Ripples of Kindness
A Teacher’s Perspective on the Impact
of Compassion
Written
by Cody Huisken
“I know that You can do all
things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” – Job 42:2
Growing up, Abreham Fikre lived in rural Ethiopia where
there was no school bus. That meant walking three hours to school each morning
only to walk the same three hour path back home. Despite spending just as much
time commuting to class as he did actually in class, Abreham understood the
value of receiving an education. Education was his ticket out of poverty.
Education was the route he would take to be able to provide for his current
family, and his future family. Abreham’s family was poor, but he had enough to
at least be able to afford shoes, something many of his peers could not afford.
One afternoon, two hours into his daily trek from school, the sole of his shoe
gave loose, breaking at the seams. Stripping some bark off of a tree along the
path, he temporarily tied his sole back on. He had a choice to make; only
having enough crops for a meal five days each week, his family couldn’t afford
to repair his shoe, much less buy new shoes. Abreham made a choice to sacrifice
three meals that week, taking his portion of the crops and selling them for a
small amount of cash. On a completely empty stomach, he walked to the village
with hopes of finding a tailor to fix his shoe before school started, only to
learn upon arrival that the cost was slightly greater than the cash he carried.
Devastated, he went to school, stuck in a distracted state of melancholy for
the entire day. Noticing his inattentiveness and ill-complexion, Abreham’s
teacher approached him after class to inquire about what was going on. When
Abreham explained his situation, his teacher had compassion on him. Together,
they walked back to the tailor and his teacher covered the amount that Abreham
was short. With restored shoes and restored hope, Abreham returned home with
joy in his heart, even if he had nothing in his stomach. It was during this
walk home that a passion was born in him to aspire to become a teacher. Abreham
now works as an elementary math teacher at the Adams Thermal Academy (ATA) in
Ottoro, a rural Ethiopian village.
Abreham’s childhood experience gives him continual
compassion for his students, encouraging him to go above and beyond in the same
manner that his own teacher did for him many years ago. Abreham still has to
walk quite a distance to school each day even now that he is a teacher. No
longer three hours each way, but a forty minute walk - enough to observe many
things during the commute. One afternoon, about six years ago, Abreham was on his
walk home from the Academy when he noticed an ATA student on the side of the
road. It wasn’t a student he had taught directly in his classroom, but that
didn’t stop his compassion from compelling him to be a Good Samaritan. Stopping
to see if he could be of any assistance, he learned that the child was ill and
in need of medical attention. Despite his meek salary as a teacher, he assisted
the sick middle-schooler to the local clinic and paid the doctor out of his own
pocket. Years later, while attending ATA’s graduation ceremony, a new graduate
approached Abreham and expressed her gratitude for his act of sacrificial
compassion. This is just one of the many examples which demonstrate ATA’s
teacher’s dedication to their students. Abreham’s life verse is Job 42:2, which
comforts him as it reads, “I know that You can do all things; no purpose of
Yours can be thwarted.” Abreham is active in his local church and enjoys
singing in the church choir on Sundays. He views his time on Earth as an
opportunity to share God’s love to others. Along with a group from his church,
he goes out on short-term missions trips once per month. A small benevolent
offering is taken before they leave and is used to be a blessing unto others as
they introduce them to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Abreham praises God for
international donors who answer the call of the great commission.
Abreham is extremely grateful to child sponsors, saying that
it was easy to tell which children had individual sponsors and which ones were
supported by ATF’s general fund. The biggest distinguishing factors are seen in
both academics and in character. The children who have individual sponsors are
more disciplined, exemplifying exceptional leadership qualities, and are the
most respectful. Abreham credits this to God, because he knows that a sponsor
is praying specifically for their sponsor child and communicating with them. The principal of the school confirmed the value
of individual child sponsorships, stating that secondary schools frequently
contact him and visit ATA’s campus because the ATA graduates are
distinguishable from the rest of their secondary school peers. The top three
students at the nearby secondary school are all ATA graduates having each been
blessed with an individual sponsor. It is our goal at ATF to provide each child
with their own compassionate sponsor. We
know that God is at work and believe in His plan, knowing that it will succeed
and not be thwarted! Praise be to God!
