Reflections

“Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba (Ethiopia) will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.” Isaiah 60:6

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Eyerus's Goodbye

Posted on: 05/30/2013 - 4:38pm

Eyerus and her mother

On May 29, 2012, Eyerus was reunited with her mother. We held a goodbye party here at the children’s home where all of the kids and workers as well as Eyerus’s mother and step father were present.

Eyerus saying thank you to everyone at the children’s home during the goodbye party

Eyerus has been living with us since July 2012 and was in school for vocational training (hair dressing). In February 2013, she graduated and started volunteering in a well known local spa. She was very happy about it and after a month or so of giving free service, she was hired. It seems all sorts of happy,...

Yared and his Mother

Posted on: 05/30/2013 - 4:09pm

Yared

Yared, who has been living with us for about a year, has now started living with his mother. Yared originally came to our children’s home because his mother couldn’t support him and was in a very difficult situation. After Yared came to us, his mother has been doing some work and is now able to support herself and her young boy. This was our biggest goal...for Yared to live with his mother again once she was in a stable situation.

Yared cutting the cake at his going away/blessing party

Tesfaye carrying Yared to his new...

Teyba's New Baby

Posted on: 05/27/2013 - 3:54pm

Teyba’s New Baby Girl

The fourteen year old Teyba who came to us 2 and a half months ago had her baby girl on Monday, May 20^th, 2012 at approximately 1:00 in the morning.

Teyba gave birth at Gandi Referral Hospital through an operation that took about 40 minutes. When she first found out that she is going to be operated on, she was very scared. But through counseling services by the NOLM social work team, she was ready to face the day.

The NOLM team had been preparing to welcome Teyba back to the children's home. Together with the kids here, we put together a room for Teyba and her baby.

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In Memory of Tiruwoerk

Posted on: 05/20/2013 - 1:58pm

We are sad to write today that Tiruwoerk, who was a part of the NOLM women's program since June 2012, has recently passed away. Tiruwoerk, age 35, used to live with her sister, her sister’s husband and their two children. Her husband, to whom she was married to for 15 years, left her when he found out that she was living with the virus. A few months after she joined our program, her husband came back home and they started living together. Shortly after she got back together with her husband, he got sick and passed away. After that, Tiruwoerk was also admitted into “Yekatit 12” hospital and was treated for TB and other opportunistic diseases for one month. Our NOLM Nurse, Eyerus, visited her often while she was in the hospital and was consulting with the doctors about the treatment she was receiving. Tiruwoerk was a very...

Ikram's Reunion

Posted on: 05/20/2013 - 12:22pm

We are celebrating another happy reunion at the NOLM children’s home. Ikram, who stayed with us for about 13 days, is now back in her parent’s safe arms. Ikram was such a joy to have here. She loved her two friends Hannah and Tarikae who also live at the children’s home. She also loved little Tsehay who has now been reunited with her family as well. The four had grown so fond of each other. Here is a picture of Ikram saying goodbye to Tarikae.

Ikram and Tarikae

The children’s home is not only a place where the kids get refuge from all of the troubles they faced outside. It’s also a place where some hear the word of God for the first time and experience His love through us. Most are anxious and worried when they first arrive…like Ikram, they ask why we are doing this for them. We tell them that...

Jordan Trip/One Way to Help Syrian Refugees

Posted on: 05/20/2013 - 10:56am

NOLM's mission is to bless and serve people living in extreme poverty in Ethiopia, and beyond. One of our desires is to help raise awareness (prayer, word of mouth, finances, etc.) for people in need as opportunities arise.

Last week I had the privilege of traveling to the beautiful country of Jordan in the Middle East.

Below are a few photos of my trip. While in Jordan, I witnessed how the Lord is using one local church community in the city of Amman to show love to Syrian refugees, Palestinians, and Jordanians. I visited a large refugee camp, took part in house visits for Syrian refugees, participated in prayer and testimonial meetings in the local church mentioned above, met with a non-governmental organization helping orphans who have aged out of institutions, and more.

If you are interested in helping the Syrian refugees but aren't sure how, I want to encourage you...

One Year Later

Posted on: 05/10/2013 - 4:23pm

Photo Above: Our daughter Betsy

This day, last year, began as one of the most exciting, most anticipated events in our lives. We were to bring our new daughter, Zahra, home from the hospital. In an unexpected turn of events, her birth father changed his mind at the last minute and our plans to adopt her fell apart. Instantly, that day became one of the most devasting. As only God can, he redeemed that heartbreaking day to be an unexpected blessing. We would have never known the privilege of adopting Betsy Jane Gross. She has added so much joy, fun and life to our family and we say all of the time how thankful we are that we get to raise her. We know we would have loved raising Zahra, too. I wanted to write to thank all of you for all of the prayers you prayed, before and after Zahra's birth. We have seen the result of those prayers as we keep in contact with Rose, her mother. I know Rose now can't imagine not...

"Little" Tsehay's Reunion with her Family

Posted on: 05/09/2013 - 2:51pm

After spending a very happy Easter holiday at the NOLM Children's Home, Tsehay (below: little girl standing in the back row with braids) was succesfully reunited with her long lost family. Tsehay's father, brother and aunt came to the children's home yesterday and took Tsehay back home. (Her mother could not make the journey to Addis because she is not well enough to travel). We were all sad and happy for Tsehay at the same time. Tarikae and Hannah, who had become best friends with Tsehay, couldn't stop crying.

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Easy Idea for Families

Posted on: 05/04/2013 - 11:01am

This week our family set up what we are calling our "prayer board." We have placed different people and/or situations on the board that we feel the Lord wants us to remember to pray for regularly.

We plan on changing/updating our prayer board often as we witness breakthrough in certain areas and/or new needs arise.

It was fun setting up the prayer board with our kids. We asked them if they wanted to put anything on the board, so the board also reflects their ideas. The prayer board also helps us focus a little less on ourselves and a little more on others. We have the prayer board near our dining room table so we can refer to it at meal times and/or throughout the day.

Freedom in Helping Others

Posted on: 05/03/2013 - 11:10am

This week a passage from Mark 14 really stood out to me:

³While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head and feet.

⁴Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? ⁵It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages^[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

⁶“Leave her alone,...

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