One woman recognized his need for help and true hope.
Together, we can change the future for a single life, one individual at a time.
It’s impossible for one person to change the world, but every individual can make an impact.
That’s why The Adera Foundation extends an open invitation to everyone to visit its programs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to see the changes taking place in the lives of families and students within our programs. Each visitor is provided with a hands-on opportunity to work in our daycare and kindergarten program, primary school classes, school feeding program, and to visit with the women who are working within various business training and work program offered by Adera.
On one such occasion, a woman visiting our feeding program saw a young man across the room escorting peers to their hot lunches before eating himself. She watched as he volunteered to wash the hundreds of dishes after the other children had left. She had to ask who this young man was – what was his story?
The young man was Schefferew, a 17-year-old who was in grade three. He had come to the city after the death of his mother and father to live with his grandmother. He had arrived in Addis with no education and little hope. His grandmother was very ill and near death, so she asked a neighbor to take her grandson into her home upon her death. The neighbor reluctantly agreed, knowing that feeding her own two children was a daily challenge. Schefferew soon found himself living in yet another new home. His future was dark and his daily needs were most often unmet. He and the son of his new “aunt” would leave school each afternoon in search of toss-away concrete bags that could be recycled for a penny a bag. With the gathering of 50-60 bags a day, the boys would guarantee themselves and their small family a meal for the day. Their future was entirely without hope. But little did Schefferew know that his Heavenly Father was going to make one of His daughters from the United States aware of his needs. That day, as she saw his actions in the feeding program, she recognized his need for help and true hope. His character set him apart that day in the corrugated metal barn of the Adera feeding program. His smile and gentle leadership became evident to the visitor.
She returned home plagued by the question: What will become of this young man? She was wracked by a concern for his future, but also burdened by questions about what she could do from halfway around the world. She began to ask the Lord for direction and to investigate potential solutions. The leadership of The Adera Foundation believed Schefferew could benefit greatly from the consistency and stability of a Christian boarding school. The cost was determined and the visitor shared Schefferew’s story with her community. She not only committed to assist Schefferew but pledged to help as many others as possible in an effort to make a difference. Individuals who had never met this young man, but who heard his story, made the decision to say, “Yes” and to play a vital role in improving his hopes for the future. This fall, Schefferew will be given an opportunity to move beyond today. He will be provided with help and true hope as he begins his new studies and new community at a wonderful boarding school near Addis Ababa.
Adera recognizes that no single individual can change the world. But together, we can change the future for a single life, one individual at a time. Which is why we extend the invitation to any and all who desire to make a difference in our world. Come alongside The Adera Foundation as we share the Gospel in both word and deed transforming the lives of the poor with help and true hope.
