Founder and Director of Glimmer for street kids and Glimmer for all international ministry | Advocate for the Needy
I grew up in a family with 5 members where I am living now. My father had leprosy; he was a blind man and because he didn’t have feet under his ankles he couldn’t walk without support. So, because of that and couldn’t do any things, he just was begging sitting somewhere around in the main city. He was sitting one place for a long time to bring money and food for us. My father was managing the family in this worst situations. When I was an elementary school student, most of the time instead of going to school, I was going with him to show the way and help him to find a good place to sit and beg. And because I was sitting next to him, good people were throwing cents to me too. In this way I grew up. My mother was going to the dump to bring food and firewood for the family. It will be easy to say her most life was in dumpsite. This area is also known as Koshe. Koshe is a large open landfill which receives rubbish and waste from all around Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
My sister didn’t complete her school. So, she was going to the dump (koshe) with my mother to help her. So, while she was 16 years old, one guy who was working in the dump used his force and had sex with her. She became pregnant. She gave birth to a baby girl, and this child was raised in a government children’s home because my parents were not able to provide for the new baby. After this incidence she became very upset and angry. She suffered from depression and low self-esteem. She was later diagnosed as being a carrier of HIV/AIDS. One year later she gave birth another child. After delivering this child, she passed away when the baby was three months old. So, her second child that I was supporting him for 16 years, he was born with HIV/AIDS. He passed away when he was 26 years old.
My older brother had mental issues with insanity since the age of 2 years. He could hear, but he could not speak out. He would throw stones at everyone because of the frustration of not being able to communicate and didn’t know what he was doing. Finally, when he had another series problem beyond insanity, and then couldn’t communicate what was wrong and so he was sick for a long time. It was a very serious problem that he got but no one knew what his problem was. So, at the age of 30 years, he passed away.
By the time when I was a grade 3 student, I received a sponsor from Germany through one charitable organization. Because of this sponsorship, I was able to complete my high school and join a private college studying Accounting. This was the time that my brother and father passed away when I only had one more year of college to complete. Because of their death, I was having trouble learning and couldn’t finish my college. Immediately I stopped going to college without asking a withdrawal.
Only three months after my brother passed away, my father died. I struggled a lot with not wanting to get out of bed and with a lot of depression. I questioned why these all were happening to me. I didn’t think that I could go on with life. I hate living in these way. I tried to kill myself so many times. Because there was NO HOPE at all.
Just to live and help my mother, I went to different places to look for any kind of job as a day laborer. After one year very disastrous challenges, a lady who was working in a language and orientation school told me to apply for a job. The school director told me that I could work there for three weeks. And maximum I was working there for two hours per a day. Most of the time, I was working one or two hours per a day. I worked as a teacher assistant, so, when there were many students, I worked well, but when the students were few, I had to go to other places to look for another work. Everything in life was very hard, and I was feeling upset and depressed.
So, this is what my life look like for so many years. Praise the Lord finally I became a contract worker without any certificate in that language school. I was earning some amount money per month. Then step by step I joined one International School in August of 2009. This school (Bingham International School or Bingham Academy) is where only foreigners’ and diplomats’ children going. Bingham Academy is a very secure place, insured, because I became a senior teacher, I earn best salary and I work with more than 95% foreigners teachers. It is really a wonderful place for me and my mother.
However, I was not able to forget the Lord He had for me. As Moses choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, I decided to serve my own poorest of poor community (Korah people) for the last ten years. My family members, friends and people who knew me told me the decision I made is very wrong. They told me to stay at Bingham Academy and work there. But because I know the Lord who called me and I know all the ways I passed, I just decided to leave Bingham even my family were not happy. I believe My God who called me is faithful. He can support my family in all directions.
So, I know the problems what is in Korah. I was there, and I am still there. My mother was working in the dump. Sometimes I would go to the dumpsite (Koshe) to help my mother. In general, I know the kids, women and others who are living and working there; I have passed through that life.
Finally, I started Korah Kids sponsorship program in order to save the needy children especially to save the new coming generation. I want to reach them with what they need and show the right way.
Now, I reach 74 needy children. 20 of them are in our center to learn numeracy, literature, local language (Amharic) and Bible. As you know there is Bible club every Saturday for our needy beneficiaries and the community children. On this Saturday Bible club, we teach them Bible and provide games, bread and tea.
Now, we reach more than 60 pregnant mothers. We teach them Bible, provide fruits and meals and covering their medical and ultrasound expenses.
I do have now two Bachelor Degrees. One in leadership and management and the other BA is social work and community development. I mastered the Leadership and management and done my Ph.D. Praise to the Lord.
With the papers I have, many years work experience and good Christian, I can be hired some other local or international organizations, but it is better for me serving my own needy community even if I earn less salary. I am satisfying with the minister I serve. I am glad seeing children in our center playing, learning, eating and drinking.
God is doing everything with out him i wouldn't make it, and god shows us a great things through a great peoples. I'm not able to initiate this organization with out
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