Seifu Ibssa

Words that ignite a vision

“Kind words are a creative force … a power that builds good… and energy that showers blessings upon the world.” (G. Lavasik, a missionary who reached out to workers in America’s coal and steel regions and wrote many books)

I would like to tell you of a few “kind words” that ignited a vision that had been in my heart. Without those words, EAVO would not have come into existence. They came from Lana Reese, an RN who in February 2005, along with her husband Jim, traveled with me to my birth village in Ethiopia. They were profoundly disturbed with what they saw and experienced in this remote subsistence farming area in the Gurage Highlands. Although I was born and raised there, I too, was stunned as I now saw my home through the eyes of a privileged American adult, not through the eyes of a ten year old shepherd boy who knew nothing else of the world.

A child scooping water from a muddy spring

A child was scooping water from a muddy spring and was being poured into two old Mobil Oil containers, to be filled and carried back to the family compound (pictured below); A school with only crude benches and no supplies. A poorly staffed clinic with limited and missing medicine – and most villagers unable to pay the 50 cent fee anyway. No sanitation. No high school in the area – education stopped at the 8th grade – bright kids with dreams and potentials unable to do more than farm, like their fathers; An area of various beliefs and practices, and one small struggling stick and mud evangelical church. These are a few of the things that disturbed us then and after we returned to the U.S.

Lana Reese donating school supplies at our KG

I couldn’t find peace. I had to do something about the water in my village. I decided to go back in October of that same year and get the spring water fixed. With the help of my Church’s youth group, I held a car wash to raise funds for the project. Jim and Lana came to help. Lana took me aside and said, “The problem of your village and Ethiopia in general, is as big as the ocean. Trying to solve those problems is like spitting in the ocean – but we have decided that we have to spit”, and then handed me a check. She continued pouring her heart and said “I would like to support two evangelists for a couple of years in Acheber. What would it cost”? That last statement opened up the gates to a flood of ideas in my heart. Jim and Lana, joined by their close friend, Mary Staples, and myself began to establish what we now call East African Village Outreach as a non-profit organization to reach impoverished people. Since then, we have traveled to Ethiopia and Kenya several times.

Jim Reese hard at work at a spring protection project

As a retired couple, Jim and Lana have co-directed many operations and have brought to fruit many varied outreaches. Kind words that spoke hope was followed with action. Muddy spring water is now “safe water”. Several free mobile clinics were held in various locations. A quality school was built. Other schools had more classrooms and grade levels added. School latrines are planned (helps keep girls in school). A reforestation and cash crop subsidy program for farmers was started. Students are now able to get a high school education. The struggling Church now has more than 1,000 members in four locations.

Villagers waiting to be seen by Lana and a local nurse

Words are very powerful. They can build or destroy a vision. Lana’s words ignited a vision that was smoldering in my heart. Jim and Lana began with edifying words and added action to help make a difference in the lives of others by “spitting in the ocean”. EAVO is committed to maintaining its outreaches and to add more. Jim and Lana play a significant role in advancing the objectives of East African Village Outreach and are fine examples of the good hearts of many Americans, such as you, who read this newsletter. Thank you for supporting us. We couldn’t do it without your sacrificial giving, especially in these difficult times.

In other news…

Spring protection project completed: Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Sacramento for their $5,000 gift, we just completed a spring protection project that delivers clean water to more than 300 villagers. The water also delivers clean water to our KG and to a small guest house that was built to receive volunteer guests from the US as well us function as a tutoring center.

Books, books, books: Ethiopia Reads (http://www.ethiopiareads.org/), a US based non-profit organization, donated more than 300 used children’s books to EAVO. We are thankful to Mr. Frew Tibebu, the Northern California rep for Ethiopia Reads, for reaching out to us. We are making an effort to partner with this organization to ship books to our project sites.

Upcoming Trip: We are very excited about partnering with Lakeside Church in Folsom, CA. The church is planning to send 4-5 volunteers this November on a short-term mission to build playgrounds in Acheber and Roben Jirecha. They will also build a small bridge for kids to cross a small river and attend our kindergarten. This trip is Lakeside’s second in 3 years and their main objective this time is to build relationship with local churches. Two EAVO supporters from San Diego will also visit our project sites and return before Lakeside folks arrive. I will travel this October with Jim and Lana Reese, who are featured in this newsletter. We are joined by Skip Ohs, our mutual longtime friend from Fremont Presbyterian Church. Lana will run a mobile clinic (see picture 1st page). We would appreciate any amount of gift to help us buy medicines (please write “clinic” on memo line of your check). Please pray for safety and wisdom.