As I enter my 22nd year I can’t help but feel extremely grateful. Two big factors that have molded me throughout the past 22 years are my faith and where I come from, Ethiopia.  


Currently Ethiopia has been facing multiple crises on top of Covid 19. The country faces the largest humanitarian crisis which has left thousands massacred, displaced and thousands others fleeing to neighboring countries for refuge each day. The country is facing a massive civil war between ethnic groups in the northern region, leaving devastation throughout the country.


In addition, Ethiopia has recently lost the majority of its food and livelihood due to locust plagues. Around 85% of an Ethiopian’s livelihood depends on agriculture. Farming is the number one form of business, especially in the outlying rural villages.


Beginning in late Spring, Ethiopia and surrounding African countries witnessed the worst locust invasion seen in over 25 years. The locusts have damaged nearly 500,000 acres of land across Ethiopia. Swarms can grow to 70 billion insects—enough to blanket New York City more than once—and can destroy 300 million pounds of crops in a single day. A single square-kilometer swarm can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 people. My family’s farm in Northern Ethiopia is one small farm that was completely decimated. 


As many of you know, I am from northern Ethiopia, in a village called Zoble. My family (parents, 6 siblings, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles) are directly affected by both the war and agricultural hardship that plague the country.


Faith makes up the very essence of a person and that couldn’t be more true of Ethiopians.

 

In 2012 when my family and I returned home to Ethiopia, the church in my family’s village was completely run down and unusable. When we returned to the US, we were able to raise $10,000 to build a new church. In addition to our fundraiser, the village worked tirelessly to contribute and the main structures of a Christian Orthodox Church was built. It took 5 years but a new building now stands. Though the outside structure was completed, the inside of the church remains empty, awaiting completion. The church has always stood as a beacon of hope and light. It’s completion is needed more now than ever. In the midst of utter chaos, the church is a much needed place of refuge for the Ethiopian people. 


Ethiopia needs our help. You may wonder - what can I do to help such a dire situation?

My goal is to raise $10,000. There are two specific ways I am reaching out in hopes to help my beloved country, particularly my home village.

Farms need to be reseeded so food and livelihood can resume. Money that you give will go directly toward cultivating new crops in the village of Zoble.
The church in the village needs to be finished. The people of Zoble need a place where they can congregate to restore their faith and come together in unity to grieve, problem solve and look to the One from whom their help comes (Psalm 121).

The goal for this birthday is to help in a small way to restore hope and dignity to the people of Zoble. I want them to know that their brothers and sisters across the world care about their hardship. I know it’s naive to think that finishing one church and helping to reseed farms in one small village is going to fix the issues in Ethiopia, but it is a good place to start.