Christmas in Ethiopia was celebrated January 7. We met with some of the Big Brothers and Sisters from the University and the street kids. We helped start this program a couple of years ago with the Christian university fellowship. The university students become big brothers and sisters to the many street kids in Bahir Dar. This program has really taken off and has now spread to a second university campus. Every time we meet with them there are new members and new street kids that now have a big brother or sister to look out for them.
Earlier in the year our niece, Gypsi Fellows (with a degree in psychology) assisted in conducting several workshops for the university students on being a "street educator". It is very encouraging to see the development in relationships between the university students and their little brothers and sisters. They have really helped change the lives of the street kids. They used to see themselves as creatures destined for the street. They didn't see themselves as children or adults but creatures with only blackness as the future. Many are now attending school regularly and can be seen studying under the street lights at night.
One of the little sisters is now old enough to work full time and we were able to enroll her in our vocational training program for hair dressing. The university students are able to share their lives and Christian faith in a way that is transforming lives.Sue and Sarah took on a big challenge to share the Christmas story in Amharic using flannel graph material donated by Allon Mack of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Barrie. Sue did an admirable job telling the story in Amharic and Sarah followed right along putting up the appropriate pictures on cue. The story was well received and they asked many questions upon hearing the story. The street kids all come from an Orthodox background and the story of why Jesus came is something that is often misunderstood.
We have exciting news from our last update where we talked about the crisis of people living with AIDS around the church. Women were showing up at the church in tears saying they were on their way to dying with no one to help. So far we have been able to help over 50 individuals, with more than 120 dependents, start small businesses. They are involved in just about every business including small shops, selling oil, making injerra (the staple), painting, horse and gary, carpentry, cutting hair- the list goes on and on. For many it has been a life saver. We organized them into accountability groups of 5 or 6 and they will pay back into the revolving fund every month enabling us to help others. They are asking church members to come and pray for them when one becomes sick.
