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.

Thankful (on site in UA)

 

He sat next to me as we watched the ping-pong tournament.  This freckled kid that I’d never seen before but was automatically drawn to.

Strange.

He just leaned into my shoulder and we watched together. He’d ask me questions in Russian and I’d try to respond in what little I knew, but inevitably Natasha was called for help.  

I love this kid.  I'm not sure why, but I do.

I don't really know him, but as I've walked through the orphanage these past few days it’s his face that I look for. It’s his face I hope I don't miss.

Apparently he has had some issues with taking things that don't belong to him... I don't really mind.  It just means I have to watch my stuff. 

But each evening I’ve wished him goodnight and every morning I’ve hugged him hello.

I’m going to miss that. 

She sat with the other children on the orphanage floor as they watched a movie.  The room smelled of urine.

I was told she might not let me take her picture because she gets nervous easily, but I desperately wanted to capture her sweet smile and ponytail that stuck straight up on top of her head. 

I smiled and asked if it would be okay. 

She shook her head “no.” 

I smiled again, snapped a shot of another girl who was anything but camera shy, then offered to show her the picture, thinking maybe now she'll give me a chance. 

She eased in slightly.  Still no dice.

The other girl demanded another picture, so I took it... then gave her one last, maybe overly sweet, questioning smile.

She grinned and hopped into place, grinning, ready for me to snap away.

From that point on she was mine.  She grabbed my hand as we walked down the hall and hesitated when it was time to let go.  She eagerly looked for me as they were called to line up for lunch.

Apparently she's eight, though she looks more like a four-year-old.

I don't get it.  I don't understand how these kids live without families.  I don't get how they survive.

I wish I had answers.  I don't.  Being here makes feel so weak and so small.  It makes me very aware of my own brokenness... my own need.

And in the midst of it all I am so thankful.

Thankful that God is bigger.

Thankful that He sees and hears.

Thankful that He is using the Lifesong Ukraine staff to minister to these kids.

Thankful that there is hope.

Natasha speaks on Sakhnovsheena (on site in UA)

Let me introduce Natasha. 

 

Natasha works as a psychologist for Lifesong Ukraine, mainly through our program at Loubetin, but she has also spent some time at Sakhnovsheena orphanage.  Last night, we sat in the home of Alexi and Oksana (the CCP couple at Sakh, along with the couple, Vitalik and Luda) and I had the chance to ask her a few questions about her experience working at Sakh:

What specific issues do the children at Sakhnovsheena face?

The kids here have special needs.  They’re delayed psychologically and unstable emotionally.

How long have you been coming to Sahk?

7 years now… Next summer it will be 8.  I come about once a month.

In that time what is one difference you have seen in these kids from Lifesong’s influence?

They can actually communicate and listen affectively.  They are able to express themselves now.  This is a big change.

How have you been effected from working with the kids at Saknovsheena?

Oi! (she smiles)

Actually the main thing I’ve realized about myself is how immature I am as a Christian.  Most of my life I have been focused on me… even when I would do something for God.  

Now I understand that it's not about me.

I know that if I really want to make any difference I must take time to understand the needs of these kids… their hearts, which requires patience and real love.  These kids need a lot of love, but sometimes it is hard to love them.

When I first started working for Lifesong I thought it was easy to love.  I was so emotionally excited and attached to the kids that it made it easy.  But now I understand how important it is to be faithful… even if things don’t happen how I think they should… even when loving is no longer easy.

Sometimes I feel like Jonah.  Jonah didn’t want to go to Ninevah.  And God could have used someone else to save Ninevah… but He chose to use Jonah… Just like he chose to use me.  

So it is no longer about me.  It is all about Him.

It’s no longer about who I think God should be.  It’s about who He IS.

He is a kinder God than I expected.  He loves more than I expected.  He is mightier than I expected! 

I am weak, and I understand that I can do nothing.  But God!  He is mighty.  

All I can really do is lift these kids up in prayer.  It is a miracle to me that He has allowed me to be a part of His work!

How do you view Alexi and Oksana and Vitalik and Luda, as the CCP (constant Christian presence) here?

They are saints.  They live in this everyday.  Alexi reminds me of Moses a lot, because he is very humble but very strong.  Proverbs 25:15 says “soft speech can crush strong opposition” and that’s exactly what Lyosha (Alexi) does.  This is really cool because the kids are really tough here, and they have no discipline.  I know that kids feel unloved when they have no discipline.  Lyosha is exactly the one who can influence them because he knows how to speak to them.  He has such a big heart and can speak strong words with such love that the kids respond to him.

Thanks Natasha!

Tomorrow I will be sharing my own perspective on my time visiting Sakhnovsheena orphanage.  Until then...

 до свидания и Бог благословит!

Living James 1:27

I thank you so much for this opportunity to do this project.  Even if we weren't adopting I would love to be a part of something like this.  I thank you for helping us to see what living James 1:27 looks and feels like.  God has done amazing things for me today and He used us to bless Dorothy.  She was an amazing lady to serve and I pray that our relationship can continue after today. -Susan, Adoptive Mother

What a blessing it was to receive this email yesterday from a family in the process of adopting. They had their Both Hands project over the weekend and were amazed by the experience!

If you've never heard how Both Hands was started, I'd encourage you to watch the video below!

Both Hands Video from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

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!