Buruk and Nebi are twins living with their mother in Debre Berhan, Ethiopia. Though they are the same age and live in the same home, Buruk and Nebi have had vastly different experiences.
Buruk is a relatively healthy six-year-old boy. He attends school and helps his mother with cleaning the house.
Nebi, on the other hand, has suffered from disabilities since birth. She has lived her six short years without the ability to speak, hear, or walk. Though she has undergone several surgeries and medical treatments, they have provided very few improvements.
Their mother, Ayana, is unable to work due to the need to care for her daughter. The home where they live is owned by the government and has no water or electricity. When Abraham Belayneh from Addis Kidan Baptist Church first met Ayana and her children, they no longer had the means to purchase food to eat.
Though Ayana became a Christian prior to the Food Pak ministry, her faith had been shaken by years of constant struggle as well as religious persecution from the community where she lives. Prior to the lockdown, Ayana and the twins rarely left their home, except to go to church. Every week, they made the 30-minute trek to church, Ayana carrying Nebi on her back.
With the help of the Food Pak ministry over the last year, the family’s basic needs are being met and Ayana’s faith is stronger than ever. In addition to receiving food, the family is also being blessed with small donations from the church.
When asked about her relationship with the people from the church, Aayana shared that, “they are like our only family, because no one remembers us here.”
We thank God for the members of Addis Kidan Baptist Church and for the faithful donors and volunteers who make this ministry possible. Through the delivery of food and the gospel, hope has been restored for Ayana and her children.
