INSIDE THIS ISSUE SPRING 2015 P2 A BRIGHT FUTURE... P2 FIVE LITTLE COFFEE BEANS P3 CHRIST’S TANGIBLE LOVE P4 SPECIAL EDUCATION IN ETHIOPIA I Belong, You Belong Every Face Tells A Story Purveyors of Hope This article was written by Dwayne Milley, our director of operations and development, after a recent visit to Ethiopia. “If “We’ve lost contact with ten volunteers in the Upper Nile region. They’re most likely dead.” This may be our paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 12:15 and 21, but it’s the illustration God uses to convey how He sees and values us: “God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired” (vs. 18). These words stuck with me as Darious, the operations manager for CH Global South Sudan, shared a report of the current situation in his nation. He said it so matter-of-factly. Two days later, he shared that eleven people had been killed in his hometown, but he proceeded to encourage us with these words from Romans 5:3-5: a foot said, ‘I’m not a hand, therefore I don’t belong to the body,’ it clearly wouldn’t be true. And the head can’t say to the foot, ‘I have no need of you.’” Though we may tout our brains and brilliance, none of us wants a body consisting of only a head, right? “Each one…just as He desired.” We’re all needed and God-ordained. And in case we thought our ability to sing, dance, walk, talk or preach would bump up our anatomical MVP status in The Body, the truth is laid out clearly: “...those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (vs. 22). We love the words in this passage. The drive to belong is very deep in each of us and the assurance that we are all “indispensable” brings great comfort and security. But unfortunately, because of poverty or disability, many people in the world don’t feel—or even know—that they belong. We’re striving globally to overcome these barriers and instead spread God’s love and create communities of belonging. We do that by ensuring that Fadia is getting good food and a good education in Haiti, and by training Ethiopian teachers in braille and sign language so that children can come forth from isolation to find connection and life. When we recognize that we’re all made in God’s image, we cannot help but find ways to build belonging. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Never in my existence had I heard these Scriptures applied in such a personalized context—used to encourage and give me hope. This is the work of CH Global: to be purveyors of hope. In countries like South Sudan, the work goes on in the midst of civil unrest and great personal sacrifice. People like Darious believe the calling is worth the cost. His enthusiasm is palpable. He and our other staff in South Sudan help communities, families and sponsored children access education, be nourished physically, grow spiritually, and have a real chance to survive. Later in the week I met an Ethiopian woman named Shewaye. “I forfeit everything for my child,” she said. As the grandmother to Hanna, a sponsored child, Shewaye had gathered together with other caregivers to share about the impact of sponsorship on their families. Hanna’s parents are dead. Her grandmother stated it straightforwardly, without explanation. Shewaye and the other caregivers assembled that day participate in a financial self-help group as a required component of the sponsorship program. Group members learn about the benefit of saving money, how to manage shared savings, and how to create a return on investment. Shewaye borrowed from the shared account and bought a sheep. She fattened the sheep, sold it and bought another. Eventually she repaid the loan and now owns almost a dozen sheep. Her small herd includes a male, so it includes its own sustainability plan. The proceeds from the sale of her sheep are saved for Hanna. Before sponsorship, Hanna couldn’t go to school, but now she’s attending school and helping her grandmother take care of the sheep. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 A Bright Future… Judging from her picture, you might think 10-year-old Fadia is about to break out some hip dance moves. Perhaps, but just wait until she opens her mouth. Anyone looking for a spokesperson, a politician, or a leader with a plan and a vision? Keep an eye on this girl. She becomes very animated as she speaks about her home country of Haiti. “If our people will put our hands together we can maybe make our country beautiful and people will be changed,” she says. Fadia sees many improvements that can be made, like more roads and schools to help children. She also sees the need to take care of orphans. Fadia sounds like she’s running for office, doesn’t she? “If I was president, I would help children and build more schools and houses. I would give food to the people and create work.” Quite an insightful answer for a Grade 5 student. She may have some good ideas for her country, but Fadia really lights up when she reveals her plans for her own future. Fadia desires to be a nurse. She has a brother with mental health challenges and wants to become a nurse so she can help people like him. This is such a sweet display of a big heart in a little girl. Fadia lives in a home with her big family—seven siblings, two parents, and some other relatives. She shares a room with three other people and says she dreams of sharing a room with only one other person. Fadia has been a part of our sponsorship program since 2010. Being a part of the program means she is able to attend a CH Global-sponsored school staffed with qualified teachers. Without this, it is unlikely that she would progress past Grade 6. It is evident that Fadia is a bright girl with a keen mind and we’re thrilled to sponsor her and help ensure she receives a quality education. Five Little Coffee Beans E ach farmwoman brought five meager coffee beans to the afternoon gathering at the little yellow-walled clinic. These women don’t have much, but they all contributed a little of what they did have, and together they collected 195 beans to make coffee that afternoon. It’s a beautiful act of giving that demonstrates, in a small way, how significantly they’ve come alongside one another to impact their lives and their community. Steam poured out of the clay jebena as the women sat on the porch and explained the inner workings of their savings and loan self-help group (SHG): the money they’ve saved collectively and personally, the loans they’ve distributed from that saved money, and their plans to improve their future—in fact, their whole community’s future—by investing that money wisely. In May 2013, about 40 women divided into two groups—the Feta and Biftu SHGs— each started weekly contributing 5-10 birr ($0.30 – $0.60 CAD) into collective accounts. CH Global formed the groups and provided financial training and oversight, and now these women are on their own, living what they’ve learned. As of February 2015, the two groups had a combined savings of $2,015 CAD. They wanted to rent land together and grow wheat, but renting just one hectare (about 2.5 acres) costs the better part of $190 a year. So, instead, they loaned themselves money to buy what they needed to plant onions on their individual farms so that after the harvest they could collect and save the profits to rent farmland in the future. Rather than taking turns loaning money to group members to pursue individual income-generating initiatives—the standard SHG model—they’ve decided to work together towards one colossal achievement: bringing life-giving water to their community. Right now, if a person moves fast, it’s a one-and-a-half-hour walk to get water, one woman explained. Sometimes it takes more than two hours. They’ll make the trek at least once a day, but sometimes twice a day. They have to fetch it for their household, as well as for the animals. These women are hoping to save enough money to get a water pump installed closer to their homes. It costs 50,000 birr ($3,100 CAD) to drill a well, and at the rate they’re saving they are thinking it will take two to three years. If anyone could achieve this, it’s probably these women—and all because they learned the value of working together and saving the equivalent of just 30 to 60 Canadian cents a week. The leader of the Feta SHG said that besides learning about sanitation, family planning and receiving a loan, she’s started a personal savings box at home. Her husband has seen positive results from his wife being a part of an SHG and he supports and encourages her when others have not. He tells her to be strong because she is on a good track. Etaferaw, the leader of the Biftu group, also said that the women’s husbands and other men in the community discouraged them initially, but after they watched the women receiving loans to buy onion seeds to plant on their farms, they totally changed their minds, she said. The concepts learned in the SHG are influencing many more people than just the group members. We can’t wait to see what progress and impact on their community these women have made in another year. A New Life Kickoff Wilson has been stitching together and selling soccer balls for the last 42 years. His workshop is located in the Korogocho slums on the outskirts of Nairobi. His employment strategy is to only hire street boys. Over the last 10 years, he has trained 300 boys who are currently running their own soccer ball stitching businesses in various towns across Kenya. Until a few years ago, Wilson said he just focused on making money and never imagined that God and money could go together. He never thought about the spiritual lives of the former street boys either. But then his perspective changed in 2012 when he participated in Biblical Entrepreneurship Training with Go Ye Africa, our ministry partner in Kenya. Through these devotions, Wilson says that 50 of the 300 boys he’s worked with have accepted Christ. “After training with Go Ye Africa on biblical discipleship and entrepreneurship, I learnt to blend God and work because He is the one who commissioned us to work. Every time I work I feel I am fulfilling His command,” Wilson said. “I have also learnt to respect these former street boys. I not only want them to learn to stitch soccer balls, but also to develop spiritually. We therefore start every morning with a Bible study and praise session.” Paul, 22, is the youngest of three men currently working for Wilson. Poverty forced him to leave his western Kenyan village of Bondo to come work here. “Wilson has acted as a father figure and a spiritual role model for me since I came here three months ago,” he said. “He has encouraged me to read the Bible regularly and also to respect fellow mankind.” 90% of The global literacy rate for women with disabilities is as low as children with disabilities in developing countries don’t attend school Source: A 1998 UNDP Study Source: UNESCO <There used to be a lack of understanding of the needs of children with disabilities. As a person who knows—who understands their situation—I’m motivated to help them, to bring them out of the darkness and bring them to the school and give them the opportunity to learn. – Wubie, Itaya SNE unit department head, Ethiopia CHRIST’S TANGIBLE LOVE This story was written by our partner, Maple City Baptist Church, in Chatham, Ontario. Five years ago, our church became involved with CH Global’s work in Guatemala. Each year we travel there with a group of roughly fifteen people to build relationships, help with construction projects and facilitate Bible programs for children. Three years ago we were introduced to El Moro, a highly remote village tucked away in the mountains of Guatemala. The child sponsorship program supports over 100 children there, which has created an opportunity to minister to the people. Each time we have visited, our church has fallen more in love with these people who are sweet, joyful, and thankful—though they have so very little. We’ve been able to partner with the community to assist with various building projects at the school, the village’s most valued asset. We also run a Vacation Bible School where the children participate in games, crafts, and English and Bible classes. The relationships we build in just one week (each year) are life changing for us, and hopefully for them as well. At the end of every trip we are overwhelmed and humbled by their gratitude. As a result of our church’s bond with this community, several of our members have become sponsors even though they haven’t personally travelled there. As we have partnered in Guatemala, specifically in El Moro, it’s been evident that the people’s greatest need is to know Jesus. Tangible demonstrations of Christ’s love—like meeting physical needs—have opened the door to sharing the Gospel. It is a sincere joy and privilege to be the hands and feet of Christ to the people of this beautiful village. This love is manifested directly by those who take part in the trips, but also by those who are willing to faithfully provide support through the sponsorship program. It’s an amazing experience to meet the sponsored children (and those awaiting sponsorship) and have their little hands lead us to their homes so we can meet their families and see where they live. How wonderful it was to see firsthand the difference that child sponsorship has made in so many of these families! Sponsorship has given these kids hope. It provides not only for their material needs, but most importantly, it allows them to hear the Good News of salvation in Christ. To see the impact of sponsorship in this community firsthand, visit chglobal.org. PURVEYORS OF HOPE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 I am excited to bear witness to the determination of Shewaye as she and Hanna invest in their future. I am humbled to partner with a giant of the faith like Darious—I see the hope he has for South Sudan as he perseveres through difficulties. I am overjoyed at the generosity of you, our donors, for helping people in need whom you have never met. I know I’m beholding the Gospel message in action. The world is full of evils: poverty, war, disease, and inequality. If we focus on these we can become paralyzed. But we are not called to take these on singlehandedly; we are called to be a light in the darkness. As the verse in Romans says, we press on because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. Each day thousands of lives are touched by our ministry. The darkness is pushed back. And God’s love and light are shown. Thank you for trusting us with your resources as we work in South Sudan, Ethiopia, and other countries around the world. Laying The Groundwork For Special Education In Ethiopia When Aselefech was a Grade 9 student she had a teacher with a visual impairment. This planted in her heart a desire to someday work with students with disabilities. Years later, Aselefech is doing just that as she teaches in a special needs education (SNE) unit in a primary school in Itaya, Ethiopia, a couple hours from the capital, Addis Ababa. Without the training, Aselefech wouldn’t be able to help her students with disabilities, she said. But they still lack resources, face challenges, and do not have enough training—especially when it comes to sign language. Signing may be a student’s only way to communicate, yet a teacher may not know enough to fully understand or respond. The SNE teachers especially face challenges when it comes to students with developmental disabilities. The SNE unit in this school originally consisted of just one classroom divided into five sections for different grades and different disability types. SNE units teach Grades 1 – 4, and then the students are mainstreamed for Grade 5 and beyond. They have colossal challenges to PRAY Please support our ministry in prayer. “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” Pray with us that God will continue to bless our work as we reach out to support those dear to His heart—the helpless, the widow, and the orphan. overcome. For example, blind students suddenly have to learn solely by listening to teacher lectures, and they’re dependent on other people to read to them. Deaf students must learn from reading the teacher’s lips and reading what is written on the chalkboard. Though these may seem like insurmountable obstacles to some of us, it’s been astounding to see these students persevere and excel—some of them are at the top of their class. By partnering with government schools to open 81 SNE units since 2006, we’ve created opportunities for 1,700 Ethiopian students with disabilities to complete foundational grades of learning before being mainstreamed. She’s one of 203 Ethiopian teachers CH Global has given a one-month, hands-on training in SNE. The teachers are taught skills like basic sign language, and reading and writing braille. The goal is to equip them as thoroughly as possible to teach students with visual, auditory and developmental disabilities. So, what can I do? Opening a SNE unit generally means we configure a classroom, train two teachers in SNE, and provide school materials, student uniforms and breakfast. After a number of years, CH Global phases out support and the government takes over. This SNE unit in Itaya has been on its own since April 2014. It has also expanded to include another full classroom subdivided for three more SNE classrooms. This is a wonderful achievement for a community that, when the unit first opened, was unwilling to send their children with disabilities to school. We are continuing to create awareness for the need for SNE and have launched a new project to provide educational opportunities for 1,000 more students with disabilities in the next two years, give further training for 331 SNE teachers, and renovate or refurbish 30 SNE units to accommodate more students. 25 Sportsworld Crossing Road Kitchener, ON N2P OA5 Canada Tel: 1.519.650.0966 | Toll Free: 1.866.362.6810 | Fax: 1.519.650.8984 [email protected] | www.chglobal.org abc LEARN We’re active in 7 countries, so there’s always something exciting happening—keep up-todate by visiting chglobal.org and connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter. GIVE Our ministry is 100% funded by donors like you. We’re doing a lot and we’re always trying to do more, but it’s only through your generous gifts that we’re able to serve those living in exceptional circumstances around the world. 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