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A message from Joseph Alliance:
Joseph Alliance Board, Financial Partners, and Friends,
A month after launching our website and Facebook page, we are very excited about the participation and support received to date. Thank you for supporting the work being done in Soddo, Ethiopia and the building of Woliatta Village.
Over the last 10 days, architectural graduate students from Arizona State University have been in Soddo, Ethiopia working to complete the surveying and plans for Wolaitta Village. All of this work, include the cost of travel was supported by the students and their time & work dedicated to helping the least of these, widows and orphans.
Please see the pictures and summary below from Stephne Bowers. As you look at the pictures below, know that this is something YOU are a part of by supporting Joseph Alliance. In the future, this type of outreach will take place on the grounds of Wolaitta Village, now happening just across the street.
If you look closely at the pictures you can see blind widows (black head scarf in white top) with their backs to Henok as he is speaking.
Please pray for Joseph Alliance to better communicate what we are trying to do, as 100% of people’s support ends up in programs like this and the building of Wolaitta Village. I ask you join with me to pray for God to fully use Joseph Alliance as a vehicle to make Wolaitta Village happen.
Remember to tell people they can now go online and set up recurring monthly gifts to Joseph Alliance.
Thank you again for your support.
Sutton Turner, Board Member
Joseph Alliance, Inc.
“Helping the Least of These,” Orphans and Widows
www.JosephAlliance.com
Follow us on Facebook (click here)
Update from Harry and Stephne for CCC:
EL SHADDAI is a CCC-project where we partnered with a local church, to form a board amongst the church leadership of Wolaitta and use this avenue of serving widows, orphans, disabled poor in and around this region, to teach and train the local churches how to care for the poor.
Once a month, (as funds are available) CCC contacts the Church leadership, informs them of how much we have to share, so that the Board then invites the 13 Churches (with whom they have now established relationship – amongst this group, CCC welcomes the Muslim Community, Orthodox, Protestant & Catholic Communities). When the Church Leadership invites the poor in their congregations, we all gather on
a central Church property (which is accross the road from the proposed Wolaitta Village Compound). Pastors and Visitors are invited to share a brief message or word of encouragement, the blessing is asked over
the provision and then the Churches structure their congregations into well organized and ordered procedure so that everyone receives a generous portion of what we were blessed with!
Multiple results have been witnessed since CCC started this ministry about 10 months ago……
- Churches are establishing closer relationships and pastors are communicating more effectively with one another;
- Practical teaching of how to care for the basic needs of the poor, are being taught.
- Government Officials visit monthly and witness first hand CCC’s efforts to serve and minister to the poor;
- CCC establishes healthy relationships with the community & is recognized as a respected NGO, desiring to bring hope and alleviate the pain of poverty;
- Short Term Visitors have been invited to join in the efforts of CCC, providing a platform for ministry and seeding into the lives of those who would otherwise starve;
- Ato Henok, CCC DIRECTOR, is always present, CCC-staff assists the distribution and oversees the organizational efforts of the church, accepts the documentation which is necessary for annual auditing and encourages pastors in their own efforts of caring for the poor.
- CCC is working with a few surrounding hospitals to bring along a physician and nurse for medical care during these monthly outreachs.
CCC has a long term plan to bring about sustainability to this project and allow Churches to be able to care for their own congregations through self reliable projects – as soon as CCC is released to move into the next phase, you will be notified.
THANK YOU for your continued interest and care!
Stephne – on behalf of CCC
We are still all in Kenya, but we wanted to share quick, that Benjamin and Karmyn are both enrolled and has spent 3 nights already in their dorms in RIFT VALLEY ACADEMY in KENYA!
As soon as Harry and I can think clearly and rational after this whirlwind trip, we will update the blog with the testimony of God’s Faithfulness! THANK YOU to everyone for your prayers!
Wrapped in HIS love,
Stephne for our family
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- Registering/Signing up for email & computer classes.
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- THANK YOU for praying!
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- RVA is 104 years old – you can read more on their nice Website: www.rva.org
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- State of the art gymnasium!
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- Journey to the school, is a gorgeous drive on the edge of the RIFT VALLEY.
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- This is truly a school in the clouds…. rainy season and green!
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- RVA-gate is quite secure!
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- The sign….. welcome!
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- Flagpole & Cafeteria – a common meeting place.
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- Look at those wooden floors & stone walls….. gorgeous!
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- Up the mountain, are the dorms and housing…….!
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- Bransford family’s home where Benjamin is living until space in the Dorm open up.
Dear Friends, Greetings in the joy of the Lord as we continue to listen for HIS direction in the call of every day with you! THANK YOU for your consistent love, support and encouragement as you intercede, seed and show such sweet interest in where the Father has us serve here in Ethiopia! Here then, a brief update of where we find ourselves in the journey:
WOLAITTA VILLAGE: A NEW VISION:
Since the owner from the rented Children’s Home in Soddo can make much more money after the new bus depot has been opened just behind this home, he asked CCC to move out of this home on 31 December 2010. This actually forced us to stop all the plans for the MITTIN FOOD PRODUCTION CENTER, and the Lord has clearly directed me to think so much wider and bigger! After a few days of prayer, listening closely, the vision came – WOLAITTA VILLAGE was born and in my human frailty, I asked the Lord for 3 confirmations – and it came! No more denying, I started sharing with Harry and two trusted friends….. the ball started rolling – and FAST! Ato Henok from CCC showed me land that he thought would be perfect for this project – high ground, overlooking part of the Rift Valley on one side, the gorgeous Mount Damota on the other side! We visited Government Officials, layed the proposal on the table, just to be received with amazing favor!
“By the way”, I asked a friend if she would know an adventurous architect who would like to design this village for CCC…… that same afternoon, this friend met the Arichitech in a bike shop in Arizona! He was looking for a project for this Master Class at ASU…….? So, in September, he and 12 students will spend 6 days in Soddo, designing this big project – with the University’s support and funding! Only God ! Very dear friends, who spent about 10 months in SOddo before, agreed help CCC with taking the role as Construction Manager – this family will also arrive in September to settle in their new home and prepare for the project! We plan on an OFFICIAL GROUND BREAKING ceremony on 10 November 2010!
Here then the idea:
CHILDREN’s HOME: A children’s home will be the very first building to go up! This will host 50-75 children from 0-5 years old. Some children will be adopted, others will be re-integrated with family as possible!
FOOD PRODUCTION CENTER: This is for the MITTIN project with which we have been producing on our orphanage and in our backyard! This project is already self sustaining, I could also employ 4 workers (widows, blind & deaf people). GUEST HOUSE: We hope to build a fun safari type lodge where short term volunteers, visitors, tourists, etc., can all come rest and be a part of this holistic infrastructure!
MULTI PURPOSE FACILITY: A building which will host special events, ministry opportunities, seminars, etc., in order to generate income, as well as providing supporting ministries to the community!
HEALTH CENTER: A medical facility to care for children in the community;
CEMENT BLOCK MAKING: We hope to start our own cement block making vocational project PRIOR to the building, so that we can make our own high quality block, train orphans, employ & cell to community Constructors who are desperate for high quality cement block!
THIS project would allow CHILDREN’s CROSS CONNECTION (Local NGO) to provide more specialized care and ministry to the poor of the Southern Regions in Ethiopia. This ministry has grown and developed tremendously during the past 3 years and we are so thankful for the Lord’s lead and future plans to bring hope to the poor of these southern regions! Increasing Governmental favor is also making this project possible!
You can read more on the following websites:
www.thebowersinafrica.blog.com (this blog)
THESE are all supporting/partnering bodies who have just along and joined CCC in this vision! We stand in awe about the Lord’s encouragement to send Godly, passionate men of faith to fundraise and support us to make this project possible!
CCC Wolaitta Village is in the process of constructing our own website, so you are welcome to do google searches for this and see what you find…..
As soon as we have more information, we will let you know!
If you would like more information, we should soon be able to provide you with more, in the meantime, please feel free to email; Harry & Stephne Bowers (Visionaries and Project Managers) on behalf of CCC for WOLAITTA VILLAGE!
THANK YOU for your interest and love,
Stephne Bowers
Apologies for the delay in getting report or news to you, but after reading this, you may be able to understand the ‘why’s’…….!
VISAS: After our ‘delicious’ Tanzanian Vacation, we were in Soddo for a month, just to be informed that we had to depart Ethiopia in order to get visas renewed….. so, we squeezed in a quick 2-week imprompto trip to Addis, arrived to receive passports returning from USA after an unsuccessful attempt to renew visas, then booked flights and later that same night, all four of us sat tight in our aircraft seats en route to USA! We spent a delightful 4 days in Arizona with friends where we had an opportunity to share the new vision of WOLAITTA VILLAGE & network with new found friends about future possibilities! More regarding this later!
On to Ohio, we got to quickly see a few fun friends and family, then off to the airport to return to Addis where Harry, Karmyn & Benjamin stayed behind to start AMHARIC LANGUAGE SCHOOL while Steph went on to Soddo to get back to waiting responsibilities!
ORPHANAGES: All three orphanages have gone through intense challenges as we have had Governmental changes, elections which took officials out of their offices for days,,,,, it was a challenge to find officials to help the orphaned and abandoned in order to verify the police’s requests to have us care for the children! Now, after elections are over, the dust is settling and we are trying to get the rhythms back in place. We just hosted a Governmental training session for both Shashemene and Soddo, received favor from the Father and are now running after documentation to get the adoption process going for a few waiting little ones. In our In-Country-Children’s Home, we are now caring for 60 children, also expanding the care of so many poor and widows! We have been a little overwhelmed by a few recent rescues of newborns whose mothers died after their births – these gorgeous Ethiopian babies are thriving in our dedicated nannies- and nurse nannies’ love! Thank you, Lord!
With my family in Addis for Language Immersion, I have more time to focus on orphanage development and staff care, so, I get to focus on spiritual encouragement, emotional refreshment and work ethics……! It has been good!
EYE CLINIC: The three trainees are doing well while Harry is in Addis – I check in on them daily and they are studying when there are no patients – it has also been raining now, so less patients, more so emergencies who are referred to the Soddo Christian Hospital-OPD for general Eye Care. Another eye clinic opened in partnership with a Governmental Hospital about an hour’s walk away from Soddo, so there is additional eye care for the community. Preparations for this year’s EYE TEAM VISIT in SEPT/OCT. is also taking time and great effort!
PERSONAL: I stand amazed at Karmyn & Benjamin’s language skills and how they are now (after one month) verbalizing AMHARIC, starting to speak and although they are hesitant about starting to write within a week, have done remarkably well! Harry’s earlier learning to write the fidels, have helped him to speak phrases now and his confidence is rising as he experiences favor from those he communicate with already!
For now, our family commutes on weekends to be together and it has its stresses, but is mostly a joyful time of making the moments count! The 5-hour drive, is an adventure of its own, but with all the recent rain, the gorgeous country provides wonderful visual interest! One more month to go…..!
EXPRESSIONS:
THANK YOU to everyone who has been so faithful in supporting us financially and prayerfully! You are an integral part of our lives and we thank the Father daily for you, bring before Him, the needs and desires of your hearts as you share with us!
We continue to trust HIM for your – and our daily provisions as we walk together through very interesting days!
May His love strengthen and encourage you!
In His grace,
Stephne for our family!
SERENGETI- & CRATER SAFARI:
This was our first stop after the busy Safari trip, so, we were forced to come to a standstill – very necessary for Harry and myself! We slept well after the first two days of adjustment and calming down.
After day 5, we rented a vehicle to take us to the other side of the island – here, we visited a few resorts, hotels, bungalows and considered accommodation for the next 5 days – we settled into a small, snug hotel who made us a great offer during their low season and it is here, that I now write from. On the high balcony, I overlook the gorgeous ocean, watch the waves come and go, appreciate the breeze & reminisce! It is wonderful to have tasted a little bit of everything in our experiences during the past 15 days! From camping with ants, mosquito bites and unknown insects in a sleeping bag, to a freshly white linen bed on a tile floor, we have covered most of the options and I must admit: clean & fresh is good for me, thanks!!
The beauty of this island is true to the many coffee table books that line the shelves in the tourist shops! It is just MORE gorgeous through the naked eye and and uninterrupted horizon! The white sands are just that: WHITE and bright in the sun- and moonlight! Sunblock with at least a 60UV, is a MUST for the paile skin! We spent gorgeous snorkeling moments, today, the children are on a boat with Harry to line fish in the deeper waters for a while – the rest of the time, we swim, lay in the shade and swim some more…….! We take Karmyn & Benjamin for early suppers, since they are ready to sleep at 8pm every evenings – playing this hard, is exhausting – Harry and I are not far behind – and we sleep so well in the salty air!
STONE TOWN:
We are so blessed & spoiled! For the past few years, we dreamt and saved for this experience! Oh yes, birthdays…….! THANK YOU for those beautiful birthday wishes as Harry & I both celebrated our 50ths during this trip! We felt it necessary to also take a moment for this time in our lives – to prayerfully quiet down and just confirm our position in the Lord’s Kingdom – if it was time to reconsider direction or to pursue with dedication that which He placed before us. More on this later!
Accommodation in Stone Town, was quite an experience: 236 HURUNDZI is not your typical guest house – on no, this is a renovated hotel in the middle of Stone Town where a very interesting owner spent the past 10 years creating the most interesting rooms – no two alike – simply an experience – not just your average stay!
We are posting a few photos of this experience if you are interested, please visit the ALBUM: TANZANIA/ZANZIBAR 2010
She came! She is the bravest woman in my blood line & I am so proud of her!
My Mom travelled alone from Cape Town to visit with us for 3 weeks and we marveled at this moment! She is our family’s encourager, motivator & joy! She walked right into helping me with fragile babies, teaching Karmyn Israeli worship dance, reading with Benjamin and listening to their stories! She encouraged Harry during her tour through the Eye Clinic and expressed how much he has accomplished in such a short time – inside this complex culture and environment.
Together, we walked early mornings and she expressed the beauty of this land – the sadness
of the oppression and poverty and taught me, reminded me of the rewards of faithful and obedient hearts! She motivated me, encouraged me, cautioned me and imparted her wisdom of years on the mission field herself. Now widowed herself, she was visibly touched by the sharing in the status of so many widows who we minister to here – I was reminded of my ‘half orphaned’ status and my heart ached for our loss. “Pappa would have loved being here”, she often whispered.
Joyfully, we shared in the countless pots of tea, she being patient with all the interruptions I had
to attend to, simply going along, or waiting. One afternoon, we allowed Maria (house help) to wash
our feet and pray over us as she forced us to just lay down on the porch for a moment…….! Then,
Maria prepared traditional coffee for us in our home and we were blessed!
Her departure came too soon – we took her to Addis and spent the afternoon in Addis, all to sudden, this moment passed and we had to do the dreaded airport farewell! I comforted her grandchildren as we walked back to the car and it took us all a while to ‘recover’ from this treasured time with Mamma and Ouma! Now, we get to marvel at the memories which she left us with and we delight in her time with us – a realization of ever changing dynamics in each of our lives!
Enjoy each other!
In Him, Stephne
Note from blog admin: Due to technical difficulties, this post had been delayed 2 weeks. I’m very sorry for the delay and am hoping blog.com will be cooperative in preventing that sort of delay in the future. Thank you.
Here a brief summary of this weekend past in Soddo:
- SATURDAY: We rescued a 15 day old premature boy who arrived cold and neglected. He was septic and
What will my tomorrow look like?
so very fragile. After starting treatment immediately, it was obvious that he needed intensive care. I kangarood him after his warm bath, fed him with a dropper every hour – when I showered, I layed him on a warm water bottle – then back to kangarooing; Later that evening, he stopped breathing when I tried to feed him again. After running to Dr Ruth’s house, he suddenly gasped for air and we ran to the ER where she and her fiance sucked as much fluid as they could and started giving him oxygen as well! He was
admitted for the night and I moved into a private room with him in one of the wards. Throughout the night, I fed him every 2 hours, he actually showed
improvement the next morning, but deteriorated late morning – another interruption in his breathing and a second resuscitation . Dr Ruth and her team did everything possible to treat his very infected body, but it was to late. He went to be with Lord early SUNDAY night. We are preparing his burial for today!
- The very first guard whom we employed here in Soddo (Ababe) about 3 and a half years ago, was killed in a motor cycle accident last night. We are preparing his burial here in Soddo where his family and friends live.
Ministry: claiming orphaned twins for the Kingdom
- Our Nurse (Sister Amarech’s) nephew was hit by a banana truck on Saturday, he is in critical condition in Addis Hospital and we were told that his leg was severed.
- I was just informed that we are in the process of rescuing a 6-day old premature girl – I am on my way to the hospital now to meet with the adoption team and to check on her medical test results…….. after which we will get Surafel’s death certificate, take care of his burial and then return to care for this little new
baby.
- I am sharing this with you as Karmyn & Benjamin are completing short tests for they school work – Harry is in the Eye Clinic, training ‘his proteges’ – it feels as though we are all on ‘stand by’ for this week, a little unsure of expectations, since we are starting off with such intensities around us. We have a compound meeting scheduled for later this evening where we need to make decisions about the long list of interested short termers who are applying to come serve here in the Hospital! MUCH to happen before we reach this moment – in a way, it feels as though this meeting is a week away……
- On a happier note: We are also preparing for my Mother’s first visit here with us in Ethiopia – we are going to Addis on Friday to meet her at the airport and then bring her to Soddo so she can share life with us for about 2 weeks.
THANK YOU to everyone for your constant and consistent prayers – we are ever thankful for your hearts and hands in our lives! May His abiding love and grace, be your encouragement this week!
Blessings, Bowers family
Dear Friends,
CCC and CWF-families have made the 4th large FOOD DISTRIBUTION process possible this year!
Henok registered the EL SHADDAI PROJECT (earlier this year, where we partner with a local church and trust worthy church leaders) who then on their part, partnered with 5 sister churches in the area. Together, they decide who to invite to the next food distribution project. Last week, the numbers soared from the initial 55, then 75, then 88 to this week’s 200 ! It was an overwhelming moment when Henok and I, together with CCC-staff and my children, entered the Church compound, to find 200 very sad and poor people waiting desperately, yet patiently on the grass.
We prayed over them, ministered hope and trust in the Lord, but in a way, I felt as though the Lord was going to multiply the few fish and loaves of bread, because we did not have enough food……… Henok and I just looked at each other and when he asked me with tears in his eyes: “how are we going to continue doing this?” – my shaky, confident whisper was simply that we are to trust the Lord ! This is truly a new moment - in a place of complete trust, since we have now used most of the funds which we received for the FOOD4KIDS project.
The consistent THANK YOU – people touching their hearts and kneeling down low to express their relief for the next few days, were sincere – honest and so very humbling for us – yet, the reality of not knowing if we can provide a constant flow of support and help, leaves a hollow space in the core of our being – this feeding program is an act of faith which we started because of the tremendous impact of the repeated famines in this land. The compassionate outpour of so many donors hearts, are fuel in our hearts and hands to run out and help!
We would like to see much more than people being fed – people here need healing, they need medical attention and spiritual attention, which they do receive through these pastors and helpers who know each and everyone coming through the gates. They have mastered a well organized process of every person registering, thumb prints in ink and bags being filled, then moving on to where Karmyn & Benjamin placed the fortified milk and a t-shirt in everyone’s bag before they exit at the gate. The local kabele (police) have expressed their appreciation to CCC and CWA for the aid which we bring into people’s hands!
Personally, I love this process of being able to help the poorest of the poor – the deserted and rejected, because they are being recognized as a valuable people in their own culture. Their own people’s spiritual leaders have an opportunity to minister hope and love to them – they are invited to come and receive – the church gets to unite in the effort to help the poor – there are so many more layers to simply handing out food here – the Lord is opening up a beautiful opportunity of ministry to us! To act as His Hands and Feet, is a most humbling moment for all of us!
THANK YOU to everyone who seed into this ministry! May your storehouses be filled and overflow with the Love of the Lord and all His resources for each one of you! We are now seeing the bottom of the barrel/container as we have been able to also give the t-shirts and rice which came from the container with donations earlier this year. If anyone wants to get involved/partake in this opportunity, please send your donations to:
CHRISTIAN WORLD FOUNDATION
Louis Fawcett
Director of Development
4424 Erskine St
COLUMBIA, SC 29206
Blessings,
Stephne
