Published Fri, May 28, 21.
Written by Scott Chleborad.


Pull a child out of a certain future bound for hunger, shame and deprivation. Feed them, clothe them, teach them and love them. Then watch them fly away and fulfill all of their God-given potential. It's a formula for success that's been working at Adams Thermal Academy Hosanna in Ethiopia. And in April, we celebrated that success with 38 new graduates who finally received their diplomas after waiting for 9 months due to the pandemic. 
 
Many of you know that Ethiopian high school graduates are given the opportunity to receive a subsidized college education if their academic performance meets a baseline score. Out of our 38 graduates at Adams Thermal Academy Hosanna, 35 received scholarships to have their college education subsidized by the Ethiopian government. That's a 92% SUCCESS RATE! We are so proud of them!
 
For these young men and women, graduation means so much more than just academic achievement. Most of these graduates are the sole embodiment of a family's hopes and dreams for survival. They are torch bearers of inspiration for siblings who can only hope for the opportunity to go to school. And for the graduates themselves, this achievement is an affirmation of their value and worth and purpose amidst a poverty culture that incessantly shouts to the contrary. 
 
For those of you that have chosen to support us through child sponsorship, graduation day is the "payoff". This is why we choose to invest in and pray for a child in the first place. This is the outcome we've been waiting to experience and celebrate. And this is the hope and vision of those sponsors of younger students in our schools. Our deepest thanks go out to our sponsors who have supported and encouraged these students to press forward and cross the finish line. We could not accomplish these tremendous results without you. 
 
To our faithful and committed staff, we say thank you and congratulations! It is not a simple endeavor to instruct and mentor the poor and the hungry whose brains are stuck in survival mode much of the time. Our teachers and administrators have won a victory for these young men and women and their families. So we call them out and honor them in this season of joy and celebration. 
 
Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Truly, serving God first has enabled us to serve children and families well. And we give thanks to the Lord because his promises are true at Adams Thermal Academy Hosanna. 
 
To our graduates we say a heartfelt, "CONGRATULATIONS" to the Class of 2020! It has been our privilege to come alongside you and lead you to the next chapter in God's tremendous plans for your lives. Honor him with your lives and stay in touch. We'll be praying for you.