A Day Dedicated to Women!

by Joy Casey in Ethiopia
Saturday Jan 17

It is 6:30am and the sky is pink and blue, ushering in a beautiful day. Abebe and Abonesh, my dear friends and colleagues, and I head off the plateau of Addis Ababa down into the Rift Valley to course our way to a village where, four years ago, the Holy Spirit awakened hearts to seek Him. This good-sized village of 5,000 people spreads over a piece of the African savannah and offers an agrarian lifestyle to the people who are mostly born and raised there with little outside influence. Two years ago, the first-ever Christian Church was built and is a hub for evangelistic thrust to neighboring villages resulting in two new church plants in 2014.
 

Today was a special day in the life of the church. One-hundred Christian women gathered for a day of teaching, worship and fellowship. There is no electricity in this village, so a generator, portable sound system and keyboard were brought in along with a special worship leader who was outstanding.
 

As our van pulled up to the church, energetic singing emanated from the open door and windows, and I could hardly wait to step into the midst of these dear women and join them in worship. I took in the scene of the ten evangelists serving this area standing around the parameter of the benches praying and worshipping and many women had babies strapped on their back or toddlers sitting and playing at their feet.
 

A former M*sl*m believer from a nearby town brought a good message about the women of the Bible encouraging the women to take warning from the bad ways of some (like Jezebel) and to emulate the faith and prayer of the faithful. His style completely engaged the women and he wove humor among the nuggets of teaching. He then asked women to come forward who wanted special prayer regarding their husbands, and with humility and tears many women came forward to be prayed for.
 


A hot lunch of goat tibs (kind of like a stew) was prepared and served with injera, Ethiopia’s cultural bread, along with the customary berbere spice. It smelled and tasted heavenly!


The evangelists served the plates of food to the women and then partook of their refreshment. I need to point out several unusual things about this scenario...
 

It is a rare thing for a woman to be served delicious food without any effort on her part, eating meat is not a common occurrence, and having men serve women in this culture is a big deal! Large buckets of water were brought to the church and cups of refreshing water rounded out the yummy meal.
 

Abonesh is the accountant for Adoption Ministry, but she is also a dynamic Bible teacher and eagerly accepted the challenge to speak into the lives of these relatively new converts to Christianity.
 

Abonesh explained John 1:9-15 and that when we receive Christ’s salvation we are children of God. In God’s family everyone is equal in His eyes regardless of race, economics or gender, unlike the cultural hierarchy these women are used to. She brought further clarification of who Father God is and His daily grace and desire to commune with us. She ended by reading Proverbs 31 showing how God will give us strength to serve Him by stretching out our hand to our neighbors and diligently serving our family and community.
 

I brought with me a wonderful surprise for these dear ones! My friend Dinah Monahan, with the help of the women at her church, bought solar powered lights and asked me to distribute them to each woman who attended the conference. These lights are unique in design and are made of plastic with bright LED lights that have a low and high power and put off an incredible amount of light. None of the women have electricity in their homes, so this gift was extraordinarily precious to them. I wish you could have seen their faces! They were giddy with surprise and joy and left the church filled to the brim with a fresh encounter with God and a tangible expression of love from sisters on the other side of the world. Dinah and Mike Monahan provided the financing for this conference, and the only downside to the day is that they were not able to be there to share this amazing experience.

You’ve Come A Long Way

by Joy Casey

Five years ago, there were two Christians in a tucked-away village in Ethiopia. They had been living there for seven years doing a lot of praying but with few people showing any interest in learning more about Jesus. All of their neighbors were M*sl*m, as were the government leaders and the village chief. In 2010, the fruit of their intense prayers broke through the assignment of Darkness in that area and 75 people came to know Jesus.


Most of the people had visions of Jesus and approached the two Christians to ask questions and eventually became Christ-followers. Joyous baptisms were held in a nearby lake, and over the course of the next three years, another 175 families joined others under the worship tree for teaching.



The worship tree still spreads it arms of shade, but a solid building has been erected to serve the needs of this community and to make a statement to the surrounding community… We are here to stay.



This past year the church, with the help of YWAM, has sent out 8 evangelists to the nearby villages to tell others about Jesus and exciting church plants are popping up to disciple new believers.



This is an agrarian village many hours from Addis Ababa. The best way to get there is to hitch a ride on a donkey cart, but for those of us who like to move a little faster or don’t like the bumpy ride, a car can maneuver through the dusty, narrow paths after turning off a main road. This significant sized village has about 5,800 inhabitants and grass huts  sprinkled throughout the savannah.  There are gardens next to the hut and chickens, cows and goats wandering in and out. Scores and scores of children live here and visitors can’t go anywhere without an entourage.
 

There is a lot of deep, deep poverty in this village. The kind of poverty where there is nothing to eat some days and very little to eat on other days. Children wear rags and don’t have shoes. 
 

Doors to education are closed and hope for anything better is absent. Illiterate women are desperate to feed their children but have no way to earn money. There is impoverishment of spirit as well, especially among the women.



Adoption Ministry 1:27 is intervening…



Medina’s story is not atypical. After fathering 11 children, her husband took another wife and essentially deserted his first family. This family of 12 is in serious condition and help needs to get to them soon. Medina is unwell, and she and her children beg for their food and live off the meager charity of others. Fortunately, which is not always the case, she has made a way to keep her children in school. Her oldest children walk one hour each way to attend high school, then Galato (16) is in 7th grade, Ayantu (14) is in 5th, Alima (12) started 1st grade and the other children (ages 8, 7, 5 & 4) do not go to school.




Twelve years ago Sefiya was widowed and, according to the tradition of their village, she was forced to marry her husband’s brother. Her life is very hard as her brother-in-law has another wife and gives his time and energy to that family, leaving her to forage for food for their four children. As do most in her village, they live in a traditional stick and mud house with a grass thatched roof and a dirt floor, no electricity and no bathroom. Teyiba (11) and Bilal (8) daily go to the water station and haul water to cook with, but there is very little extra for washing. Finding enough to eat consumes most of Sefiya’s days, and with a new baby it is impossible for her to work as a servant. All four of the children are under nourished and their health is poor as a result.




Amane’s health is very bad, but her husband took another wife (seems to be a trend here!) and gives her no support. All four of her children cannot attend school due to finances and all of them are undernourished, two of them significantly affected. The goal with this family will be to stabilize them with food and build up their resistance, get medical help for Amane and two of her children, and next fall get all the children enrolled in school.

---

When a family is “adopted” for $50 per month, a month’s supply of food and hygiene products are provided for the family and a case manager assesses other needs to be addressed over time. 

We are very excited about this newest “light” in rural Ethiopia. Adoption Ministry 1:27 impacts families and changes their situation for the better within months of receiving help. As we meet physical needs, we also are intentional to share the Good News of Jesus Christ longing to see hope lit in places where now there is only dark despair.
 
To adopt Medina, Sefiya, Amane or another family, please visit our website:

adoptionministry127.com

Thanks to you…

We have MUCH to be thankful for in 2014.  And we want to thank YOU for caring for widows, orphans and at-risk families in Ethiopia. 

Ten children from Ethiopia came home to their forever families in the U.S. this year.

Six children at our Mana Gammachuu orphanage were placed in forever families in Ethiopia.



1,800 cans of formula were purchased providing the necessary nutrition for an average of 18 babies per month!



Via your YWAM Gift Catalog giving, many people received beds and bedding, Bibles, goats and sheep, food, clothing, water filters and solar lights.



99 families were ‘adopted’ this year through Adoption Ministry 1:27.  These extremely poor and mostly single mother households now have regular food to eat and hope for the future.  We now have over 350 families who have been embraced by sponsors like you!



Back to school packages, which included school supplies and registration fees, were provided for nine children thanks to your giving.



Twenty-five small businesses were begun by single mothers in five AM 1:27 project areas.



42 people went on mission trips with YWAM Ethiopia in 2014.  They ministered to prisoners, delivered food and bedding to AM 1:27 families, provided school supplies, conducted bible schools, built fences, blessed orphanage staff with an appreciation dinner, shared the gospel message and prayed with many.



Thousands of people have heard the Good News in many formerly unreached areas of Ethiopia and three new churches were established.



Five churches in the U.S. are partnering with us to support communities and our orphanage.



God has used your generosity to do so many life-changing things in Ethiopia!  We are incredibly grateful for partners like you and we look forward to what God has in store for 2015! 

Life-Saving Help for Babies

Meet Marc and Tegra Little, from Los Angeles, California…


In 2013, they began the process of adopting a tiny baby girl named Rahel. They met her in Ethiopia at an orphanage YWAM has worked with and didn’t know such a deep and profound love existed absent giving birth.


Only a few weeks into her life's journey, the circumstances of being born into poverty in Ethiopia took Rahel from this earth unnecessarily.  At seven weeks old, she passed away from a sodium deficiency (neonatal hyponatremia). In many orphanages in Ethiopia, it is common to make the baby formula last longer by adding more water than is appropriate simply because there is not enough formula to go around.  This negligent practice ended their (soon to be adopted) daughter's life before it ever really began and prompted them to found a formula fund effort – The Rahel Formula Fund.

Marc and Tegra are encouraged that with your help, Rahel’s short life birthed a legacy for other newborn babies who have a better chance because of her.  As strong believers in God's purpose for each of our lives, the Littles believe this tragedy presents an opportunity to respond to a need that is great in Ethiopia and that need is to purchase infant formula.  With your gift (any donation level helps), they continue to ensure that orphanages under the service of Youth With a Mission ("YWAM") have all they need to purchase formula and feed their newborns.

---

A special message from YWAM
If we lived in a perfect world there would be no babies crying because they are hungry.  Newborn babies would not be found alongside a dusty path whimpering with only hours to live without intervention.  Unfortunately, these scenarios in Ethiopia happen way too often.   If the child is lucky, he or she will be picked up by a kind soul and placed in an orphanage.  If the child is really lucky, he or she will be fed formula that has all the nutrients necessary for optimal brain and body development.  Resources are scarce for what the nanny-mommies call "powdered gold." 'Thank you' can't begin to communicate the depth of gratitude when you donate toward a formula fund that can literally be the difference between life and death or be the tipping point between maladjustment and robust health in a tiny child.
Joy Casey
Executive Director
Adoption Ministry, YWAM

---

Last year, contributions to the Rahel Formula Fund amounted to $7.915.  It costs between $100 - $120 a month for one baby.  Babies are given formula for the first twelve months and then are transitioned to cow’s milk with a daily multivitamin.  This generosity literally saved lives.  Government restrictions on international adoption have left orphanages without finances and unable to provide the quality care the children need. 

Here is how you can partner with YWAM…

If you would join the Littles in this annual effort, please go to Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia.  When you click on the DONATE button at the bottom of the page, you will see "Rahel’s Formula Fund" under the Gift Designation tab that has been set up to respond to this very unique opportunity.  We welcome your partnership and your tax-deductible donation. Please be sure to include your mailing address in your correspondence. If you prefer to mail your donation, please send it to:

Adoption Ministry of YWAM
P.O. Box 1145
Puyallup, WA 98371

Please make your check payable to "Adoption Ministry of YWAM" and designate "Rahel Formula Fund" in the Memo section of your check.

Holidays Can Trigger Big Feelings

Parenting Kiddos Who Sabotage Big Days
@jenhatmaker.com
“This is the worst day OF MY LIFE!!” (We hear this regularly on Big Days.) She will end up crying in her bedroom, devolving into shame: “I am the worst girl! I am on the naughty list! I ruined Christmas! I’m giving all my presents away!” I feel so frustrated that I sometimes snap, making it all worse. Ultimately, I dread Big Days altogether and while she is thinking she is the worst kid (bless her), I am thinking I am definitely the worst mom.

Yearly Grieving Struggles
@adoption.about.com
Holidays and birthdays can be a difficult time for many foster and adoptive families, as it may mean grieving for some children… memories are sometimes the only thing they have left of birth family.

Why Christmas Stinks Sometimes
@empoweredtoconnect.org
Try as I might to “practice what I preach,” I admit that my default reaction in situations like this is to “lay down the law.” But something told me that there was much, much more going on than simply bad behavior.

Creating A Hopeful Christmas for Your Adopted Child
@crosswalk.com
Imagine being a new visitor to a new home and being thrust into the thick of celebration their way. No one was really asking you what you wanted or cared about; however, they were expecting you to "get with it" and be happy about what was going on.

Celebrating Christmas with Newly Adopted Children
@onethankfulmom.com
Read all of the comments for some great ideas!


New Every Morning
@onethankfulmom.com

Gifts of Love For Christmas

If you're like me, you don't really remember what you got for Christmas last year.  Was it something you needed?

Have you ever spent a lot of time and money trying to make your family happy on Christmas morning?

Would you like a way to give this Christmas that extends the love of Jesus to those who really do need help and who really will appreciate what is given?

 
Our online YWAM Gift Catalog is a secure way to give to those in Ethiopia who need our help.

What a privilege it is for us to offer ways you can bless those who are in desperate need.

Here are some of the biggest needs:


$7 buys a bible for a new believer recently saved

$50 buys a personal, solar-powered audio bible for those who don’t read

$20 buys a solar light for houses without electricity





$25 buys a new shirt, pants, socks and underwear for a child

$75 buys a sheep or goat to generate income






$200 buys a bedframe, mattress and bedding so families don’t sleep on the ground

$300 buys one year of rent for families struggling to pay sky-rocketing prices







Visit our Online Gift Catalog and know the joy of giving gifts that change lives!

Giving That Empowers Others

This holiday season we are so privileged to provide you with an opportunity to invest in a single mother in Ethiopia, giving her the capacity to lift herself out of poverty.

Adoption Ministry 1:27 stabilizes at-risk families and then offers micro loans, coupled with business training and one-on-one mentoring, to start a business that will radically change the trajectory of a family.

We currently have 30 small businesses funded and operating. This means:

Kids go to school

Food is on the table

Living conditions are improving

Medical help is received

Families are being reunited

SMALL BUSINESS STARTS

$1,000 -- Cow for dairy cooperative
   $700 -- Pair of oxen for farming
   $600 -- Funding to start one business
   $300 -- Shop rent for six months
   $150 -- Water tank for agricultural production
   $100 -- Electric injera baker (injera is Ethiopia's cultural bread)
     $75 -- Livestock for a sheep fattening business
     $75 -- Moringa tree seed to plant 2 acres
     $50 -- Seeds and fertilizer to plant barley or maize
     $20 -- Solar light
Please visit our 'Send Help' webpage to donate these items and more!
 

SUCCESS STORIES

More and more women and men who have received help starting a small business through AM 1:27 are now self-sufficient! Their inspiring stories are here.