Little can be Much

In April I was able to return to Ethiopia after being away for nearly a year. I was somewhat apprehensive not knowing what I would find left of the many projects we started when we were there. Amazingly all the projects were going as well and in some cases better than when we were there. There is way too much to try and update you with all the exciting developments- something like trying to drink from a fire hose. In order to keep this email brief I will only talk about one thing or project for now and then will send you an update every month with details on each of the other projects.

I'll start with the smallest project. This goes to show how "little can be much". This project was started by a donation from Sarah and Rachel's best friend Anna, who went door to door selling cards she had made. Sarah and Rachel also raised money by rolling coins donated by family members and friends, and selling their custom greeting cards. A small micro-loan project was started with members of Sue's Bible study group. When they became Christians they wanted to do something for their communities. One of the lead members stated that previously she would not think of giving anything to her neighbours. Even if she had extra clothes she said she would hoard them and never consider helping anyone. She said that before she felt dead inside, but since she became a Christian she said she now feels a real love and desire to help others. With the help of some dear friends and funds that Sarah and Rachel raised, they were able to start to give small loans to the most needy in the community. We've come to feel that loans to start small businesses are much better than outright gifts. One of the first recipients was Adamu who wanted a loan for a shoe shine kit so he could help provide for his mother. Adamu not only paid the loan back and provided monthly income for his mother but started contributing monthly to a local community savings plan where every month a recipient is selected to win the jack pot. He has already won the jackpot once and is contributing to the second savings plan.

They also started a spiritual lending library in the community so neighbours can borrow books, Bibles and spiritual resources. Emabet one of the leaders has now moved to Addis and is starting the same program there as well as a local Bible study in her home. This project has really taken off with dozens of benificiaries now. Silinat has taken over for Emabet in her community in Bahir Dar as well as Demelesh is on fire coordinating the loans, reporting and expanding in his community. The micro-loans are making a huge difference- Demelesh says there is hardly a family not affected in his community. He spends a great deal of time visiting their projects and sitting in their homes witnessing and talking about life issues. Once they repay the loan a larger loan is possible if they have a plan. Some have expanded their business starting out by simply selling tea to having multiple streams of income from things like seed distribution, basket weaving etc. The little shoe shine boy says that one day he hopes to be a merchant with a large store. He has definitely shown his ability to make the most out of little. I expect he will go far.

Future projects I will update you on are- the People Living With AIDS project (it is going unbelievably well). Vocational Training for young women at risk, The Multi-purpose centre, the Gumuz agro-forestry project, Scholarship projects as well as new partners with a host of new projects. There is much to write about but I'll have to save it for later.

Sarah and Rachel the Fundraisers

Sarah and Rachel have been doing a good job continuing to raise funds for projects in Ethiopia. They have been rolling pennies, selling home-made greeting cards etc. They raised over $300 for the neighbourhood micro-loan and credit project that we started in Bahir Dar. Demelesh, our right hand man while we were in Bahir Dar continues to monitor and run this program. He makes loans available to the poorest of the poor to start their own micro businesses. He has had close to 100% repayment of these loans and it has been a life saver for many.In the meantime I have been beating the bushes trying to find funding for some of the other projects.So far we have rasied over $18,000 for the Gumuz agro-forestry project.

Through the rotary club of Barrie we have the promise of funding for the People Living with AIDS project . I have a presentation to make the first week in March concerning that. They have already sent over a member to see and verify the project. The Christian Salvage mission from Hamilton has agreed to provide and ship a 20 foot container of books from Canada to Djibouti. Now, I just need to find the funding for the inland transport from Djibouti to Bahir Dar. This could be as much as $5,000. We helped set up a community library through KHC while we were there but the shelves are nearly empty.I am the official project support officer for Devxchange and we are expanding to some exciting new projects including a reconstruction project in South Sudan. http://www.devxchange.org/SUDAN%20.html We have some new partners coming on board who are currently in Ethiopia. Heather and Elias and the Entoto Outreach team and they are looking for volunteers. Lots of them- So if you have young people and university students who are looking for ways to make a difference - here is an opportunity- put them in touch with us. Heather and Elias are partnering with a local organization- Beza International http://www.bezainternational.org/

Projects in Bahir Dar

Welcome to our blog. After four years in Ethiopia with little or no Internet service- it was frustrating trying to keep in contact with friends and supporters. Now that we are in Canada we have little or no excuse.

Whether anyone will actually read the blogs is something we will have to see.

One of the unique things about Devxchange is that it is member driven so members need to do more of the information and promotional aspects of the projects they are involved in as opposed to the organization doing the PR work. Thus we are launching on setting up this blog more or less as a running story for you to keep up to date with what's happening.

Fund Raising for Projects

Sarah and Rachel went off for their first day of school. They were both quite apprehensive as it is quite an adjustment coming out of a home school environment in Ethiopia and jumping into the public school system here in Canada. We felt a little bit like we were throwing them to the wolves, but we do know that God is with them.
They both survived their first week and seem to have gotten over their anxiety fears- thankfully for Mom and Dad!
We are adjusting to living back in Canada after 4 years out of the loop. I have attached an update of the various projects with Devxchange so that you have an idea of the various ministries. Currently I am working part time with Devxchange and Sue is looking to work part time in developing her business as a registered massage therapist.
One of the reasons we returned from Ethiopia at this time was to help Devxchange develop a stronger funding base for the overseas projects. There is so much that can be done in the north of Ethiopia through the partners we've established there, but the resources are lacking. I am working at trying to find some organizational funding for projects like People Living with AIDS, vocational training and agro-forestry, but it is going to take some time to make in roads into institutional funding.
We currently have an emergency situation with our Gumuz project. I am super enthusiastic about this project and the incredible change for the better that is coming to this primitive tribal group but we need some interim funding to keep it afloat until I can get some institutional funding to shore up the funding base. The project was initially started with the promise from a major donor to cover 80% of the project. That funding all fell through leaving us with a huge funding short fall. Anything at all that you can do to keep this project going will be very rewarding. The project manager we have through the KHC church is the best I have seen anywhere. He has risked his life on this primitive unreached tribe and he and his family are living in some of the harshest conditions to be found in Ethiopia. It is nothing short of a miracle to see the changes happening among the Gumuz as a result of his efforts with God's help. I promise I won't be sending out appeals on all the great projects in Ethiopia but I want to make you aware of this one because of its importance and current critical state.

Gumuz Success

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Everything seemed to be going against us when we started the Gumuz agro-forestry project. The Gumuz have lived for centuries as a war like tribe where killing is one of their highest virtues. They have always been hunters and gatherers eking out an existence by foraging for food and hunting anything that moved. Last year when we visited it was only one month after what was supposed to be a harvest and they were already out of food. This type of existence causes the adults to daily hunt and forage for food leaving the children in the village on their own with only the elderly and the sick to care for them. The mortality rate is extremely high for children under 5 and they suffer from all kinds of health issues including a high rate of malnutrition. An environmental disaster was also in the making as they were cutting down all the trees to sell for charcoal. No one gave our intervention efforts much hope as harmful traditions and cultural practices are ingrained and not changed readily.
I visited our Gumuz agro-forestry project through KHC church just before leaving and the changes in the lives of the people is more than dramatic - it's unbelievable. We visited all of our target project villages and the change was uniform. Fences had been constructed around all the huts and yards of the Gumuz- they were planting crops around their houses and planting medicinal plants, fruit trees, trees for timber, shade, water conservation and others by the thousands. They were staying at home and working hard instead of hunting and foraging. There are also many new believers being discipled through the KHC church and evangelists.
This last year in Bahir Dar we were able to help more than 40 young women at risk and commercial sex workers get vocational training in hair dressing. The graduation included members dressed up in bridal fashion- demonstrating hair styles for weddings. One of the bridal party members was one of the street girls (a little sister) from our big-brother /sister program with the university students.
I returned to Canada June 26 just in time for my nieces wedding (Elise). We will now be stationed in Barrie Ontario for the foreseeable future- working with Devxchange part time and continuing to promote and assist the projects that were started in Bahir Dar.
My work with Devxchange will include Office management, Data management, volunteer coordination, project and project lead member support, financial management support, public relations and promotion. As a project lead member for the many projects that were started in Bahir Dar, I will also be raising funds to continue to see these develop and make an annual trip to monitor the developments.

Trouble in Gumuz Land

Ever since Tadesse (KHC church leader) was in Bible School he had a vision and burden to reach out to the fierce war-like tribe of the Gumuz. After hearing many missionary stories of martyrdom in Bible School, he said we will go and die among the Gumuz. His words nearly came true as recently our project team leader and the agriculturalist were running for their lives with a Gumuz man and his gun coming after them bent on killing them.
To make a long story short this may have been a key event in opening up in roads into the Gumuz. It forced community leaders, KHC leaders and local government officials to get involved to prevent the killings. Reconciliation and a peace pact was formed by all concerned and the project members now have unprecedented cooperation, peace and security in their work amongst the Gumuz.
There are now quite a number of new believers among the Gumuz and two churches have been started among the target villages. The Gumuz are also enthusiastically welcoming the inputs of the team in the area of agro-forestry as it will make a huge difference to their health, income security and the environment.
Several of the Devxchange volunteers have been working with former commercial sex workers in helping them to get some vocational training in hair dressing and get out of the commercial sex business. They were involved with the Mulu Wengel church in setting up a shelter for the girls and see them go through training. The girls have all come to faith in Christ and are now active in the church. The church is helping them to start businesses on their own.
The KHC church also put 20 girls through vocational training for hair dressing and is helping them get jobs and businesses set up including Mekedes- the first girl we helped last year and started the ball rolling. She now has her own business and is doing well, thanks to some Australian donors who provided the loan for starting the business.
For the past two years Sue has been running a Bible study with our guards, house help and a shoe shine boy. All of them come from a strong Orthodox background except one, Demelesh. This year all of them have come to faith and are now starting their own ministries in their local communities. Sue and Alex, a volunteer from Australia, bought or donated many books to them and they set up libraries in their communities. They are calling them "Spiritual Libraries". They have become real lights in their communities. They also started helping some of the poorest in the area. They told the people if at some point they were able to pay back the loan it could help others like them. To their surprise all the loans were paid back. They then started helping others and it has now grown into a substantial micro-loan assistance program. They say people are jumping up and down in the community with joy.
As you know by now, this is our last term in Ethiopia as a family. Sue and the girls have already returned to Canada to close a house deal in the Barrie area. I will be continuing part time with Devxchange to help with administration as well as provide support for the projects we have started in Ethiopia.

Project Updates

Every year the Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrates what is called ‘True Cross’. This is the symbolic receiving of the Cross Jesus endured. Coincidently the Gumuz also have a cultural ceremony on this day however, it is not in the light of redemption and love. This particular holiday is focused on the local village hero (the most skilled warrior/hunter) who will honor his village by taking the life of another. This hero is placed in isolation to concentrate on the charge he has been selected for and when the time comes he will kill either another Gumuz or Ethiopian man.
The Gumuz have a deep history of animism amongst their tribes and villages. This belief subjects the Gumuz to a constant fear of the dark world, evil spirits and appeasing the organizer and inflictor of it all – the Devil. Sacrifices and offerings are commonly seen around the villages in order to deter evil spirits from bringing harm to their life. Sicknesses are often thought of as punishment from the dark world for not pleasing their requests. Animism holds the Gumuz in a constant fear of the unknown.
On the way into the Gumuz in January we stopped to collect bamboo seeds as the bamboo plant only seeds every 15 years or so. As we stopped to collect seeds we discovered a body. There was a group of visiting Canadians that were traveling with me- they were a little bit nervous as we continued our trip into Gumuz land.
We have helped the KHC church start an outreach program to the Gumuz through agro-forestry. This project is going well and my sister Beth, who visited in February was able to introduce valuable concepts for the Health component. The church has also had an impact spiritually with the Gumuz with about 80 believers now in the 4 targeted villages. They were meeting under the trees but have recently built two multi-purpose church buildings for meeting and training. I am making an urgent appeal for funding for this project as it is critically in need of funds to continue. To read more about this project and help support it click here .
February saw the official opening of the multi-purpose centre with more than 350 people in attendance. This project started with memorial gifts given at my Dad's funeral almost two years ago. A simple block maker was purchased and work began not knowing where the rest of the funding would come from. God provided and the work has taken off in all directions with computer lab, library, People Living With AIDS and micro-finance project, Vocational Training programs, the re-opening of the Bible School, Compassion Project for 250 of the poorest kids in the area and 5 fold increase in the number of members in the church.
After 4 years in Ethiopia we have come to the decision this will be our last term. From the beginning we wanted to make sure that whatever we did we would work with local partners so that when we left the day to day operations would continue on and not depend on us. This enabled us to be involved in starting numerous projects from everything to working with commercial sex workers to a Big Brother/Sister program with the University Students and the many projects with the KHC Church. We are no longer needed in the day to day operations of these projects and will be able to continue to be involved from Canada raising awareness and funding for numerous ongoing issues. Devxchange is also rapidly expanding into new countries with numerous partners that require administrative support in Canada. I hope to continue to make annual trips to Ethiopia to encourage and support the work as well as channel volunteers to assist in various needs. We plan to end our term in Ethiopia the end of June but will continue part -time with Devxchange in the home office so hope many will want to continue to support us in this new phase of ministry. We will keep you informed as things develop.