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I. ORPHAN CHILDREN
Here are a
couple amazing conversations
1. Anteneh Alem:
I live with a compassionate guardian who looks after me like a father, but
sometimes forgets to provide me with breakfast and lunch. I’ve lost my
father and my mother has abandoned me. I get up in the morning to go to
school and when I don’t see bread and tea on the table, I understand
there’s no breakfast that day, so I go off to school with an empty
stomach. When I returned from school also, some days I find the door
locked and I have to wait for my guardian to come and let me in. Yes, I
work hard to earn some income to help myself. I sell a few items. But
now I thank God for connecting me with “Remember the Poorest Community”.
They provide me with school uniform, regular clothes and other basic
necessities. I don’t have to worry for my food, education and medical
attention.
2. Getanhe
Sisay: “I was so happy and excited,” says Getaneh “when we were given
new pairs of shoes at RPC. It was the first time for me to get a new pair
of shoes. That night I slept with the new shoes beside me under the
blanket and I was dreaming about wearing them to school the next day. I
couldn’t wait for the day to dawn and be able to put them on and walk to
school in them like a proud, little boy!”
3. The Life
History of Little orphan Dagmawit Solomon:
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"Oh God, I'm
awfully hungry, please put the stomach of one who is full into my
empty stomach," said a little seven-year old girl, Dagimawit."
How amazing it is
some times to discover what kind of thoughts can pass through the mind of
suffering children. In the following few paragraphs you will read the
story of Little Dagmawit.
Little Dagmawit was
born to her father, Solomon Gebre and her mother, Yimegnushal Mesfin on
July 6, 1997 in the vicinity of Higher 3, Kebele 04 in Adam City.
Little Dagmawit
with her older sister, Metsihet, lived with their parents in a small house
built on a plot of land granted to them by Solomon's sister, W/zero Almaz
Gebre. The breadwinner of the family, Ato Solomon was previously a
military man, who got discharged from the army after receiving a serious
injury, but in 1997 got employed in Adama Flour Mill and in this way began
to support his family. His wife, yimegnushal managed the home. While
leading a fairly Little Dagmawit with Her Great Grand Mother
Little Dagmawit has
suffered much in her short existence. Now she is living with her great
grandmother who might pass away soon leave her to the care of our agency.
We wish to take care of her as long as we possibly can, but need sponsors
to support children like little Damawit so they can live a meaningful and
fulfilled life.
Dagmawit has
certainly changed for the better since she joined RPC. Her character and
behavior have been transformed. She used to be very reticent and
oftentimes shied away from people, with a look of desperation and hopeless
ness expecting only the life of a road side beggar. But now she is quite
active, healthy and happy. She gets basic necessities, i.e., she now has
food in her stomach, clothes on her back, Knowledge in her head and
Medical attention for her health. She asks a lot of questions and freely
expresses her thoughts and feelings.
II. STREET CHILDREN
TAMIRAT, A TRANSFORMED CHARACTER OF STREET BOY IN THE SERVICE OF RPC
Tamirate
Kidane One amazing event
that occurred in 2004 was the fact that one of the homeless young people
named Tamrat Kidane joined our staff. He was the fruit of our labor from
the previous years. He has become a very valuable member of our staff.
Tamirate:
When I was a boy I
seemed destined to be a fighter. Everyday I picked a fight with one of the
boys at school. I had the reputation of being a good fighter, and was
respected for this. But finally I was expelled from school. My father
tried to discipline me, but it didn’t help at all. I continued to fight,
drink, steal, until it became a way of life for me.
So many times when,
I was 14, I was in and out of prison. The police caught me so many times
and they took me to the police station. Often times there they beat me,
talked to me, and beat me some more again and again. On a few occasions,
it felt like they nearly broke my bones. Many a time the police said, “Go,
and don’t let us catch you again.”
In most cases the
reason for stealing was that I needed drugs. My habit was costing more
than I could pay for.
I moved away from
my birth place and went to different towns in Ethiopia. I traveled a lot.
Finally I came to Nazareth, one of the busiest commercial cities in
Ethiopia. Every where I went it was the same story, found those who were
on the street and on drugs… robbed, stole, and plundered with them.
When I was in
Nazareth, One day a Christian fellow came to visit me on the street. The
visitor said simply, “Jesus loves you” and he added, “There are young
christian men and women who assist Street children in North Nazareth
Meserete Kristos Church compound”. And then he sent me to “Remember the
Poorest Community (RPC)”. RPC’s servants warmly welcomed me, I saw Jesus
in their life, and this was a period of profound repentance. I confessed
everything; finally, totally I gave my life to Jesus.
I was convinced
that God did care for me and for my large problems. Now I am serving the
Lord with RPC’s staff members. Yes, “Jesus loves me” this is amazing
grace!.
III. EDUCATION FOR ALL
RPC has been
running a community kindergarten school for the past four months as part
of its formal education program. The pupils in the school come from very
poor families who are unable to even pay one dollar USD School fee per
month. We want to present the story of one of the pupils to illustrate
the hard life most of them face from day to day.
YABSIRA ENDALKACHEW
Little Ye’absira is
just four years old, but kept busy in selling paper napkins on the streets
of Nazareth to earn a few coins to help support the miserable livelihood
of her parents. She was born on December 24, 2001 on the roadside in
Nazareth in a dwelling made of plastic sheeting.
She’s now
registered in RPC’s kindergarten school in the nursery class. In the past
few months she has shown great improvement in her overall character and
intelligence. She’s a brilliant student and a delightful human being.
All the teachers speak very highly of her.
Her parents used to
work and live on the street peddling small items of merchandise in the
evening and early morning hours and shelter under plastic sheeting for the
night. But recently, they have started renting a room somewhere in town
because their income has increased somewhat after receiving valuable
counseling from RPC’s social workers. As a result, little Ye’absira’s
living condition is changing for the better and she’s enjoying her life at
school very much. |
