Published Mon, Jun 29, 20.
Written by Scott Chleborad.


If you were at Adams Thermal Academies in Hosanna and Ottoro, Ethiopia this past week, these were some of the scenes you would have witnessed. 

 • Donkey teams straining to pull their tied-down loads through muddy roads and trails

 • Empty school classrooms converted to storehouses piled high with bulk food supplies

 • Busy staff counting and weighing and checking for fairness and justice and good stewardship

 • A field of chairs for waiting and piles of supplies paired together, yet six feet apart for protection

 • Families with hands folded and eyes pointed downward in a familiar posture of uncertainty and need

 • Video cameras and microphones revealing the significance of some newsworthy event

 • Stretched plastic handles and bursting bags barely holding portions of flour, noodles and rice

 • Overly confident boys and teams of neighbors attempting to carry more than they are able to

 • Children searching the masked faces of their mothers for glimpses of hope or contentment

Pictures always seem to tell us more than words ever could, if we take the time to observe and understand.

Thanks to our donors and partners who stood with us for the COVID-19 Relief Campaign. This week we distributed three (3) months worth of supplies to every student family in our schools - enough to sustain them through the oppressive pandemic lockdown and restrictions. Even though students are fed every day through the school year, families were genuinely surprised by the generous support they received from their far-away friends in the United States to help them through this unprecedented summer. In the face of hyperinflation, a pandemic and a locust-induced nationwide famine, most Ethiopians have simply become accustomed to eating less and praying more. Maybe there is a God who loves them. Maybe somebody heard those prayers. Even the government TV channel came out to shoot video and interview some of our beneficiaries for their national broadcast. In the whole scheme of international outreach, this past week was a memory that will be shared for generations. 

As of June 25th, Ethiopia had 5,175 confirmed cases of Coronavirus with 3,548 mild cases, 30 serious or critical cases and 1,544 recovered from the illness. There have been 81 deaths attributed to the virus and most cases are still confined to the capital of Addis Ababa, although counts are growing in other major communities. Thanks be to God, the SNNPR region and the Hadiya Zone where Hosanna and Ottoro are located have been spared from any significant spread so far. Please keep us in your prayers and thank you for allowing us the privilege of touching the hearts and stomachs and souls of those "poorest of the poor" entrusted to our care. 

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