Hello to All and Greetings to All,
It’s amazing how time goes by so quickly. Here in Ethiopia the month of June is our 10th month of the year of 2010E. For you, the Gregorian calendar is the 6th month of the year 2018. For us here in Ethiopia, we have only two months and the leap year will be ended. So, we are very thankful for the work in the Ethiopian Reaching Beyond Words NGO.
I would like to share with you the month of June 2018 report. Our orphan children are taking their final exams to finish the second semester of school. All of them are healthy and growing up fast.
The ongoing work is continuing with progress in the widows’ training, tutorial classes for the children, home visiting and so on. Recently I had a discussion with the adults above age 13 about their spiritual life, health, education, how they used the support of RBW, how they help their parents and how they respect them. Then they were sharing with me clearly as with a family and I am very happy hearing them and giving them guidance.
The feeding days in each month are continuing. May God bless Brother Elias Bancale and his wife, Sister Bernadette, the Filipino missionaries.
Our three special needs children are continuing their education and we are thankful for Besufekad Aby; he will graduate from kindergarten and go to grade 1 after a few weeks.
Distributions of clothes and food has been given to all the children and their families.
Now let me share with you an interview of Brother Jemal Shiferaw Yesuf. This is my personal testimony in condensed form as much has happened in my life to get me this far.
Brother Jemal’s Family
I, Brother Jemal, am married and have two daughters. My wife’s name is Sister Asegedech Ayahele; we have been married for 20 years. My daughter’s names are Elim and Abigail. I am 47 years old and I am the youngest child of five children. I only knew two of my brothers as my other siblings died before I was born. I was born in the Northern region in the city of Wergessa in Ethiopia. When I was 6 years old, my mother died. At that time I was sent to my aunt’s house to live. When I was 11 years old, I had to leave and I was by myself when I arrived in Addis Ababa. I went to the World Missionary Evangelism orphanage for three years and that is where I heard about Jesus and received Him as my Savior. I then came to Salem Children’s Village at the age of 14. I was very sick at one point and dying and they took me in at Salem and nursed me back to health.
Let me tell you how I came to be involved with the ETH RBW NGO. Eight years ago, I was introduced to Brother Burt Asbill. From that moment we started the work of God in Ethiopia with sharing the reality of God in different places or regions of Ethiopia; with university students, home fellowships, government worker’s fellowships and also the African union worker’s fellowship. In 2012 I had the opportunity to visit Nigeria and the Port Harcourt fellowship. When I was attending the meeting, I was praying and making decisions to go with the reality of God. There was so much tribulation within me, but I knew I wanted God.
Elim & Abigail
In 2013 there was the remarkable history of receiving the vision of supporting orphans and widows. It was a very clear dream. I saw this big compound and many children were sitting down at that compound. I was distributing food like injera to all of them and they were eating with joy. I was hearing the voice of God telling me, “You will be a father for these children and others too.” After this dream within a month I had another opportunity to travel and visit the Czech Republic. There we began to discuss with Brother Burt and others the thought of supporting 12 children plus 6 widows. We had some work cut out for us to establish the Reaching Beyond Words Ethiopian NGO and it took much perseverance.
I first started working as a board chair person, which I was very happy to do. I had many tribulations and obstacles I have faced in this work, but I always concentrate on the vision God gave me and that helped me a lot to continue the work. After a year I became a director of ETH RBW NGO 2014. For the past 5 years I have seen God’s guidance and help in so many ways. I am very happy by the support of RBW children; we have grown to 75 children. Even if I saw and passed through the trials and tribulations often with tears, the fruits are so worth all and the result of God’s kingdom work. Amen!!
Finally, I would like to say may God bless you all for your prayers and lovely contributions.
God bless you all,
Brother Jemal and the Ethiopian Reaching Beyond Words Staff