Dear Friends of ACTS,
God’s work in Ethiopia that you continue to faithfully support through your encouragement,
prayers and financial donations, continues to thrive.
Much has happened since we last reported on the Koshe and Woja villages. For the first time ever, ACTS held a “graduation” ceremony for those who are leaving our schools to go on to the government schools. In addition to the children involved, their parents and local governmental administration officials attended the celebration. This event served to strengthen our ties to the communities in which we work and to build a broader awareness and sense of trust. We have found that the trust factor is a key in what we do as the opportunity to share the Gospel increases with the level of trust that is achieved. 1 Peter 2:9-12 says “They may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation”.
The children returned to school in September after a wetter than normal monsoon season
(corresponding with our summer months). With subsequent time off to celebrate the Ethiopian New Year and another week away for a national holiday, October has brought a return to normalcy to the school facilities. Only now are we able to determine who is back at school and how many new attendees have enrolled on our program. At the end of the month Karen and Bill Cornell will be traveling back to Ethiopia to visit the schools. Included in their agenda of things to accomplish are meeting with and training the new ACTS Ethiopia administrator, Tesefy, having formal sit down meetings with the local administrators of both villages, contracting for the building of the shintebet (latrine) for the Woja school, helping to reallocate the sponsorship/current student roles, and, of course, spending time with the 400 kids now at school and with many of the older kids who have gone on from ACTS’ program to the government schools. In addition, the groundwork will be laid for taking a larger team back to visit in the early spring when much new curriculum will be introduced to the teachers and students. As always, your prayers for safe travel, good health, successful interactions and, most importantly, continued growth of God’s Kingdom, will be appreciated.
The backbone of our support continues to come from Trinity Community Church of Clovis and its church family, but ACTS has been somewhat successful in reaching out to other individuals for additional support. Work is being done to identify a village in another unreached people group, in which to build a third school. This will require a major influx of both capital and willing sponsors. Any help that you can give in identifying a direction in which to look would be greatly appreciated. We continue to rely on you to be our foot soldiers, the champions of the ACTS ministry. We are confident that your efforts in this regard will be pleasing to God. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Jesus Christ to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”.
One thing that all can do to help raise money is to sign up at Amazon.Smile.com If you are an online shopper and purchase from Amazon, ACTS will receive a donation anytime you trade with them. By simply going on line and signing up, ACTS will receive .5% of what is spent as a donation. Simply log on to smile.amazon.com and start shopping. Imagine the impact as we come into this busy shopping season that a network of 1000 of our collective friends and families enrolling in this program could have on this ministry. And, what if we could grow that number to 10,000! A new introductory brochure has been published. If you would like some (and we encourage that) to share with others, please let us know.
Bill and Karen are scheduled to be in Ethiopia from October 30 until November 17. Updates
will be available on the website www.actskids.org through blogs and ACTS Facebook page
during the trip. Upon their return, another newsletter will be sent reporting on the trip.
Know that we are very thankful for your support of this ministry. You have directly touched the lives of about 1000 impoverished children in Ethiopia. On behalf of those who are still in school and those who have graduated, especially those who have come to know Jesus through this work, we want to thank you as well.
Blessings as we serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to make His name known to the ends of the earth.