An Immediate Need In Ethiopia

I have so many things I need to post but not enough time or posts in one day :) I want to post today about an immediate need that we have in Ethiopia. We are thrilled to say that we are taking on an active role in caring for the needs of children in a certain orphanage in Ethiopia. This orphanage is FULL of babies that need YOUR help! I have my friend on the ground there that is going to be making sure that ALL the children have all of their basic needs met, but it is going to take a lot of work and help from all of us.

First, let me introduce you to Ashli....She joined our July Ethiopia mission trip last minute last year. She was a twenty something year old girl, working as a waitress, still praying for God to show her her purpose in life. She heard about our trip and decided to go. She knew she had a heart to serve and that this would give her an opportunity to do just that for a week or so in Ethiopia. She had never been to Ethiopia. So here you see her below, with her father, in the airport, as they were saying goodbye and she was getting ready to board the plane with all of us (whom she did not know well at the time) for Ethiopia.

Little did she know that her world was about to be rocked and that, indeed, God had BIG PLANS for her and her great big heart to serve. Her prayers were about to be answered in ways that she NEVER dreamed!
We all arrived in Ethiopia and began our journey each day going from orphanage to orphanage, serving these children who had nothing......Ashli dove right in, loving on these children, while God did a work in her heart.

It was when we went to the trash dump community that something shifted in Ashli. She suddenly felt such a love and pull toward those children and toward that community that was considered the poorest of the poor, that she knew God was trying to do a work in her and show her something about her own life through this community. The whole community lived, ate, and breathed the trash dump EVERYDAY. They battle leprosy, disease, and things that most of us would run from, but Ashli ran towards them.  All of our hearts broke for them in ways that affected all of us. Ashli loved and served this community with all her heart while we were there.

So there you have it. The trip was over. Ashli had loved in ways she never had before and then we all returned home. But something in her had changed. She could not get the children out of her mind, heart, and soul. She dreamed of them, she thought of them, and prayed for them as she tried to go on with her life as a waitress in America. So as she found herself back in her comfort zone, praying once more for God to show her the path He has for her, He spoke loud and clear and she knew what she had to do without a shadow of a doubt, even though it sounded completely crazy to everyone else.

So in November she packed her bags to move to Ethiopia with no return ticket. She didn't quite know what God wanted her to do but she got what support she could and showed up in Ethiopia to help serve the Project 61 team who was solely helping the trash dump community.  She suddenly knew that she was living out her life calling by serving and loving these children who have NOTHING. I showed back up in December to find Ashli living and operating in this new world that she now called her own, and doing an AMAZING and INSPIRING job! Everywhere she went, children ran to her to get a hug. She was already speaking their language and I saw God at work in her like I had never seen before. HIS love poured out of her. She had now literally become HIS hands and feet and HE was using her mightily. The waitress from America had found her life calling in Ethiopia in ways she never dreamed.

SO HERE IS THE BIG NEED!!!
So, as it turns out, as of recently she has been led to an orphanage that is entrusting her with the care of the children. To protect the kids in the orphanage we will call it  Restoration Orphanage, because I think God will restore their lives from the mirey pit and use this place as a place of Restoration in the future for other children. God has handed this place to her for her to step in and help when there are certainly children on death's door. She has gone in and described the needs of these children to me, especially the babies, and it is devastating and heartbreaking! They need care and they need care fast. A few babies have not made it and I believe that is why God has now led Ashli to this place through a connection that I have and is now going to use her to bring these children back to life. It is going to take a lot of work, money, formula, supplies, etc but I know it can be done. AND it can be done by this one young girl.....WITH ALL OUR HELP.  Here is an excerpt from her as of yesterday......

"As I held an orphaned little girl tonight who is 10lbs underweight, I began to sing Jesus Loves Me. She stared in my eyes as I sang and I started thinking about her life. Her last name is X because she has no father, she is malnourished, found in the street, and has a horrible bacterial infection that if went untreated would kill her. As the song was ending her eyes slowly closed as she drifted off to sleep. A peace that passes all understanding was shown through the sweetest smile as she slept. I whispered, "Lord, you are her Father. She does have a name, and you know her by name. You know her life and her destiny. Protect her heart and give her peace." There are 15 other babies with a similar story in this orphanage, and 10 more on the way, and only 3 nannies to care for them. I pray that all who read this would prayerfully consider helping this orphanage financially care for these helpless lives. The nannies LOVE these babies but the funding just isn't there for proper care. You can turn tears of hunger into peaceful nights of sleep, and the longing for someone to just hold you into security and happiness. Will you help an orphan fall asleep in peace tonight? "


As you can see, her heart is being pulled in a million directions as she tries to help these babies the best that she knows how. She needs our help and Ordinary Hero has taken on this orphanage with Ashli on the ground and ready to help see these children brought back to health. There are possible adoption opportunities in the future as well as sponsorship opportunities. We will be visiting this orphanage on our trips in July. 


Since the need right now is GREAT, I am putting this call out to any of you who would like to help financially to get her the immediate supplies she needs. This would be a great opportunity for you, your bible study, church, girls group, bunko group, etc to come together to help the children in this orphanage and see this place get back on it's feet. We will give you updates on how your donation has helped the children. You will also get to see our teams go in and apply hands on love and aid to this orphanage that you have an investment in. We also invite you to join one of our trips and visit it yourself if you decide to help financially. Ashli needs our help! She will immediately purchase new beds, mattresses, sheets, diapers, formula(much needed), bottles, LOTS of preemie items, hire MUCH NEEDED new nannies, a MUCH NEEDED Nurse, Cleaning crew, etc. This place needs an overhaul!! She took Sumer, from Project61, in there and they both just bawled their eyes out because of the need. 


I KNOW WE CAN ALL HELP IN SOME WAY!  Ashli has given her life to help these children. Let's show her support as best we can. If you would like to make a one time donation, or a much needed monthly partnership to help this orphanage, please CLICK HERE to go to our Donate page.  Be sure to put in the "SEND US A MESSAGE" box ORPHANGE AIDE .  If you do decide to help monthly, please let us know that. All donations are tax deductible through Ordinary Hero Foundation. 


Also, I have added this orphanage to our drop down menu when you check out of the OH Store. Anything you purchase from the store, you can click on Orphanage/Ethiopia, Restoration and that orphanage will get 40% of your sale. 


I can't wait to tell Ashli that help is on the way!!! 


Blessings to all of you as we stand together to be HIS hands and feet through one brave young girl standing ready to help on the other side of the world.