Dreams DO Come True!

Two years ago when I first met Simret (the founder and director of Trees of Glory CarePoint in Ethiopia), we walked around the CarePoint together and she told me about her dreams.  At that time, she was caring for 84 orphaned and destitute children at the CarePoint with no running water and no electricity.  All of the children were sponsored so the feeding program was in full-swing, but caring for the kids was hard work with little access to water.

As Simret showed us the land owned by the CarePoint, she spoke of her dream for a well - that not only provided fresh, clean and abundant water for the CarePoint, but also for the surrounding villages.  Twenty years ago, Trees of Glory CarePoint was the site of a Japanese construction company with 13 buildings that included showers and bathrooms, dormitories, etc.  A well used to be on the property but when the company abandoned the site, the well and all the plumbing fell into complete disrepair.  Simret's dream was to be able to bore a well and re-pipe it to the showers and toilets.  Running water, showers and toilets in the middle of rural Ethiopia - unheard of!

With water and electricity, Simret dreamt big and told me she hoped to be able to serve 300-400 children.  Presently, 150 children are enrolled at Trees of Glory and their lives have been dramatically changed!  Terri Keeler was with me in Ethiopia in November and we walked the grounds looking forward to the date in December when the drilling rigs would arrive and the well would be bored!

Terri just returned to Ethiopia and visited Trees of Glory to see the incredible progress that has been made since November.  Her photos are below!  THANK YOU to all the sponsor families and donors who have supported this project financially and prayerfully - YOU have made dreams come true and water is flowing in the desert!  THANK YOU Terri for the wonderful update and photos!

Terri Keeler at Trees of Glory CarePoint in early June.

One of several water points that is plumbed to the well that provides
a place to fill jugs and wash hands.

Webit gets a drink of water from the new well!

Simret and Alex leading Terri on a tour of the CarePoint with all the new updates!

Another water-point near the dormitories.

The well - it doesn't look like much but it's a very deep well that will provide abundant
and pure water for the CarePoint AND the surrounding villages!

Two huge water reservoirs that will supply water to the local villages.

Once the water point is in place for the villages, they will no longer have to walk for hours
to fill jugs of water from a dirty river.

A new concrete sink system with plumbed water in the kitchen! 
This is the kitchen our volunteer team built in November 2010.

A clothes washing station with shade.

Showers with running water - and flushing toilets too!

Fields that are plowed and planted and being irrigated.

Gardens close to the CarePoint buildings.

A self-filling water trough for the livestock.

Simret showing the appartus (like a toilet) that keeps the trough full of
water but doesn't allow it to overflow.

The livestock that supply milk for the kids.

Electricity at the CarePoint now provides light at night!

Progress on the poultry farm buildings continue.

Webit is walking!!!  This is the little girl who was born with a leg deformity and whose family took her to a local witch doctor for healing.  Her leg became severely infected and she nearly died but for the quick intervention of the CarePoint staff who got her admitted to a hospital for surgery.  When our team was there in November, Webit was limping again and in severe pain.  With further medical care and now living at the CarePoint full time so she can get proper care and physical therapy, she is recovering and improving rapidly!  THANK YOU to everyone who has helped provide for her medical treatment and has been praying for her!