://www.worldvision.org/</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83e5-F5HgY9TD00Nvd3qpMK0U8j5a0Qt1CA-m_QgHegiMzdohDYmNn8kQzv23Sn8mdrk7xeIMFd4pTYdSCJUhw3W4Mx9QjNZP_3eqoRMPvfBtEsKW2Xym9QckAe1Vdx-ybykeSW3QP94/s1600/195777-1120_t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh83e5-F5HgY9TD00Nvd3qpMK0U8j5a0Qt1CA-m_QgHegiMzdohDYmNn8kQzv23Sn8mdrk7xeIMFd4pTYdSCJUhw3W4Mx9QjNZP_3eqoRMPvfBtEsKW2Xym9QckAe1Vdx-ybykeSW3QP94/s1600/195777-1120_t.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Compassion International <a href="http://www.compassion.com/">http://www.compassion.com/</a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjouFY6VnN5zWqtK1UX5gF6jd9_P942JQTWhgB1Vv9AGkaPltRKoQGPVdWIN-6WA7Cn1_FSza7VpZr743UiOpdbEh_s6O7AuFOKEvST1rNU95BKGX3LVICh1mkSPnOL1-4iH9bWQRZjU/s1600/GH8130074-Fullshot-200w.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqjouFY6VnN5zWqtK1UX5gF6jd9_P942JQTWhgB1Vv9AGkaPltRKoQGPVdWIN-6WA7Cn1_FSza7VpZr743UiOpdbEh_s6O7AuFOKEvST1rNU95BKGX3LVICh1mkSPnOL1-4iH9bWQRZjU/s1600/GH8130074-Fullshot-200w.jpeg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">School's For Haiti</span> <a href="http://www.schools4haiti.com/how-you-can-help/sponsoring/">http://www.schools4haiti.com/how-you-can-help/sponsoring/</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please pray with me as we move FORWARD and follow God's lead. Even though we are not with our original children at Kechene, the needs don't stop there. God wants us to continue to use us for His glory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Isaiah 6:8</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' and I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My continued Prayer-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lord, continue to use us to glorify You and to seek your guidance in whatever way you are calling us. Continue to give us clarity, direction, peace, and COURAGE to do what you want us to do. Please continue to care for the beautiful children at Kechene and supply them with what they need for an education and to know your Words. We pray they know they are loved and that you will never abandon them. We pray for the director of Kechene and that he would admit to his wrongdoings and be a blessing to the children. Forgive him, Lord. Amen.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-small;">Penny Neal with some of the orphans needing sponsorship in Haiti.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.schools4haiti.com/how-you-can-help/sponsoring/">http://www.schools4haiti.com/how-you-can-help/sponsoring/ </a></span></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-49256537152653601692013-06-03T21:22:00.000-05:002013-06-03T21:22:49.232-05:00Working through sadness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have been putting off this entry for a very long time. This has to be the saddest entry I have made since finding the children at Kechene in Nov. 2010. However, I have to start responding outwardly other than just inside or in just answering questions of our sponsors.<br />
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About 3 months ago, one of the sponsors for Kechene visited the children and the staff. He went to spend a week with the school in order to help the staff, pass out care packages from sponsors, and just share the gospel with the kids in different ways. He was able to do that, but while there, the American visitors discovered things that did not add up. Something was "fishy." It turned out there was another volunteer there helping the staff with funds and with their school. This could have been an amazing partnership since the other volunteer had a HUGE heart for those kids! The children were getting their meals, uniforms, shoes, health care needs, everything that our organization had communicated with the sponsors that they were providing for. Unfortunately, there was an overlapping of funds and thus, misused. </div>
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What did this mean for Kechene? Well, it meant there was some extra money that was not going to the kids. So, after the sponsor got back to the States, Children's Hopechest was informed and an investigation was pursued. As goes in Ethiopia, this took a LONG LONG LONG time. Meanwhile, we waited silently, praying, and hoping that it was not true. If we shared any of this information prior to the facts, we risked a lot; sponsors quitting prematurely, rumors, etc. So, we waited.<br />
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Three months later, the investigation was complete (with audit) and the man accused, not employed by CH, was found to have indeed misused funds. Because he was not employed by CH, the non-profit organization was not able to fire him or ask him to leave. Unfortunately, he will not leave so we had to pull out of the sponsorship program temporarily. If the authorities in ET find this man to be guilty and act on it, perhaps we will get our children back to Kechene Care Point.<br />
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Where are we at now? Sadly, the children had no food to eat at Kechene since all funds had to be stopped, so they are now back in the Kechene neighborhood with nothing for them at the school. There is no food, no teachers to teach them, and no sponsorship program. We could not keep sending money to a place where this was happening. Now, the children suffer. This makes me so so sad.<br />
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I have asked God in my prayers, "WHY?" Why does this have to happen once we had almost all the children sponsored? Why did He bring us this far with prayers, money, and the love people had for these children to have them all go back to where they came from, literally? WHY?<br />
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My teenage son tried recently to help me with this empty question. We are working this out together, but he told me to stop asking, "Why?" It is the same question that the people in Oklahoma are asking, "Why, God? Why did you send another tornado? You could make it stop, but it didn't." It is the same question that a mother asks God about her child being hit by a drunk driver. It is the same question we ask for a loved one who is sick and not being healed. Why?<br />
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I obviously can't answer this question, or any other question from a painful experience, but I think my son was onto something when he was trying to console me. I told him that I feel so helpless. Here we were going along so well, getting people to see what we saw with these children and getting them lined up to change their stories. Then, something totally out of my control comes along and puts us in a helpless situation. Our hands are tied, just helpless. He looked at me as if he was the parent and I the child and said, "...and isn't that the best place to be, mom?" <br />
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He's right. We NEED God now like we did before there was even one sponsor. I didn't get this school sponsored, God did. I didn't get the uniforms paid for, God made it happen. I didn't get shoes purchased, God brought us a little girl from Missouri and worked through her. God may have used us all as vessels, but He is the one true Savior. Yes, He could have stopped this man from stealing or had him leave the school, but something has to grow, something has to change in someone else before that happens.<br />
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"God won't <u>protect </u>you from what he'll <u>perfect</u> you with." This quote I heard in the car the other day was just what I needed as I fought back tears thinking about this helpless situation right now. Maybe there is something we all need to learn from this. I don't know what it is for you, but for me, it's what my son may have pointed out.<br />
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<b>I am helpless, God. Take this over. I surrender Kechene and the children to you to care for them and protect them from life. I can't do anything about it and it makes me sad, but please watch over them and take this from me. We love those kids. If it be your will that the children come back to the school, please make that happen somehow, but you've got this. AMEN.</b><br />
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<i><b>Matthew 6:33-34 </b> </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="text Matt-6-33" id="en-NIV-23316"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">33 </sup>But seek first His kingdom<sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23316I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup> and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.<sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23316J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup></span></span> <span class="text Matt-6-34" id="en-NIV-23317"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">34 </sup>Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.</span></span></i></span><br />
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Kechene children playing while having a sponsor visit in Feb.<br />
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Kechene student so happy for the visit and care packages.</div>
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Injera served to the kids at Kechene during the Feb. visit.</div>
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Children receive much needed supplies.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the children getting his care package from his sponsor.</span></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-75611747334913544982013-01-28T14:43:00.000-06:002013-01-28T15:14:18.513-06:00Abandoned children find rest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Imagine this headline in your local paper...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Abandoned children find rest with a school"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is the article that actually happened at a care point in Ethiopia (a school that feeds twice a day and cares for the vulnerable). Can you imagine?</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;"><u>The Infant Boy Abandoned by his Father</u></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span><span style="color: orange;">Abel Tesema (ET2110181) is the second child in the family. He has one sister. Her name is Eyerus Tesema (ET2110180). They both joined Kind Hearts School during this quarter.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>Their mother Asenaku brought them to the CarePoint and asked to enroll both of them into kindergarten. As Asenaku told their story, it was hard to believe that they have managed to survive this far.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>Asenaku was married to a man named Mulugeta and they lived together in a rented room in a private compound. Until Abel’s birth her husband supported the family by working as a daily laborer while she took care of Eyerus. When Eyerus was still young, Asenaku gave birth to Abel.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>Shortly, after the birth of Abel, Asenaku’s husband did not return home after work as he usually did. She was surprised by her husband’s abandonment only 15 days after their infant son was born. Mulugeta never came back again.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>When she recalled those days, her eyes filled with tears. It was so difficult for her being left by her husband since she was at home with an infant son and a little girl. She asked neighborhood friends for help until Abel was grown enough for her to carry him on her back. Those days were miserable for Asenaku and her little ones. It was so hard for her to feed them and support herself.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>After a while, she began working as a daily laborer in order to get a meager income for daily bread and house rent. She carried Abel on her back and left Eyerus to the care of neighborhood friends until came back from work. She was worked as cleaner and washed clothes at someone’s house.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>When Eyerus and Abel became old enough for school, she was unable to provide school materials and pay the school fee. It was beyond her capacity to bear.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>One day she heard about Kind Hearts School where her children can attend school for free. It was just like heaven for Asenaku to have this opportunity for her children. She went to the local government to get the document proving her situation that she is unable to send the children to other schools and enrolled Eyerus and Abel at Kind Hearts.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>Abel is a sweet boy and easily makes friends. He enjoys playing with older children. Now he is a model for the other younger children at Kind Hearts School.</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding: 0px 12px;"> </span>Dear sponsoring families, even though Abel and his sister were abandoned by their father, you have become part of their lives and are changing their future. One day Abel will tell others what the Lord did for him.</span></div>
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<a href="about:blank" style="text-align: left;">ImageProxy.jpg</a><img src="https://bay145.mail.live.com/Handlers/ImageProxy.mvc?bicild=&canary=9TCxdCPuUmi%2biece%2fqn4UqwOLzH8Nx9BOppWdF5e6LE%3d0&url=http%3a%2f%2fdonate.hopechest.org%2fimages%2fcontent%2fpagebuilder%2fkind_hearts-2013_01-2.jpg" /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is very typical and the miracle of that school being there for the family is also happening every time someone sponsors a little one. You can too at Kechene. Make a difference in an entire family's life!<span style="color: #444444;"> <a href="http://www.hopechest.org/community/kechene/sponsor">www.hopechest.org/community/kechene/sponsor</a></span></span></b></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-44691498622678115972013-01-20T14:16:00.001-06:002013-01-20T14:16:48.419-06:00I would like a sponsor.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Please sponsor me.</div>
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I love letters, pictures and your encouragement. </div>
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Thank you for this school so I can learn like my neighbors and friends.</div>
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Contact me for sponsorship. $1.13 a day can assure these children 2 meals a day, an education, their health check ups, a staff to watch over them, and a connection with a family who prays for them and cares for them from afar. <a href="mailto:gretabcg@hotmail.com">gretabcg@hotmail.com</a></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-10956406087895063232013-01-06T20:32:00.003-06:002013-01-07T19:11:13.141-06:00Thank you Sponsors and Friends for 2012!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thank you everyone for your support in 2012 for reaching goals beyond what we thought was possible! With your help in 2012, we were able to get more children sponsored, a library funded at the Kechene Care Point and money raised for the "Change Their Story" Campaign. I will let the Kechene Staff summarize the year for us in the following excerpts from the most recent quarterly newsletter...<br />
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From the children at Kechene:<br />
<span style="background-color: #f5f3f0; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">Every sponsored child is grateful for the support to receive meals, education and school supplies. They want to “thank all sponsor families, community leaders and Children’s HopeChest.” They are also thankful for the special gifts received from sponsoring families; like school uniforms and school supplies.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f5f3f0; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"> In general, they are grateful for all the support that they receive. All express their feelings of gratitude to the sponsoring families, community leaders and Children’s HopeChest.</span><br />
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<b style="line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #db5f00; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 19px;">Dramatic change of a little girl’s life</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">Elsa Kezo (ET2101127) was born in 2006. When she reached school age, her family could not enroll her in school. They were unable to provide for her the required school uniform and school supplies. They soon heard from a neighbor about the good news of Kechene (IEICA) School. Her family immediately set out to gain information on how to enroll Elsa to send her to this CarePoint at KG level. Elsa’s mother went to the local government office and obtained the clearance document. With the document her mother gladly brought Elsa to the school and enrolled her.</span><br style="line-height: 18px;" /><span style="line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 0px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14.25pt;">She is now an upper KG student and model for the other students in her class. She is an outstanding student. Elsa’s favorite subject is math. And her ambition is to be a doctor.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="line-height: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 12px; padding-right: 12px; padding-top: 0px;"> </span>Dear sponsoring families, connect community leaders and Children’s HopeChest, this great gift has happened through your significant contribution. She is thankful for what you have been doing for her.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span></div>
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It is stories like these and many others that I read about in some of Tom Davis's books (founder and leader at Children's Hopechest) that I realize the impact and how deep it goes once a child has the support of a family from afar. <i>"Priceless" and "Scared" are two novels written by Tom that I highly recommend that give an account of these children's lives through their stories. </i> </div>
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Thank you so much, on behalf of all the staff, children and families in the Kechene neighborhood in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. God is working through you to make a difference! It is not a choice but a command for us to care for the vulnerable and the orphaned. You are doing just that.</div>
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We do have 28 more children to sponsor due to more children coming to the drop off center/school. Please pass this along for friends and family to consider and visit the website </div>
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<a href="http://www.hopechest.org/community/kechene/sponsor/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">Sponsor a child at Kechene</span></a></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-69214475297642418462012-11-27T20:05:00.002-06:002012-11-27T20:15:57.212-06:00Library is Funded!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Soon, the children at Kechene will hear that they will be getting a corner of their school turned into a library!<br />
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This was a vision I had one day when thinking through the school's needs. I really felt God prompting this team to get those kids some books! When I brought it up to Children's Hopechest, the CH team in Ethiopia responded quickly. They were thrilled! However, there was no place to put the books. They had no shelving. They had no tables and they had no chairs, with the exception of their benches that they cram several children, shoulder to shoulder, on.<br />
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So, within a few months, we had a HUGE art sale. People from all over our area brought in their crafts, photography, paintings, jewelry, and so much more. People came to shop and we raised over $1000! The money started to grow.<br />
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Then, we received over 120 colorful and unique pieces of art from the children at Kechene. Sponsors generously donated money when they received their child's work. The money grew some more. Little by little, donation after donation via the website and our partners around the country, the money grew.<br />
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Now, we will be able to send $3700 to CH in Ethiopia at the end of Dec. Therefore, in the month of Jan., the staff at Kechene will be busy shopping for much needed reference books, some much needed new textbooks, building shelving, tables, chairs, and maybe even purchasing some books for fun!<br />
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This was a wonderful thing to get accomplished since there are no places in the Kechene neighborhood quite like this care point. Now, the children will have a place within their little school to read, explore, study, and learn! Thank you everyone for your part in this project! You make a difference one step or project at a time!<br />
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-46086144550725915472012-11-18T08:51:00.000-06:002012-11-18T08:51:04.839-06:00Karen's Team visits Kechene...and other updates...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Karen's team is just returning now from a full week in Ethiopia. Karen's team was loaded down with donations and full hearts to share with over 500 children in the capital of Ethiopia and the countryside.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They had a full load of care packages they handed out .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They brought donated blankets to the children of the dump area in Addis Ababa and another care point, called Korah.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They provided a special injera meal for everyone at 2 care points.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They also brought our toothbrushes and other small supplies to Kechene. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Karen's team visited Kechene for a short time one afternoon and was able to play with and entertain the children. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They stopped by a fruit stand and bakery to buy some bananas and rolls for all 160 children at Kechene. They LOVED them and enjoyed their visit very much!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUnlW5sgZ-4QFGUMjW849zdtplzwxSBTI6QnnGRQLSiEAo0Z_MS80nJF68-u0uDmXYw3XyNEHXFDlmqFBai8-_Um5B29dQ5bB0bHLJVx1IRWbL9tQk-MjEhFm-wzf2QDwRoos-gz0eTs/s1600/554026_4444149375333_1326336978_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUnlW5sgZ-4QFGUMjW849zdtplzwxSBTI6QnnGRQLSiEAo0Z_MS80nJF68-u0uDmXYw3XyNEHXFDlmqFBai8-_Um5B29dQ5bB0bHLJVx1IRWbL9tQk-MjEhFm-wzf2QDwRoos-gz0eTs/s320/554026_4444149375333_1326336978_n.jpg" width="212" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq75K2cOq4ZavAl5yjk8YhtxlfxXs7YUBH4cVzgm2N0U4KNOr7gMTBnf9OaaMh4LmykEXo4RfVJ73Nn7uSKp1dlVTx7eiQPY_92VpJGySso3Iw-oEIziguCSnHiAfdqkdKkq3YydGVeFY/s1600/407717_4509875078039_635320868_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq75K2cOq4ZavAl5yjk8YhtxlfxXs7YUBH4cVzgm2N0U4KNOr7gMTBnf9OaaMh4LmykEXo4RfVJ73Nn7uSKp1dlVTx7eiQPY_92VpJGySso3Iw-oEIziguCSnHiAfdqkdKkq3YydGVeFY/s320/407717_4509875078039_635320868_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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More to come upon Karen's return. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Thanks Karen and the team for your love and dedication to these children!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Karen and her girls with one of their sponsor daughters at Kind Hearts Care Point.</span></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-3565720960926368582012-11-02T07:27:00.000-05:002012-11-02T07:27:04.098-05:00Water Purifier donated!!!This week, we heard from Children's Hopechest that a very generous donor has asked to donate water purifiers to some of Children's Hopechest's Care Points. Kechene was one of them!!<br />
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This is an amazing thing for Kechene since, like so many households and places in the country are using water that is at its most primitive state. The water would make you and I sick, and some of the children at Kechene sick as well. Now, the filtration system will be able to make it safe for those more susceptible to disease.<br />
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I will send pictures of the system in place once this project is completed, but this is a project where no more money is necessary to see through to the end. What a blessing that is!!<br />
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This is the water system that is in place now. It consists of a large bucket up high in the air and pipes that carry the water to this trough for the children to use with the faucets. The water comes from city distribution when they can get it there. That water is not always safe to drink. Now, with a filtration system, it will be safe!! </div>
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<br />Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-58922234707861411252012-10-22T21:29:00.003-05:002012-10-22T21:30:01.549-05:00Change Their Story Campaign <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>What:</b></span> A campaign Children's Hopechest and sponsorship coordinators are partnering to bring change to Kechene<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>How: </b></span>Consider having a fundraiser in your area to raise $500 by Dec. 31; Rummage Sale, Bake Sale, Jeans Day at work, Brown Bag Lunch'n it, donations from family and friends, etc.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Why:</b></span> 160+ children in the slums of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia are surviving and working hard to learn so they can be changed forever! They need our help! We can raise the money via 10 team members and change Kechene for the better.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Who:</b></span> YOU! With the money raised by 10 teams, you being one of them, we can choose our project for Kechene for Christmas. Contact me to be on a team and CHANGE THEIR STORY!<br />
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<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">Here is the story told by Children's Hopechest...</span></b></i></div>
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Dear Greta,</div>
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Thank you for signing up for more information about <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">Change Their Story</strong>, the Children's HopeChest Christmas campaign for orphans. I wanted to get you some information about what to expect in the next few weeks, and answer any remaining questions you might have.</div>
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The first part of this e-mail is about team captains. If you only are interested in being a participant, scroll down for that content. </div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 42px;">What is a team captain?</strong></div>
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The team captain does everything a participant does. That means you select a project, set a fundraising goal, create a personal page, and ask your friends to make donations on behalf of your project. </div>
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In addition to participating, there are two <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">key</strong> aspects you help with:</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">First, you commit to recruiting 10 or more volunteer fundraisers to join your team. </strong>This is the most critical aspect of being a captain. By bringing more people to the campaign, we increase our chances for a very successful campaign. <em style="font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;">A team of 10 people is a goal to reach for. There are very effective teams of 3-8 people as well.</em>Reach out now to start recruiting your team members. Send them to <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://donate.hopechest.org/site/R?i=D_IHEcWSobaLCGznM3WQtg" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">this page</a></strong>, and tell them to indicate they want to be on your team. </div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">Second, you agree to encourage and support team members throughout this process. </strong>That means you'll be sending encouragement and reminder e-mails to your team members throughout the campaign. You'll have a special section of your fundraising page to send team member e-mail messages. We suggest you contact each team member 1-2 times per week to ensure they are on track. I will have some pre-formatted messages you can adapt and use.</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">Ready to be a captain? </strong>Just reply to this e-mail and I'll get in touch with you about how to select your project for Change Their Story 2012. You'll have a special registration process to ensure you are set up properly as the team captain.</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 42px;">What is a participant?</strong></div>
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If you signed up as a participant, just sit tight for now. In about 2 weeks, I'll be sending you the official registration link with all the login information you need to select your fundraising project and set up your personal page. Here's what you can do right now:</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">1. Determine your fundraising goal. </strong><br />
We suggest starting with $500. Over the past two years, the average participant has raised around $800. If you don't reach your goal <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">that's okay!</strong> We will use the money you do raise to support the proejct you selected.</div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">2. Think about the project you want to support.</strong>HopeChest works in 9 countries, and we have projects to help with food, water, medical care, education, trafficking, and microenterprise. <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">If you are a current child sponsor, you can pick the project associated with your child's CarePoint or orphanage. </strong></div>
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<strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">3. Invite your friends and family to join Change Their Story.</strong>Would you take a moment to ask others to join you as a volunteer fundraiser this year? Just send them to this <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://donate.hopechest.org/site/R?i=W1xCAmHYvMnSsQDIAlp4BQ" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">link</a></strong> to read and pre-register just like you did. <strong style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">And begin to make a list of who you are going to ask to support your project goal. </strong></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-74746678169321419702012-10-08T12:34:00.000-05:002012-10-11T06:51:34.436-05:00We're back and want to go to school!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We have a couple children yet who need a sponsor to love them from afar and to care for them through Children's Hopechest's support. Children's Hopechest is the organization that we sponsor through. The Christian organization employ social workers, teachers and directors who are very active at Kechene, watch out for the kids, and organize the care point in order to feed and educate over 130 children!<br />
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In a year and a half, we have gone from 56 children to 130 children and they are all sponsored, but 2! We had 100% sponsorship at one point, but some of them moved away for various reasons while others discovered the care point for food and shelter. Most of the time, the children are at the care point 6 days a week, but sometimes death in the family or sickness of a parent forces them to stay home or to move in with a different relative.<br />
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Presently, these 2 children are NOT sponsored for reasons like that or other reasons. If you feel moved to support them for $34/month, please consider one of these boys. You can mail me at <a href="mailto:gretabcg@hotmail.com">gretabcg@hotmail.com</a> if you would like to sponsor. Thanks so much.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My name is Lemiya and I am 7 years old. I was at Kechene and came back, but don't have my sponsor anymore since I moved away and came back. Please sponsor me again. Thank you.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrl6p_rSREm5RzpcOB2yahysIvI1sdiZuRsLk5KLiqZ9vfC9LOxSjghG0ypwGXaxZfOWkD3Lym8_d_j9LQPwnYasN_Qfq1-dip_YmQC77mBMsZ31XV5ywwMgvMr7JXcrR_z-z7HIOD8E/s1600/ET2101197+Leiya+Garda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrl6p_rSREm5RzpcOB2yahysIvI1sdiZuRsLk5KLiqZ9vfC9LOxSjghG0ypwGXaxZfOWkD3Lym8_d_j9LQPwnYasN_Qfq1-dip_YmQC77mBMsZ31XV5ywwMgvMr7JXcrR_z-z7HIOD8E/s320/ET2101197+Leiya+Garda.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hi, my name is Tamirat and I am 11 years old. I had a sponsor, but for some reason they are not sponsoring anymore. Please sponsor. I love getting letters and know about you. Thank you.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQguM_-TuDZpgLhaI5xawbloZp2fwAhoDufRYJyyJ6PiE3bj59aoRpLzKwUX88l5Wjc8YXFnhoB24jWIzY2SWE1T6fE0UClN_yn7inUbwpW6oDfc1qPzta_jk-LK1mxcZ050Tj31HVuA/s1600/ET2101166+Tamirat+Baleme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQguM_-TuDZpgLhaI5xawbloZp2fwAhoDufRYJyyJ6PiE3bj59aoRpLzKwUX88l5Wjc8YXFnhoB24jWIzY2SWE1T6fE0UClN_yn7inUbwpW6oDfc1qPzta_jk-LK1mxcZ050Tj31HVuA/s320/ET2101166+Tamirat+Baleme.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-43027585587911924332012-09-11T13:44:00.000-05:002012-10-11T06:50:18.401-05:00I need a sponsor...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hi, my name is Henok and I live in Addis Ababa. I am able to attend a school there because there are sponsors helping to keep it going. I had a sponsor, but now I do not have one. It is fun to get letters from them and pictures. Would you be my sponsor? SPONSORED!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2d3DaY898dwu7Ou0IH4QQisVUqmczCLgNJwK75UYkqdVtwutve7dCAbPe2xZyWfFhjTFLl6vewaByr8UBTGBKvq0hTQH19fgvMdFzGWNpMzb_Tqsy8TIBCquZt0NDVN0feF-YnvBIL4/s1600/ET2101176+Henok+Kebede.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2d3DaY898dwu7Ou0IH4QQisVUqmczCLgNJwK75UYkqdVtwutve7dCAbPe2xZyWfFhjTFLl6vewaByr8UBTGBKvq0hTQH19fgvMdFzGWNpMzb_Tqsy8TIBCquZt0NDVN0feF-YnvBIL4/s320/ET2101176+Henok+Kebede.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hi, my name is Genet. I live in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia too and go to Kechene School. I had to leave Kechene and move away, but now I am back and I love being with my friends again. Would you be my sponsor? SPONSORED!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Fa4ZWhB3CINS_xbEoD1Fzbx_BH8uxiDCxaEBvLPz6mtk_CuGKLakF8ee2WknXZyDbrTC8_uFEpOWZ0xiglpjO8w54AOvbuCp31lLSHw7kWntwPgb6SyzZfvN8O1ZrR-kpZEgS1TIw-w/s1600/ET2101184+Genet+Tadesse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Fa4ZWhB3CINS_xbEoD1Fzbx_BH8uxiDCxaEBvLPz6mtk_CuGKLakF8ee2WknXZyDbrTC8_uFEpOWZ0xiglpjO8w54AOvbuCp31lLSHw7kWntwPgb6SyzZfvN8O1ZrR-kpZEgS1TIw-w/s320/ET2101184+Genet+Tadesse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hi, my name is Ayenalem and I am 16 years old and in the Ethiopian 5th grade. I had to leave Addis Ababa and my school, but now I came back, so I lost my sponsor. Please sponsor me since I LOVE getting letters and pictures and it feels really great to be prayed for by someone in America! SPONSORED!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WX92kCLfP1ajn05OW6CLcwbu0Ga9onN22N9mxXNS33wxNfrWh142PempzuwyUQdl4e42yFSUPONo4YJq88tkrLjUTDfWKEey-3cTb2YBLV1jub2-jywBHkSrXskfGHzOsKc4xbaVsqQ/s1600/ET2101215+Ayenalem+Abebe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2WX92kCLfP1ajn05OW6CLcwbu0Ga9onN22N9mxXNS33wxNfrWh142PempzuwyUQdl4e42yFSUPONo4YJq88tkrLjUTDfWKEey-3cTb2YBLV1jub2-jywBHkSrXskfGHzOsKc4xbaVsqQ/s320/ET2101215+Ayenalem+Abebe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These children need your help. They are at Kechene Care Point with 125 other children who ARE sponsored, but they are not. Though these are not their <i>exact</i> words, this is what the staff has shared with us that they would like. You can see them on our web page <a href="http://www.hopechest.org/community/kechene">http://www.hopechest.org/community/kechene</a> </div>
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and sign up today! When you sponsor a child at Kechene Care Point in the slums of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, you are changing lives of the vulnerable one child at a time. Thank you!</div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-86202456309680260812012-09-07T15:19:00.003-05:002012-09-10T14:42:45.833-05:00Update on the Library and Children's Hopechest community page for Kechene<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Since we first started the Kechene Library Project (shelves, tables, chairs, reference books, textbooks, and other necessary books), we have raised $2965! In order to achieve ALL the needs for the little library at the school, our goal is $3700. To view our progress or donate, you can go to this link at <a href="http://www.go.hopechest.org/kechene-library">www.go.hopechest.org/kechene-library</a><br />
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Also, Children's Hopechest and I are introducing a new web page on the Children's Hopechest website. Follow it to find all the newest information about Kechene at<br />
<a href="http://www.hopechest.org/community/kechene">http://www.hopechest.org/community/kechene</a><br />
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The new web page is a great way to view sponsored and unsponsored children at the care point, or to just see what is going on at Kechene. The page is user friendly and easy to share with those who may want more information about our care point in Ethiopia or perhaps wanting to sponsor.<br />
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-32187241263959033642012-08-20T16:57:00.000-05:002012-08-20T17:03:41.188-05:00Art Sale a Success!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Wood working from family and church friends</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Photography from my dad and my friend</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Mums in chalkboard painted pots from a friend</span></div>
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A step stool all decorated ready for a porch from my mother-in-law</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0b5394;">Necklaces from friends</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #351c75;">Crocheted hats and scarves from friends</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Embroidered towels and hand sewn items from my Mom</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Hand crafted baby headbands and wonderful packaged bath salts from a friend</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Hand Knit blanket from my sister-in-law</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc;">Art work from a church friend's daughter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;">Headbands from my son's cross country teammate</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">Paintings from a neighbor, my son's art teacher, and from a church member</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Birdhouses from my father-in-law's friend</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #fce5cd;">Baked goods from friends </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The list could go on and on and on!</span></div>
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<b>And then there was all the help I had before, during, and after the sale...</b></div>
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<i>Karen F.</i></div>
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<i>Karen H.</i></div>
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<i>Penny N.</i></div>
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<i>Staci D.</i></div>
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<i>Joanne</i></div>
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<i>Cindy L.</i></div>
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<i>Keith B.</i></div>
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<i>Matt B.</i></div>
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<i>Caleb</i></div>
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<i>Gavin</i></div>
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<i>Jenny H.</i></div>
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<i>Dale H.</i></div>
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<i>Mayra A.</i></div>
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<i>Joyce V.</i></div>
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<i>Steph B.</i></div>
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<i>Paula U.</i></div>
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<i>Susan B.</i></div>
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<i>Brian and Cherie R.</i></div>
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<i>Chance W.</i></div>
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<i>Jorre D.</i></div>
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<i>Jeanne J.</i></div>
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<i>Laci S.</i></div>
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<i>Anita P.</i></div>
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<i>Jami L.</i></div>
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I know there are so many more because I found myself saying thank you in my sleep. Everywhere I turned, someone was helping me do something. </div>
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It is HUMBLING.</div>
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It is OVERWHELMING.</div>
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It is GOD!</div>
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We made our goal! $2000 was raised for the kids' library at Kechene Care Point. 130 children will soon enjoy a corner just for them to study in with reference books, dictionaries, and some fun books to just read all while sitting on chairs at tables.<br />
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Thank you, Byers and Anderson Families, Dodgeville, and Hidden Valley Community Church!<br />
You made a difference! God is so good!</div>
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-65113623670449939922012-08-13T23:02:00.005-05:002012-08-13T23:03:49.114-05:00What is this Art/Craft sale we speak of???<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Art Sale? Crafts? Bake Sale?<br />
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It is all to benefit the kids at Kechene Care Point in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where we have 130 children who are presently sponsored by folks here in the U.S. through Children's Hopechest. <a href="http://www.hopechest.org/">www.hopechest.org</a><br />
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All 100% of the money raised from the sale will go towards their "library." This will consist of reference books, a few shelves, a couple tables, and chairs and hopefully some "fun" books! We are excited since they don't expect it to all be done in one sale, but our goal is $3500!<br />
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Come help us achieve this goal and give these children a library they have never had before!<br />
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Where? Hidden Valley Community Church<br />
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When? Sat., Aug. 18 from 9a.m.-3 p.m.<br />
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What? Over 20 artists/crafters featured with items like wood pens, trivets, cutting boards, crocheted hats, beautiful scarves, paintings and photographs, a girly table, baked goods, and even lunch of BBQ sandwiches, chips and lemonade.<br />
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Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-80404418935515857522012-07-28T09:57:00.005-05:002012-07-29T22:56:40.745-05:00Treading in new waters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As I emailed all the sponsors recently, we had some changes with this new idea of the children at our care point creating art to help support their school. The original idea was big and getting bigger. I felt as if we had something that could really grow and empower the children, but sometimes those ideas are too big, too fast.<br />
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In receiving the artwork from the children at Kechene and sending it all out to the sponsors who donated for the school's library we are presently raising funds for, it became a concern with Children's Hopechest that it could be child labor. I know we do this all the time in the States to raise money for schools like new playgrounds or improvements on classrooms. However, in a country like Ethiopia, it could be seen as a gray area and we MUST be careful.<br />
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So, the artwork has all been sent out to the sponsors as a gift from their sponsor children at Kechene. If they feel they would like to donate to the library, or anyone else who feels moved to do that, they can still go to the link <a href="http://www.go.hopechest.org/kechene-library">www.go.hopechest.org/kechene-library</a> and the funds will go directly to the library that Kechene so desperately needs. (This will consist of reference books like dictionaries, extra textbooks and thesauruses, as well as a shelf, tables and chairs.)<br />
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As far as empowering the children to help their own school, this is still a frustrating factor that I hope to work through with the organization, and Ethiopia for that matter. I strongly believe that empowerment and self-help is the key to growth and prosperity, but it is a battle I am not fighting alone, nor one to be solved overnight. New waters may need some more treading, but we will keep swimming forward before giving up!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Ironically," this verse was shared today at church...</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the Proper time He may exalt you." 1 Peter 5:6</span></i></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-74750234853576961072012-07-07T21:56:00.001-05:002012-07-07T21:56:35.690-05:00Art work is HERE!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have been a little giddy lately... the long awaited art work arrived last week and I have just now had the chance to photograph all of them and get them on line, all 127 of them. (3 children did not finish their painting when they were sent.:( )I will soon be sending them out to everyone so they can look for their sponsor child's art!<br />
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I'm excited because they are all so precious! They were done by the kids at Kechene during their art class knowing that they were going to their sponsors and that it would be making money for their own school! The goal is $3200 for shelves, reference books, extra textbooks, chairs and tables. Their new "library" is something I thought they would need and it turns out they are very much in need of these items.<br />
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I will send out an email soon to all the sponsors will ALL the art. The children painted their picture AND their names and reference numbers on the material (muslin I think) so folks can see who it belongs to. They are all so cute!<br />
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So, here is a sampler of the joyous, colorful pieces of creativity the little ones (Kindergardeners and 1st-3rd graders) have done for you...<br />
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Gotta Love them!</div>
<br /></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-92214200561422891432012-07-06T08:57:00.000-05:002012-07-07T21:41:58.741-05:00Garage Sale a success!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In April, it looked like Nov. 2012 would be the date to go back to Ethiopia to see all the children at Kechene and continue work to link sponsors with their sponsor child. However, since then, I have had clear direction that June 2013 is better timing for Caleb.<br />
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Since then, I had planned a garage sale to raise part of our enormous goal of $6000 so I set a lofty goal of $1000! In our small town, this is not very realistic. Most garage sales earn about $300 for a good sale. The heat last week was intense and it looked to be a very far reach.<br />
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I started to ask for donations for the sale from friends and family back in early June. I have a friend who has been very motivated to clean out their basement and she said this was the event she needed to get the job done. When the week came, last week, to start collecting the items, they really started coming! First a couple boxes from Matt's mom, then, a few more boxes from Matt's mom, then, more stuff from Matt's mom. (You get the idea...) Since we do not have a garage, I asked for people to bring things close to the garage sale date. Well, on Wed., Selam's room was packed full of stuff. I was starting to get worried that I would not get this all sold!<br />
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Our neighbors offered their amazing, new double car garage to use for the sale, Thank God!! By Thursday afternoon, it was PACKED! We had everything from kitchen tables, to furniture, to name brand clothes stack after stack. The donations came from people I have never met who heard from someone else that this sale was for our kids at Kechene.<br />
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I was so overwhelmed by not only the generosity, but the way folks were talking it out with friends and neighbors. The word spread quickly and by Thursday night when we closed the garage door before the sale, it barely closed. Now, my husband was really worried that we would not get rid of it all and we would be taking load after load to storage. It really was a lot of stuff!!! I reassured him that it would be ok and I'll take care of it. The verse, "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in prayer and petition lift your cares to the Lord," became my verse for the weekend!<br />
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By Friday, people were lined up outside of the garage door before 7 a.m. The shoppers didn't stop coming until we closed at 4:00 p.m. We had already made over $600! Sat. was slower, but we still sold a ton! We even gave out $1 bags by the last half hour. Gavin, our 12 year old, had the idea to put out a donation bucket! Good thing, not only did it make us $82 on Friday, but another $42 on Sat! Plus, we were able to share what we were doing to everyone!<br />
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By the end of the garage sale, all of the big "stuff" was sold and all that was left was the little stuff that we were able to donate to We Care and Goodwill. The whopping total for the sale was $1008! (That's with all my expenses taken out from advertising and starter money.) How amazing!<br />
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<i>HUGE thank yous go out to Mueller Implement for the donation of tables, Scott and Jami Lundell, Susan and Mike Bisbach, Tim and Mayra Angel, Keith and Connie Byers (my fearless mother-in-law and father-in-law for all the amazing donations and Connie's tireless help at the sale), Elizabeth Morgan, JT and Keeley Thomas for their garage usage, Anita Phillips, Bill and Lynn Abbott for their incredible lot of vintage toys and books, Cindy Wiker, Staci Driscoll (help at the sale and donations), Maggie Piper, Amanda Lockmann, Sandy Marty, Patty Steil, MacKenzie Johnson, and all the shoppers and donors who helped rack up the total!</i><br />
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<br /></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-88855659843691468182012-06-27T07:41:00.001-05:002012-06-27T07:41:27.050-05:00Teacher comes to Kechene<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Cherokee Gives Back" is an organization that works to bring education to vulnerable areas around the world. They are located in North Carolina, but send volunteers out to spend 3-4 months at a location to assist in any way possible while also giving Americans experience in their field of work.<br />
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Colleen is one of those teachers sent by "Cherokee Gives Back" and has arrived at Kechene! She has a blog that she will be updating as she assists the children at Kechene with Math or whatever the staff needs her to do.<br />
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I added her blog to my favorite links so you can read it periodically as I will be doing. I asked several friends and family if this would be something to share and they all thought it was a valuable resource and reading a different perspective of the care point was really interesting. So, here is the entry I read this week, again, you can find the entire blog on my favorite links section in the right column down a ways.<br />
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<a href="http://colleensummer2012.blogspot.com/2012/06/settling-in.html" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration: none;">Settling in</a></h3>
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This past week, I have felt much more useful and much more productive at Kechene school. I am starting to get to know the kids and their different but totally cute personalities, and I literally cannot believe how smart they are! I am also getting to know the teachers well too, and that has been great. We have conversations about education, marriage, and just about life, usually while we are eating rice and cabbage for lunch (the students are totally silent during this time because they are concentrating so hard on eating their own food). And when we are feeling frustrated from the language barrier, we just go outside and play volleyball, and all is well.<br /><br />I have only ended up teaching one day this week, for about half an hour. And believe me, it was tough (in a different way than in New Orleans, but still as tough for sure). Anyway, I asked the math teacher what he wanted me to teach, and he said "Anything! American math!" And I was like..uhhhh.....help haha. I know nothing about kindergarten curriculum, and at the time I had no idea how much math these student knew! So I decided to teach them order of operations, because it was clear that they could add and subtract (I focused on how to evaluate math expressions when they included parenthesis). Thus, I began my lesson to at least 30 six and seven year old kids. They had no notebooks or pencils, so only a few kids could work out a problem at the same time on the chalkboard, which was quite problematic for my behavior management! Not to mention the language barrier, which was hard (although I am pretty good at counting in Amharic now, I must say!). Teaching was quite an experience... but I think I learned a lot from just jumping right into it, and I have a few ideas for improvement when I teach next time. I really want to teach an African geography lesson (they love pointing out things on their map).<br /><br />I have found tutoring students during recess and breaks to be much more productive. The first time I had sat in on a class, I noticed one of the students was REALLY far behind the others. So at recess tapped him on the shoulder, and we practiced the English alphabet together. I made flashcards, because I noticed he could only do the alphabet in order. He really liked the hands-on activity. In fact, like five other kids gathered round and were studying with us! It was great. The next day, I started giving kids math problems. Now a few of them walk up to me and ask me to give them a problem right when they get to school, even though they have time to play outside then. Especially these two really cute kids named Besufucato and Limya (Limya has the biggest eyes I have ever seen!). Anway, it makes me really happy that they enjoy learning, this is going to take them far in life.<br /><br />I am also working on a few other projects for the school, like writing a newsletter about the graduating kindergarteners and editing their school brochure. Also, one of the teachers is starting another school in his neighborhood, because none of the kids there have enough money to go otherwise (government school tuition is free, but students have to pay for uniforms, books, and meals). A church has donated land and labor to build a school house, but other than that they have no funds whatsoever. But this teacher has such a big heart, that I think it will work one way or another. I am helping him write a proposal and budget; it's a great learning experience for me! I hope the school will be successful because the kids deserve it.<br /><br />So even though there are setbacks often, things are going really well over here. I almost feel like I have been living here for like a year! It's only been three weeks though.... :)<br /><br />-Colleen</div>
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</div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-45117410312712229142012-06-25T22:47:00.003-05:002012-06-25T22:47:54.466-05:00God has spoken, and His answer is "WAIT."<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, after some restless days last week of feeling anxious over getting things done and shots taken care of, and $6000 raised by Nov., I prayed. I prayed for clarity like never before. I prayed over the email I sent to the sponsors for help with the trip. And I prayed for peace in our family about this decision.<br />
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God answered ALL of these prayers almost immediately after sending the emails out to the sponsors. I had just sent out the first email with an explanation that I was wanting to go back to Ethiopia and take our 16 year old son, Caleb when the phone rang. It was my friend, Susan informing me that I had 2 different conflicting reference numbers for which to give a donation for our trip. I thanked her and sent out another email with notes for the change. Again, I prayed that as it went out, if God wanted me to go back in Nov., to open the doors and raise the money. If God did not want me to go back in Nov., I told God that I was ok with that and that I just wanted to do His will. I truly meant it this time and felt peace almost instantly.<br />
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Well, almost immediately, I got another phone call. This time from my friend Kristen who just came back from Ethiopia with her son, Dalton. He is also 16 and will also be a junior. I asked her how her trip was with her son. She was very honest with me and said that she could NEVER have taken him during the school year since there was so much to process after their experiences at the care points. I totally know what she is talking about. It was very emotional for me upon coming back in 2010 and to think of our Caleb coming back with this load to process AND trying to catch up with missing 9 days of school was like the loudest message I have heard in a long time!<br />
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The decision was made. But then, Kristen made it even easier. She invited me to help her lead next June's trip back to Ethiopia to visit Kebron, her care point, Kechene and of course, Kind Hearts too, where our sponsor daughter attends school and building will be underway for a new school! I had to start calling and writing all the people I would "disappoint." This actually turned out surprisingly well! I called a church friend who was planning on going in Nov., but when I told him the change, he was excited since his wife may be able to attend now with it being summer, and she is also a teacher. I wrote Karen, my dear friend who I would have been traveling with in Nov. She was also very understanding and was just happy we were finally at peace. I will really miss the experience with her!! But then, with Caleb, I explained and he was actually relieved, as was his friend's family who was also going to go. They are actually excited to <u>not </u>miss school and will be able to do their best their junior year. I also had to talk with Selam's mom in Ethiopia, who was just as excited as I was to meet and spend an entire weekend together in Addis. She was very understanding and agreed with me that it was a better time to come with Caleb.<br />
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And finally, my dear, patient husband, Matt. He did not say "I told you so." Rather, he was just excited for Caleb and his friend Chance to have the school year to focus on their studies and to then really experience Ethiopia! So, it all worked out all right, you see? God's plan brought peace. If we listen hard enough and are stubborn, like me, long enough, God will show us the way!<br />
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June 2013, ETHIOPIA, here we come!!</div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-63072974213346545732012-06-14T08:11:00.003-05:002012-06-17T22:04:17.124-05:00Two visitors in one week!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In one week, we have had 2 visitors to Kechene! Whoo Hoo!</div>
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The first visitor was Kristen Roach, my new friend and roommate when I was in Ethiopia in 2010. She was visiting her care point that she coordinates called Kebron. It is south of Addis, but she stopped at Kechene for us to pick up the art work that the children were working on for our art show in Aug.</div>
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The second visitor to Kechene just today was a woman who delivered a huge box of teaching supplies for us. Several teachers in our area like Penny Edwards and her colleagues as well as Beth Ingraham from Elroy, WI donated things that they thought the teachers would use and that were actually requested by those teachers. Thank you to Jenny Harris also for the extra colorful letters and other great supplies! I will post a picture as soon as I get one.</div>
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As I read in the email from Teresa, who delivered the box, I was instantly reminded of my heartache for the school and those kids. She wrote of her intense desire to help as her eyes were opened. It really does open your eyes when you visit and I needed to hear that from Teresa for new energy for this care point. Thank you Teresa for your visit, your inspiration, and your heart! Here is what she said after her visit today at Kechene...</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;">Gret<span style="font-family: arial; line-height: normal;">a it was an amazing trip. We just got back. We plan to come back to visit school. Please let me know how we can get their uniforms and shoes asap to them. They really want them. Also I am sending them crayons, makers and pencils in a few weeks thru a family. My husband is gonna come back will plan with Juree and spend a week with some men from church....will also bring new basketball goals then. We loved the teachers. Want to send them some money at Christmas and gifts if possible when you come.<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />Thanks for your hard work!! Our eyes are opened we will help more!!!!!!!!!!!!!<br style="line-height: 17px;" /><br style="line-height: 17px;" />Much love to you,</span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;">Teresa Toney</span></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Just a side note, the uniforms/shoes have been ordered, we are just waiting for the order to be filled. This is one of those cultural differences that is very difficult for Americans to get used to with instant gratification. We get upset when things are late to come after we have ordered it. In Ethiopia, this is the norm. I will send pictures as soon as they get their uniforms and shoes. </span></div>
</div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-63045970836850106492012-06-05T10:00:00.004-05:002012-06-05T12:16:32.902-05:00Here we Go!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(Fundraising, that is.)<br />
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<i>Now that school is over for the summer, Caleb and I and our friends and family are busy planning how to fund raise $6,000! That is quite monumental for us, but we've got some pretty sweet ideas that God continues to show us. </i><br />
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<b>June 29, 30</b>-<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Massive Rummage</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span>Sale to be held at a friend's shed. Bake sale and lots of items from many families will be available for sale. The awesome thing is that my brother, Leland, really wants to see us "get to business" and will match what we raise up to $500 by Aug. 1. So, our earnings may become bigger with his challenge! Thanks, Leland and Rachel!!<br />
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<b>Aug. 18</b>-<b> </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Art/Craft Sale</span></b> </span>at Hidden Valley Community Church from 9:00-3:00 will (1) <u>benefit Kechene's Care Point by raising money for their new library.</u> I would LOVE to be able to purchase books for the children to have a library they can read from and get into stories that inspire them to write and enjoy reading. Right now there is nothing for them to read other than textbooks. (2) <u>We would also love to serve the children a special meal while I am there in Nov. of goat wot and injera. </u><br />
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We will be featuring several area artists including, but not limited to; oil paintings, wooden pens and crafts, popular crocheted items, scarves, photography, jewelry, and other crafts.<br />
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We will be showcasing and introducing the art work of the children from Kechene!! They will be sending their own artwork via another traveler. We will be selling copies and various items made from their artwork. I am really excited about this display since it's an experiment for making long-term money for the care point. If the art sells well and becomes marketable, various fair trade stores will continue to sell the art making it possible for Kechene to make their own money and support themselves long-term.<br />
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If you would like to sponsor Caleb and I, you can go to the Chidlren's Hopechest website directly at this link. In the reference field write,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">“</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;"><b>ET121102T Byers</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px;">”</span>in the Notes field, enter <b>"Greta and Caleb Byers."</b><br />
<a href="https://secure3.convio.net/chc/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=mtaydopur2.app332b">https://secure3.convio.net/chc/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=mtaydopur2.app332b</a><br />
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Thanks so much for your continued support!<br />
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<br /></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-19709735857103391242012-05-16T17:58:00.001-05:002012-06-05T12:17:31.843-05:00Travel Plans to Ethiopia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In November, 2011, my friend Karen Wistrom returned to Ethiopia to continue the connection with her care points. She also graciously visited Kechene for us and delivered our care packages, letters and pictures. She and her team gave hugs, bought special food for the children, and took many photos. Through her efforts, we saw our children growing and happy; happy because they got special gifts from you, and also very happy to have a connection with their sponsors, YOU! Our connection with each other is critical in keeping us aware of what is happening at their school and in their lives. It also teaches the children to trust us when we continue to return and help improve their lives, and it helps ALL OF US see where our money is going. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzNgfYK1xMxEWYDsx7fjmz46FTSiXp5AlG89pb36aTDVg-5mLuz2IrscP3Am0mC_-kdgqlDRNoqHQMnaVY3C78pxPar2L6M8_U_ifDefCr9enclMoKSbd3OYfjUHaHpe90eCjrOOrZG0/s1600/100_8170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzNgfYK1xMxEWYDsx7fjmz46FTSiXp5AlG89pb36aTDVg-5mLuz2IrscP3Am0mC_-kdgqlDRNoqHQMnaVY3C78pxPar2L6M8_U_ifDefCr9enclMoKSbd3OYfjUHaHpe90eCjrOOrZG0/s320/100_8170.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: normal;">This year I feel called to personally return to Kechene, with a</span> goal to deliver care packages, your letters, pictures and gifts. I also hope <span style="line-height: normal;">to feed a special meal of goat and injera</span> to the children, and of course take LOTS of pictures to share with you. But, what's really been on my mind and heart lately is wanting to begin planning with the staff of Kechene for them to become self-sufficient. This, <span style="line-height: normal;">of course</span>, is our ultimate goal, but I would like to begin now to make it a reality.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">My son, Caleb (16), would like to join me this year,<span style="line-height: normal;"> which would </span>help him reach beyond himself during this crucial time of his life <span style="line-height: normal;">as he gives of himself to help others.</span><span style="line-height: normal;"> Together,</span><span style="line-height: normal;"> we would travel with Karen on Nov. 11, 2012. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">During my first travel to ET in 2010, I paid for the trip out-of-pocket. This year, <span style="line-height: normal;">however, I am not able to do that. With a per person cost of $3,000, I am seeking help with funding this trip.</span> If you feel you can help us reach our goal, Hopechest has a spot for sponsoring Caleb and I that has been set up for easy donations. Please visit it <span style="line-height: normal;">then</span> pass it on to others. I tend to feel guilty for putting this money into a "trip" instead of sending it directly to Kechene, however, there would be no sponsorship had the first trip not taken place.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">Thank you so much for being the hands and feet of Christ through your sponsorship. I pray that we can continue to work for your little ones by bringing YOU to THEM! Please keep my son and me in your prayers as we work to raise the funds for this goal.</span></span></div>
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Children's Hopechest has a space for donations on their website that is tax deductible. Go to <a href="https://secure3.convio.net/chc/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=mtaydopur2.app332b">https://secure3.convio.net/chc/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=mtaydopur2.app332b</a><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><div style="line-height: 17px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span">Please use "ET121102TByers"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span">as your reference number and in the Notes Field, please write, "Greta and Caleb Byers"</span><br />
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Thanks so much!</div>
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</span></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-54896906206883990922012-05-09T16:51:00.002-05:002012-05-09T16:54:14.465-05:00Cakes for Kids!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Huge THANKS go out to Amanda Lockmann for her amazing work and talents with the facebook cake auction last Friday! We raised $400!! That money will be sent to Children's Hopechest and put in our account with Children's Hopechest. <a href="http://www.hopechest.org/connect/">http://www.hopechest.org/connect/</a><br />
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Also thank you so many of you for bidding and WINNING! Not only did you get an awesome cake, but you are making it possible for us to get closer to our next goal!<br />
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Check out some of these amazing cakes!</div>
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</div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-1973164373748074052012-05-08T14:06:00.000-05:002012-05-09T07:14:47.472-05:00"Cherokee Gives Back" Collaborates with us!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week, I was googling our care point in Ethiopia to see if there would be anything new and fresh to share with the sponsors. When I usually do this, I get some of the old videos that were taken before I became involved with the school. This time, wow, I was amazed! There has been a teacher from Colorado working with the kids for about 2 1/2 months! He came to them via an organization called, "Cherokee Gives Back."<a href="http://cherokeegivesback.org/">http://cherokeegivesback.org/</a> They send out missionaries and volunteers to help various schools in 3rd world countries and Tom happened to be one of them who got sent to our school, Kechene.<br />
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Since I have read part of this blog, I have contacted "Cherokee Gives Back" and we are now collaborating together for the care point. We will be working together for the good of the school from now on, so this was an amazing discovery.<br />
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I would like to share some of this young man's blog with you. I had been praying for more details about their school day at Kechene and what life is like on a daily basis with 130 children present every day. Here is what he had to say...<br />
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<i>From Tom, a blogger who volunteers through "Cherokee Gives Back" at Kechene</i><br />
<i>From his Feb. 12, 2012 entry:</i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px;">My alarm goes off at 6:59. I dress and pack my bag. I wear the same thing every day – jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie and tennis shoes. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">Our house is located between a brothel masquerading as a bar and the Palestinian Embassy.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">I walk down a hill to the Tor Highluch bus station.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px;">In Addis, cars do not depreciate; they only appreciate. The price of a gallon of gas – $4, the same as a generous meal in one of the city’s nicer restaurants – is not enough to dissuade the fire-breathing dragons of commerce.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I finally arrive to the school between 8:40 and 9.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">I am immediately, adoringly swarmed by a gaggle of 4-6 year-olds. After a series of hugs, kisses, and high-fives, I exchange three-step handshakes and greetings with the faculty in a mix of English and Amharic.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The student-faculty ratio at our school is surprisingly small. There are about 25 students in two classes, KG1 and KG2. There is a principal, three full-time teachers, two full-time guards, one cook/cleaning lady, one cool young dude whose role is still unclear to me, one wise old man who just kinda shows up around lunchtime, frequent and arbitrary visitors, and me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px;">The kids play for a bit as everyone arrives. Around 9, Ficulta, the female teacher/disciplinarian, raises the Ethiopian flag while the kids sing the national anthem.</span></span></div>
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Then it’s time for class.</div>
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Both KG1 and KG2 have English, Math, and Amharic every day along with a sprinkling of art, science, and music. Math became my favorite once I learned the Amharic numbers. It is easier for me to communicate in arithmetic than it is in English, which the kids (especially KG1) know so little. Ficulta does not speak English, so I assist Asrat and Mulugeta in their classes. They are passionate teachers. I learn greatly from watching them conduct class, even though most of it is in Amharic. Asrat’s style is expressive and playful, while Mulugeta is more composed and methodical. Asrat is in university studying education. Mulugeta is in his last semester at the school and will soon be an accountant.</div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px;">My role in class is an amalgamation of teaching, assisting, sitting at a desk and watching attentively, checking classwork and homework, sharpening pencils, and keeping kids on task.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Recess: There is always a soccer game which Mulugeta, Asrat and I often join. Sometimes I play monkey in the middle with a few kids, sometimes I play on the slide, lift the kids up to do chin-ups, or just hang out in the cacophony. Lately I have been tutoring groups or individuals more, which has made recess shorter and more worthwhile. When the lunch buzzer mercifully rings around 12:20, I am hungry and tired.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;">Lunch is the most important facet of IEICA. Many of the students don’t eat breakfast, and some won’t get dinner either. Half-days end with lunch, and I get the feeling the tertiary faculty is there for the meal. Around forty former students who now attend the government school will arrive for lunch as well. We hand out the meal in an assembly-line, then eat our own share.</span></div>
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Four days a week we eat a bowl of rice, usually with potatoes and cabbage. It’s always filling. Once every week or two we have <i>injera</i>. Lunch winds down into a halfhearted naptime, followed by another, shorter recess. During this time I will usually end up discussing American, Ethiopian, and world affairs with Asrat and/or an old man named Meksala. I feel this reciprocal period of teaching is just as important as the classes with the students.</div>
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Around 1:50 the afternoon classes start, three and a half hours after the morning session ended. After this pair of classes the flag is lowered, the kids kiss goodbye, and I walk back down the hill and catch a bus to Piazza. The weather is the same every day – cloudless, 78 degrees with an occasional breeze. Though the temperature isn’t extreme, the intensity of the sun is ferocious. The equatorial proximity along with the 8,000 foot altitude create a brand of sunshine I have never experienced before, an enrapturing warmth that penetrates every pore of your body. To my amazement, most <i>Habesha</i> spend the entire day clothed in pants and an overcoat of some sort.</div>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tom's blog continues to discuss more of his day at the Cherokee house, but I found it quite interesting to get a sense of what goes on at the school during a "normal" day. It was especially alarming to me to know about how many adults are maybe there for the food. Sponsorship really has made a difference</span>!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #aabbcc; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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</span></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1570393492687170021.post-61002685922892630152012-04-23T13:47:00.001-05:002012-04-23T13:58:27.170-05:00We did it! and here's what's next...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Shoes and Uniform money has been raised! Do you realize that is $5160 in just a few months! Thank you to everyone who donated, "talked it up," or prayed for this money to be raised! Now we will be awaiting the children's big smiles when they do get their shoes and new uniforms.<br />
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For most of those kids who are getting their uniforms and shoes for the FIRST time, it will be their first time they will have received new shoes or clothes in their entire lives. It will be a big day. However, because Children's Hopechest is a non-profit organization, they wait to wire the funds when they have large amounts for other care points, at the end of each month. Since we are too close to the end of the month, the funds will not be wired until end of May. We are hoping that the shoes will be ordered before the money arrives to save some time.<br />
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We are not sure yet what our next capital project will be, or in other words, what the next major need is, but we DO have a fundraiser I want to tell you about!<br />
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CAKES! A friend from our church, Amanda Lockman, has agreed to help us raise the next big chunk of money with the sales from her gorgeous decorated cakes. We will auction off some of her most amazing cakes on <b>May 4 </b>and all proceeds will go to Kechene! You can check out my facebook on that day to see the cakes and to participate in the auction, esp. if you live Dodgeville. If you don't live in Dodgeville, you can bid, win, and donate the cakes to me. haha.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">These are just samples of what Amanda makes, not necessarily what she will be auctioning off on May 4. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33F-H4S6e0lZNtD5uA1nJRlygBqwop-L3Lo_CB8TW0fJM2pctkucop7ehZwU0MqsxWb3Nqf5KX756NtZS73xgIWl6Iq4ybBQfwuo1DgaRa9fYjzj9ElFh7uLeHIpofBv_lHJAgSsYB9s/s1600/457959_318186098246479_141065049291919_786993_2020321178_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33F-H4S6e0lZNtD5uA1nJRlygBqwop-L3Lo_CB8TW0fJM2pctkucop7ehZwU0MqsxWb3Nqf5KX756NtZS73xgIWl6Iq4ybBQfwuo1DgaRa9fYjzj9ElFh7uLeHIpofBv_lHJAgSsYB9s/s320/457959_318186098246479_141065049291919_786993_2020321178_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrot Cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gYwgFVQlN62aRT2CK2PIEtq-C0B0vfigqQuTeh9BjkmPI_eAQKxW5o-xnwe-H8oPYMTBHjWSk51gzjjwowzGdL8IlayKSeXH9xcy9vs1TLI12ZxTuV99IzAjv053gstYFAacaR9rgz4/s1600/458243_318245584907197_141065049291919_787281_1745548361_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gYwgFVQlN62aRT2CK2PIEtq-C0B0vfigqQuTeh9BjkmPI_eAQKxW5o-xnwe-H8oPYMTBHjWSk51gzjjwowzGdL8IlayKSeXH9xcy9vs1TLI12ZxTuV99IzAjv053gstYFAacaR9rgz4/s320/458243_318245584907197_141065049291919_787281_1745548361_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White cake with raspberry filling</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkALybD_sT8bk2TQ_3NYMJUF0QFA2x5sO-TydeAjpHBv_0rptWYzpeoARJSzT_Ukmsks1FjXlaSH3DPkwPnvTj-BO5i-IbGXwIr7XlvpsmzmMD78XXNAmP65Q5IfeJhN5NX_GoQcFfFn8/s1600/458246_318183198246769_141065049291919_786986_380999868_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkALybD_sT8bk2TQ_3NYMJUF0QFA2x5sO-TydeAjpHBv_0rptWYzpeoARJSzT_Ukmsks1FjXlaSH3DPkwPnvTj-BO5i-IbGXwIr7XlvpsmzmMD78XXNAmP65Q5IfeJhN5NX_GoQcFfFn8/s320/458246_318183198246769_141065049291919_786986_380999868_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate cake</td></tr>
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Please check out Amanda's facebook page for her information before the auction.<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/SweetHopeConfections?ref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/SweetHopeConfections?ref=ts</a><br />
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<br /></div>Gretahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02615231568126365777noreply@blogger.com0