A Goat Named Joy
Gloria Khaitsa’s was so little when her mother died that she doesn’t even remember her. Sadly, Gloria’s father is known in their village to be a drunkard who leaves home early in the morning and returns late in the night. Although Gloria’s father remarried soon after her mother’s death, parental care ceased to be a priority in their home.
Gloria continued to go to Makhai primary, the nearby school, but did not think remaining in school was important. Her sadness and lack of purpose caught the attention of Food for the Hungry workers who decided to give her a goat.
“I had almost lost hope in my future after losing my mother,” Gloria shyly explained. “But thanks be to God for our Food for the Hungry partners. When they gave me this she-goat, I thought I was dreaming. I immediately wanted to give her a name.” Gloria decided to name her goat Mwikhoyo which means Joy. Gloria’s goat immediately gave her responsibility and purpose. “Ever since I received this gift of mine, I have cared for it by feeding it before and after school.”
Eyes twinkling, Gloria continued. “I also prayed for God to bless it with at least two young ones. And guess what!! Mwikhoyo produced twins and here they are!” She pointed to the young goats and went on. “This has not only made me happy because of the milk it produces and the new young goats, but it has also improved my relationship with my father and stepmother.”
Gloria’s parents plan to buy a calf with the income generated from these three goats and strongly believe that this cow will help facilitate Gloria’s educational and health needs in the nearby future.
Monday, December 1, 2008
CFHI - All I want for Christmas is a Goat
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
From CFHI/ Belo
Did you know you could visit your sponsor child? If you are planning to be in the area where your sponsored child lives, arrangements can be made through our national office for you to meet. There is an application process, which is designed to protect you and the child, so please let us know four months before you plan to leave Canada.
Also check out the latest crimson seal from Rob Bustin in Ethiopia (or pick up a hard copy in the commons).
Today is also the official launch of Journey to Sasiga, a blog site that seeks to connect people to the community and work in Belo.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The hand of fellowship is extended to us
Greetings to you!
Here is to extend you warmest greeting from the bottem of my heart and inform you about the status of your question about ways to become a member in Belo Mojo Evangelical fellowship. As I promised we have discussed with the fellowship leaders and we agreed to accept your request for membership from Lambrick Park Church.
I have said them to make all things in written and have received copy of minute record including the agenda for discussion.
For the line of our office should be respected we are planning to send it to National office and they will send you soon. So that 'til it comes you can plan for what to do and how to do.
Bless you all,
Dereje
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Belo Annual Report 2007
Read the whole report here.
Message from the project staff
The SICDP accomplished the first phase on December 31st 2007. Thanks to our
almighty God, during this period a group of visitors from donors and also
government stakeholders visited the project’s activities and they admired the
phase one achievements of the project. It was also very motivating to hear words
of thanks from the benefited target community for the project’s contribution to
their development.
The project successfully accomplished the planned activities and benefited the
target community. Thus the target communities have significantly benefited
from the project’s physical work, such as school construction, veterinary health
post construction, water point construction, different farming implement tools
provision, sanitary tool provision and many interrelated capacity building
trainings. It’s difficult to accomplish all this work without the genuine support
of our donors and the committed of the implementers of the secured fund at all
the different levels.
Hence, we would like to offer our great appreciation and thanks to CFH and
JIFH for their continued financial donations and all the other support which has
made possible the implementation of the programs within the project plan. In
addition, we would also like to thank the head office staff (FH/E) whose
monitoring and sincere technical support helped us implement activities
smoothly at the project level.
God Bless you all!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Belo Month 2008
How we can participate:
Pray - Read the stories and reports, and pray into them
Give - Please DESIGNATE your offering to Belo
Sponsor - one of the most vulnerable in Belo
Create - New ideas to support Belo
Relate - New ideas to get to know the Belo communities/churches
Change - Realise that our life choices affect the plight of poor
Tell others - Spread the word
Go - Visits and internships are now possible
In February, we released a document to the congregations with some thoughts from the last trip on progress in Belo. If you didn't read it, then here's your chance:
Education & Leadership development (Rosemary Gaunt)
Education for children and adults is a growing phenomenon in the Belo communities that we visited. Education in its infancy exists everywhere exhibiting different levels of sophistication and success. Facilities now range from temporary buildings of mud and wattle construction, susceptible to rapid decay as a result of termite activity, to permanent structures made of concrete. The latter is the direction of choice.
In one of the communities we visited in 2005 years ago there were neither schoolrooms nor any form of collective education happening for the children. The residents of the village had a sense of hopelessness believing that they had to wait for others to come and provide the resources that were needed to facilitate development in their village. This is the site of the famous story told within our LPC community:
“Who told you that you were poor? You’re not poor... who’s the best teacher in your community?” asked David Collins. All the villagers turned and pointed to one of the members of the village. “Well then, a group of children can go and sit with him under a tree tomorrow and learn from him all the things he has to teach them.”
“Yes, but we don’t have enough money to build a classroom. The government hasn’t given us the resources we need.”
“Don’t wait for the government to give you resources to build a school. Build one yourself.” And so they did. They received help from FHE (Food for Hungry Ethiopia) to build the roof and today they have three classrooms. Yes, they too will have to deal with the problem of the termites and at that time it’s likely that they will have to replace the school with one made of concrete, but, one step at a time. Surely this is a greater, more lasting and transformational achievement than having a group from outside the community build the classrooms for them? This community was a source of great encouragement to us.
The equipment in the classroom is probably more important to the students than the construction of the buildings. Equipment ranged from benches, to benches with desks, to include chalkboards and occasionally, more than 1 small well-used piece of chalk. All rooms were jammed full of students. I’m told that desks make a profound difference in school attendance. Education and those who receive it recognize they are valued when there are desks in the classroom.
Of course no school is complete without good teachers. However, resources such as textbooks are in limited supply. Most students have notebooks and pencils. Historically, teachers in Ethiopia are not well regarded. However in Angur Central I met a group of teachers who are very invested in the lives of their students and their education. A couple of us conducted an informal in-service training for the teachers in this school, however, I likely learned more from them than they did from me. The director of the school told me that all the teachers in the local school are Christians even though they serve a Muslim/ Christian community. He was very interested to know how we conducted our educational work in Canada. The most remarkable thing about this man is that his family is from this village – I think he grew up in the area. He wants to return to university and get his master’s degree, then return to the village school and continue to see it develop.
While at this school I observed a Grade 6 and a Grade 8 classroom as well as observing an environmental club. The classrooms were stuffed full with 80+ kids sitting on benches. One lesson was Science (algae and fungi) and other was about their local language, Oromofia. Many of the class members were engaged in the lesson and others were whispering and talking, much like North American schools. There was a female teacher doing a really commendable job in the face of many obstacles. She had some chalk and a very grainy, textured blackboard. The Environmental club was beginning to talk about recycling. One of their main responsibilities was to plant trees in the schoolyard. Planting trees in the area is very important. When this area was communist ruled in the ‘80s all the trees were cut down to make room for grain crops – a particularly unsuccessful plan.
Our entire team received royal welcomes at two of the schools we visited. The entire student body of each school sang, clapped and give us exotic, bunches of flowers when we arrived. At one the children lined up in their team uniforms, provided by money that the children of Lambrick had raised. There were tears in my eyes as I recognized that the cheerful efforts of our children had made a difference in the lives of children halfway around the world. The singing and clapping went on and on and on. At the other we listened to a few speeches that were translated for us, then two children read poems. At the same a soccer game was happening on a nearby field.
In the school we also had a chance to observe adult education in progress and participate in a community meeting. The classrooms are the only large buildings in the area so they are used for all forms of education, public meetings and leadership development.
Child Development Program (Rosemary)
We met 100 children identified for the new Child Development Program (CDP) by the leaders of the village. The communities appear to champion the success of the whole village rather than the individual. We realized that it is important that we don’t send gifts to individual children as the workers cannot refuse to give them out, thus destabilizing the communal goals. The group of sponsor children were visibly less well cared for than the other children. Their clothes had more holes and they looked thinner so it is an important service that we do when we sponsor a child. Often they are from homes in which a parent or parents have died so the child may be looked after by others who do not have the resources to care for them. The caregivers of these children can be in such difficult situations that neither they nor the children in their home are able to respond to Belo’s growing educational. There are a growing number of opportunities for adult education (for the caregivers) that has the potential to improve nutrition and provide basic education. So your sponsorship works to empower the families and children, and ultimately the communities.
Health, Water and Sanitation (Lisa Bryden)
Water borne diseases have a huge impact on community development in the third world and the Belo villages in the Sasiga District in Ethiopia have experienced their share of illnesses from unsanitary water management practices. Identification of this issue came very early in the Belo development project as gastroenteritis and diarrheas were commonplace. Canadian Food for the Hungry in partnership with Ethiopian Food for the Hungry (EFHI) worked with the community leaders to help educate and identify solutions to water management and construction of wells began. With the building of wells comes a source of clean water and the people have gained a knowledge of the value and benefits it. They have learned that river and stream water can be used for washing clothes and bathing but not for drinking. The wells have been constructed by the local communities using their own labour under the direction of Ethiopian water technicians and subsequently the communities have ownership and pride in their own wells.
The wells are fenced and the pumps are locked and are only unlocked for specified time periods so that effective control measures on the use and protection of the well can be ensured. When the well is unavailable the people collect water from the streams and springs. Free running springs are open all the time and the women and children are responsible for fetching the water, so will frequently use them when the wells are inaccessible.
A couple of health posts have been built since the first team from LPC was there in 2005. Now people do not have to walk, or be carried, all the way to Sasiga town (18 km) to get to a clinic. The health posts are staffed with a community nurse and have some basic medications that they can dispense. Some of these are free and some have to be purchased. Hopefully, in the future more medications, especially anti-malarials will be more readily available. There still are many opportunities for improvements in the health care delivery system, including emergency care and preventive medicine. Health education is a big part of the community nurse’s duties.
We visited a home after visiting one of the well projects where the family and the local community had built two latrines. One was for children and the other one for adults. This has been a huge improvement in sanitary waste management, to say nothing of privacy issues! Education about human waste management has helped the communities understand the necessity of constructing latrines at a distance from potable water supplies such as well and springs.
Agriculture (Geoff Gaunt)
The day we went to visit the veterinary post was especially interesting and I was looking forward to meeting the newly installed veterinarian. He was introduced all around and through a translator told us that he had just finished his training in Addis Ababa. His course was three years long and covered the basic sciences, animal husbandry, medicine and surgery. We shared a few experiences and I discovered that his experience was limited to basics of the typical diseases of his area. His presence in the community of Mada Jalala - one of the villages in the Belo area - was subsidized by the local governments, and the community leaders who had built the brand new veterinary post were very pleased to have him in their community. Most of what he does is deal with the tropical disease trypanosomiasis and other assorted parasitic problems. He wanted me to see his Burdizzo and surgical instruments and I concluded that the extent of his surgery was mostly castrations and abscess management! We deduced that he was about 20 years old.
This year’s trip showed that the populations of cattle, sheep, goat and donkeys had grown quite a bit since our short visit in 2005. Everywhere we went young kids were herding their charges. Small knots of cattle were being moved towards the river for water and were met by other kids urging their goats and sheep back up from the river towards paddocks around the houses. All the wells we visited had a small groups of donkeys clustered around ready to carry plastic water cans. These beasts of burden were fitted with simple wooden frames and allowed the people to move larger quantities of water up from the well to the homes. A local market has developed recently where the farm animals were being sold and traded not unlike the typical Saturday farm auctions found all over rural Canada. Surplus grains and other horticultural products were also on display for sale and trade.
Crops that we saw being cultivated included staples such as sorghum and maize (corn) as well as cash crops recently introduced like sesame and mango. The Ethiopian Food for the Hungry (EFHI) staff introduced us to two different model farmers who were showing considerable ingenuity in their techniques. One model farmer, a young woman, was growing a mango orchard and realized that she could plant heat and sun sensitive crops in the shade of the large leafed mango trees. Healthy sets of green onions, peppers and other vegetable seedlings could be seen being tenderly cultivated under the canopy of the mangos. An older, grey bearded man had achieved success with his farming enterprise by recycling waste materials as mulches and composts around the roots and stems of his growing stock, contrary to the widely accepted practice of burning the waste plant materials. His crops showed healthier and more vigorous growth than his neighbours and he said that he regularly showed visitors from the surrounding communities how he was able to accomplish this. These two model farmers had been selected based on their willingness to learn and be coached by the EFHI staff who live and work in the Belo communities.
We became aware of other innovations in agriculture in the Belo area. One was the introduction of mechanized equipment for grinding grain. There were at least four simple diesel powered hammer mills that were being used to grind corn into coarse flour, saving many hours of tedious labour for the village women. The other was the presence of grain buyers who visited the smaller villages and purchased corn, sorghum and sesame as cash crops. The buyers would then sell the staple grains in the market at a profit or ship them into larger more distant centers. The farmers would take their cash into the market and buy cooking oil, shoes, fabrics, spices and even lottery tickets. Cash and progress - what a concept!
Coffee is not new to Ethiopia, after all the Ethiopians discovered coffee. Coffee may not be new to Ethiopia, but it is a new crop to the Belo area villages. The agriculturists that work on staff with EFHI showed us a coffee seedling plantation where they were conducting growth trials using several different varieties of coffee seedlings. They were evaluating these varieties for several things including resistance to disease and compatibility to the local lowland climate. The goal is to find a variety of coffee plant that is resistant to termites so that pesticide use can be minimized. If they are successful they will be able to introduce another cash crop into the region, creating another economic enterprise in the area.
Canadian farmers are proud of their accomplishments and freely use the slogan, “Farming is everybody’s bread and butter.” Obviously this is true worldwide and clearly seen in Belo!
Deepening Our Relationship (Rosemary, from Dec 23)
In Belo there was a group of about 30 churches from five different evangelical denominations who had formed a fellowship. According to Derejay, one of the base camp staff, it had taken lots of hard work and a long time to bring the churches together but they were now holding regular leadership meetings and recently had even had a revival meeting.
I spouted to Ben (president of CFHI) “Do you think we can ask if we (LPC) could be part of the fellowship?” So we asked if it would be possible to get the pastors together that afternoon. It seemed like a pretty audacious request – they lived in widely separated areas, would have to walk, and there was no obvious way to communicate. I don’t know how, but it happened.
We sat down and after introducing ourselves to one another through our translator, I was asked to speak.
It was at that moment that the heavens parted and God walked among us. I asked them, if it would be possible for our church might join their fellowship, and if so, then maybe they could teach us about seed projects because we didn’t really understand them and wanted some help.
After I made my request the leader of the pastors got up and spoke. He told his story, through a translator, how God had specifically directed him in his ministry moving him from place to place. He also shared that God had also told him that one day a white woman would come from the other side of the world and ask if her church could be part of our fellowship.” There was a general nodding of heads and the pastor continued.
I couldn’t believe it, this was the stuff of stories, this wasn’t the stuff of my life. . . but God was there. It was, as far as they were concerned, a ‘no-brainer’ . . . God had told them someone was coming. Eagerly they offered to seal the request with the stamp of their fellowship. They also listed the pastors and evangelists that were present. Of course we suggested that they talk about it and see what the rest of the pastors in the group, the ones who weren’t present might say. I gave them a list of the pastors from our church and we agreed as a first step to pray for one another and exchange prayer request.
According to Ben, the faces of the listeners were transformed as I asked them to teach us about seed projects. As it was being translated, Ben was convinced that the pastors were transfixed with the idea that they were being asked to teach people from the west. How much we have to learn...
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Stories from the Belo trip 2007 (Dec 23)
The Pop Bottles
During the five days that we lived on the base camp at Angur Central, Sasiga we had several meetings with community leaders in the surrounding villages. One day we visited with a group of community leaders who welcomed us to their village with singing, clapping, and exotic flowers. We felt like royalty as we were surrounded by what seemed like hundreds of people. The moving mob ushered us into a recently constructed classroom with painted cement walls and windows that allowed lots of light into the room. About 40 community leaders, including model farmers, filed into the classroom and sat in the desks looking expectantly towards us as we filed in and sat on benches behind tables, at the front and side of the room.
What’s a model farmer – a man or woman who has for example, planted mango trees, peppers & onions, incorporated rudimentary recycling techniques, on a very small plot of land. We met two model farmers and were proudly shown their farms, which are nothing short of remarkable. I’d certainly show off my plot of land if it looked like theirs and people came to visit me from halfway around the world.
One of the most humbling surprises that morning was the pop bottle crate that was sitting on the classroom floor containing about 15 bottles of pop. One of our hosts, who spoke English, asked each of us what kind of pop we would like – 7 up or orange crush – and so we chose and there before us was a bottle of pop, carefully pried opened. Not one of us, would even think to say no to such an offer – the people were extending such generosity to us and all we could do was say thank you we had nothing to offer back except our presence. What happened next was even more extraordinary – after the westerners were all served pop there were about 3 bottles left. Out of the corner of my eye I could see one of the Ethiopian community leaders surreptitiously taking a swig of pop out of one of the remaining bottles . . . then he passed the bottle to the next person who also took a sip, then on to the next . . . . three bottles of pop for 40 people. This was the only event where soft drinks were offered. It was uncommon – a royal treat especially designed for us.
Somehow or other these people whom we hardly know, understand that we are very interested in everything about them - and they are full of joy as they talk to us, welcome us, show us all their accomplishments . . . like parents visiting their adult children – showing us proudly what they are doing. . . there’s that much love.
And all we could do was receive the love and generosity they extended to us. It was the pop that made me realize how important it was to them that we were there and they did everything possible to welcome us including offering us a bottle of pop.
Story 2
The week we were living at the base camp in Ethiopia I was plagued with the question of how to develop a relationship between LPC/the Place and Belo, Ethiopia. I had mentioned early on in the week we were there, that we really wanted to develop a relationship with Belo but we weren’t sure how it could happen. Finally, it was Friday, the last day of our visit in the rural region before we returned to Addis Ababa. I spoke with Ben Hoogendorn, current president of CFHI. I was becoming a little panicky, insistent that we needed to do something about the possibility of developing a relationship with one of the Belo churches.
Well, something had been percolating in Ben’s mind all week. He said, “I’ve been thinking about it. I’m wondering if we could get the pastors together and talk to them.” I had slowly learned throughout the week that there was a group of about 30 churches from five different evangelical denominations who had formed a fellowship. According to Derejay, one of the base camp staff, it had taken lots of hard work and a long time to bring the churches together but they were now holding regular leadership meetings and recently had even had a revival meeting.
I spouted to Ben “Do you think we can ask if we could be part of the fellowship.” I think he was a little taken aback but very intrigued. It had immediately made sense to me that maybe we could ask. So Ben carefully asked Derejay, if it would be possible to get the pastors together that afternoon – our last afternoon. It seemed like a pretty audacious request – they lived in widely separated areas, walking, the only form of transportation with no obvious way to communicate. I don’t know how he contacted them, but he did and they agreed.
So that afternoon, two hours after the agreed time because we were running late, we; that is Ben, Grant, Geoff, myself and Derejay arrived at the appointed spot and met with some of the pastors who were sitting on benches, under a tree in the hot Ethiopian sun.
We sat down and after introducing ourselves to one another through our translator, I was asked to speak.
It was at that moment that the heavens parted and God walked among us. I asked them, if it would be possible for our church, from halfway around the world might join their fellowship and if so, then maybe they could teach us about seed projects because we didn’t really understand them and wanted some help so that we could understand.
After I made my request the leader of the pastors got up and spoke. He told his story, through a translator, how God had specifically directed him in his ministry moving him from place to place. He also shared that God had also told him that one day a white woman would come from the other side of the world and ask if her church could be part of our fellowship.” There was a general nodding of heads and the pastor continued.
I couldn’t believe it, this was the stuff of stories, this wasn’t the stuff of my life. . . but God was there. It was, as far as they were concerned, a ‘no-brainer’ . . . God had told them someone was coming. Eagerly they offered to seal the request with the stamp of their fellowship. They also listed the pastors and evangelists that were present. Of course we suggested that they talk about it and see what the rest of the pastors in the group, the ones who weren’t present might say. I gave them a list of the pastors from our church and we agreed as a first step to pray for one another and exchange prayer request.
According to Ben, the faces of the listeners were transformed as I asked them to teach us about seed projects. As it was being translated, Ben was convinced that the pastors were transfixed with the idea that they were being asked to teach people from the west. How much we have to learn?
Story 3
"When I used to think of Africa I thought of disease, poverty and sadness but when I went to Africa I saw something that surprised me. Despite the fact that the people there are surrounded by poverty and sickness they are so happy. I think this happiness comes from their faith in God. They are so full of Joy. I didn't really expect to see a lot of Joy in Ethiopia but, looking back, we saw it everywhere.
First, there was our driver, Tesfey. He was always so excited to show us the beauty and wonder of his country..pointing out scenery, and wildlife and always stopping for us to take photos. While doing this he also made sure to protect us when we felt vulnerable in certain situations. He was a wonderful host and we all miss him!
Second, there were the guys at basecamp..the FHI staff. There were 4 of them that we interacted with daily. These are educated men who are leading the communities in holistic development and they are devout christians with an amazing faith in God. Every morning we would meet at 7am for a time of prayer, singing and devotions. Each morning when we went to the room where we met we would find these guys on their knees, in the dark, privately praying and worshipping God! It was humbling and beautiful!
Third, there was Tananya. She was our cook. She was 17 or 18 years old and everyday she arrived by 7am and didn't leave basecamp until well after dark. She cooked for about 20 of us. She cooked us 3 meals a day and performed the coffee ceremony twice a day...which was about an hour's job. She did all of the cooking over a fire with the most basic facilities and equipment. We even heard that one night she stayed up all night preparing a special meal for us.
What I distinctly remember about all of these people we met was their smiles!"
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Rob and the Crimson Seal (Belo)
Whilst in Ethiopia, our team had a chance to connect again with Rob Bustin, who visited Lambrick in 2006. He keeps us up-to-date with all things in his Crimson Seal newsletters. Pick one up from the foyer or click away...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Belo partners: we are not alone...
Joining us in our Christian response to poverty is...
A fitness club in Calgary, Alberta recently raised $11,500 through an online auction, to help the people of Belo, Ethiopia. The auction, which included items such as fitness equipment, tickets to see the Calgary Flames in action, and much more, was held to launch the Fifth Avenue Club's on-going commitment to the people of Belo. Every month, and until the year 2011, the Fifth Avenue Club is donating $3 from each membership toward CFHI's Integrated Community Development Program in Belo.
Read more about this exciting partnership, and how lives are being transformed in Belo Ethiopia! or watch the City TV news clip
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Trip to Belo: a chance to pray
This week a team returns to our sustainable development partnership in Ethiopia. Last bulletin we focused on the people and why they were going. This week we want to give you an opportunity to ask questions, and pray into their itinerary and the numerous needs that we want to bring before God.
Simon Goff
PARTICIPATE: by praying
• We will trust God each moment.
• We will have the necessary stamina.
• We will be safe.
• Heidi’s girls, Jeunesse & Hannah, are happy and safe (and good for their Grammas!!) while Heidi is gone.
• Conflict/tension that might happen in the group will be minimized and resolved.
• Nolana will feel and be completely included in our relationships even though we meet her in the middle of the trip.
• God will use this trip to teach us about Him and that our hearts would be open to learning.
• We will be able to forget about ourselves and focus on God and what He’s doing in Sasiga.
• We will accomplish the purposes of this trip, in His will, for the glory of His kingdom.
PARTICIPATE: by asking questions
When you ask a question we know that you are invested in our relationship with the people in Belo, Ethiopia. We know that you care. If you ask us a question it will help us focus on what you are thinking about and help us to open our eyes in a different way as we visit our family in Belo, Ethiopia. Perhaps your question fits in one of the 5 purpose areas? Either way, please ask!
PURPOSES
1. Develop relationship with our ‘sister’ church and community
2. see the Progress in sustainable development
3. Examine the new Child development Program
4. Assess potential for Belo Internships
5. Build relationships of encouragement and hope with all our partners
The trip...
Sat Nov 8 Fly from Canada
Sat Nov 10 AM Arrive in Addis - Rest up,
Sun Nov 11 AM Attend Church in Addis
PM Depart to Belo (go part way)
Mon Nov 12 AM Complete trip & Arrive in Belo
- Fri Nov 16 In Belo – various communities
Fri Nov 16 PM Depart Belo– visit Hospital
Travel part way back to Addis
Sat Nov 17 PM Arrive Addis
Sun Nov 18 AM Attend Church in Addis
PM Sight Seeing
Mon Nov 19 AM Depart Addis for London
Sat Nov 20 Arrive Home
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Progress Trip to Belo
See our latest Progress Slideshow.
In November (8-20) a self-funded team returns to our sustainable development partnership in Ethiopia. This gives our church a tremendous opportunity to:
• see the progress in a) leadership development and education, b) health, water supply and sanitation, c) agriculture, and d) church outreach, partially financed by our designated tithes and fundraising.
• examine the Child Sponsorship program that will be available to us very soon. How does it tie in with community development? How can Lambrick families connect?
• develop connection and communication with our ‘sister’ churches across the globe
• assess potential for Belo internships
• build relationships of encouragement and hope with all our partners.
I will let the team (bottom-left) introduce themselves below. They will be joined by Nolana Ritskes (bottom-right) in Addis Ababa, who will accompany them to Belo. Nolana is a member of the Place, a nurse and recently married (not necessarily in that order!). She is presently living and volunteering in a hospital in Addis. As you will read, the team has knowledge in most areas of interest, which is a real answer to prayer. The trip will be led by Ben Hoogendoorn, president of Canadian Food for the Hungry.
Simon Goff
GEOFF GAUNT
Rosemary and I have been married for nearly 35 years, but we have known each other for 42 years! We met in our early teens. After we were married we moved to Saskatoon. I studied veterinary medicine and Rosemary taught school. We lived there for 7 years followed by a year in Ontario. We have been in Victoria since 1980 and at Lambrick since 1992. I have been a veterinarian for 29 years. I really want to go back to Belo, Ethiopia to see what has happened there in the last 2.5 years. This is a huge project and the influence those people have had on us is very great. I want to be able to see where changes have occurred, where people’s lives have improved, how the churches have become more unified and how the reconciliation of the world to God is being played out in Belo. We hope to be able to understand where the next major steps towards sustainable development need to occur and I am very interested to see how animal husbandry and local disease control is being addressed.
ROSEMARY GAUNT
I got to visit Ethiopia in 2005 as part of a vision team from LPC investigating partnering with a sustainable development project providing hope for the whole person. Imagine embarking on a journey with such a noble purpose? What I didn’t understand then and I realize now is that I take myself with me wherever I go, and I am not as noble as the task. In fact I am beset by my humanity. We have three children in their mid to late twenties who are all still in school!!! We also have a lovely daughter-in-law and a 2.5 year-old grandson. I have been a teacher of sorts all my life; piano, Sunday School, public school and ESL. I’ve managed an office and accounts, as well as directing musicals, camps, leading camp staff training weekends and camp staff director’s camps. My request is “please pray for each one of us as we venture forth to Ethiopia”. Thank you.
LISA BRYDEN
I grew up in Victoria and have been attending Lambrick since I was a little girl. I am a Dental Hygienist and in my time off I love to run, cycle and play a little golf. I had the opportunity to travel to Zambia two summers ago where I volunteered in an orphanage. That trip came after a very difficult time in my life. God was so faithful!!! He helped me through it and now I am grateful for the opportunity to experience another part of His world!
HEIDI DAYMAN
I’ve been attending LPC for just over a year and a half. I volunteered in an orphanage in Addis Ababa with Youth With a Mission 16 years ago and have always had a desire to go back – Ethiopia is deep in my heart. I never in a million years thought this opportunity would arise! God has provided amazingly throughout this process. I am a single mom with two daughters and have tasted a bit of the despair of poverty, although our “North American” brand of poverty. Just before Christmas four years ago, my daughters and I received a number of big boxes filled to the brim with gifts for all of us, as well as a full Christmas dinner. I called them into our entry way with tears running down my face and saying, “Thank you Jesus” over and over again. I told them to never, ever forget this moment of blessing. I don’t know who the people are that allowed us to have a Christmas that year, but one of the ways I get to say thank you is by going out to a community in Africa that our church is partnering with. I hope to help our church get to know the Ethiopians in Belo, love them and serve them.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Belo Progress 2007
From the report: (8mB pdf)
"This integrated program, which focuses on farmers’ capacity building, environmental rehabilitation, animal health, production diversification, promotion of improved varieties and promotion income generation were planned by the agricultural rehabilitation component for the year 2007. An integrated program benefits the community in all parts of life. There was much work completed to promote and improve the socio-economic condition of the families and community members, thus they will be able to address their own problems and children’s basic needs by themselves.
Agriculture of the district is subsistence, as it is in the vast majority of Ethiopia. Low food self-sufficiency, subsistence production technologies, low awareness and access to improved varieties, poor saving habits, and a low knowledge level for production diversification are most of the influential problems of the local communities. To minimize these deep-rooted problems, the project agricultural rehabilitation component has planned integrated activities and has been implementing them since 2004. Below are the major accomplishments since the beginning of 2007..."
read more
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Rob Bustin: our man in Addis
The following excerpt is from Rob's latest Crimson Seal (available in the foyer or online in color here):
"The end of this month will mark the end of my second year in Ethiopia. I have now started the process of moving here to the capitol , Addis Ababa. A city of four to six million people. A city where there are many street people and beggars. As you drive through the city you will encounter lepers, polio victims, the blind, the deformed, the crippled, the burned, the orphan, thin AIDS victims, BMWs, Hummers, diplomats and opulence. Once you stop at an intersection, beggars approach your vehicle and will either receive a smile, a greeting, a few cents, or indifference.
It is hard to comprehend and even harder not to become calloused.
My role in the Food for the Hungry / Ethiopia main office will be to assist the Western Region director, a job which includes the work within Sasiga. One of my first focuses will be upon the terminal report of the first four year phase of the Sasiga project. Then, after we meet with the local Sasiga government officials, we will produce the second phase project proposal. We have discussed phase two with the local governing bodies and they are looking very favorable towards continuing and broadening the current Sasiga work. "
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Do you want to go to Belo?
CFHI are taking another Vision trip to Ethiopia (and Belo) in November (9-20).
We would love to fill this team with Lambrick/thePlace people.
As someone who has been, I can say that it is a life-changing journey. We believe that you will learn things of transformational importance to our church, and will take us strides forward in building relational bridges with our friends in Belo.
This trip will be self-financed, as we do not envision taking money away from the community development at this time. We would thoroughly recommend that you extend your trip to take in more of the country or continent if you can...
Email Simon at segoff@lambrick.com for more information.
Grassroots responses to Belo
It is the time to party, as we pop the third extra-budgetary cheque in the mail to Belo. This time our people's generosity and hard-work in fund-and-awareness-raising means that $13,000 is going to enable the community development work there!
In 2007, the message of what God is doing in Belo has spread, with members of our congregations feeling inspired into planning and running grassroots initiatives:
The ideas and efforts have been amazing, and we look forward to what God is going to do in and through us in the next 6 months. A side note is that we have new brochures and Belo folders, if you would like more information.
See some progress quotes from Belo as .mov file or .ppt file.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Cake-off: wiping up the crumbs
All pictures here.
The entertainment was beautiful, Cindy Davis and her Entourage did an amazing job. We had 77 cakes and 404 people TOTAL - participants, attendees, judges, volunteers, and people who dropped off cakes and didn't stay at the event.
We had approx. $1400 in door prizes given away
We did run out of cake but still had a great time and raised just under $3000.00 :o)
The Judges:
Katrina Conroy - Provincial MLA , Kootneys
Stacey Toews - Founder Level ground coffee
George Papaloukas - owner/operator HotHouse Pizza
Sarah Baynes - Cake decorator and Supervisor Thrifty foods
Christine Comrie - Head baker Cascadia Bakery
Arielle Guetta - Baker Cascadia Bakery
Gordie Tupper - Feature Reporter, News CHTV
Thank you to EVERYONE who gave their time and resources to make cakes for the event!
Thank you to the corporate cake donators; Pure Vanilla Cafe, Cascadia Bakery, Thrifty Foods and Ottavio.
Congratulations to the winners...
Non-chocolate:
3rd place Jennie-lynn Renton -1000 layer spice cake
2nd place Margot Spence - Washington Post Carrot Cake
1st place Barb and Felicia - Hearts and Hands Cake
Chocolate:
3rd place Colin and Christina - Volcano Cake
2nd place Amber Mc Millan - Serendipity Torte
1st place Rebecca Benishek - Caramilk Cake
The runners up in both categories;
Rob and Sherri Preistly for "Trevor" in the Chocolate and
Dave Booth for "Hazelnut Almond Meringue Gateaux" in the non-chocolate
see you in 2008!!!
Launa
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Rob Bustin: our man in Belo
I once heard the previous President of CFHI, David Collins, discuss the old proverb, “If you give a man a fish he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime.” David then says, “This is terrible development.” He says this because what is vital is to train a man about why he needs to fish. The why is very important to his family’s and community’s future.
In line with this thinking there have been many training sessions conducted over the past three months, including: HIV/AIDS awareness creation, promotion of waste (sanitation) pits, improved agriculture practices (local fertilizer preparation), private tree seedling nursery management, market value of vegetable production, cooking demonstration and local community leader work ethics. Rob
Read his latest Crimson Seal here.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Cake-off 2007: baking for Belo
From Launa, cake-off guru:
When I say the word "cake" I'm sure it conjures many different things for many different people. Some people think of that ugly grandma cake that wasn't pretty to look at but had all the best gooey, sticky, cake stuff, warm from the oven and served with ice cream. Some of you think of beautiful wedding cakes that took your breath away, or that amazing birthday cake you picked from a store especially for you. Cakes get people excited. Cakes make people think of each other, their loves, their family and friends. Cakes mean good times, they are apart of almost every celebration in our life. Cakes are adventurous, artistic and roll your eyes good. Any kind of cake will trigger a drool reflex in someone. People love eating and talking about cakes; who makes the best, their favorite frosting, or the money that was hidden inside their 9th birthday cake. Everyone has a story to tell about cake. We are using cake to tell our story of our involvement in Belo.This year, the Cake-off is Thursday April 19, doors open at 7:30pm to the public. A donation of $10 for adults includes all the cake you can eat, coffee, tea, juice and even good old milk. Youth $5 (13-17) Children $2 (6-12). All proceeds to Belo.
- Last year we had 98 cakes from locals: teenagers, youth groups, chefs, restaurateurs, pastry chefs, pastors and their family, and amateur cake makers.
- Last year we had over 300 people attend with over $1200 worth of door prizes given away, plus a cake auction at the end that raised over $1000.
- Last year we had prominent local judges; owners of Campus coffee, head chef and owner of Old Victoria Gourmet, also Rob Flemming MLA of victoria/hillside.
- This year we are hoping to have some local media personalties as judges as well.
- This year the mini-concert from Vancouver Island Music Award nominee (in 3 categories!) Cindy Davis will be a highlight.
Cake registration forms and tickets will be available from this sunday or can be downloaded here (doc or pdf)
All proceeds go to the Belo project - details found here and from the drop down menus above - a partnership with Canadian Food for the Hungry International towards sustainable development in a community in Ethiopia called Belo.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Belo news: comments from the people
I recently received an internal report from CFHI and it contained many encouragements about our partnership with the Belo villages, and FHI (canada and Ethiopia). We constantly look forward to seeing how God transforms His people there and here. Here are some snippets...
Simon
Agricultural Rehabilitation
Ato Yohannes, a project farmer said, “When FHI staff visit me and my farm land, I plan to show them some thing different in their next visit. So I found that your staff regular visit is motivating me more and more and I am encouraged to keep on the progress you have seen so far. Especially some of your staff has traveled long distance with me to see my slight effort and this has impressed me and I couldn’t forget it through out my life.”
Water Development
Ato Abderehim said, “The basic problem before FHI construct this water was that we used to drink running or river water and it was common to hear that more than 10 children sick every day. In addition that medication expense for children treatment was more than what they could get from farming activity”. He added, “The newly constructed water has solved multiple problems. First, it helps us save our money, time and have healthy children. Secondly, the tree brig that children were crossing while they go to fetch water was other threat. But now we are free and no fear to send our children to fetch water.”
Ato Aliyi Yusuf Ibrahim is one of the members of the settler community said, “We did not know that the final result would be as beneficial as it is. It was far beyond our expectations. Even though we were told what the result of our work would be but we were surprised at the outcome. May God bless you indeed. We now trust you. In any project that you want to partner with us to construct we are now ready. Had it not intervened, there would have been loses of many children life. Therefore I can see that FHI has saved life of many children.”
Increasing Family Income
Mohammed said, “I was surprised with the world you quoted from the word of Allah (God) about the beginning regulations Allah passed to Adam. That man ought to cultivate and keep the trees in the Jennet (Garden). From that day onward, I am continuously thinking about that word and how FHI is keeping the begging word of Allah and motivating the people. I grew-up in a Muslim family and all of my family is Muslim and I have attended the Solat (Prayer) program from my childhood, but I have not heard of such a world that motivates people to cultivate and keep trees. But I know that all of the problems of today are resulted from cutting down the trees and the soil that is taken off by erosion. All of the community can now recognize this every year during the rainy seasons.” Mohammed also said, “I am reading the book you quoted from and I have almost decided to become a Christian because I am thinking that the book (Bible) may have more good things for development and good life.”
Worldview change
Ansha added, “It is well known that our Muslim brothers are not as such convinced easily to accept the issue of family planning because it is traditionally thought that, having many children is considered as wealth & is taken as defense force to resist ones enemy and the religious people or leaders also promote to have many children, but me and my husband, we decided to use family planning and to be model for the rest of the community. I was practicing bad culture (Female Genital Mutilation) and I have understood that it hurts a lot and now I decided not to harm my own community for the sake of my family income. My husband is farmer and we can live up on what we get from the farm and I will never go back to participate in this bad culture.”
Transforming Education
Mideksa, a student said, "FHI has created a new mind for education, that is why many students who had dropped out were encouraged to return back for education in Belo primary school this year. FHI did not build only school blocks but also human life. The students are also encouraged to take part in environmental club to plant one tree for generation which may bring changes on the life of people in the near future so they think ahead."
Belo Primary School Chair Ato Bekuma said, "I feel that FHI is the messenger sent by God to reach the marginalized society and their needs. I said this because the coming of the organization was at right time, with right vision, and communicated right people who are in need.
Transforming Church
A Local Pastor said, “FHI came to the area and started working closely with congregation leaders and has introduced the idea of fellowship and its importance that made us wake from sleep, open our eyes to look our surrounding. Many training sessions were given on different topics: Unity, the role of leaders in Church and society, how to defend heretic teachings and the role of stewardship to leaders of 30 protestant congregations of different denominations. These trainings made significant difference on the importance of serving the whole person to win the heart of mankind for God’s everlasting kingdom & the values of being together.”
FHI remarks
“If there is any human transformation or life changed that is sustainable, it is because of the action of the Holy Spirit, not the effectiveness of our development technology or the cleverness of our participatory process. It is not because we have good effective development management. Even though I believe these all have contribution to human transformation, but it is because we accomplish our role that is to be faithful and obedient and give the rest for Holy Spirit in Prayer.”
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Bustin back in Belo
"Thirty minutes ago I videotaped an interview. It was with a 28 year old mother and her six and a half year old daughter. The daughter is her only child and is sponsored through FHI’s child sponsorship program. The interview was nothing new to me; the mother was thanking FHI for the support we are giving her daughter with a chance to go to school. She expressed what was on her heart as I let the camera role. What was new to me was that they both have HIV."
Rob Bustin, our CFHI liaison in Belo, has now returned to 'home' in Ethiopia, and he sends us his latest report. Either pick one up at Lambrick or download the Crimson Seal here.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Ethiopia Month and Rob Bustin
This year Ethiopia month reached a climax over the first weekend in December when Rob Bustin, from CFHI, visited us – having spent the last few years in Belo. It was a great opportunity for us to develop a working and personal relationship with a man who is key to our partnership project. We desire this to be relational as we want God to continue to transform us as we partner with Him in transforming the communities in Belo.
In the preceding month we worked hard to raise awareness and funds for our long-term partnership. So much time and creativity went into the new Christmas CD as well as the beautiful Christmas Cards. These gifts were joined by Geoff’s quality prints, a re-release of our DVD music/documentary, and toques and hats donated by members of our congregations. Another new item for this year was the ‘how to make a meaningful Christmas’ book which sold out quickly. Thanks to all who have supported our project in these ways. Our new information packages have been popular for those not fully aware of what we are doing and why!
Rob arrived on Fri 1st and immediately had the joy of visiting Pastor Andy’s middle school night before being whisked off to Gerry’s house for a bed, and unbridled hospitality. The next day he spent in meeting with leadership before speaking at the Revelation Gospel Choir extravaganza that evening. He did a tremendous job there presenting what happens on the ground in Belo, and was warmly received – even giving a thank you to our local Ethiopians who had provided the food for the night in Amharic. The choir was great as they joyfully welcomed in the season – and all for a great cause. The night was a resounding success. If anything the following day for Rob was even busier, with him being interviewed in three services (where he also gave us an original piece of art from Menberu, a painter from Addis), presenting his work over a lunchtime Q&A and the evening cafe, and speaking to all the kids from Lambrick. Phew! What was his response to our us?“It was a great weekend of encouragement for the Lord’s work in Ethiopia. There are so many people thinking about how to help with finances, wanting to come on the trip, and offering of their prayers that my heart was blessed.”
We have seen over $4000 raised over this time, and what is more, we are all more knowledgeable and prayerfully concerned about the people and work in Belo.
Memories From talking to the children of Crosswalk Grade 1 - 5
“Do you know what a whip is? Have you ever seen one? Well, the children in Belo crack whips all the time. It’s their job. I need a volunteer. How about you? (pointing to one of the younger children) Come on up and stand with me. Thanks.” Rob held out his hand at about the child’s shoulder level and said, “Kids about this tall use whips to herd the goats and sheep. It’s their job. Even the little kids have jobs. The animals are way bigger than the children, but that doesn’t matter; the children still have to herd the animals. They crack their whip to make the animals go the right direction for food and shelter. Everyone has a job in Belo.”
Rob told the children that the walls of the buildings are made of dried mud and bamboo canes. A child asked: “Do the dried mud walls get wet and muddy in the rainy season? “Rob: “No they don’t. The dried mud is made in such a way that it doesn’t disintegrate and turn muddy when it rains; it stays dry. The problem is the termites. The termites eat the canes that support the mud and so one by one each wall of a building is eaten by the termites and then it falls down and has be to be rebuilt.”
All our kids have been engaged in craft projects and other fabulous ways to buy a big gift for their little brothers and sisters in Ethiopia. Rob mentioned this: “Hey do you know what we’re going to do with the paints, brushes and paper you send to Belo. We’re planning on having a competition in the school. (That’s the way they do it in Belo) We’re going to send the best pictures from our school in Belo to the children at Lambrick.“ So we can look forward to receiving artwork from Belo Ethiopia in the spring.
From talking to Junior Crosswalk
J.C. Child: "What would I do in Belo Africa as a 3,4,or 5 year-old child.?" Rob: "It depends on if you are a boy or a girl. The boys are given a whip and have to look after the bulls. These animals are huge and weigh hundreds of pounds. The girls are given a bucket and have to walk to their family's water source and back again several times a day to collect the water they need for daily chores.
J.C. Child: "Why don't they just turn on the tap in their sink?" Rob: "They do not have any running water to their house. They live in a small, one room hut with a dirt floor. The walls are made with sticks stuck together by mud….Over eleven people sometimes live in one small hut.
From talking to the Place Kids
Rob Bustin’s time with the Place Kids was great! We watched the “Do You Know it’s Christmas?” DVD so the kids could get a glimpse of what life in Ethiopia is like. There was a lot of interaction and questions that ranged from “Do kids in Belo wear shoes?” to “Are there schools in Ethiopia?” One young Kindergarten boy asked how they made beds in Belo. Rob described the process of sewing together potato sacks and stuffing them with straw, to which the child replied “No no, how do they make bunk beds?” Another boy asked, “Where do babies come from in Belo?” After a moment’s hesitation, Rob responded along the lines of “Well here in Canada moms go to hospitals when they have babies, but in Belo there are no hospitals like we have here, and also dads stay far away from their wives when they give birth because it’s part of their culture”. Phew! Good job Rob!
