AMARA’S STORY
At some point in our lives, we have heard a tragic story full of such deep heartache that it seems unreal. We also have encountered great opportunities to make a big difference in the lives of others. My brief letter today includes both – a story of unfathomable evil and a way you can bring the Gospel to others.
Read the testimony of Amara, below. She is one of the many single mothers we have come alongside through our Ethiopia Family Preservation program. Like many of the women we serve in Ethiopia, her life was heartbreaking and tragic. Her family’s tragedy is one we pray never happens in our own lives. But I can assure you that the hope she and her family have found in Christ is life-changing! Please take a moment to read her story.
I also would like to share an amazing opportunity for you that will undoubtedly change lives. A generous donor is offering a 2:1 match for any gift you make to Loving Shepherd Ministries to help women like Amara. This rare opportunity means if you give $25, it becomes $75 or if you give $100, it becomes $300. This is a remarkable opportunity to help when one considers that it only costs $225 to care for a family like Amara’s for one month. LSM is a 4-star charity (the highest possible) with Charity Navigators, which means that we meet the highest standards of financial accountability and transparency. Above that, we’re a Christ-centered ministry that holds stewardship as a core value. You can trust we’ll stretch every dollar for maximum Kingdom impact.
To give, click below and select “Amara’s Story” to receive a 2:1 match for your investment, which allows us to help other women like Amara and her children.
GOD’S COMPASSION IN ETHIOPIA
Our Family Preservation program in Ethiopia serves more than 175 children and their mothers. Each family has their own story of desperation and heartache. But it is often during these difficult times that God shows Himself strong on their behalf. This is Amara’s story of amazing grace, when God met her family during their darkest time and drew them to Himself, allowing them to become a testimony for Jesus.
“I am a 27-year old mother born in a small rural village in Ethiopia. I lived a life in deep poverty and married at a young age for a more stable life. After having two children, my husband became an alcoholic and was unreliable as the sole provider for our family. As a relatively new mother, this was devastating. I wondered how we would provide food for our children or if we would eventually become homeless.
Life continued to get worse and I clearly remember the day that our lives changed forever. It was a cloudy morning when my son became sick. I left our 9-year old daughter home with my husband while I took my son to the hospital. After returning home, I realized my drunk husband had assaulted and abused our young daughter. Instantly, my spirit was broken with deep pain for my daughter. Ultimately, my husband was sent to prison and I was left alone to comfort my daughter, care for my son, and not be weighed down with my own hopelessness. I had no family to help me, no job to provide for my children, and no church to teach me about God’s healing love. But at our lowest point, God led LSM’s Family Preservation staff to us. They welcomed us with open arms and began ministering to us with God’s healing love and compassion. The staff provided counseling and educational support for my children while I received training to start my own business and they clearly shared the Gospel with me.
As my family learned about Jesus’ love and compassion, we began to recognize the Lord as our ultimate Healer and Comforter. We can see what the enemy meant for evil can bring glory and praise to God. Today, I am most thankful for knowing the Lord as my personal Savior!”
When Amara was at her lowest point, she experienced the compassion of Jesus and His loving embrace for her family. God wrote a new story for Amara and her children as they found healing in Christ! Now Amara and her children are sharing their testimony of God’s amazing grace with their community! We are thankful for Amara and her children as they carry on His mission by living out their faith for His glory in Ethiopia!
**name changed for privacy**