Imagine This...

In a city where the air, the streets, the water, and the people are dirty by lack of options... imagine this.

Imagine a place where the gates open up and you are greeted with love by a gentleman at the gate. You are welcomed, just as you are, without judgement. You enter uncertain of what you will find. A large, grass soccer field immediately catches your eye. It is level, green, clean and fresh looking. Children are being taught soccer skills by elders within the community and are smiling as they struggle to master their new skills. You venture further and find a locker room. You have never seen anything like this before. In your home, you have no running water. No toilet. No shower. In this locker room are three showers just for women, and the locker room next door has 3 just for men! You are overjoyed. You see shampoo and soap dispensers and signs posted to explain how you can help conserve water while still getting clean. This is the first shower you have ever had. You normally sponge bathe in a pail of warm water every 3-4 days, whenever your sister hauls a new jug of water on her back to your home. After your shower, you explore more. You see that their is a library. In this library are hundreds of books in both English and the local language of Amharic. You can read neither, though you speak fluent Amharic, because you could not continue with your education past 1st grade. You had to help your family gather wood to sell in order to gain money for meals. You pick up a book, and thumb through the pages. You even check it out, with the hopes you can find a friend to help read it to you.

The director of the center finds you exiting the library and introduces himself. He seems so nice, so you decide to tell him your name, though you are usually untrusting of strangers. He invites you to a class they are hosting in the classroom facilities tomorrow night. They will be teaching about how to professionally style hair. This would be a great skill for you to have, considering you are still just collecting scrap wood to sell and it is an unreliable income. You decide to come back tomorrow night.

When you return, you are happy to see the same director. He recognizes you, warmly. You feel safe. You feel clean. You feel un-judged... and the director seems to have taken a personal interest in you. He invites you to hear him preach on Sunday morning, and not wanting to disappoint your new friend, you agree to come.

Sunday comes and you once again go through the gates. The soccer field is missing the goals, and instead, a stage has been moved to one side of the field. People are all around talking and mingling. You feel out of place because though most of these people have noticed you on the streets, no one has really taken an interest in knowing your name. But today it is different. The director locks eyes with you and a smile comes over his face. He comes to you and introduces you to a few people from the congregation that warmly, and truly, seem to want to get to know you. The sermon talks about a man named Jesus. You have heard of him before, but thought he was just some guy. Today, you hear he is God. Though you hear it, you are unsure if it is true. You agree to consider it.

In the coming weeks and months you make friends, true friends at this center. They help you get a job braiding hair and you are able to help feed your family and have even purchased a cot to sleep on instead of the ground. You frequent the center to bathe, and they have even started a meal program once a week. They have taught you about nutrition and you are excited to sit down to a well balanced meal when it is offered. You considered Jesus, and through His love, have grown to accept Him as your Lord. Life is still hard, but you don't feel alone. You have your Lord, your new friends, and the support of the center. As a matter of fact, you now are learning to read and tutoring young children in the community center library three days a week....

Imagine a place where friendship is free to all. Water is clean. Love leads. Imagine a place where the health of the people is addressed. A place where a career can be built. Imagine a place where people come to receive Jesus Christ. A place for education. A place for safety. Imagine... Carpenter's Kingdom.

Carpenter's Kingdom Addis will receive funds from small business projects and US donors alike. This project will aim to provide the community with a self sufficient, self funding community center that will meet the medical, educational, spiritual, social, nutritional, and economic needs of the community. I was once asked, " Is anything you do over there really going to make a difference to the people?" My answer is a simple, " Nothing I do can or will do will truly make a difference, but whatever God chooses to do through me will make an eternal difference for the people and a practical daily difference as well." Please, consider joining Carpenter's Kingdom to provide a refuge for the people of Addis. We need your prayers, donations, and support.

Jason and I will be traveling the end of 2010 to firm up both the business plan I posted yesterday and the community center plan. The filing for the non-profit status has already begun in the US and once it is completed, we will begin the filing in Ethiopia as well. Beki has met with experienced non-profit directors in preparation for the project and seeks their counsel along the way. He is also enrolled in a seminary school within Addis and pursuing further knowledge of the Bible.

Sign up to follow our blog to learn more as this project progresses! You can make a difference that truly transforms a community from the inside out.