The Child Sponsorship program began to address the hunger of children. At the start, 20 children were sponsored by donors to receive food, clothing, school supplies and uniforms, as well as paid school fees every month. Now that number is over 100. Many kids in the program have been able to attend university because of this support. If you are interested in helping to meet a child’s needs for just $40 a month, please fill out the interest form below.
Changing Gendetesfa One Child At a Time
At the end of my first trip with Project Hope, I met a young girl at the school who quickly became very special to me. There was something that set her apart from everyone else, something gentle and kind that stood out in the middle of all the noise and excitement. Throughout the week, we spent a lot of time together, and God really placed her and her family on my heart. I wanted to sponsor her but learned that she already had a sponsor. However, her family still had a need. Her younger brother, Frafez, was not yet sponsored. Without hesitation, I agreed to sponsor him as soon as I returned home.
This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to return to Ethiopia and meet Frafez in person. I also got to visit their home and meet their mother, who raises both children on her own. Their family’s situation is difficult, but what stood out to me was the deep love between Frafez and his older sister. Their mother works long hours during the day, so it’s often just the two of them. Like many young girls in Dire Dawa, she has taken the role of a caretaker at a young age She watches over him, makes sure he eats, and keeps him close by her side; in turn, Frafez has nothing but love and admiration for his sister.
She is truly one of the most content and kindhearted girls I have ever met. She never asks for anything, she doesn’t push, complain, or beg. Instead, she is simply present. She wants only friendship, laughter, and time together. At the end of the week, as we said our goodbyes, she asked me for something for the very first time: that I take her little brother home with me so that he could live a better life. Even in her request, her heart was completely selfless, still thinking of her brother before herself.
I went to Ethiopia to share the love of Christ, but what I didn’t expect was how much I would learn about that same love from a young Muslim girl. With so little, yet with so much humility and grace, she showed me what Christlike love truly looks like. Through Project Hope’s sponsorship program, God continues to use these children and families to reveal His heart, and I am humbled to be a small part of that story.