Help the orphans and the Homeless

Hi, my name is Tesfanesh (Tess) McDonald. I was born south of Ethiopia in village called Wolayta. In 2007, I lost my biological parents within the same year. By 2010, I got adopted by American family. The picture you looking at was taken in 2010 at an orphanage called Children’s Cross Connection Ethiopia. You see the girl in a stripped shirt? That’s me and my orphan friends. We got adopted 2 years before they shut the system down. A lot of kids in the system were kids with no mom, no dad or have lost both, some have no siblings, no home, and have been abandoned. In 2020 I went back to visit and heard that they have been stuck there ever since. I felt helpless. I knew I needed to do something to make a difference in these kids lives. I also went back in 2022 and have spoken to the man who has been helping them. He stated that they need help with clothes, food and education. Hearing all this and unable to do something broke my heart.

before I returned, I decided to tour around my village with my brother and cousin and there I saw something that really shattered my heart and I broke into tears. We were walking through the market when a 2 year old boy ran to my cousin’s leg and kept tugging his pants with one hand while keeping the palms up with the other signaling for help. My cousin gave him 5 birr (Ethiopia currency) and the kid sprint to his mom who was a few blocks ahead with an infant in her arms begging as well. It hurt me to see that a 2 year old new what begging is. He should be playing with toys with his friends but instead he was dirty and half unclothed. Every few blocks, they’re kids and adults begging. They make it to the next day by begging for hours in a heat. If they are lucky, they buy themselves bread, if not they eat from garbage. No child, and no parent should ever get to live like that.

The Wolaita people are among the most impoverished groups in both Ethiopia and the entire world. The vast majority of people reside in rural settings. Because of this, life is very difficult for a lot of people.

see I once was an orphan and I once lived a poor life where I went hours without eating. Coming to America I was malnourished, extremely week and sick to death. I was blessed to be adopted and have a chance In life. Because of this chance, I want to help the ones in need. I want to make a difference in these kids lives which is why I created Help the Orphans and the Homeless. It only takes people like you and me who have a compassion for kids and a love for God to make a difference. Nothing is ever too small to make a a change so help me help them.

Thank you