October 4th, 2009

Salaam Family and Friends,
I’m still having trouble with my adaptor to transfer my pictures to my thumb drive. I might have to just go and buy a new camera or at least an adaptor. I want in the worst way to share my pictures with you. Hopefully I can figure something out soon. I have discovered that I can send pictures; it’s just a matter of getting them to my computer.
It’s Sunday here in Adigrat. I attended Mass at the Cathedral and just finished breakfast with the sisters. Poor Sr. Nigesti got sick at church today and had to be walked back to the convent. I felt bad for her. This afternoon I will meet up with Seyoum, Medhanie, and Ata and we will go to Seyoum’s for coffee ceremony and to celebrate his college graduation.
This young man is truly amazing. He paid for and finished his degree in Amharic (Ethiopian national language) and not once did he miss one flute class or one day of teaching at St. Lucy’s. He designed all the programs for the school including the end of the year concerts and all of the flute student’s performances done over the summer, including several compositions he wrote for them.
Seyoum’s primary purpose for teaching at St. Lucy’s is so that the money he makes goes to his family. He uses the money to buy his parents and younger sibling’s food so they can eat for the month. The young man’s salary is only $1000.00 birr per month which equals to less than $100 American dollars. He has absolutely nothing and what he does have he gives to his family.
Seyoum is extremely hard working and very dedicated to his flute and the teaching of the flute. He has told me that he has been offered several jobs but has turned them down because he wants to remain dedicated to his flute studies. His life long dream, even before he met me, is to come to the USA and study music, get a degree in music education, then return to Ethiopia where he can continue to develop a music program in Adigrat. This young man is deserving of our attention. Seyoum deserves our time, love, and support. Please consider him and see what you can do to help him achieve his dream.
Last year I began teaching Seyoum. At that time he went home to his family’s house for lunch everyday. The distance is 8km away from the school. When he began to help me with the house orphans, I discovered that he skipped lunch so that he could be back at the school in time to help me. When I discovered that this teacher I told the sisters that I would not eat lunch until I knew someone was feeding him. If you ever get the chance to meet Seyoum, which I truly hope you do, he is all but 100lbs. He is from a very poor family that lives outside of Adigrat and is one of 5 children. They are people like this in these remote parts of the world that are so talented but without people like you and me to meet them no one would know of them or help them. They would live their lives not knowing their full potential.
The other day I met the chemistry teacher at St. Lucy’s, he is another lovely person. He is an excellent chemist and teacher but the school cannot afford the equipment for him to conduct his labs. Just imagine, when you were in school, how much we learned by dissecting a frog, or to mix a chemical compound, oh how we are so lucky and have taken so much for granted. These children at St. Lucy’s only get to read about this experience in books. They are begging to learn more. Please, we are so fortunate, is there anyone out there that can help this school? As well, the children need maps and globes of the world. They have one map that us used in all 16 classrooms. In addition, I began English lessons with the children. I discovered that they only have steno type books to learn their penmanship. The younger grades 1-4 could use writing books to learn to properly write the English letters of our alphabet. There is no guidance and often the reason why the children do not read or write in English is because legibly it is too difficult for them to do so.
The school has a library, but needs a music room, art room, laboratory, and gymnasium. Please help me help these children to receive a better education. Please consider sending funds for this purpose. Please contact me by my email and ask how you can help or call me: cferland00@gmail.com or 011 251 9 14 18 00 71. (My new mobile in Adigrat).
Please I cannot ask enough send help. It’s that one small thing that one can do that will make the biggest difference to these children. Get a collection together from an organization or your church group and send either the materials or the funding for them to get the materials. Together we can bring this school into the 21st century.
Imagine the difference we can make on their lives. I believe the education is the only way to reach a mind. I believe the potential of these children and teachers is infinite and we can make this difference.
Let go of 1 latte per day. Save that money. Give it to OMCA to better educate the outside villages on the rampage of HIV/AIDS. Help them develop an awareness program to stomp out this problem. Collect funds and send it to the school to help the children expand their minds. Please help. If you were here and saw these amazing and beautiful children you would truly understand my plea.
As Mother Teresa said, “If you look to the masses you will not help, but if you look to the one you can.” Look to just one area to help. Please….
God Bless,
Celine