Children needing a sponsor family ...

I wanted to introduce a few more of the children that are attending "Trees of Glory" care-point in Ethiopia.  Many of these kids are orphans, and are living with a relative or neighbor that can barely provide for them.  Many of the guardians have had to make the difficult decision to "sell" a child as an indentured servant to local livestock owners, to work as a herder, night and day.  It may be the only choice they have so that other children in their home can be fed. 

At "Trees of Glory" the government has actually intervened on behalf of the kids, and is requiring the guardian or family member to bring the child to the care-point so that basic necessities (food, clothing, medical care) can be provided.  Children's Hopechest has partnered with this care-point to provide those basic necessities, along with education and Christian discipleship, through a child sponsor program.

Each one of the kids pictured below is still waiting to be matched with a sponsor family.  Please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com if you are interested in committing to $34 per month and making a life long impact for one child.  Not only will you provide for their basic needs, education and discipleship, but you can email letters and build a long-term relationship. 

I will be in Ethiopia in November to personally meet each and every one of these kids, and I can deliver a letter and photos from each sponsor family.  30 of the kids at "Trees of Glory" have already been matched with a sponsor, but we have 54 kids still waiting.  Please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com. 

 

Elias is 5 and lives with a guardian, with 4 children in the home. 
He is hopeful for a sponsor family.

UPDATE:  Elias has been matched with a sponsor family!

Samuel is 6 and has lost both of his parents.  He is living with his grandmother with
a total of 4 children in the home.  He needs a sponsor family.

UPDATE:  Samuel has been matched with a sponsor family!

Getu is 7 and is living with his grandmother.  He is hoping for a sponsor family.

UPDATE:  Getu now has a sponsor family!

Meseret is 8 and lives with her widowed mother.  She needs a sponsor family.

Daniel is 7 and his sister is pictured below.  They live with their widowed mother with a total of 6 children living in the home.  Daniel and his sister are hoping for a sponsor family.

UPDATE:  Daniel now has a sponsor family!

Abebech is 7 and her brother is pictured above.  They live with their widowed mother and are hopeful for a sponsor family!
UPDATE:  Abebech now has a sponsor family!

Look who got dressed all by himself!

It was a beautiful weekend.  A few rain-showers here and there ... and MANY soccer games.  Even a little time to go the lake.  Hmmm - Look who got dressed all by himself!!!

My brother and me ...

Can you imagine being a 7 year old boy, completely alone in the world except for your "big" brother who is 8 years old?

These sweet little boys have lost both of their parents, and are now living with their uncle. 

Thankfully, they have a family member to care for them, but that family member is barely able to provide food and clothing - and let's face it, nothing can replace the love of a mommy, and the protection and provision of a daddy. 

The two boys are now attending "Trees of Glory" care-point, two hours North of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  They've been told by the staff at Children's Hopechest that there is a family in America who loves them and is going to make sure they go to school and have good food to eat every day. 

They really don't know if they can believe it - but they hope it's true.

Abenet is 8.

Abey is 7.

Will YOU be the sponsor family these brother's are hoping for?  Please email me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com

What do YOU see in their eyes??

It's tough to look at photos of kids that you've never met and think that there's going to be some kind of connection.  And yet, it happens all the time. 

So many of the sponsor families contact me about one specific child that somehow, a picture has spoken volumes to them.  One family asked if a specific child was still available for sponsorship because he is the same age and has the same name as their son.  Another family saw a photo and said, "his eyes look just like my son's eyes!" 

Sometimes, that's all it takes.  To look at a photo and recognize something that makes that child seem like one of your own.  You can look into their eyes and read their facial expression and get a glimpse of the loneliness and longing, or resolve, despair and discouragement that child is feeling.

Sometimes I look at photos of the kids that are smiling - and I swear I see pleading in their eyes.  "Please pick me. Love me. Value me."

Other times I see kids with a sad expression - what has happened that they couldn't even muster a smile for a photograph?  Other times I see a scowl and I recognize despair and discouragement that have settled deeply into their hearts.

Sponsoring a child lifts the burden of hopelessness from their shoulders.  It provides for a child's basic needs, like food, clothing, medical care and EDUCATION.  But it also ministers to their heart - because someone on the other side of the world, loves them, prays for them and values them.  And they get to see the proof of that in the letters they get from their sponsor family.

When you look into the faces of these kids ... what do you see? 

Every one of the kids shown below are hoping for a sponsor family.  Some are afraid to hope - afraid of disappointment - but they are secretly hopeful just the same.  Please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com about sponsoring a child (or one of the kids pictured below) at Trees of Glory care-point in Ethiopia. 

I will be in Ethiopia in November with these kids and I will personally give them a hug from you and tell them about your hopes and dreams for them.

Adissu is 7 and lives with his sister.  Both of his parents have died.  He needs to be matched with a sponsor family.  Update:  Addisu has just been matched with a sponsor family!!

Tadele is 10 and lives with his grand-father because he has lost both parents. 
Tadele needs a sponsor family.

Samuel is 6 and lives with his grandmother because both of his parents have died.  He is hoping for a sponsor family.

Hanna is 5 and is living with her grandmother because her parents have died.  She is hoping for a sponsor family.  Update:  Hanna has just been matched with her sponsor family!!

Ayele is 9 and has lost both of his parents.  He lives with his uncle and there are 5 children in the home.  He is hopeful for a sponsor family.

Mentesenot is 5 and lives with his aunt because both of his parent have died.  He's hoping for a sponsor family.  Update:  Mentesenot has just been matched with a sponsor family!!

Stop waiting for the "right" time ...

At "Trees of Glory" care-point in Ethiopia, there are 84 children hoping for a sponsor family!

They really can't quite believe that someone could possibly love them enough, and value them enough, to come alongside them.  To love them, pray for them, provide for them ... and give them opportunities they have only dreamed about. 

It's almost too much to hope for or even believe. Could it be true?

If you have been thinking about sponsorship, waiting for the "right"time to get involved. Perhaps NOW is the right time. After all, will there ever really be a better time?

For these kids ... your decision to sponsor now (not later) can change the course, the very direction, of their lives.

Please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com - you can choose to sponsor one of the kids shown below - or let me know if you have a specific age and gender, one child or a sibling group, that is weighing heavy on your heart.

The "older" kids pictured below weigh heavy on my heart.  These are the kids that are well aware of how tough and hopeless life is for them.  Sadness and loneliness have already settled deeply into their hearts.  These are the kids that can't believe someone from the other side of the world, could possibly have any interest in them.  These are the kids that are afraid to hope.  Afraid to hope because it hurts so much to be let down. 

I think these are the kids that appreciate their sponsor family the most!  In November when I am in Ehtiopia, these are the kids that I will hug a little longer, and cup their face in my hands to really look deeply into their eyes - and tell them how much they are loved and prayed for by their sponsor family!

Dereje is 8 and has lost both of his parents.  He lives with his Aunt and needs a sponsor family.  Update:  Dereje has just been matched with a sponsor family!!

Gebremariam is 8 and lives with his Aunt.  He has lost both of his parents, and is hopeful for a sponsor family.  Update:  Gebremariam has just been matched with a sponsor family!

Dita is 10 and lives with his grand-father.  Both of his parents have died and he is hoping for a sponsor family.  Update:  Dita has been matched with a sponsor family!!

Fantu is 12 and lives with a guardian.  She has lost both of her parents and needs a sponsor family.  Update:  Fantu has been matched with a sponsor family!!

Almaz is 10 and has lost both of her parents.  She lives with her Aunt.  Almaz needs a sponsor family.  Update:  Almaz has just been matched with a sponsor family!!

New Care-Point in Ethiopia - Kids Need a Sponsor!

Seble is 5 and lives with her grand-mother.  She has been matched with a sponsor family!

Elias is 8 and has lost both of his parents, and lives with his grand-mother. 
Elias has been matched with a sponsor family!

Edelam is 4 and needs a sponsor family.

Samuel is 6 and needs a sponsor family.

Children's Hopechest has just started working with a new care-point in Ethiopia (about 2 hours North of Addis Ababa) that serves 84 orphaned and destitute kids.

Although the terrain and the landscape are beautiful, this semi-mountainous region has been hit hard by famine and drought.  The local government has identified the neediest and most vulnerable children in the area, and has assiged 84 children to "Trees of Glory".  Children's Hopechest is working with "Trees of Glory" care-point to develop a sponsor program.

Most of the children are orphans and are living with a relative (i.e. uncle, aunt, sister) that is barely able to provide for the kids, and therefore many of them are severely malnourished. Many of the children don't attend school and are "employed" to herd cattle, goats and livestock for about $12 a year.  Without a sponsor, these children will never have the opportunity to go to school, because they are already "working" to keep a roof over their heads.

Sponsorship ($34/month) will provide nutritious meals, clothing, medical care and an opportunity to go to school!! The staff at Children's Hopechest has already started meeting with the kids, counseling, mentoring and demonstrating the love of God.  Each child at "Trees of Glory" is excited to find out about their sponsor family, and to begin receiving letters from their sponsor.

I'm looking forward to seeing the impact our sponsor program will make for the kids at "Trees of Glory"! If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com and let me know if you would like to be matched with a boy or a girl, and if you want to sponsor 1 child or a sibling group of 2.

I will then email you a photo and biographical information about your sponsor child, and instructions on how to register as a sponsor. I have already started matching children with their sponsor family - please contact me right away! 

I will be travelling to Ethiopia in November to work with the kids at "Trees of Glory" and our other care-point, "Kind Hearts"!

Aaaaah .... Summer!

96 degrees today ... and it's starting to feel like summer!

We are extra busy on all fronts right now ....

Some big things are in the works.  I've never quite mastered the art of the cliffhanger, but be sure to check back this weekend.  :)

Oh .. and since you stopped by. 

Scroll down the column on the right, to check our progress on the capital projects at Kind Hearts!  I work with the most amazing group of dedicated sponsor families who care very, very deeply about their kids at Kind Hearts in Ethiopia! 

We'll be wrapping up the fund-raising on the playground equipment soon (we're only about $300 away from meeting our goal!) - and then we will begin focusing on the chicken farm. 

In Ethiopia, permits have been applied for, so we can conduct the geological survey for the fresh-water well.  The recent election turmoil in Ethiopia has caused a few delays with the permits.  Until then - St. Joseph Christian School continues with their fund-raising campaign through the end of the school year!

And if you are interested in sponsoring a child in Ethiopia, and seeing first-hand the amazing impact you will make for one child, contact me right away - email me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com