For a little more than a year now, our family has been sponsoring Dawit, a little boy at Kind Hearts Care Point in Ethiopia.

In giving, we have been blessed beyond measure! What a great honor to play this role in caring for the suffering on the other side of the world. 

We have never met Dawit, but we have been writing to him — mostly by e-mail — through the Lord’s faithful servants at Children’s HopeChest. Last fall, we enjoyed sending him a little care package, and we were ever so delighted to receive pictures of him opening it a few months ago.

Last month we received our first hand-written letter from Dawit! Oh, what joy! He asked us to please pray for his school and wondered if we would be visiting him in Ethiopia someday.

Earlier this month, thanks to the generous work of Little Goody 2 Shoes, Dawit and the other 98 children at Kind Hearts received brand new shoes. Isn’t that fantastic news? You can read more about these kids who are walking a little taller if you jump over to Family from Afar.

Just a day or two after Valentine’s, we received the opportunity to send Dawit a letter and a few other items that would fit in a business-sized envelope. The girls found some Silly Bandz and extra Valentine cards to send, and then they helped me draft the letter. We also enclosed a cute little paper puppet.

If you would like to join us in praying for the ministry of Children’s HopeChest in Ethiopia, here are some specific requests they sent us a few months ago. 

• Pray that may God expand the ministry of Children’s HopeChest in Ethiopia.
• Pray that all of the registered children be healthy and successful in their lives.
• Pray also that the staff at the U.S. office, Ethiopia country office, and at each care point and orphanage will be energetic for the ministry of children and for the wisdom of the Lord while working to serve Him.
• Pray for the health of all sponsors, donors and all of sponsorship community leaders.
• Pray for the coming months, that it may be a season of success, strategic expansion and experiencing the hand of God in the ministry.

Also, would you prayerfully consider sponsoring a child like Dawit through Children’s HopeChest? If so, please contact Karen Wistrom, the sponsor coordinator for Kind Hearts and Trees of Glory Care Points, at kjwistrom@yahoo.com.

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.”

-Isaiah 1:17 NLV