Empowering Fathers

We were not sure how many would respond to our invitation, but we were delighted when most of the fathers arrived. The event turned out to be a great success and focused on the fathers in ways that encouraged all who attended. Not even the surprise heavy rains could dampen our spirits.   

After some icebreaker games—not all the men knew each other—we served a special Ethiopian-style BBQ dinner that was a huge hit. Our goal was to celebrate with these men, to honor and come alongside them, and to let them know that they are important to their families as well as to us. We prayed with them and shared a message on the importance of the father in the home: to love and care for his wife and to protect and guide his children.

In response, many fathers stood up and shared, one by one, expressing their gratitude for this time together and what being a father meant to them. Some challenged everyone in the room to be the best father possible. Others thanked God for HFK helping their families through tough times. One man told us how his blood pressure was high and out of control, but the medicine we provided had saved his life. It is humbling to hear feedback like that, and I wish all our supporters back home, who helped save this man and feed the others, could have been there with us. We hope you will enjoy the short video and hear for yourself, and be encouraged by what some of these dads had to say. (See Video Link below.)

Looking to the future, please pray with us as we continue to come alongside these men. Over the next year, our plan is to take these fathers every quarter, outside of the city-slum, to an uplifting and peaceful location for a 2-day training. A close friend of HFK, Yohannes Yadagne, who is a gifted communicator and an expert trainer in Reconciliation and Leadership, will be leading these sessions. We are all looking forward with great anticipation to see how God will use this time to further empower these men and their families to break the chains of poverty in their lives.