Last year, my family and I followed my mom to Ethiopia for 11 days to try to understand what about the country had captivated her heart so well.

It didn’t take long to understand it.

The Ethiopian people are a people full of complete joy. It’s a joy hard to describe, and sometimes quite difficult for me to obtain. It’s pure joy, with no hidden agenda, and with contentment.

It wasn’t hard to fall fast in love with the Ethiopian community. However, as our hearts were falling, they were also breaking for them as well.

Like mentioned in my post from last year, Northern Ethiopia is targeted  by sex traffickers who visit the poorest of the families and persuade them into letting their children “work” for them and they’ll send the family back money.

Neither of those things happen.  The children do go to “work” but as slaves in the sex trafficking industry and on labor fields. They don’t make any money and their families never usually see them again.

Going into their homes (usually mud huts) and getting to share news about the sex trafficking industry and how they can prevent it – as well as news about hope and love from Jesus – is one of the most amazing experiences that I have been allowed to experience.

Which is why… this September I’m going again.

And just like last year, it’s not cheap. Each member on the team is required to raise $3,465 for plane, lodging, transportation and food – as well as to purchase chickens for the villagers that we visit. I know I’ve been trying to get some of you to come with me this trip, and I would love for you all to join us on this trip and get to know and love this country, but as that is not completely possible, I would love  it if our friends and family would be interested in donating to our fund. Not everyone can go to Ethiopia, but everyone can help.

Thank you to all of my friends and family – without your support, we wouldn’t have been able to make it happen last year. I love you, our family and friends, so very  much and am so thankful for the relationships that I have made with you all. Please consider donating, keep us in your thoughts and prayers September 28- October 9, and keep in touch! The team is hoping to have a blog for the trip, which we will keep updated as much as possible!

Currently, I’ve raised 1,300 dollars. I need YOUR help to get all those chickens! If you would like to donate, please click HERE.