Exciting Progress at "Trees of Glory" in Ethiopia!

I love seeing pictures of the care-points as travel groups return from Ethiopia! 

Our staff at Trees of Glory care-point is determined to provide the best possible care - and to be able to provide services for MORE children.  Dave Held, from North Dakota, lead a team from his church to Ethiopia a few weeks ago and they visited Trees of Glory to get a good understanding of how an established care-point operates.  His blog post explains the time they spent with the kids at Trees of Glory (click HERE to see Dave's blog) and the progress being made at the care-point.

This was the kitchen at Trees of Glory several months ago. 
Much of the cooking was done outside on the concrete pad
with the hot African sun beating down on the cooks.

 While our team was in Ethiopia in November, we enclosed that concrete pad
expanding the kitchen significantly and providing much-needed shade.

As soon as the tin roof provided shade, the cooks moved into the building
to start cooking lunch for the kids!

This photo was taken two weeks ago as the work continues at Trees of Glory. 
They are now building a covered walk way between the kitchen and the building
that will serve as a lunch room (dining hall). 

With over 100 children now attending the care-point, this addition makes
serving the food and cleaning up after the kids much more efficient. 
When we were there in November, the kids were eating lunch in their
classrooms and food was transported to and from the kitchen. 
The dining hall and "attached" kitchen will be much more efficient!

One of the most important projects at Trees of Glory is the fresh water well. 
Presently, there is no fresh water source at Trees of Glory and water
is transported on the backs of donkeys to the care-point.

  With over 100 children at the care-point, water is a precious commodity
and it takes a lot of work and a lot of time to collect it and transport it!  

Water is needed to wash dishes for over 100 children. 

Jugs (with a spigot) are placed around the care-point so the kids can wash up
after using the toilet, and before and after meals. 
(Above - the wash up area outside the toilet room.)

The kids have been taught the importance of washing their hands before they eat!

When our team was at Trees of Glory in November, we were shown the site
where a well used to be functioning.  When this site was abandoned in the 1980s,
the well fell into disrepair and was vandalized.  When the government
gave the land to Trees of Glory to develop as a care-point, the staff
at the care-point had hopes of re-drilling the well.  The concrete pad
in the foreground is where a generator will be placed to pump water
to the buildings on the property. 

Below this concrete bore-hole, plumbing pipes run to the buildings
which is a rare luxury in Ethiopia.  It has been determined that it will be the
most cost effective to bore the well in the same location
so that the plumbing pipes can be utilized.

This photo was taken two weeks ago! 
While the staff works with the government on the final drilling permits
and develops the final cost estimates, they have already begun
excavating (by hand) the area around the bore-hole so that they
will have access to the pipes once the drilling begins.

Water is critical for Trees of Glory and we will be fund-raising for this project as soon as we have final cost estimates.  If you are interested in donating or fund-raising for this project, please contact me at kjwistrom@yahoo.com.