The humanitarian needs in Ethiopia are escalating at an alarming rate because of the climate crisis. This week, pray for the resilience and wellbeing of the people of Ethiopia, and that communities will have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
Sunday 6 September
Zinash is a mother of four. ‘I believe in working hard,’ says Zinash. ‘I had saved for years. I invested 145,000 birr [£676] to buy a cow. We saw this cow as the foundation of our future. Then, tragedy struck. The cow suddenly died.’ Lord, we lift up families facing despair and financial uncertainty. Amen.
Monday 7 September
‘It felt like a part of me died with the animal,’ says Zinash. ‘All that money was gone. Despair took over my heart.’ But Zinash’s story doesn’t end there. Following Tearfund’s training, she developed a successful poultry business. Ask God to bless more lives with transformation through this training.
Tuesday 8 September
‘Before they fixed our local water pump, getting water was so hard,’ says seven-year- old Lemi. ‘It could take us at least six very long hours just to get one big jerry can of water for my whole family.’ Lord, it’s easy to take clean, accessible water for granted. We pray for more children to have access to clean water near their homes. Amen.
Wednesday 9 September
‘Now that our water pump is fixed, everything is different!’ says Lemi. ‘Now, we get four big jerry cans of water every day and we don’t worry. Now, I have more time to focus on my school work and all my big dreams!’ Praise God that Lemi has safe, clean water close to home.
Thursday 10 September
Habtamu is 32 years old. With a family to take care of and unable to find work in his village, they relocated to the city. ‘I left my village hoping to find a better future for my family.’ Father God, we pray for hope to fill the hearts of families struggling to make ends meet. Amen.
Friday 11 September
Habtamu’s biggest struggle was leaving his father behind. ‘It broke my heart to see how lonely he was. I felt guilty, like I was failing him when he needed me most.’ Praise God that everything changed when Habtamu discovered a Tearfund training programme. ‘The training opened my eyes to the potential of our village and even my father’s land.’
Saturday 12 September
‘I dedicated myself to learning how to make compost and grow coffee seedlings,’ says Habtanu. ‘It’s been over a year since I started this sustainable farming, and the results are real. I’ve already switched half of our farmland to use only organic fertiliser. I am so proud that we are farming in a way that is good for the earth and still works.’ We pray that more people’s lives would be transformed through Tearfund’s training in sustainable farming.
