By Julie Salwasser

Smoothing concrete for the basketball court

I am writing this update as I fly to Ghana on Thursday.  I had to leave the Hedase work team a little early in order to help prepare our Ghana Hannah’s Hope Foster Care Home. I will be working alongside Kate McDodson, AGCI Ghana Case Manager, Almaz Asresahin, our Ethiopian Director and our new and excited staff in Ghana! Although I am thrilled for this opportunity I already miss our work team, the Ethiopian work team and the kids at Hedase! (more…)

By Julie Salwasser

On Saturday, after celebrating Ethiopian Christmas with the children at Hannah’s Hope, our team had the privilege of visiting the Juvenile Rehabilitation Center in Addis Ababa.

The Rehabilitation Center houses 145 boys and girls, many of whom are orphans, who have been sentenced to several months after breaking the law. You just have to wonder what these kids have done to end up in this place. Most lived on the streets before being sentenced — they have no family and no way to support themselves. That does not make any sort of crime acceptable, but these kids have few other options. (more…)

By Julie Salwasser and Hollen Frazier.

“Children are a blessing and a gift from the Lord” Psalm 127:3

Boys showing Hollen around the classroom building

We made a preliminary visit to Hedase Elementary School on Sunday to see how much of the prep work had already been completed by the Ethiopian contractor team we are working with all week. We found that some of the land had been cleared and other elements had been started but there is still so much to be done; and most of it will be by hand. (more…)

By Julie Salwasser and Hollen Frazier 

On Sunday we returned to Wyrea Daycare Center in Addis, where the team worked in 2008. At that time, we helped build classrooms, restrooms, a lunchroom, and a play area for this community-based center.

We did not expect there would be any children or staff at Wyrea but we were in for a wonderful surprise! The children greeted us with hugs and warm smiles. The kids sang songs for us and then we were able to give them Mariners shirts, AGCI water bottles, school supplies and a little candy. (more…)

By Julie Salwasser, AGCI International Program Development.

The Team Gathers for Dinner and Sharing Stories After Our Day at Hannah's Hope

Yesterday, Saturday, January 7, was my first Ethiopian Christmas and it was so special!

Of course it is a little strange to hear “The Little Drummer Boy” and other familiar songs as well as see the huge Christmas tree here at the Riviera Hotel two weeks after our Christmas in the U.S., but what fun it is to be here for this holiday. (more…)

Current Toilet For 1,300 Children

The first half of AGCI’s mission team to Ethiopia arrived in Addis Ababa on Friday. Remaining team members will arrive on Saturday morning.

The team, led by Dan Wilson, retired Seattle Mariners catcher and vice-chair of AGCI’s Board, and his wife Annie, is there to begin one of the largest orphan care community construction projects AGCI has ever undertaken.

The team will be working at Hedase Elementary School in Addis. More than 1,300 children, kindergarten through grade 8, from one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods attend Hedase.

When Almaz, AGCI’s Ethiopia Director, first shared the needs at Hedase with the team she reported, “The need is huge. The school does not have normal bathrooms; only a hole in the ground that all the kids use. They would love for us to build eight restrooms with running water. There is also plenty of space to construct soccer fields and basketball courts.”

Read more about the Wilson team’s work at Hedase Elementary School.  Watch for new blog posts daily from members of the team.