Tears of Joy for a Life of Hope
Timmy* is six years old and just started school last year. The first day, he was so excited. He got his little uniform on, lovingly took his new notebook and pencils out of his backpack, just to gaze at them for a moment, before tucking them securely back inside and hoisting the bag onto his back.
Every day in class, Timmy eagerly soaked up the lessons he was taught. And every day after school, his mom, Tabitha, was there to pick him up and listen to the new fidel (Ethiopian Amharic script) he had learned. Timmy wondered why his mom would sometimes cry while he recited his fidel to her.
Why is mom sad I’m learning so many wonderful new things?
But his mother’s tears were not of sadness. They were tears of great joy and thankfulness.
Tabitha birthed Timmy in one of the slums of Addis Ababa. Desperately hungry, they both almost starved to death in his first few precious weeks. Life had been so incredibly difficult for Timmy’s mother … until she came to LSM, where things drastically changed for the better.
Through people like you, committed to Timmy and his mom and a belief that their lives were worth more, united with the Body of Christ, working together in prayer, financial support and advocacy—the story you just read became reality.
Tabitha began working for Moriya Ethiopian Accessories, a business we helped a group of moms just like her start. Using the skills she learned as part of the Moriya team, she has since branched out on her own and started a successful sewing business. Today, Tabitha is providing for her son with a dignified, stable job.
Timmy now has the opportunity to choose his own career, always has enough to eat, knows the hope of a life filled with the love of Jesus, and dreams about his future because people like you believed he and his mother were worth it!
You can join us in making more stories like Tabitha’s and Timmy’s possible by:
- Becoming an ongoing Ethiopian Family Sponsor.
- Purchasing purses that Tabitha made from Moriya Ethiopian Accessories.
- Attending the Seeds of Hope Ethiopian Ladies’ Brunch on July 8 in Bluffton, IN.
*names changed for privacy
*originally posted December 5, 2015
Pray for success in Ammet’s small business and confidence in her heart as she leads her family with dignity and hope. Pray for Aben and the life-changing opportunity he has to attend school. Most importantly, pray for his salvation and that his mother would continue to grow in her faith.
Children around the world are being raised by courageous women just like Bellame, who are building up their families and giving everything they’ve got to make a better world for the next generation. Others are finding friends, mentors and business leaders in women who have overcome great odds with grace, dignity and hope. These women inspire us to live well and help them succeed.
1. Open a brand new school in Welsh, Haiti where over 200 children from two of our Home of Hope families, as well as boys and girls throughout the local community, are now attending!
2. Launch exciting new resources in our 
3. 
4. Rally around our staff, families and local communities in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew
Sherri* is a talented artisan whose intricate weaving skills have been passed down for centuries. Her hands deftly thread the elaborate loom as her feet pump the threads back and forth. There’s a rhythm to her work: pump, swish, clank. A smile graces her face as she watches her son play at the side of the room, surrounded by a community of women and children who love them. They are at peace.
Five years ago, Yetti was not a woman you would hold up as a model for other women, especially other mothers, to emulate.