UPDATE: Christmas Beds

Last November we shared a need with you: ensuring that every child in the program has a bed to sleep in. At that time, we had a number of children sleeping on the floor, many of whom had never known the comfort of a bed. We asked for help purchasing a bed for each child, including a frame, mattress, blanket, sheets and pillows. We just received photos from Ethiopia, and the smiles speak for themselves! Thank you to everyone who supported this campaign, both financially and in prayer.

Dawit Dereje

Fekadu Alemu

Mihret Teka

Bereket Tamirat

Nebeyu Shimeles

Tewodros G’Alif

 

Birthday Blessings

In a third world country like Ethiopia, a birthday does not hold the same significance as it does in the Western world. Except for in the wealthiest communities in Ethiopia, most of the time there is no celebration. Many don’t even know or track their age or date of birth, since the caretakers are often unable to read and do not have calendars or clocks. A day that should be a cause for celebration often goes by unnoticed.

We are excited to announce that we are piloting a Birthday Blessings program this summer. We have a missions team traveling to Ethiopia from April through the end of summer. The team has volunteered to visit the local shops in Debre Zeyit and pick out a special birthday gift and deliver it to your child. Imagine your child’s delight at receiving this most unexpected surprise!

  

If your child’s birthday falls between April 20th and August 31st, you may participate in the Birthday Blessings pilot program. The deadline to sign up is March 20th, to ensure birthday delivery.

You may choose to send any amount to be used where needed most, or select from the gift options below:

Clothing – $40
Household Item – $25
Toy – $15

We also invite you to mail a birthday card to the office by March 20th, which our missions team will deliver to your child.

We are excited to be able to provide this opportunity to give your child special birthday memories!

Blessing the Children International
2267 Fraser Road
Kawkawlin, MI 48631

1 Million Meals

Abu Sara is a farming community located approximately 20 miles from Debre Zeyit. Last year, the community was devastated by a drought that killed their harvest and left them with nothing to grow or eat. Some villagers abandoned their homes, some lost loved ones, and others became beggars.

Hungry Child in Abu Sara

Men Out of Work and Hungry

After seeing what the people of Abu Sara were going through, Blessing the Children decided to help by partnering with Prairie Gleaners, a Christian non-profit organization based in Canada. The gleaners take locally grown fruits and vegetables that would normally end up in the landfill and turn them into dried food and soup mixes, which are distributed to people in need around the world. The organization is run on volunteer time and serves 40 different nations.

Dehydrated Soup Mix

Prairie Gleaners readily approved the request for a food container to be sent to Ethiopia. The container took several weeks to arrive by sea to the port town of Djibouti. The food was then loaded onto two large trucks and driven nearly 500 miles to Debre Zeyit. Half the container was distributed to the community of Abu Sara, while the other half stayed in Debre Zeyit.

Food Shipment Arrives

Food Distribution Begins

A staggering one million meals were provided by these dehydrated food and soup mixes, benefitting children in the BCI program as well as those in a crisis state of famine in nearby Abu Sara. In total, 950 families have received the food support.

We are grateful to Prairie Gleaners for turning nutritious produce that would have been wasted into a remarkable blessing for the families of Ethiopia!

Children of Abu Sara Rejoicing