Day 10: The Walkabout

THE LAND

Five years ago, Belay shared with me (TJ) his vision for Tesfa Mender. It would be a learning and rehabilitation campus outside the city of Addis Ababa for orphaned and vulnerable children. More than this, it would be fully self-sustaining: equipped with a farm, livestock, solar panels, water recycling, retention ponds, and energy recycling. We began putting together some initial engineering plans, but then we had to wait for HFTF to have land to develop.

Today, Cody (a civil engineer) and I got to explore this Sendafa site as a potential location for the full Tesfa Mender vision to be built. HFTF currently leases a portion of the land, but hopes to one day expand and utilize the whole property. On our site-walk today, we drew out the property, recorded elevation measurements, noted existing infrastructure, took pictures, and brainstormed solutions for Belay's vision. Upon returning to the U.S., Cody will take these notes and continue the engineering plans that began five years ago.. HFTF currently leases a portion of the land, but hopes to one day expand and utilize the whole property. 

Tesfa Mender opened in March and currently has 5 teens in its first pilot program. HFTF will add 5 more teens before the end of the month. They have already built a barn with connected water troughs, are working on getting cattle, goats, and chickens, have a beautiful dormitory with bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, counseling office, school room, and staff offices, have plowed a large field and planted beans, and also have several smaller garden areas already producing a harvest. 

The property is a perfect location to achieve Belay's vision and has the potential to provide healing, learning, and respite to countless children from the streets. Upcoming projects include installing solar panels, constructing a woodworking shop, and building a tiny-home for staff in residence. 

Please be praying the Lord will continue to open doors for HFTF to grow Tesfa Mender and even be able to acquire more land for the project. Also pray for donors and engineers (Ethiopian and American) to come alongside this project and help turn Belay's vision into a reality.

- TJ

COFFEE TRAINING

Today I had the privilege of joining the Filtered Hope program for the afternoon! They were on day 3 of their program, and so they were in full swing pulling shots, steaming milk, and even doing a little latte art! They also had sessions about topics like developing emotional awareness and regulation, and discussing how uniquely God created each of them. They also worked on some cool crafts, including decorating their own personal mugs to use for the rest of the week. 

It was really special to watch all the teens engage with the program, developing new skills and encouraging one another. Teaching barista skills might seem a little random, but it is an amazing way to instill confidence and teach life skills for these teens as they prepare to enter the adult world in a few years. Additionally, some of the teens who did the program in 2024 are now working as full time baristas, which is pretty awesome! 

It was really special to watch the kids being creative, learning something new and challenging, and showing great leadership and teamwork skills! These are some pretty awesome kids, and they are growing up into some pretty awesome people.

- Sydney

VBS

Today in VBS we discussed Jonah and the big fish. In life, we have bang-ups and hang-ups that we have to navigate, and our lessons and activities centered on doing that well. 

In science, we made sensory bottles with glitter and fun items that children can use when they want to feel calm.
 

In art, we made self portraits, selecting yarn, googly eyes, and stickers to decorate with. We also looked at ourselves in a mirror, hearing how we are God's masterpieces, fearfully and wonderfully made.  

This afternoon, there was a huge rainstorm, and our "littles" (ages 2-5) took naps on blankets that we laid out for them.

- Christina

STAFF TRAINING

Staff training included a creative time with watercolors, something we take for granted, but the staff enjoyed a project with the theme "God makes beauty from ashes." Using a variety of techniques to create texture, they painted hearts, tore them into pieces, and put them back together with glitter glue using a Japanese Kinsugi art form.

- Denise

BELAY'S STORY

After VBS and barista training concluded for the day, we met in the staff training room and Belay shared his story. It is a beautiful story of deep loss, survival, God's intervention, perseverance and hope. It was a pretty emotional night! But he also spoke about his journey starting Hope for the Fatherless, meeting wife Koki, their journey of adoption and the way God propelled the ministry forward to where it is today. Belay is such a joy to work with and we see the fruit of Belay abiding with Christ and be open to what the Lord is calling him to do in his life and in caring for people.