Ethiopia one-month team in their van - Melissa is on the front right in the black hood (photo by Asher Wood)

“…our team members washed the street boys’ feet as a gesture of our love and gratitude towards them. The boys then in turn washed our feet. Such humility and servitude was really astounding…”

by Melissa Kohne

The Mocha Club one-month team of six arrived fresh from America on July 29th and just left on August 23rd.  The team had a great dynamic and every team member brought their own unique and refreshing outlook on Africa. We divided our time between three Ethiopian cities: Addis Ababa, Nazaret, and Ambo.   Here are some of the highlights:

• In Nazaret we spent 2.5 days with the Women At Risk that Mocha Club supports. They are going through a nine-month program that focuses on counseling and job training. Each morning with the women we had devotional time together and then two women and two team members shared their stories with the group. To see such trust and hear such strength from all was truly one of my favorite times. The women also sang worship songs better than any other group I have ever encountered!
• In Ambo our team taught English to children sponsored by Compassion International (at a school Mocha Club funded), and worked with street boys. Four street boys in particular were adopted by our group. Our last night together in Ambo, our team leaders surprised us with a nice dinner, and after a coffee ceremony, our team members washed the street boys’ feet as a gesture of our love and gratitude towards them. The boys then in turn washed our feet. Such humility and servitude was really astounding and I wish I could capture that feeling of love and place it in this blog post for you all to feel.
• One of days in Addis Ababa, we had our own version of Thanksgiving.  All our team members were there, as well as our friends we had worked with the previous month. Seeing everyone interacting made it feel like a family Thanksgiving for sure.
• On the last day, all the girls of our team got our hair braided.  Some of the girls even wore traditional Ethiopian dresses on the plane ride home. The sight we made all walking the streets together was really quite hilarious!

Yesterday an Ethiopian friend told me that I was not a tourist, I was instead part of the Ethiopian “dispora” (meaning I was an Ethiopian who left and has returned). Although it was said in jest, my hope is that the way I interact with all gives off that impression. I don’t want to be another tourist who comes, gives physical gifts, and leaves. I’m still learning each day how to live beside my African friends (and not simply observe how they live), and how to keep these relationships alive and well once an ocean is between us.

For more about Melissa’s trip, you can check out her personal blog.

There is a huge variety of classes available to the women at our Women at Risk facility, including training to become a hair stylist.

This training exists because of members, like you, who support our Child Mothers + Women at Risk projects. Thank you.

The women receive training at our Women at Risk facility in many different skill areas- including sewing. The old Singer machine never goes out of style.

Your $7/month towards the Child Mothers + Women at Risk project allows us to continue to train and equip these women in skills that will help them to make an honest living for their families.

Training for those at our Women at Risk facility includes how to make fancy (and delicious!) coffee shop quality drinks.

Your $7/month towards our Child Mothers + Women at Risk project allows these women to continue to receive the training and education necessary to make an honest living.

Or maybe you have seen it on our Facebook page.

Now a bit of an explanation.

Each of our members, like you, pick one of our five projects to support (Education, Clean Water, Child Mothers + Women at Risk, HIV/AIDS + Healthcare, Orphan Care + Vulnerable Children). And though you do get monthly updates, we wanted to give you a bit more.

We realized that sitting right here under our very noses were piles and piles of video tape from each of those projects. (Okay, not really piles. But files. Files and files.)

So we wanted to start showing you those files and files. From every project. From seven different countries in Africa. From summer and winter. Families. Kids. Schools. Wells. Clinics. Women. Men. All of it.

Every day, Monday through Friday, you can expect a ten second video from the Mocha Club vault. Watch it. Share it. Show the world where your $7 is going every month.

Here is Today’s 10 Seconds. Hope you enjoy these short clips of the projects that you are making possible.

Have you missed some of the videos from the last few months? Just check our Today’s 10 Seconds section of the blog.

She’s all smiles.

Join with our Child Mothers + Women at Risk project as we continue to provide job training for these women.

Learning to sew is a valuable skill taught at our Women at Risk facility in Nazaret, Ethiopia.

Join our Child Mothers + Women at Risk project and be a part of the continued education and training for women trying to support their families.

The women from our Women at Risk facility take a break from their training and education classes to do a fun song and dance for Char and Skiff from our Mocha Club Experience.

Support these women, and many more, by joining up with our Child Mothers + Women at Risk project.

A woman from our Women at Risk program is receiving training and education to become a seamstress. The skills are invaluable and allow these women to make an honest income for their families.

You can help more women receive these types of training by joining with our Child Mothers + Women at Risk project.

Working hard with a smile on your face- if only we could all appreciate our jobs this much.

Find out more about our Child Mothers + Women at Risk project and be a part of providing job training for these women.