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Thank you

How are you all!

Hope this finds you well. I have been lazy in writing mails and got detached from most of you. You have been there for me when I needed you most and cannot afford to let you go just like that. God is amazing. He made us a family though we are from different nations, tribes, and ethnic groups. Our colors may be different but our hearts are all the same. How sad and miserable we are when we fail to understand this.

I have been working with Compassion International Ethiopia for the last two years. Compassion funds more than 260 projects in Ethiopia. Our ministry is child focused and the projects we fund are all projects that take care of children from extremely poor families. I get to visit different projects around the country which gives me chance to interact with thousands of such children.

My heart grieves so much every time I get to listen to the plights of most of these children. They have gone through so much hurt and pain. Most of them were hurt by people they trust most in their life. Listening to their story one may think that they have been around forever.

Poverty is a bad thing that we must fight. One of the worst things it does to people is that it covers up the love that a family must share. A mother severely punishes a child not that she hates her kid but out of frustration. Such frustration causes parents to hold their children responsible for the hardships they experience. Children are cursed in the morning and in the evening. Imagine living in such an environment where you are cursed on daily bases and what that can do to you.

So at projects such are the children I get to interact with. Most projects have managed to introduce Jesus to these children and i have watched how their life is transformed. Their heart is filled by the love of God which has healed their pain. Their eyes are filled with so much hope and joy. Their smiles and looks on their faces have the power to heal anyone.

It is amazing to see what the Lord Jesus can do in the hearts of those who put their trust in him. He gives us such a joy that is not based on anything we can own. How glad I am to have known Christ! It is such a privilege that we take for granted at times.

Compassion does have one project it implements. It is called Leadership Development Program (LDP). Through this program we sponsor children from the various projects we fund for University and College study. Children are selected on the basis of their academic performance and level of their commitment to service which is displayed by their level of involvement in various services. This program insures that these children get all the support that they need to go through University studies.  Besides their academic studies, every school holiday, they are involved in various seminars and trainings to sharpen their leadership skills. They are also given the opportunity to reach out to the children in projects and their peers in their community and beyond.

On the 17th of November, the first batch of the LDP students graduated from the various Universities around the country and we celebrated their achievements. It was such a great celebration that made most of us cry. What God has done for these young men  is so amazing and I was reminded of what the Lord has done for me and the far he has brought me in this life. You will find details of these on the following link.

http://brianseay.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/ethiopia-day-4

The hurts, pains, and regrets we experience in life become our strength and power to heal others. We are not chosen because we are perfect, and we are not called into perfection. We are chosen because we are weak, and are expected to have a heart that is willing to do his will.  

This comforts me for I am not one of those perfect people, i am one with so many regrets in life but trust in God who has given me victory in my walk with Christ.

Some of you and specially Mike Mutungi and Brent might be asking, aren’t you married yet? Is there a girl Friend? Not yet. Definitely she is born and is somewhere hidden or may be it is me who does not see and yet she is around. Don’t worry it will happen in God’s time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I love you all,

Ayele