December Family and Ministry Update

It has been almost 9 months since we arrived in the US and God has been using this time to grow our faith in Him both through many blessings and challenges. For me returning to Washington, has been a return “home,” but for Cristian, Caleb and Liana, it has been a move to a new home. As you can imagine this move has been a huge transition for our family. Even now 9 months later we are just beginning to feel accustomed to our new rhythms and routines, connecting with old friends and making some new friends.

Visiting the tulip fields this past spring

Visiting Mt. Rainer with Cristian's mother, Doris

In the last couple of years, my service with Food for the Hungry began to extend beyond the borders of Peru as I assumed the role of Global Disaster Risk Reduction Coordinator. In this role my work focuses on supporting Food for the Hungry's efforts to reduce suffering caused by disasters and help people and communities grow in ways that make them more resilient to shocks and stresses like drought, flooding, earthquakes, typhoons and other crises. In my work I help design programs, write curriculum and provide training to staff all over the world, like in Kenya, where I traveled in February this year to conduct a staff training, and in Ethiopia where I recently traveled in November to support a project Food for the Hungry has been doing to help victims of the severe drought that has been plaguing communities this last year. (click here to read more about my recent trip to Ethiopia).  

Cristian has been studying English at a local community college; learning a new language is hard work, and Cristian is facing this challenge with much determination. He is also working from home a few hours a week as a business consultant. This part time work has proven to be a huge blessing for our family and for Cristian since it allows him to continue to use his professional training.  

Caleb and Liana are growing and learning everyday. In the fall they started preschool and love learning new songs, letters, numbers, and all about God’s creation.

Visiting the shark tank at the zoo

Liana on our Mt. Rainer hike

Visiting the pigs at the fair

Caleb on our Mt. Rainer hike

First day of school

First day of school

Fall harvest

Fall Harvest

In the midst of all these activities, we are seeking God’s direction for our family and looking to see how and where He wants us to use our gifts for His glory. Please continue to pray for us as we seek His guidance for our future.

While we are not living overseas, we continue to trust God to provide for my ministry with Food for the Hungry and for our family. We are so thankful for God’s faithfulness and for people like you who support my work serving the poor around the world.

If you want to make a year end donation to support my ministry with Food for the Hungry you can do so online here, or by sending your check (with my missionary code 68308 on the memo) to:

Food for the Hungry 1224 E. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85034-1102

Blessings,

Lauren

Ethiopia

In November this past year I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia to help support a project that Food for the Hungry has been doing to help families and communities affected by the severe drought affecting the region over the last year. The main purpose of the trip was to oversee the progress of the project which has been supporting thousands of families with feed for their livestock (since there was no harvest of hay and other feed during the drought), access to clean water, and giving new goats and sheep to families who lost all of their animals and livelihood due to the drought.  I also had an opportunity to lead a short workshop on disaster risk reduction with some of the staff of FH Ethiopia. Hopefully this will be the first of other workshops we hope to do with FH Ethiopia staff this year to build their capacity to think strategically about how to help communities reduce disaster risk and build their resilience.

Ethiopia staff participating in an activity during our workshop

Much of my trip I spent riding around in a truck on rough roads to visit the project areas with staff from FH Ethiopia and a local partner organization. As we made our way down the winding roads, across the many hills and valleys,  I could see fields of sorghum, wheat and teff ready for harvest. Everywhere there were piles of golden hay gathered up into large circular mounds ready to be used as feed for livestock during the upcoming dry season. Every time we drove through a small town or village men, women and children could be seen taking their goats and sheep out to pasture, and in each of the herds little offspring were following their mothers.  

Sunset overlooking valley in Ethiopia

Typical home in North Ethiopia

Man walking his livestock out to pasture

But this was not the scene a year ago when Ethiopia was plagued by the worst drought in 50 years. From 2015-2016 the severe drought affected millions of people, devastating crops, and killing off livestock. But through Food for the Hungry many families have received essential support of food aid, feed to sustain their livestock, and replacement goats and sheep for the poorest families who lost all their livestock. Through the work of Food for the Hungry, over 30 water points were also rehabilitated to make sure that families have access to clean drinking water. Now that the rains have come again, the fields are ready for harvest and families are beginning to rebuild their sheep and goat herds. Food for the Hungry will continue to work in this area to support communities in improving their crop yields, caring for their livestock, and caring for educating their children.

Women collecting water at a spring FH is working to rehabilitate

Woman from community where FH project will restore water point. She said she was very happy that the water would be protected and clean again.

It was amazing to see first hand the work Food for the Hungry in this part of the world and see how this work is saving lives, but I was also amazed and blessed to see the spiritual investment Food for the Hungry staff are making in the lives of the poor in Ethiopia. As this project aimed to meet the physical needs of so many families, FH staff in Ethiopia also minister to the spiritual needs of the families and people they work with. By stopping along the way to talk with a family who had benefited earlier from a chicken project and to see how they were doing and keep them in their prayers, or by building friendships with staff from partner organizations, the FH Ethiopia staff I met were sharing God’s love in every step they made.  

I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to visit another Food for the Hungry field, and understand the context and ministry better. As I continue to process all that I learned on this trip my hope and prayer is that God will continue to show me in my own work how I can best support the staff of FH Ethiopia as they continue to serve the poor and work to end physical and spiritual hungers in Ethiopia.