Tezera’s Story

Tezera, an amazing Christian woman, feels that she has been called by God to minister to the widows and orphans in Ethiopia.  This calling is so strong she will stop at nothing to see this vision to come fruition.  She used to work for Compassion International, an organization that helps poorer families in Ethiopia, before she founded this Widows and Orphans Home.  When she was working for Compassion International, she had a dream about starting a place for widows and orphans.  The dream was so real and vivid she remembers it to this day.  She shared the dream with us . . . she saw a group of Americans, 12 white people and 1 black woman.  The black woman asked so many questions.  One of the white people was an overweight man.  In the dream, he was crying uncontrollably and his wife was rubbing his back consoling him.  Tezera was given a gift in the dream . . . it was an apron; green, brown and white stripes with two big pockets in the front and a metal ring to adjust the length.  Talk about a vivid dream! Tezera shared this dream with her family and most people made fun of her.  Despite this, she believed the dream was from God and she was going to keep praying to make the home a reality.  Seven years went by and Tezera's brother-in-law called her one day and said, "Your American friends are here in my office."  Tezera, who had been teased by this brother-in-law for years about the dream, quoted a verse from the bible about not joking and then she hung up the phone.  He called back and say, "Really, there are 12 white and 1 black American here in my office.  We will come by tomorrow.  And they did! During the first meeting with the Americans, someone translated for Tezera because she did not think her English was good enough.  When she left the meeting, she was not pleased.  She did not feel her message came across.  Thankfully, there was another meeting where she told the story herself.  Tezera shared her dream and her desire to have a home for widows and orphans in Adama.  By the end of the talk, the black woman was asking a ton of questions and the overweight man (Big Daddy) was crying and his wife was consoling him . . . just like the dream!  The Americans told her that they would help her start this house and they meant it!  In a matter of months, she received 100,000 Birr from the Americans to pay rent, buy beds, etc. etc.  Her dream was becoming a reality!  But the best part is that along with the money, she also received the green, brown, and white apron, with two big pockets and a metal ring for adjusting the length!!  God is amazing!   Life is too short and the planet is too big to stay in one place too long!