Good news from Ethiopia!

Last summer we started sponsoring two children from Ethiopia through the Christian Children's Fund. Since adopting a child is not feasible for us right now, and we always wanted to make a difference in other less furtunate kid's life, we thought that would be a good alternative.

It didn't take us long to chose the children. All the children referred to that program qualify, as their parents earn less then $400 a year. So it didn't really matter to us, we decided to pick a girl and a boy.

The boy's name is Sisay Degifa, and he lives with his farther and mother in the capital, Adis Ababa. So he is a city kiddo! He is 7 years old and goes to the first grade.

The girl's name is Sheyte Abdela, and she lives with her family in a very rural countryside. She is 10 years old and helps her parents a lot with the chores.

So, a couple of days ago we received letters with the news and updates about "our" children. Both of them are doing fine and enjoying there winter school break. Not too much enjoyment for Sheyte since she helps to take care of the household.

It's amazing how much $24 a month can do! The child has clothes to wear, food to eat, health coverage, and is allowed to attend a school. How ironic! We are not sending our kids to school, but very happy for Sheyte and Sisay to have that opportunity, because this is their only chance to learn. Their parents have too much to worry about just to survive, in most cases are illiterate themselves.

And for Christmas we decided to send an extra money gift to both families. So that what the latest letters were about. The families were expressing their warmest thanks. They wrote that Sisay got a new suit, shirt, shoes and a tie, and enclosed a picture of the boy wearing it. He looks so handsome! Smiling, and I guess enjoying the feeling of beeing dressed up! That's a "city attitude", you've got to look trendy!

And Sheyte got extra clothes and shoes as well. But what made us especially happy was the fact that the Abdela family are very practical! For the remaining money they've decided to buy a ... goat ! For breeding! We are talking business here! And we also have a picture of the whole family with the "star" upfront!

It gives such a wonderful feeling knowing that somewhere so far away, in a place that we would probably never visit, live people whose life will be a bit better, a bit easier, a bit happier just because we are thinking about them! And it teaches our girls a lesson of kindness. Ivana has been "writing" letters to Sheyte and Sisay, drawing pictures for them and sharing her stickers. When Mirek brought the globe, she asked where Ethiopia was. And before she was putting her quaters away to buy a plane ticket to go to visit grandparents in Czech, and then she changed her mind. She said that she'd send the money to our friends in Ethiopia. It might not be much, but the thought that what really counts. And I guess we'll match it up!

You can check out their webpage at www.ChristianChildrensFund.org