In Ethiopia, a school uniform is a requirement at most schools. For children who cannot afford a uniform, it can mean the difference between attending school ... or not. For the kids at Kind Hearts, a school uniform not only provides a much-needed change of clothes, it also signifies that they belong at Kind Hearts and are getting a highly valued education that they can be proud of!
From Tyler ... (who blogs at http://tylerdavison.blogspot.com/2013/06/new-uniforms-at-kind-hearts-school-in.html)
"Experiencing this all first hand was shocking to say the least. My heart ached for the people I encountered, people who seemed so helpless and starved of life. Leaving the kids on that last day of the trip was one of the hardest things I've had to do in my life because I felt as though I was leaving them in the dust, destined to graduate from adolescence into the poverty that surrounded them. But my attitude changed drastically when I came back a second time.
This past Spring Break (2013), I revisited the two schools. Immediately my heart lept when I recognized the children from the previous year--they looked like completely new kids! Their bodies contained more muscle mass, their hair was growing in thicker, their eyes weren't yellow, their skin wasn't ashen, and their smiles were bigger than ever! They were speaking better English and they knew various stories from the Bible that we acted out for them!
Needless to say, I left that second trip with a completely different attitude than I had my first year. I left knowing that the schools that these children were attending were making a difference; it gave me hope and inexplainable joy to know that they do have a "hope and a future" that God promises in Jeremiah 29:11.
Which brings me to my main point: Nearly two years ago, school uniforms were provided by sponsor families for the kids at Kind Hearts and they have been wearing them with pride every day since. For many of the kids, those uniforms have seen better days. They have become ragged and stained with use and time, and many of the children have grown out of their uniforms and have since passed them on to a younger child. With the recent addition of 60+ new students, it would be a blessing to provide a new school uniform to each and every child.
I can personally attest to the priceless value of
these uniforms. These kids are starving for education and find an immense amount
of joy and pride in attending their school. Belonging to the family at Kind
Hearts creates unity among the kids while symbolizing the unity of the Body of
Christ, and uniforms are a huge part of that unity!
Kind Hearts School currently has an enrollment of 195
kids. Each uniform consists of dark blue pants or skirt, with a white shirt and
a light blue sweater and costs $20. 195 kids x $20 per uniform equals a total of
$3900. WE CAN DO THAT!"
Below are a few photos of the uniforms at Kind Hearts that have seen better days ... zippers are broken, pockets are ripped, sweaters are snagged, clothing is stained, and elastic in the pants is no longer elastic ...
Please click on the link below to make a tax deductible donation toward new school uniforms for the kids at Kind Hearts!! It would be such a blessing for the kids to start out the new school year with new, clean uniforms!!
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