New School Year - Lifesong Ethiopia

Please enjoy this update from our Lifesong Ethiopia directors, Gary and Peggy Ifft:

On September 12 we turned over our new year here in Ethiopia and now we are in 2004.  We are looking forward to many good things in this new year!

School started here on Monday, September 19.  Opening up 3 campuses with over 600 students was quite a challenge.  This is especially true, considering that we had two brand new school buildings to open up. Opening up 2 new buildings and adding over 200 students also requires a lot of new teachers, teachers' aides, feeding program cooks, cleaners, and so on.  We now have a school staff of 62 employees and 5 employees in Samuel's Home.  This is a great responsibility which we take very seriously.  At times we lie awake at night thinking about all the families who are dependent upon us for their livelihood.  We are especially grateful for faithful supporters! 

We also want to recognize a special team which accepted the challenge of building 4 additional classrooms at our Adami Tulu campus.  This team committed to building additional rooms to allow us to have 2 classrooms each of Nursery School, Lower Kindergarten, and Upper Kindergarten.  As a bonus they also decided to raise funds for a brand new latrine for the students.

 

The amazing thing was that the team members didn't really even know each other personally before becoming involved in this project.  The one thing they had in common was that each had adopted or was in the process of adopting an Ethiopian child.  They went through a rather arduous fund-raising process and decided also to come to Ethiopia to do some "hands-on" work with the building they sponsored.  So, in mid-August they arrived and spent a few days painting the buildings.  They also taught Vacation Bible School to up to 200 kids and did a lot of other very worthwhile things. We are grateful for all they did, and we really appreciate the fact that they are also determined to help us expand the work in Adami Tulu!”

God's blessings to each of you and your families,

Gary and Peggy, Lifesong Ethiopia

Swimming, Scripture, and more: Ethiopia Update

Please enjoy this update from  Lifesong Ethiopia:

• In May Lifesong School's 1-3^rd grade students in Ziway went on a fieldtrip to Wondo Genet in the southern part of Ethiopia.  There they were able to go swimming in a natural hot springs and swimming pool!  Swimming is something they can not enjoy in Ziway, due to the contaminated water in Lake Ziway.

     

• Under Ethiopian law, no religion can be taught in schools.  However we are allowed to read the Bible at the flag pole ceremony in the morning, where our kids are learning scripture.  Many times, our students even write poetry that incorporate Christian lessons they have learned and request to share them with the rest of the school! 

• Ginny Stoller, who has been serving with Lifesong Ethiopia for the past year is heading home.  The school said goodbye with a ceremony in her honor.  We'll miss you, Ginny!

• This week began another year's registration process at Adami Tulu.  This is always bitter sweet because many young children are given hope for a better life, but many are also turned away.  This year, thanks to the 4 new classrooms being built by Aaron Klein's team we're able to register more children, turning fewer away.  Below is a picture of the crowd that came to registration day, in hope of enrolling their children:

 

Thank you for your continued prayer and support as we serve children in Ethiopia!

Ethiopia Expansion

Please enjoy this update from Lifesong Ethiopia:

In addition to just the normal operation of the schools, the feeding programs, etc. we have been in the process of :

• Adding four more classrooms to Lifesong's Pre-School in Adami Tulu.  Thank you to Aaron Klein and the "Adami Tulu team" for all the hard work that went into raising the funds so we can serve more children!  Upon completion we will have two classrooms each of Nursery, Lower Kindergarten, and Upper Kindergarten.  This project is just beginning.  

• The Adami Tulu team is now working to raise funds for new restrooms on the Pre-School grounds.  You can see the difference between the current restrooms (left), and the model of the ones we hope to build (right):

 

• Building a "high wall" between our Lifesong primary school and the courthouse behind us to keep the "smell" from our latrine from entering their offices and the smell from their latrine from entering our school director's office.  This project is nearly done.  It is a cement block wall 147 feet (47 meters) long and 15 feet high (4.5 meters).  It is really "just a wall," but a mighty big wall.

 

Here's a video from the Adami Tulu team:

Thank you for your prayer and support as we strive to bring joy and purpose to children in Ethiopia!

a Reason for Praise!

Last September Aaron Klein joined our vision trip to Africa, (read his guest post HERE) and when visiting Lifesong's Adami Tulu school he was immediately drawn to it.  In his own words,

When I stepped onto the grounds of the Lifesong school in the tiny little village of Adami Tulu in Ethiopia, I instantly knew that something was different.

I wasn’t sure why. This was the last of many Lifesong projects I had visited.  It wasn’t the one I was expecting would capture my heart and imagination.

But it did."

At the end of 2010 Aaron and his wife, Cacey, decided to take on the task of raising funds to build Adami Tulu a new 4-room school house.  They developed a fundraising team, sold t-shirts, and gave presentations.  They even got creative with a National Super Bowl Party! 

And by March they were two-thirds of the way there... until one generous donor wrote a check to cover the remaining need!  Wow!

Thank you Aaron and Cacey for your creative and dedicated service to this project!

Thank you to the individuals who have joined the Kleins in raising these funds!

Thank you to everyone who gave, big or small!  Your support has made a difference!

Most of all, thank you, to our Heavenly Father Who refuses to forget the forgotten and Who is using His people to change the lives of children!

If you want to find out more about this project check out Aaron's blog HERE.

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!