The Calling

When my feet touched the land of my beautiful country Ethiopia after years as an immigrant, first in Kenya and then the USA, I had a mixed feelings accompanied by many tears.  I felt unspeakable joy, but also a sense of accountability for un accomplishment purpose that was buried, but not dead, in my broken heart for 15 years.

On one hand, I saw many good changes in the country, but on the other hand, I saw the plight of the poor.  Visiting several slum areas, I met poor single mothers who had no idea how to feed their children.  I saw orphans whose eyes looked for any hope.  I observed homeless mothers stretching out their skinny hands at traffics lights begging for just enough to make a meal for their children.

I found out that status of the poor, especially poor mothers and children, not only existed as it had 15 years ago, but that things for this group of people were actually worse.  The conditions faced by the poor, was what drove me become a guerrilla fighter during my young adult years. I wanted to end poverty and provide justice and a better life for the poor. Caring for the poor and forgotten is what I was made for.  But before I could make lasting change, I was forced to flee from my country.  After 15 years, I was finally able to return to Ethiopia to fulfill my calling.   

Because of my husband’s, Tamrat, imprisonment, I was a single mom for 12 years.  I was in a refugee camp in Kenya with my two children for 3 years.  My children and I came to the US in 2003.   I raised my kids as a single mom by working at a gas station. I know what it looks like when a mom raises her children without enough money, I know the pain of a child when they grow up without their dad present. I believe that the Lord used my pain to birth Life Center Ethiopia. 

 In 2009 Tamrat was released from the prison.  Praise God, he came to the states and joined our family in Colorado.  We started our Life together all over again with our two children. And we dedicated our life to serve Jesus Christ.  God is good.

According to latest international sources:-

·       Ethiopian ranks 174th of 187 countries in overall human development index.

·       There are 5 million orphans and with the recent conflict, many more have been orphaned but not counted   

·       4 out of 5 families live on $ 2 ( USD ) a day

·       10 in every 100 children die before age 5

The irony of these figures is that it represents a country of huge potential wealth and national resources by any standards in Africa and most parts of the world. I am a mother of two children, a wife of former Prime Minister, a political and organizational leader, a gruella fighter, and atheist. BUT while I was in a refugee camp in Kenya, I became a follower of Jesus of Nazareth and gave my life to serving the poor in the love of Jesus.

The purpose of my life is to fulfill the promise Jesus gave:

“The spirit of the Lord is up on me, He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me the heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord” Luke 4:18

     Vision of Life Center

·       To see life center Ethiopia become the light of hope for those who lost hope

       Mission

·       To equip orphans to break the cycle of poverty by providing their needs, educational facilities and psychological and other support to develop their self- confidence and to reach their goals in life

·       To empower widows for independence through private business models by providing skill development, vocational training, and financial loans.

           Core values

Compassion, Integrity, Love, and creativity

            Motivation of Life Center

Our motivation is the call of Jesus of Nazareth to love and serve the poor, the destitute and the marginalized.

·       “I tell you the truth. Whatever you did for one the least of these, you did for me.” 

“(Matthew 25:40)

·       “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress…”(James 1:27)

·       “if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed then your light will rise in the darkness.”( Isaiah 58:10)

-Mulu Woldtinsae