For people living in the Western world, access to meat is as easy as driving to the local grocery store and picking up a package or two in the freezer section. Healthy food is convenient to find and relatively inexpensive.
People living in other parts of the world don’t have that same luxury. Limited access to meat, combined with little or no money has major ramifications for individuals. Food scarcity puts children at risk for malnutrition, chronic illness as well as poor health. This is commonplace in countries like Ethiopia.
In the village of Shanto, Ethiopia, thirty five widows live that life of need. These women seek to provide food for their children, and health to their families in any way they can.
On June 7, 2013 thirty five widows’ lives changed. These women, registered with the Children’s HopeChest CarePoint, each received one cow and one sheep. They sang praises to the Lord through tears, giving thanks to all the donors who made this possible. During the ceremony, the widows were acknowledged as the owners of these animals. Those officials not only affirmed and encouraged the women, but discussed even more ideas for how to support them in the future.
As you run errands and purchase food for your family, remember these women in Shanto. They are now able to abundantly provide for their families, giving their children the tools to be successful in school, in turn giving them long term education and hope.
What might seem so simple and easy for us can change a life somewhere else. Through these animals, children and their families come to a deeper understanding of God’s care for them.
