Group Houses (continued)

Another house visited this week is used for mentor training. Groups of twelve young men and women from all over the country spend four months living there learning from mentors and from each other about Christ while exploring how they can make a difference in their communities. In many ways it reminds me of the Fellows program some of us did at The Falls Church.

The final house I'm going to write about was probably the most touching. Obviously poverty is a pervasive and visible problem in Addis, and many children end up with nowhere to go for one reason or another. This house is used to rehabilitate some of the boys and young men who have been living on the street. I got to spend some time with a group that has been in the house for a little over a month and the transformation is amazing. Abraham translated as they told a bit of their stories, and although they have experienced so much hardship as long as many of them can remember, they were so thankful for where they are now. They are attending night school and they have full schedules during the day, which include physical exercise and games, chores, Bible study, English lessons and listening to guest speakers. Some of them spoke about their new relationships with Christ and his love and faithfulness in bringing them into the love of this family. Thinking of all they had to endure in as many as 13 years on the street and looking over their happy faces around the table, I was brought to tears multiple times and encouraged at the reminder that God has the power to redeem all people, relationships and situations.