Last month, August 2013, a short term mission team from Grace Giving International traveled to Ethiopia to visit GGI's project and spend time blessing those in need. One of the participants, Eric Olson, came back with a new found appreciation for life in the U.S. and on fire for doing something to help those less fortunate. Below are a few words he's shared since being back plus a few photos. Enjoy and watch our website for further trips to Ethiopia, Uganda, and Haiti where you can join the GGI team in action.
Eric writes. "My wife, Frani, and I recently returned from a ten day trip to Ethiopia to work at a church and school with an organization called Grace Giving International (www.gracegivinginternational.org). We delivered food and blankets to many families in extreme poverty and interviewed 45 more kids for the sponsorship program.
The average worker makes $0.20 cents an hour there. It is hard to fathom that we make more money in a few days here than most Ethiopians make in an entire year - all because we were born in the U.S.A. Most of them have nothing but the clothes on their back and the worn out shoes on their feet, and yet, they are all smiles. They are grateful when they can find food to eat and a mat to sleep on in a small mud hut at night. Many can't afford to go to school so that's all they wish for in life. If you have any interest in sponsoring one of these kids so they can go to school and receive a meal every day please contact GGI, it would completely change the child's life."
Eric also shared a few highlights from his trip. "Words really can’t begin to describe all we did and saw these last 11 days. God worked so powerfully in so many ways that we were simply amazed. We visited many families, handed out clothes & shoes & goodies to so many kids and families, played the movie ‘Magdalena’ in Amharic to hundreds of people Friday night, did an abbreviated VBS and played the movie ‘The story of Jesus for children’ in Amharic Saturday morning, spoke at church on both Sundays, visited some of the seven daughter churches in the outlying communities, drove 250 km south to Soddo to see the large Christian Hospital there, chased baboons into the African bush, shared many meals and coffee with amazing people, loved on kids and interviewed 45 more kids to be sponsored by folks in the States. Every day was packed full."
Enjoy Eric's photos.
Blessing a widow with necessities in life
Visiting a typical mud house as part of the Blessing Program
Spending time at the school with the children
More children at school.
Typical mother selling items for cents at the outdoor market to earn money
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