Children Cross Connection International

Arbimench and the Social Network

*May 2012*
	Street orphans in Arbimench
	I meet kids on Facebook every day. It seems that even the poor in most countries have access to the Internet and teens especially want to practice their English. I met a young man from Soddo, Ethiopia one afternoon. His name was Aschalew and he wanted to talk about G-d. He particularly wanted to know if G-d would forgive him for the things he did wrong and if G-d would hear his prayers if he didn't attend church each week. He was concerned that because he "sinned" he could not pray until he changed his life and attend church weekly. He feared he was going to hell and he had no hope. How sad it is to be without hope. This young man was in college in the city of Arbimench studying aquatic engineering....he was a very bright student, but without the assurance of G-d's love, he felt inadequate and was entering depression. I suggested we begin weekly Scripture studies and discussions over Facebook messaging so that he would know what the truth regarding G-d rather than stories that he had been told. I also advised him to cease one destructive habit-to take on one battle at a time. He asked that I send him a Bible of his own. (This young man was Christian and thus we studied his Scriptures.) I advised him to pray from that minute on and trust that our loving G-d would hear his prayers and help him become the man he wanted to be. And so my relationship with Aschalew began and flourished over a year. He began attending youth group at his college and developed healthy friendships.
	One day after our study, Aschalew told me he was ministering to the street orphans near his school. He said his youth group was feeding these kids and telling them about the love of G-d...a truth he learned over our year of studying. He asked me if I knew anyone who could buy these kids clothes. The quantity of clothing they needed was prohibitive in cost. I thought about these kids and their situation and talked to my congregation at Tikvat David. I asked if people would bring extra children's clothing for a few weeks. I went to a second hand store and bought four suitcases. In each I packaged clothing for different age groups. Emory University sends residents, fellows and other workers regularly to Ethiopia and one of the volunteers offered to take one case for me. She delivered the suitcase to our house in Addis where it was picked up by someone traveling to Soddo and then on to Arbimench. Today I opened my email and found a series of pictures with the street orphans of Arbimench dressed in the clothing my congregation generously donated. How amazing to think that a young man's curiosity about a loving G-d began an adventure that clothed a full congregation of street children. If you are traveling to Ethiopia and would be agreeable to carry and extra bag, we have suitcases filled with clothing for street kids and for the kids we house. Please call so you too can be part of a clothing blessing.

Emergency Collection for Yilak's home. Please donate today!

This home was in horrible repair to begin with and is now totally destroyed by rain. It will cost 2000 US dollars to rebuild this home because of the distance from the city and the cost of transporting supplies. Thank you for your help. Please go to the above link to donate or send a check earmarked "yilak" to CCCI, 2192 Greencliff Drive, Atlanta, GA 30345.

Money has been collected to build Yilak's home. Thank you Russ Abney, Beasley Allen law firm, and everyone who helped for bringing in the money so quickly. We are now rebuilding another home that collapsed from the harsh winds this year. One person was hurt and is being treated for a broken arm. Please continue to give generously.

Ethiopia Education Project

The price of wisdom is above rubies. ~Job 28:18

Students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

"I'm not mad at G-d for what I am, I am mad at my destiny and position." Helen

Your destiny is not yet known Helen. Keep doing your best in all you do and see where destiny takes you.

Goals:

providing scholarships for private education at schools that meet each child's individual needs and abilities.
providing scholarships for private education for younger children that live at home.
providing food, clothing and other necessities to the students in our housing and financial help to the families of the students that live at home.
providing safe housing for the students that we send to school who either have no family or have to live away from home to study.
providing mentoring.
providing medical care.
providing limited scholarships for students to come to the United States to study.

History

In 2009, a group of eight teenagers and young adults called our organization and asked for help as their benefactor was unable to care for them any longer. Rick Hodes (rickhodes.org), overwhelmed with the life saving work he is known for, was no longer able to pay for school and medical care for these young people. Because of his incredible work, two young men with post polio were attending school, one cancer patient was cured and attending school, one young woman with TB of the spine was surviving, attending school and awaiting surgery and a host of other young men and women were living in a safe house, going to school and learning new skills. How could we allow these young men and women to fend for themselves? Leaving them on their own surely meant that most, if not all, would end up homeless and unable to pay for an education. And so, in 2009, CCCI took over the project and continued to put these amazing students through school. Our first house was located in Addis Ababa. Soon after we opened a second house in Awassa and shortly following, a house in Yirgalum. Currently we host 35 students, in five houses, grades three-college, studying so that they will one day be able to be independent self supporting adults and help other people as they have been helped. A more thorough description of the project with a breakdown of expenses can be found at the bottom of this page.

FRIENDS AND HOUSEMATES

YILAK, JEGNAW, MELAKU, BAHRU

I had a sweet dream last night

a Mighty voice whispered gently into my ears

THE WORLD IS TROUBLE FREE TODAY.

It is possible, and it begins with you!

Wilson Amooro

Donate online or send checks to

Children's Cross Connection, Int

2192 Greencliff Drive

Atlanta, GA 30345

Ethiopia Medical Project

What happens when you put ten students from the developing world in one house? It would be fantasy to say that they all are healthy and stay that way. In our house in Addis, we began with two students with post polio syndrome, one student who is a cancer survivor, 1 student with TB of the spine, 1 student with eye disease, 1 student with malformed teeth and other illnesses related to living in the developing world.

Successes and Current Work

Meseret suffered horribly with spinal TB. She had significantly curved scoliosis and kyphosis causing her to breathe at less than 1/3 of her lung capacity. Her disability was progressive and would have worsened until it took her life. After Dr. Oheneba Boachie straightened her spine, Meseret is now able to breathe freely and walk straighter!

First day with prosthetic leg courtesy of APO Atlanta.

Mamush "Mom! When I walk, my leg falls off!"



Mamush is a wonderful 16 year old who is a cancer survivor. He received a new prosthetic leg (titanium complete with articulating knee so he can play sports) in the summer of 2011 courtesy of Atlanta Prosthetics and Orthotics. For the first time in over 9 years. Mamush is a 2 legged man! He currently attends 10th grade in the US on a scholarship. He also will serve as a camp counselor at Camp Good Days, a camp for children with cancer, during the summer of 2012.

Mamush and the staff at Atlanta Prosthetics!

Our beautiful sweet Tigist

	Tigist is *our sweet* 16 year old who needed a full mouth of braces. Because of the generosity of a kind donor, Tigist has almost completed a year of orthodontic treatment. She has had 10 teeth pulled and now has a beautiful smile to match her beautiful heart. Tigist's braces after she had 10 teeth pulled.

Amazing Academic and Personal Opportunities

Tesh Yana

Even poor boys living in the third world have hopes and dreams the same as everyone else. Tesh hoped to be a movie director one day....a person without faith and imagination might have told this young man to learn a more useful skill than movie production in the developing world, but there are those of us who believe that as you study and become well rounded, you still reach for your dreams and one day that miracle will happen.

This miracle happened for Tesh one day as a woman named Brandi read a book about Rick Hodes and read a small section on a boy named Tesh. She and her husband, Anthony Katagas (imdb), a most prolific and talented movie producer, hosted this young man for a summer internship in the production of the movie, The Wedding, starring Robert De Niro, Kathryn Heigl, Diane Keaton and a all star cast.

Won't you thank the Katagas family by going to a theater near you to see this movie opening in October of 2012?!

Tesh is now studying at an American boarding school on scholarship in the 11th grade. Watch him for he will continue to do great things!

Bahru

One of our early graduates has been hired by Ethiopian Air and is in training for a job in Addis.

Jegnaw

One of our students who began his education in Hawassa has been accepted at a great school in Addis and has started high school at the MacMillan School in Addis Ababa.

Your financial help is imperative to our getting opportunities to these exceptionally talented young ladies and gentleman. All they want is a chance...a chance to prove that they can become their country's next leaders, professionals, philanthropists and good people. Won't you help give them their chance?!

Grant and Financial Proposal

Children’s Cross Connection International

Purpose: Seeking to educate and equip developing nations to meet the needs of their own children.

Means:

1. Addis House: educational and medical project

2. Hawassah House: educational project

3. Yirgalum House: educational project

4. Soddo House: educational project

5. College Project: educational support project

6. Physically Challenged Transport Project: transportation support for physically challenged students. (Current need is 2500 for scooter for physically challenged boy who has had 3 foot surgeries)

7. True Love Children’s Center: orphan sponsorship project

8. Children’s Surgical Transport Project: bringing children from the developing world to the US for surgery for teaching purposes and life changing and life saving procedures.

Addis Ababa House

Educational and Medical Project

A. Age of students 14 and up

B. Primary school, High school, College and Vocational School

C. Up to nine students

D. Up to three house parents

Criteria for Acceptance

A. Financial need established by orphan status or family income under16,000 ETB (~1000 US dollars) per year per five family members.

B. Character reference by two reputable adults

C. Personal desire to learn and use skills obtained to help others become independent in Ethiopia

Program and Objective Criteria for Success of Program

A. Students will pass each grade in succession with passing marks and positive character marks.

B. Students will complete high school within the years allotted from the time they begin our program until the completion of a high school curriculum in grade order through grade 12.

C. Students who graduate from high school will decide to either gain employment, continue their education in a vocational setting or college institute.

D. Those who desire work will be given job counseling, resume help, help in job interviewing, opportunities to visit job settings and test preparation for vocational testing. Some students will remain in the house as house parents for a period of time while they look for employment and will work as tutors

and mentors with the younger students while receiving help finding employment.

E. Medical needs arising in the Addis house or other houses are transferred

to the Addis house as there is a nurse in full time attendance. Medical needs

are funded by special financial donations. They are not addressed in this

budget.

Finances:

name	reg	school	trans	unif	supplies	comp	allow	tutor	exp	clo
	15	500	215		50	40	56	520		100
meseret	50	250	215		50	40	56	520		100
melaku	15	500	215	60	50	40	56	520		100
jegnaw	20	500	215	80	50	40	56	520		100
bayelign		400	200			50			568	100
bahru			213							100
yilak		400	200			40				100
house	rent	water	gas	electric	food	cook	emerg	suppl	repa
	6745	150	2000	250	5325	425	1065	500	1000
total	25740
Financial fee	Bole serv	1.25%	321.75
Total plus sending fee	26061.75	Plus 10% added for inflation in Ethiopia and rapid exchange rate change.	28668

Hawassa House and Yirgalum House

Educational Project

A. Age of students 10 and up

B. Primary school, High school, College and Vocational School

C. Up to five students

D. Up to two house parents

E. Students who get ill and cannot be treated in Hawassa or Yirgalum will be transferred to Addis and will use funds from separate budget.

Criteria for Acceptance

A. Financial need established by orphan status or family income under 16,000 ETB (~1000 US dollars) per year per five family members.

B. Character reference by two reputable adults

C. Personal desire to learn and use skills obtained to help others become independent in Ethiopia

Program and Objective Criteria for Success of Program

F. Students will pass each grade in succession with passing marks and positive character marks.

G. Students will complete high school within the years allotted from the time they begin our program until the completion of a high school curriculum in grade order through grade 12.

H. Students with exceptionally high grades who request more intense learning, will be given an opportunity to transfer to Addis to an international school with a higher college acceptance rate if there is ample room in the Addis house.

I. Students who graduate from high school will decide to either gain employment, continue their education in a vocational setting or college institute.

J. Those who desire work will be given job counseling, resume help, help in job interviewing, opportunities to visit job settings and test preparation for vocational testing. Some students will remain in the house as house parents for a period of time while they look for employment and will work as tutors

and mentors with the younger students while receiving help finding employment.

Hawassa

name	reg	school	trans	unif	supplies	comp	allow	tut	exp	clo
Buche	15	120	40		50	50	56	0		65
Meskerem	15	120	45		50	70	56	0		65
Tesfadet	15	120	50		50	70	56	0		65
Tereki	15	120	50	60	50	50	56	0		65
House	rent	water	gas	elec	food	cook	emerg	sup	rep
	710	150	75	150	2725	215	710	100	50

Total 6356 + sending fee 326.8= 6682.8

Yirgalum

Ashalew	15	170				56	0		65
Yidinkathew						56	0		65
						56	0		65
House	rent	water	gas	elec	food	emerg	supp	repa
	200	100	65	100	710	500	100	50

Total 2373 + sending fee 118.65 = 2491.65

6682.80 + 2491.65 = 9174.45

Soddo Support House

Soddo House is a begging educational house. We have just started to give educational support scholarship money and food money. If we had grant money, we could do much more.

Currently we have three students living in an apartment. We supply school money, uniform money, supply money, rent money and food money. They need so much more as they are eating very minimally, have only one set of clothing each, no beds, no furniture, few plates. Their situation is not like the other three houses. We currently supply the Soddo house with 150 US dollars per month or 1800 per year with a sending fee of 90 dollars. Total expense 1890 per year. In order to bring the standard of living up to even a reasonable lower class standard with a bed for each student, linens for each student, one set of table service for each, one towel for each, regular cleansers for the house, a chair or sofa for everyone to sit on, a broom or mop, fresh food, a second set of clothing for each, etc, we would need to increase their budget to minimum of 3000 US dollars per year.

Total for the Education Project Houses:

Addis 26061.75

Hawassah 6682.80

Yirgalum 2491.65

Soddo 1890

Total 37,126.20