VISITING THE ORPHANS IN THEIR TROUBLE
“to look after orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27)
After Sherri, Aminta, and I compiled all the names and sizes of the Beta Yisrael orphans from Enfranz, we went to the marketplace in Gondar to shop for their clothing. Kiosks, aligned on busy, rocky roads, sell all kinds of clothing and housewares. Some merchants, no doubt, too poor to afford a kiosk, arranged themselves under umbrellas selling mangos, peppers, onions garlic, etc. Little children helped to peddle these wares or play in the dusty streets, definitely no place for asthmatics–for the dust combined with exhaust from scooters, trucks and taxis all blend for a sneezing frenzy! That’s exactly what I had!
Aft the first kiosk, Rabbi Gedamu bargained with the owner for 175 pair of shoes for the children. We watched as these youthful workers ran to storage centers trying to find the proper sizes. Soon 3 sacks of shoes were prepared for distribution to these Beta Yisrael orphans.
I wanted to hold up a pair of shoes that would bless little feet.
Rebekeneha, Rabbi Gedamu’s sister, found a kiosk that offered a good price for a pair of warm up pants, a sleeveless vest and a jacket, one set for each of the children. This kiosk provided some protection from the dust and sun and the proprietor even asked his workers to provide benches for us. We left with over 175 outfits for the children.
Sherri’s & Rabbi Gedamu’s vision of clothing the children had come true. I must admit, Rabbi Gedamu did most of the work, haggling with owners and overseeing quality and quantity control. He looks worn out, doesn’t he?
The next day we bought water and bread for each child and loaded it on the truck and then boarded it ourselves to make that 90 minute drive to Enfranz Village in Gondar.
Connect with Us