Friday, August 15, 2008

What a week in Ethiopia with Compassion International

Here are some interesting factoids that we learned this week during our visit to Africa. Some of these facts will amuse, some of these facts should alarm you...

Ethiopia celebrated the millennium last September. That's right. The year is 2000. I hope that they are Y2K ready. Ethiopia is seven hours 'ahead' of North Carolina's current time.

Ethiopia was under harsh Communistic rule from 1974-1991. During this dark time, Christians met in underground churches. Democratic elections were held in 2005. The government is stable and people can relatively worship openly.

Ethiopia is located 3 degrees above the Equator and is in its rainy season. Temperatures this week in Addis Ababa (the capitol city where our Compassion Team was located) was mild, in the lower 70s.

HIV / AIDS, poverty and war have killed millions in Ethiopia. 123 out of 1,000 children never make it to their 5th birthday.

The birthplace of Coffee was in southern Ethiopia in the Coffa region. Coffee served with popcorn is a traditional way to invite guests into their home for fellowship. I'm hooked!

80% of the country's people work in Agriculture. Some of the staple crops: Coffee and roses.

Let's go shopping: It takes roughly 9 Ethiopian Birr (dollars) to make up one US dollar.

Most of the population is desperately poor. The average income is just $120.00 a year. Most families live on just $2.00 a month or $24.00 a year!

Ethiopia has skyscrapers, lots of shopping areas, an ever improving interstate road system and internet cafes. You'll also find massive poverty.

Compassion International (along side the local evangelical Christian church) is making a positive difference in Ethiopia...

In Obi Kale, one local evangelical church has grown from 200 to +2,000 members within 12 years since Compassion added a Student Center at their site. From this one church in Obi, three additional churches have been planted. From one child, many families are being transformed. Nearly all of the Compassion sponsored students at the ET-115 project have been baptized as believers in Christ.

When you sponsor a child through Compassion International you literally 'releasing a child from poverty in the name of Jesus Christ'.

"Speak up for the unspeakable, help those in need"

Proverbs 31:8-9

WBFJ will be sharing more in the coming days, weeks and months about how you can become a child sponsor through Compassion International. My family sponsors a young man in Southern India. Pray about getting involved.

Verne Hill (WBFJ News) LIVE from Addis Abba, Ethiopia (Africa)

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