By Martha Aligaz and Melete Ghile

James 1:27 (NIV)  “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

This is a story of six, which later became seven, children ranging in age from 18 months to 8 years old, that were born in Sudan and Dubai who became orphans due to their parents having died of illness, childbirth, or abandonment after escaping from the war and economic challenges in Ethiopia.  Six of the children lived in the Ethiopian Community Center in Sudan under terrible conditions. They were desperate to be rescued.

The rescue came through a group of Ethiopian women, who lived in Kansas, and heard about the terrible condition the children were in.  Every year this group of women attended the yearly Beza Christian Women’s Conference as well as getting together throughout the year to pray for God to give them direction to contribute to the community they live in and/or any other community.  In 2018 the group heard about the children in Sudan and the conditions in which they were living.  One example would be, one of the children’s fingers was bitten by a mouse while sleeping. The good news is, after the children moved back to Ethiopia God provided the means for her to have a surgery so that it will not be a constant reminder of her life of the past.

The 10 women then decided to form a non- profit organization, under the name of “Kansas Women of Faith” (KWOF), to support the children.  More information can be found on their website, kansaswomenoffaith.org. The purpose of “Kansas Woman of Faith” is to bring hope and help to orphans in Ethiopia. They believe we are orphans adopted into the Kingdom of God.

The 10 women contribute $100 each month for a total of which is total of $1000.  However, since that was not sufficient to support the needs of the children, to pay for rent, school, medical and living expenses, etc., the group, for the past three years, have had garage sales and catered for small functions and funerals, to raise funds as well as having other partners, friends and family members to contribute. Last year the group fund raised $11,000.

In June 2020, God provided a means for the children to move back to Ethiopia (see photos below} because of the war in Sudan, especially after we received reports that out of the 80 children that lived in the Ethiopian community Center there were some kids unaccounted for.  The group continued to pray for God’s protection over all the children that were left behind in Sudan.

“The Kansas Women of Faith” group didn’t know what God had in store for them.  God had a bigger plan, after the children moved back to Ethiopia.  He expanded the vision, and added an infant that was abandoned in a hospital.

In 2020, a husband and wife who were diplomats in Sudan, played an important role in moving the children back to Ethiopia as well as having a big impact in caring for them while they were in Sudan.  The “Kansas Women of Faith” were able to partner and form an organization in Ethiopia under the name of WOMEN OF FAITH CHILDREN’S HOME FOUNDATION on June 28, 2021. (The website address is womenfaithchildrens.org).  God provided land to build an orphanage and the organization is in the process of acquiring the land from the government to start construction and help many displaced and orphan children.

Even though this is a huge project, the group knows there is nothing impossible for God.  He not only made a way to raise the children but has given this opportunity to open an orphanage. Building the orphanage will take place in phases, with the ultimate goal is to build an orphanage that has a pre-school through high school, which will improve access to quality education for orphans and vulnerable children as well as other children in the project area.  This will give access to education for 1,725 children (860 boys and 865 girls) in the project area.

On January 13/2024, a fundraiser event was held in Ethiopia and people pledged approx. 65 -75 million Ethiopian Birr. The project manager is now going to each donor to collect the pledged funds.  We know this is a drop in the ocean, and the organization is needing more donors and partners to complete the project.