what's been accomplished

For those of you following the progress of our efforts in the Axum orphanage, we are very pleased to tell you that our journey there was an incredible experience and success. Seven of us spent a very concentrated six days in an effort to make a change in their dreadful living conditions. As we prepared to go to Ethiopia, we packed all the children’s clothing, toiletries and shoes that we were allowed to carry in our luggage. Once in Axum, we began shopping in the local village to supplement what we had brought from the States. We had a lofty goal of clothing EVERY orphan at St.Yared and with all your help, we were successful! Every child, 330 boys and girls from the ages of 2 to 15 were outfitted with new pants, shirt, underwear, socks, shoes, jacket and hat. You should have seen their eyes light up as we prepared to bring them inside one by one to choose something they would like. We also brought balls, crayons, markers and paper for them to begin the process of being able to act like children again instead of the daily difficulties of existence that they are forced to try and overcome.
While at the orphanage, we fed the children meals each day beyond anything they had seen. We located every bakery in the small village and bought all they had for the days we were there and delivered it to the orphanage. We spent time in the market buying grain, fruits and vegetables for them to use after our departure. Most significantly, we brought fresh water and electricity to St. Yared. Electricity had been interrupted the previous year due to moneys owed…we fixed that! We then contracted with a local construction contractor to complete the digging of a water well, purchased a pump and erected a reservoir tank. We are now working ahead to have the pipes run from the tank to the bathrooms that haven’t ever been used. These little orphans of promise should have at the very least a bathroom instead of the field outside, and the opportunity to wash their face and hands, not to mention a shower once and awhile. I thought I was prepared, since my husband, George, had told me of his first experience there, but what I saw was still so shocking, it only made me more inspired to come back and prepare for many more journeys to this forgotten orphanage. The most rewarding time we had was spent the last night as we danced and sang with them under the lights from a building that had been dark without electricity, but now was lit up again. We also left them with two televisions and some educational and entertainment DVDs so they could all sit and enjoy learning together.
The local school Worley Elementary that the children attend is also in such dire need. The rooms have no windows and there is a large field for recess with nothing on it for them to play with. There is a building designated for a library, but no books in it. The school had not a single computer or any other type of office/learning equipment. We are locating one now to be sent over to them before their next year starts. We complain in our society if the schools are lacking in computer labs, and these children have to share seats in desks and pass around a pencil, yet they have smiles on their faces and sang to us continually in joy of our visit.
A true lesson in gratefulness.

I hope you will take the time to pray for these forgotten children, that God will send others to help them and the thousands of others just like them in Africa. They are OUR ORPHANS OF PROMISE and we can invest in them so they may survive to see a better world. I know that they will never forget the Texans that came to love them and who have promised to return. And we will. We are planning another trip this summer and still need your help financially, but we hold to the promise that “Where God sends, He supplies”.
Again, I want to thank all of you who have already become a part of this extraordinary blessing. These children are your children.
Love life,
Maylee