Day 6: Korah and Project 61

We started our day by purchasing 40 sheep before heading to Korah. Thanks to everyone that bought sheep on the OH website and  the VBS students from Hopkinsville, KY!! THese will feed a lot of hungry bellies!

We arrive in Korah to kids ready to love on you!! My heart was so happy to see all the smiles. Korah is a small community within Addis. Sumer Yates from Thompson Station Baptist visited Korah several years ago and fell in love. So...she moved her family there and started Project 61. I admire her so much and it is so evident how much she loves the Lord and is living as his body  here on earth.  

'Project 61's primary purpose is to partner with local organizations in under-privileged areas to develop communities and their residents. Project 61 also connects sponsor families to provide boarding school, clothing, family support and character development.' Check out their website and sponsor a child!!! http://p61.org/sponsorship.html

'Project 61 provides you an opportunity to directly impact the life of a child. Due to AIDS and other illness, children are often left alone and without hope. However, YOU can make a difference in their future.

Currently, $750 per year removes a child from a city landfill and places them into a private boarding school. But, the altered living conditions are only the beginning.'

Women that are changing the world!!

Sumer Yates, Kelly Putty, Ashli York

Early in the day I met a boy name Dejene, very smart little boy, around 12 years old. His sponsor lives in Canada and sends him to Boarding school. He has no family, so he lives in Korah with Project 61. A room with bunk beds where 10 to 12 children sleep. We sat and listened to the last part of a Bible study together, him leaning over to me every few minutes telling me what he was saying. Then our team got to sing with the kids. Me being the teacher, got up front and  we all sang our hearts out...Jesus loves me, Yes Lord, and we threw in some other songs too... Tooty Ta, one of my students favorites at Crockett!

After singing, we walked into the street and  that is when a little boy stole my heart...

That day I fell in love...as a little boy latched onto my leg, I reached down, picked him up, and we were inseparable after that. Eyosiyas, known as Yosi, is a 4 year old that made my heat melt. He would just kiss my cheeks, and held onto me so tight, putting his head next to mine. I knew right then that this was the child I was suppose to sponsor.

I found Ashli immediately and asked her if I could sponsor him. She said I would have to ask Sumer because he was so young. She looked at me and said, do you know that is? I replied no...She said "that is Worldu's nephew." I was so excited because a month ago I went to Thompson Station Baptist to learn more about Korah and Project 61 and  I met Worldu, who was visiting the US with Sumer. Little did I know a few weeks later I would fall in love with his sweet nephew.

I wasn't the only one that day that fell in love that day...

I got to feed Yosi, meet his Mom, and find out from Sumer, that YES I could be his sponsor!! What a great day! It was a great day for many of the memebers on my team.

Deborah  and her daughter Kenya got to meet their sponsored child's family.

And Amy got to meet a child she sponsored and considers her son that

now lives in the dump at Korah.

Very sad day and happy day at the same time.