Hirut, Mumetu, and Gigi
We had one plan; God had another
We discovered Mumetu and Hirut living in an Addis Ababa slum. The daughter, Hirut, fled home from an abusive work situation in the Middle East, where she’d worked as a housekeeper. Like many of the very young girls returning from this kind of work, she’d been mentally and physically abused and sank into a deep depression. She lived with her mother in a one bedroom shanty. Two other siblings often came and crashed in the room, including a sister with children.
Stroke fells the matriarch
Then, it became even tougher when the mother, Mumetu, had a stroke and become paralyzed. She needed help to get from chair to bed. There was no income coming into the home.
The first idea to help this family was to get Mumetu a wheelchair. But an assessment of the neighborhood showed this would be unproductive—no wheelchair could handle the rough alleyways.
One idea leads to another
So, we began a short-term mercy program of money for food and clothing and other necessities. But the major plan was to work with Hirut to counsel her to improve herself, strengthen her mind and attitude, and move forward into a better life. We gave her an opportunity for job training, and she jumped on it. The plan was that she’d received a “scholarship” from us and then get a job to support her mother and family. She began a program is food preparation with the desire to work in a restaurant. She graduated in June 2016.
An unexpected departure…
Then in July, God intervened and took Mumetu to heaven. Yet, before she departed, she saw her daughter overcome her mental and emotional problems and graduate with a full cap and gown ceremony.
Please keep Hirut in prayer
Education and job skills have empowered Hirut to start a new life. Please keep Hirut in prayer as she goes through the mourning process, finds the work God intends, and continues to live out a life devoted to God and family.
