Hope Spot 3 – Not a Valentine … but love through rain or shine

Where I live in South Australia, it hasn’t rained for six months.

At least, that’s what it feels like.

Meanwhile, in northern Queensland,
and down the east coast,
it seems it hasn’t stopped raining.

I used to think there was nothing you and I could do about the weather …

… but earlier this week, I received a photo from the Canal Project the ALWS family supports in Ethiopia, through our partner LWF, that changed my mind.

Let’s see if it changes your mind too.

First, we have to go back to:

AUGUST 2024

Farm families like Etagegne’s suffered from drought, and struggled to provide food for their children, no matter how hard they worked.

Etagegne told the LWF team:

“I was poor, because I have low levels of livelihood,
and I face shortages of food and basic necessities.”

That’s when I asked the ALWS family to help complete a 635 metres long canal to bring year-round irrigation water for 223 farm families.

This massive project would require:

• 939 m³ of excavated dirt to be removed
• 45 tonnes of cement to be brought in
• 520 m³ of stone and sand to be used in construction
• Loads of generosity from Aussies like you

NOVEMBER 2024

The canal project was completed, and the taps turned on:

FEBRUARY 2025

Today, farmers are planting crops, using the water you bring to them through the canal the ALWS family completed:

Crops are flourishing, thanks to the water
delivered by the new canal!

Yes, I know this may not be literally ‘changing the weather’…

… but it is bringing the certainty of life-giving water where before there was none.

That’s the impact when love comes to life not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day.

These families have felt forgotten by the world. That’s why their children are part of the 75,000 children ALWS aims to support to give thanks for our 75th year of service. For them, your kindness ‘rain or shine’ is a blessing ALWayS. Thank you!

PS: As ALWS gives thanks for 75 years of service, we recall the Lutheran pioneers and the LWF plane flying loads of food into Ethiopia in the early 1980s, even before LiveAid brought the country’s famine crisis to the world’s attention. You are welcome to join the ALWS 75^th Thanksgiving – simply go to alws75.org.au