From the Director’s Desk:
Dear friends,
Our fundraising dinner is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2026 at 6 PM. It will be held at Fremont Presbyterian Church, 5770 Carlson Dr., Sacramento, CA 95819. Dinner will be Ethiopian dish and it will be free. Please let us know if you plan to come by February 28, 2026 so we can cook enough. Fill out the enclosed form and mail it in the prepaid, self addressed envelope – also enclosed. We look forward to seeing you!
Latrine Update:
Road construction by community members
The latrine construction at Edoy Elemetary school is making progress. The community leveled the road for trucks to deliver rocks, sand, cement and other materials. They also have dug a large hole for construction to begin in March 2026 and should be completed by end of May 2026 before the rainy season begins the following month.
Digging latrine hole by community members
Kisumu, Kenya : I had a chance to travel to Kisumu, Kenya during my trip in September 2025. It was a joyous moment to meet the children and the teachers. Susan and Samuel are doing their very best to sustain the orphanage under difficult economic circumstances. The most urgent need I found was the need for a kitchen to cook lunch for those orphaned students.
My observation:
I must admit that the needs in Ethiopia and Kenya are overwhelming. I think our good friend, Lana Reese said it best when she took me aside during a car wash fundraising event in 2005 and said the following: “Seifu, trying to solve
the problems in your village is like spitting in the ocean. But Jim and I have decided tospit anyway” and handed me a $500 check.
Dancing with boys and girls in Kisumu, Kenya
We may not change the world with our limited contribution, but I can assure you that we are changing the world of each preschool student, each college student, each mother who fetched water from nearby rivers, etc. We thank God for you who decided to “spit in the ocean” no matter how big and overwhelming the needs in Ethiopia and Kenya are. Thank you
Cooking in open air – a back breaking job
Financial Statements: This past year, you and I donated more than $50,000 to share God’s love with the villagers. I said “you and I” because I am also a regular contributor as God blesses me. Thank you for standing by us in the past 21 years! In 2025, we spent equally as much (about $50K) to support the various villages while keeping our Admin cost under 10%. We are providing this information to be completely transparent with you, our donors.
By the Graph:
Our Guest Speaker – March 28, 2026
We are excited to inform you that Rev. Jack McNary will be our guest speaker at our upcoming Activity & Financial reports event scheduled for March 28, 2026 He will share his Ethiopia experiences. We look forward to seeing you there at 6 PM to share a delicious Ethiopian dish.
