DeLange Family Blogs

So, resuming from our Israel 2008 trip. I continued on to Africa with Destiny’s father Paul and Destiny returned home, as the doctor recommended that she not go to Africa in her current state of pregnancy.  Paul and I arrived in Abbis Abba, Ethiopia the morning of July 28th and after a short nap we got immediately started.

We went over to “Where Love IS” which is a safety house we are financially supporting for street boys in Addis Abba. They take in boys with practically no family and provide shelter and education for them.  

We then returned to the hotel and had meetings with some representatives helping us with our efforts in Africa in which I also received a tour of the city.

The next morning we left for Kersa Llala, a remote city about 6 hours south of the capital city of Addis. Here is where the orphanage  

“Village of Hope” resides that takes in both girl and boy orphans.   

The children are so wonderful and just love affection.  We met with the orphanage managers and went over some business and then left for our nearby hotel.

Our hotel is kind of a funny story in itself. It us owned by Rastifatarians which is a movement that is very famous in Jamaica but their Zion actually resides in Kersa Llala. Let’s just say that the survival substance of choice  is Marijuana. And things always got a little funnier at the hotel. LOL.

 

Over the next few days we meet with city and county officials regarding our goals and plans for Kersa Llala.  They have already seen the success we have had in our agricultural test fields (see video) and are very excited to see what else we can bring to the table.  The following are our goals for the Kersa Llala people and hopefully soon, the entire country of Ethiopia:

1) Community Dry Farming Initiative (Most Important) 

To educate the importance and proper techniques of what we know as Dry 

Farming in the states.  We will teach and more importantly show that dry 

farming is indeed possible for the Ethiopian people and will allow them 

to get one extra crop per year that they desperately need. 

  

2) Orchard 

Showing the importance and proper maintenance of tree seeding.  We are 

including many variety of plants for R&D including apple, papaya, Paulís 

Peaches J, and others that I donít know how they are translated in 

English.  Trees will be watered daily during the dry season for the 

first year only.  The following years the trees will not be manually 

watered and will have to rely solely on rain fall.  Some will fail, but 

we will then know which ones survive and which ones will be suitable for 

use during the dry season. 

  

3) Irrigation 

It is believed that that current irrigation system providing water for a 

couple hundred acres of land is only producing at less the 30% of its 

actual capacity.  Using some manual labor and a little know how we plan to clean up the irrigation system and open it to its full potential. 

  

4) Livestock 

This initiative can only begin under the conditions that animals have 

access to clean water, good forage, and are healthy.  The idea is to 

place 8 animals, cows and calves, in a feeding lot provided with alp 

alpha and other healthy forage, and with clean water and measure their 

success against an identical ìcontrol groupî being feed by current 

traditional methods.  We hope that this will be an opening for our next 

initiative and it is to get the water point open for access to the 

people. 

  

Water points 

We will work on establishing a good report with county and tribal 

leaders in order to open up the currently secured water points (which 

were built by the LDS church).  They are currently on lock down and 

require locals to purchase water instead of being able to partake of it 

freely.  This has caused many people to return to the rivers to collect 

parasitic water as it can be freely taken from rivers and lakes. 

Unfortunately this has thrown the community back into the existing 

problem of dangerous diseases affecting them and their livestock.

 

I just love the people of Ethiopia. Every single one of them. They are the best people I have ever met, and I was so glad to meet everyone of them.  I hope to go back and see every one of them. I encourage you to check out the gallery of photos and video and see some of the people for yourself.

Make sure to check out the videos and photos!

*UPDATE- Destiny’s father Paul and his wife Janna Morrell have decided to adopt 4 children and Destiny’s sister Cherish and her husband have decided to adopt 4 children as well. Way to go!!!

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We had a very successful trip down to Ecuador this last month. Tyler and I spent our days searching for odds and ends for our new orphanage.  We were able to find all but two items, and they are going to be built.  I was super grateful to have my translator with me for that week- we had to do a ton of research, and I couldn’t have done it without him.  Katie helped me the second week- I really need to learn some Espanol.

View all the photos of our trip!

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If I told you there is 27 million slaves in the world today, and that the slave trade generates $32 billion annually would you believe me?  I wouldn’t have either until I did my research.  I would have said there is absolutely NO slavery except for a few unique, very sad stories here and there.  It is amazing that most of us don’t know about the epidemic taking over our world right under our noses.  

I first heard about it when I was talking to my dad a few months ago when he told me a story.  He said that when my uncle- who is also my dad’s business partner was in Dubai in a local bar and heard some commotion going on behind him.  When he asked what is was about- since he didn’t speak the language- the man he was with explained that a young girl was just auctioned off to the highest bidder. Now obviously this story upset me very much, but at the same time, I figured it was an isolated incident and only wished I could have been there to win the bid and get the young girl help.  But when my dad and I continued to talk about it, he said there is a lot of the same thing going on around the world.

I felt drawn to the matter so I started doing some research on my own.  I have come to find out that “The commerce in human beings today rivals drug trafficking and illegal arms trade for the top criminal activity on the planet.” In one of Bush’s speeches after 9/11 he remarked on the ongoing epidemic stating that “Each year 800,000 to 900,000 human beings are bought, sold, or forced across the world’s borders.”

Now, the question for me isn’t does it exist… it is… how do we make it cease to exist?  

You all know me, and you all know I’m not a very political person- I have to constantly ask Tyler which party it is we belong to. But I really feel passionate about this problem.  Ever since I learned about all of this I go to bed at night thinking of all the children out there who are forced to do sexual favors, or labor day in and day out until someone can rescue them from their fate. As I lay awake I wonder how many scared little girls there are at that very moment out there being forced to perform 10+ tricks a night while I am under a safe roof with a loving husband and family. Then I wonder what can someone like me do anyways?  How can someone like me- with as little knowledge and little training do? Then I wonder how is it that I was so blessed, and it’s then that I realize I was put in a position in this world where I can make a difference.  In Relief Society a few Sundays ago we had a lesson on “Becoming Instruments in the Hands of God” – and the thing that keeps ringing in my head is a quote given by President James E. Faust:

 “You can be powerful instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work… You can do something for another person that no one else ever born can do.” 

 So what does that say to me?  It makes me ask myself- what is it that I can offer that no one else can to these helpless victims.  And I have come to realize that it is my heart, and it is the Gospel, because these people aren’t only slaves in the physical sense but also in the emotional, mental and spiritual sense.  And I may not be super powerful in helping them out of the physical bondage- as I don’t have that kind of power or resources as a 22 year old politically ignorant girl- but I can provide shelter, guidance, love and the Gospel once they are freed from their physical bonds. 

But how do I find them? First I wanted to spread the word.  I think it is crucial that people start learning about this problem. I often wonder why we don’t hear about it on the news- but just because it isn’t on the news doesn’t mean it doesn’t exists.  If people are aware- then eyes can be open to our surroundings, and we can learn to spot things that are out of the ordinary.  It’s like those 3D Hidden pictures- if you didn’t know there was a picture hidden beneath all the colors- you would never think to stop and look, and even when you know it exists, it’s hard to see- but once you see it- it’s obvious.  

Please take time to watch this short video Tyler has posted, and sign the petitions, it may seem like a small act- but if a million people make the small act of signing a piece of paper- it could be a big act. Also- if you feel intrigued I would suggest reading “Not for Sale” by David Batstone (it is graphic- but it is truth) – and rent the movie Amazing Grace (I haven’t seen it yet, but it is supposed to be inspirational).  

Not For Sale Video –> http://www.concerttoendslavery.com/

Sign the Petition –> http://www.worldvision.org/nochildsoldiers

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