Eyael is now a young woman of 20 who has travelled with a
project worker over 300 kilometres on a public bus for seven hours from her
rural home in Yirgalem in the southern region where she lives with her parents
and three brothers and three sisters.
This is an exciting and emotional day! I’m in the Ag Place
Hotel, a pleasant Three Star hotel, waiting for Eyael to arrive with her project
worker, the Visit Host and a driver, who will take us around for the day.
When I explain why I’m here, Ganet the charming hotel
manager, invites us to sit in the private VIP lounge for our initial meeting.
When Eyael walks in the foyer I am blown away. She is a
stunningly beautiful young woman with sparkly brown eyes, a dazzling, shy
smile, wavy black hair, honey complexion and the elegant poise of a model! My
eyes fill with tears, I am choked up and filled with joy and pride. We hug and
look deeply into each other’s eyes with a connection that goes right to the
heart.
The Visit Host, Meheretab speaks impeccable English and the
national Ethiopian language of Amharic. He translates between the two of us. I
ask Eyael and the project worker, Birhane about their journey the previous day
and they say all was fine, despite a much-publicised, government-declared State
of Emergency.
I ask if she has visited Addis before and she says only when
she was a toddler so coming to the city is a big event she has been excited
about for weeks.
I discover the she is soon to complete high school, where
she has excelled as an outstanding student, and will then do two years of
preparatory school before applying to University. When I ask what career she
wants to follow, I almost fall off the chair when she says: “Journalism. I have
been inspired by you to be a journalist!” I am deeply touched. I can’t believe
that I’ve had such an impact on this young girl just by donating money every
month.
Through Meheretab, she tells me she has an ambition to be a
television presenter and I say that with her beauty and intelligence she is
sure to succeed. I tell her my own
beautiful daughter Justine is an award-winning filmmaker in London with her
boyfriend Andy, who is also a drummer in a rock band. She is very interested
and wants to know all about my family.
I say that when I
started sponsoring her in 2004 we lived on the Sunshine Coast in Australia and
how we moved to the UK seven years ago, how my son Daniel is an entrepreneur
and is married to Aléna with a little son Alexander, how my husband Andrew is a
business coach and trainer. She wants to know if we all still live together and
I explain tht my children are grown up and live in London and how we live in
the country, an hour by train outside the city, with our cocker spaniels and
hens. I show her photos of the whole family.
Eyael tells me about her family. Her parents farm their land
and grow avocadoes, papaya, spices and coffee. I say how I adore avocadoes! Her
eldest sister is a midwife and her brothers are studying engineering at
university while her little sisters are still at school.
We are building a strong bond as we get to know each other.
I suggest we go clothes shopping, the universal, cross-cultural activity that
all women love! We hit the mall with Meheretab valiantly trying not to get
bored as us girls worked through the racks. Eyael tries on several outfits and
settles on a long olive green dress and a stylish fitted skirt with a burgundy
top. This girl’s got taste! I agree to buy all three items and she is delighted
and plans to share the new outfits with her sisters.
Our driver Solomon takes us to a shady tropical outdoor
restaurant attached to the National Museum and I get an education about
Ethiopian cuisine! We all have Ingera bread made from fermented teff flour with
a holey texture that looks like coral. We break off pieces and squash them in
our fingers to scoop up the delicious spicy stews. Meheretab explains that
Ingera is a healthy staple made in every home and eaten twice a day.
Over our meal, Meheretab shares that he was also a sponsored
child from the age of seven. He has never met his American sponsors however he
is deeply grateful for the financial support that changed his life. He has just
completed his second degree in Public Policy and works as a counsellor and lay
pastor ministering to the needy.
He says: “Education has developed in me a good heart with a
desire to do good for others. I have a strong belief in God and believe that
every sponsored child has a God-given purpose. I do this hosting work to give
back to Compassion because of the difference it made to me and all it does for so
many children.”
I ask Eyael what sponsorship has meant for her. She says: “If
I was not in the Compassion program going to school would not be easy. My
brothers and sisters did not get this privilege. All my needs are being
provided for from the money you send. My parents have a big family. They could
not afford the school registration, uniforms and books. And the money helps my
whole family. It buys soap and cooking oil and grain.”
I am flabbergasted. I did not realise my sponsorship over 12
years has meant so much to this precious girl and her family.
Meheretab says there are 400 Compassion projects throughout
Ethiopia. Each project supports 250 children with just four hard-working staff;
a project director, accountant, health worker and social worker. They do an
incredible job caring for so many youngsters, getting them through school and
doing regular health checks and family support.
The next stop is Addis Ababa University, which was formerly
the Emperor’s Palace. We stroll through the beautiful gardens in the gentle
sunshine and Meheretab says the flourishing, government-funded university has
several campuses and student accommodation and around 60,000 students from all
over the country and the best academics in Ethiopia. This is where he studied
and got his qualifications and direction in life.
I immediately have a vision of Eyael attending this
university doing media studies and I watch her face light up as she explores
the vast academic panorama. I imagine the opportunities this first-class
university would open to her.
Mehertab is an expert on Ethiopian history and culture and
shows us around the university museum, eloquently explaining the intricacies of
the country’s rich cultural heritage and ancient sacred sites.
He says Ethiopian is a peace-loving country with a
population of over 90 million and 80 nationalities speaking 80 different
languages and following the two main religions of Christianity and Islam, all
co-existing in harmony throughout nine distinct regions.
The next stop is the National Museum where I meet Lucy, the
renowned fossil that dates back three million years, which was discovered in
Ethiopia by archaeologists in 1974.
We stroll around the museum looking at artefacts and
paintings and opulent relics from the Emperors’ era. Eyael is fascinated and
loves the history and culture of her country and wants to share it with the
world.
When we say our goodbyes back at my hotel, there are tears
and hugs, greetings to each other’s family and my heartfelt promise that I will
continue to support her through university and into her television career.
Meeting my beautiful girl has been profound. My heart is
overflowing with love and respect for Eyael and her family. And I’m dreaming of
her wonderful future.
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