Hope in Action: Issue No. 2

Dear Elpis friends and supporters,

God’s blessing and your faithful giving ensures that, every day of the year, the feeding center is open, feeding and caring for your sponsored child and many other children in the Elpis program.

 Many sponsors have wondered what that daily experience actually looks like for the child they sponsor. What is a normal day like? How often do the children eat at the feeding center? What else happens there?

 Recently, we asked one of the Elpis students to help us describe a typical day from the children’s perspective.

Most of the children live with family members—some with their mothers, some with grandparents, and others with relatives. Many of them have brothers and sisters at home who are not part of the Elpis program. Their homes are varied; some are one room dwellings, some may have more rooms. Some homes have running water inside, while others do not. In those cases, families usually buy water from a nearby community tap. Cooking may happen indoors on a small stove or charcoal stove, or sometimes outside, depending on the home.

Each morning the children come to the feeding center before school. Many walk from their homes, while a few who live farther away come by taxi. When they arrive, the children usually gather to pray and give thanks together before breakfast.

Breakfast is simple—often bread or other local foods along with tea. The children also receive a lunch to take with them to school.

After breakfast, the children head to school. Many walk if their school is nearby. Older students or those attending schools farther away may take a minibus.

When the children return from school in the afternoon, many come back to Elpis. Dinner is served there, and the feeding center becomes a place for studying, friendships, and encouragement. High school and older students often help the younger children with their homework, and the students frequently support one another in their studies.

The younger children tend to spend much of their free time at Elpis, and even the older students stay closely connected to the program until they graduate. For many of them, it feels like a second home.

The women who serve at Elpis— Dibora, Ababa, Waynishet, Freiot and Naomi—play an important role in the children’s lives. They help care for the children, guide them, and encourage them. The children regularly spend time in prayer, devotionals, and other teaching activities where they receive spiritual guidance and life instruction.

When a child has a struggle at school, with friends, or within their family, they can go to the ladies at Elpis for advice and support. The children also encourage one another and build strong friendships through their connection at Elpis.

Elpis has rules to keep everyone safe and respectful. The children are expected to follow the daily schedule, treat one another kindly, and respect the staff.

The children at Elpis enjoy many special moments throughout the year. Birthdays, special events and holidays are celebrated together, creating a warm, supportive environment for the children. Visits from the stateside Elpis team are especially exciting days that the children look forward to and enjoy immensely.

When we asked this student what Elpis has meant to them personally, their answer was heart warming:

Every meal served, every prayer shared, and every moment of encouragement is made possible by Elpis’ faithful supporters. Your partnership allows Elpis to remain a place of stability, care, and hope in the lives of these children. Thank you for investing in them and walking alongside them on this journey.

If you sponsor a child in Awassa, you’ll be receiving a letter soon about providing a backpack for your sponsored child.

Be sure to keep an eye on your mail—it will include all the details you’ll need, like instructions, sizes, and deadlines.

Please join Elpis in praying for the funding needed to purchase property that will allow the ministry to expand its work of training and equipping evangelists and students for ministry in Ethiopia.

Please also be in prayer for the next mission team traveling to Ethiopia at the end of June. Preparations are already underway, and we are trusting God for the work He will accomplish through this team.