{"id":2935,"date":"2016-07-29T16:45:24","date_gmt":"2016-07-29T16:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.devonshanorphotography.com\/?p=2935"},"modified":"2016-07-30T13:44:30","modified_gmt":"2016-07-30T13:44:30","slug":"we-all-can-make-a-difference-endales-story-personal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/we-all-can-make-a-difference-endales-story-personal\/","title":{"rendered":"We ALL can make a difference. Endale’s Story | Personal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of you all know that a huge part of my heart is connected to Ethiopia. \u00a0This country gave me my son Messay and I will forever be grateful.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is a country filled with beauty, joy, culture and love. \u00a0It is also filled with poverty and need. \u00a0I am on the board of directors for an amazing non-for-profit, Habesha Momma<\/a>, that works to help better lives of women and children in Ethiopia. I have been going back to Ethiopia for the past two years with Habesha Momma and am so proud of the work we do there.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I began to sponsor this young man, Endale, after our first trip. \u00a0I want to share his story.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"endale-23\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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He lives on Entoto Mountain, where there live a very large population of homeless and sick people. \u00a0My friend Mesfin, runs a feeding program and has worked for years to help the people of Entoto.\u00a0\u00a0After participating in his feeding program last year, \u00a0I met little Endale and his mother. \u00a0This was a picture of his family from that first year (2015), Endale is in his mothers arms. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"habesha-1438\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\n There is a sponsorship program that provides basic needs for families that are living on the mountain, run by Ordinary Hero.<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0Endale and his mother had been waiting on a sponsor for a very long time, possibly because Endale has severe mental and physical disabilities. \u00a0For some reason, I was drawn to Endale and I asked his mother to hold him… I will never forget those first moments. \u00a0He screamed and laughed, pulled my hair and hit me in excitement! \u00a0As I have a degree in special education, I was well aware he wasn’t upset but just happy and showing his excitement any way he could! \u00a0He gave me lots of kisses and love and we laughed and laughed. \u00a0By the time I handed him back I was covered in spit, had red marks on my face and my heart had been stolen!<\/strong><\/p>\n

As soon as I returned home from Ethiopia, I contacted Ordinary Hero and asked them to allow me to sponsor Endale and his family. \u00a0My sponsoring them allowed them food, a place to live and medical care. \u00a0His mother could finally breathe easier as Endale’s disability wouldn’t allow her to work outside the home. \u00a0Finally, she could rest at night knowing his basic needs were provided for.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year, I returned to Ethiopia with Habesha Momma and we were able to visit Entoto Mountain on the last day of our trip. \u00a0I was so excited to see my Endale again. \u00a0It is a day I will never forget.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is me as I finally get to see Endale with his mother. \u00a0I am sure I was saying something nice but I think I look a little crazy as I am taking him from his momma! \u00a0I was just so excited to hold him again!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"endale-1\"<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

From the moment Endale was in my arms he was laughing. \u00a0He laughed and laughed! \u00a0He gave me kisses. \u00a0He squeezed my cheeks with his little chubby fingers (I think I had red marks again from his fingernails lol!) \u00a0Did I mention his laugh? \u00a0It was infectious! He brought our team so much joy… just watching him laugh, smile and squeal in excitement.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"endale-3\"<\/a> \"endale-5\"<\/a> \"endale-6\"<\/a> \"endale-7\"<\/a> \"endale-9\"<\/a> \"endale-10\"<\/a> \"endale-11\"<\/a> \"endale-14\"<\/a> \"endale-19\"<\/a> \"endale-16\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This morning I received a message from my friend Mesfin. Endale passed away yesterday. \u00a0I don’t know how, all I know is he got sick two days ago and passed away in the hospital. My heart is breaking for this family. \u00a0My heart is breaking that I will never hear that precious laugh again. \u00a0My heart is breaking knowing the pain his mother must be feeling.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I think back on the life of Endale… the two short visits I had with him. \u00a0I will never forget his laugh. \u00a0He might not have been able to talk to me or run around with the other kids, but he showed me love. \u00a0He shared happiness. \u00a0He radiated joy. \u00a0No matter how you were feeling, how sad, upset or angry you were, just being around little Endale would fix that, even if just for a moment! \u00a0I share these pictures with you to show you his love… his contribution to this world. \u00a0He might not have been able to tell you his name but he should share the simple joy of being alive with you.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"endale-21\"<\/a> \"endale-20\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I am not sure if his mom will know how much he meant to me… how much I cherished the moments I was able to spend with him. \u00a0I hope you take this time to enjoy Endale’s joy. \u00a0I hope you allow it to lift your spirits. \u00a0It was what I believe he was put on earth to do… to share pure joy. So please take a moment and allow his joy to fill your heart. \u00a0Look at that beautiful smile, the glee in his eyes! \u00a0 When you think you don’t have anything to offer the world, think of Endale. \u00a0He couldn’t do so much… but he could do the very best thing of all… love. \u00a0He could brighten your day and bring a smile to those around him. \u00a0He did his job and he did it well. \u00a0God called him home and now he is running around and that beautiful laugh is filling the heavens!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"endale-12\"<\/a> \"endale-8\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

I am so very very thankful to have met Endale. \u00a0I thank God he allowed me to hold him just two weeks ago and share his joy. \u00a0I am thankful he had a mother, a brother and a community who loved him. \u00a0I am thankful God introduced me to my friend Andrea (president of Habesha Momma), who introduced me to Mesfin, who introduced me to Ordinary hero. \u00a0I am thankful that for the last year of his life, he wasn’t hungry or unsheltered. \u00a0I am thankful God allowed me to provide for them. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not all of the kids in Ethiopia are so lucky. \u00a0Our project in Debre Markos is working to help children living on the streets, without family, shelter or food. (Watch Video Here.<\/a>) Please consider going to Habesha Momma<\/a> and donating. \u00a0Would you donate a $1, $5, or even $50 in memory of Endale? \u00a0Help us share his joy by bringing joy and love to more children so desperately in need of it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Most of you all know that a huge part of my heart is connected to Ethiopia. \u00a0This country gave me my son Messay and I will forever be grateful. It is a country filled with beauty, joy, culture and love. \u00a0It is also filled with poverty and need. \u00a0I am on the board of directors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[69,68],"class_list":["post-2935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family","category-personal","tag-ethiopia","tag-habesha-momma"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2935"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2969,"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2935\/revisions\/2969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/devonshanorphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}