Ethiopia Update: Mission Director & Family at Bete Hosanna
It’s a surreal thing to be here in Ethiopia this month. I’m blessed to represent America World missions on-site for about three weeks this summer. We recently opened Bete Hosanna, a transitional home for girls aging out of the government orphanage system. It’s surreal because this time, my family joined me.
We have four children, two who we welcomed through the gift of international adoption. Our son, who is now almost eight years old is from the very city we are serving in. Orphan care efforts on the ground feel even more urgent when those serving alongside you were once in the vulnerable position you witness on a daily basis. It’s a sober reminder, for me, that while the work feels endless and the progress slow, stopping and slowing down is never an option.
The girls at Bete Hosanna are blossoming. They aren’t the mere shells of humans I saw a few months ago. Their various dreams and ambitions are being stoked like the embers of the fires they cook on. And as a result, those very dreams are growing into a fire that propels them toward a hopeful future. But it’s not all success stories and roses yet, the darkness threatens daily. The lies of the deceiver are real. Without constant truth spoken over them, I fear they will give in to the crushing pain of their past and the looming difficulties that make up life in Ethiopia.
So, daily, we wash them with truth and light. Daily we speak God’s promises over them. Bible teachers come, trades are taught, good food is eaten, hugs are shared, One orphan teams come, coffee is roasted and steps are taken, every day, toward healing.
Right now, more girls wait in the government orphanage. The fear of the future threatening to consume their hearts. Many, even this summer, will reach the age where they must leave. We are ready and waiting to respond to this need. I hope you’ll consider joining this mission. I can tell you will all certainty, this is a place of results. This is a place where women are being built and prepared for the future. This is more than dreams, it’s a reality. And it’s something you can be a part of.
- Erica Ho, Director of Missions
