God will use YOU mightily!

GOD WILL USE YOU MIGHTILY!

a letter to the children left behind in Africa 

Someday God will use you.  He will not leave you as orphans.  Please God, You can do it.  Oh yes, God, He will go to them someday and He will love them.

I know that it is hard for kids to go without eating food the way I was in Africa.  My life was very bad.  I know there are other boys and girls still without families.  God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son will give you grace and mercy and peace.  he will be with us because we love the truth.

I will not forget about you kids.  I've been praying for you every day.  My dream is you.

When I was in Africa, I was the one who cooks and cleans and everything and God told my mommy to come and get me and she wanted to be my mommy.  If you see me now I am having a good time with my family.  I am having a good life with my nice and beautiful family forever.  I have the best family forever and ever.  Maybe God has a place for you.  I am always praying for you kids.  

Whenever I think about you, you make me cry.  He is going to give you a new family.  God bless you." - Mercy Mihnovich, Age 9, Adopted from Ethiopia in 2010

"I love my family so much!  I remember that God has chosen us to be with my family - from bad life to good life.  I am thankful for everything that God gave me."

*To sign up to receive the Both Hands quarterly newsletter, please send an email to info@lifesongfororphans.org

Lifesong Ethiopia Update

Please enjoy this update from Lifesong Ethiopia:

• Christmas was celebrated on Jan. 7 with a special program, which included singing carols, a message from an evangelist and a drama of the Christmas story starring some of the older students.  Since many of our students come from Muslim or atheist homes this is a great opportunity to share Christ.

• Recently 4 American volunteer nurses came to check all 430 of our students.
  • Because of this examination, 7 year-old Abdisa was taken to the local hospital and we found out she has a heart concern.  Now she can get the attention she needs.  Her mother, a young widow, is one of the school's cooks.

• Dr. Bryan Stoller, an optometrist, also came to check vision and hand out glasses.

• We also have a prayer request for a girl named Marion that is 14 years old.  She was sexually assaulted and became pregnant.  Her mother is widowed and HIV positive.  As a student at the Lifesong, Marion receives special care and hopefully she will continue her education after her baby is delivered.

"Hopeless life situations can be turned around because of the love of Jesus." ~Peggy Ifft, Lifesong Ethiopia

Thank you for continued prayer and support as we strive to bring joy and purpose to orphans.

The Body. At work!

When we heard what 15 year old Addisyn was doing to bring joy and give hope to orphans in Ethiopia, we were moved by how she so deeply reflects the heart of our Father! On her 100th day of eating the soup that the children at the Adami Tulu preschool eat, she asked the rest of us to join in with her!

Now that she had seen, she could not ignore the plight of the orphan! And we are amazed at how the Lord worked through ONE 15 year old girl!

The One Day-One Lunch project raised $3,620.13... truly the body of Christ at work!

*To read more about this, check out Amy's blog.

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You want to know another amazing thing the Lord is doing for Adami Tulu?

After Aaron Klein returned from a vision trip to Ethiopia, he too was moved to action! Aaron began to gather a team of several other families who would commit to raising funds to build additional classrooms in Ethiopia.

The team recently completed the National Super Bowl Party to Build a School in Africa! People made pledges of $1, $2, or $3 per point for their favorite team. At the end of the game, they had raised a grand total of $3,235 to give these orphans the gift of a lifetime: education!

Thank you for your generosity and for bringing joy and purpose to these precious children!

One Day - One Lunch

A few months ago, we found out that 15-year-old Addisyn Block was donating her school lunch money every day to the kids at our Adami Tulu Preschool in Ethiopia. (Check out more on that here)

After awhile a friend of mine decided to join me in my efforts and she gave her lunch money too- which got me to thinking. What if others joined in too- even just one day? What if the body of Christ came together one day for one lunch and gave what we would have spent that day on our lunch away? It only cost $3.00 to feed a child at the Adami Tulu preschool for ONE MONTH. Can you imagine what a big difference we could make by just giving away one days lunch?

-Addisyn Block

So on February 3rd, Addisyn and her mother, Amy, are introducing One Day - One Lunch.  You can read more on Amy's blog here but if you want to participate, simply send your "lunch money" for one day to Lifesong for Orphans:

Online donations: http://www.lifesongfororphans.org/donation.html
**indicate for the Adami Tulu Preschool.

Mail checks to:
Lifesong for Orphans
PO Box 40
Gridley, IL 61744
For the Adami Tulu Preschool

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.

~ Mother Teresa

Wow, Amy and Addisyn!  Thank you both so much for being a voice for children in Ethiopia!

On another note: our big winner from last week's give away is Jenn Philpot!  We'll be in contact, Jenn, to let you know how to get your free t-shirt!  Thanks to all that participated! 

Little Ephrem

Ephrem from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

 “What first drew me to this little boy was his sweet round face.  Obviously, he has suffered a great deal from malnutrition.  When we visited the school he and the rest of the children were so focused on their meal.  It’s amazing to see how Lifesong was changing their lives.  After lunch, I found myself surrounded by children playing a name game.  He reached out and kissed my hand.  My heart melted... I think of him daily.” 

Jenny Anderson, Orphan Advocate

Sometimes it can be hard to imagine the hardships that go on around the world.  We sit in our comfortable homes, with pantries full of necessities, and it seems strange that most of the world doesn’t have a pantry, let alone food to fill it.  But for millions of children in Africa this is their reality.  Hunger is a part of their daily lives.  Then add the fact that many of these children are also orphaned, either by death or abandonment… it’s almost more than we can bear.  It’s hard to go there mentally and we protect our hearts by pretending it doesn’t exist.  But it does.  Children are suffering.

Little Ephrem is one of those children.  Born in Ethiopia, his father is now dead and his mother disappeared years ago.  He was taken into his grandmother’s care, but she has struggled to provide for him.  At 4 years old, Ephrem is extremely small for his age, and most likely suffers from a type of growth disorder, though the lack of specialized medical care keeps us from knowing for sure.  And since he has been malnourished most of his life, it is no wonder his health is affected.

Praise the Lord, Ephrem is now enrolled in Lifesong’s Adami Tulu Nursery School, where he is getting two meals a day and seems to be flourishing under the care of his teachers.  His sweet demeanor and precious smile easily capture your heart.