God's work among elderly people in Ethiopia

Podcast: Download (Duration: 10:39 — 7.3MB)

In March 2025, our brothers Bishop Roman Jawdyk, Daniel Sawron from Poland, and Michael Akulenko traveled to Ethiopia. After their work at a children's home in Hawassa, Ethiopia, they responded to a call from a long-time supporter of the country to Shashamene to deliver donations from the Tellig community to a retirement home and to report on their experiences.

History of the retirement home

The Kalkidan retirement home was founded in 2012. Zewditu Worku, the wife of a pastor from a church in Shashamene, clearly heard God's call to help elderly people in need and to tell them about Jesus, the Savior. Her goal was not only to make their lives easier, but above all to lead them to conversion so that they could become true followers of Jesus. Therefore, in 2012, she formed a prayer team of volunteers who brought this request before the Lord.

The team visited 50 elderly people in need in their homes and supported them using their own resources. Among those in need were people with leprosy, HIV, blind and mute individuals, as well as single people living in dilapidated huts or on the streets. They were all marginalized by society and had little opportunity to come to know the true God.

How help is provided

By God's grace, the organization received an official license in 2016, which allowed it to expand its work. The number of people receiving aid increased rapidly. The team began repairing the homes of elderly people and distributing clothing, food such as flour and cooking oil, hygiene products, and monetary gifts. The organization also supported grandparents who wanted to enable their grandchildren to attend school by providing them with school supplies and uniforms.

Furthermore, every opportunity was seized to proclaim the Gospel and spread the word among the elderly. Street evangelism was also conducted regularly. The first three small houses on the grounds of the retirement home were built for two elderly people living on the streets and for a woman living in extreme poverty with four children in a tiny room.

Financial challenges

The organization relies on financial support for all its projects. Thanks to private donations from acquaintances and friends of the founder both at home and abroad, the elderly have always been able to receive care. Since 2015, the organization has also regularly received donations from the municipality of Tellig – either in person during trips or through fellow travelers to save on transaction costs.

As an additional source of income, a daycare center was established where parents can have their children cared for daily for a small fee. The aim is to use the revenue to finance the retirement home.

Poorer families belonging to Zewditu's community who earn their living as day laborers are allowed to bring their children to the daycare center free of charge. Although this results in slightly lower revenues, a surplus has still been generated to finance the retirement home.

Resistance from the authorities

Nevertheless, the necessary funds were often lacking, forcing Zewditu Worku to personally appeal for help from wealthy individuals and Christian business owners in Shashamene. The organization was repeatedly overwhelmed and could only maintain its services intermittently.

Shashamene is located in a predominantly Muslim province and is plagued by ethnic conflict. Christians – especially wealthy ones – face systematic discrimination from the authorities and are frequently attacked by radical groups. Homes and businesses have been looted or set on fire, and many people lost their lives in the 2020 unrest.

As a result, numerous supporters of the Kalkidan retirement home lost their livelihoods and have migrated to other cities or regions in the past five years.

Due to the resulting loss of financial support and political resistance, the management of the orphanage was forced to reduce the number of aid recipients from 84 to 21. These recipients currently receive 750 Ethiopian Birr (approximately €5) per month. Due to ongoing inflation, this amount is not even enough for two liters of cooking oil.

Visit of our brothers

In light of all these challenges, the visit from Germany and Poland, along with the donations from the municipality of Tellig, seemed like a miracle to the nursing home's management. Thanks to this support, the dilapidated house of an elderly man could be renovated. Wooden beams, cement, and sheet metal were purchased to repair the walls and roof. Until then, the man had only been able to live in a corner of the house because it was leaking.

Another portion of the donations was used to organize a gathering to which many elderly people were invited. They received a hot meal and were able to attend a church service. Significantly more people attended than expected, yet everyone also received a cash gift to help them buy food for a while.

During the brief visit to Shashamene, the donations were not only handed over, but the organization, the huts built for the elderly, and the daycare center were also visited. The immense need was immediately apparent everywhere. In conversations with the founder, the guests learned about the current crisis and the resistance from the authorities. They were also shown the unfinished church of which Zewditu Worku is a member. Construction has been halted for years due to threats and harassment from the authorities.

After intensive discussions with the management of the retirement home and a shared lunch, our brothers' hearts were deeply moved by this project. They spontaneously decided to present additional donations from the Stephanus Mission. This unexpected gesture overwhelmed the founder and director of the Kalkidan retirement home. She and her team see it as God's working hand and are exceedingly grateful to the Lord.

Before their departure, our brothers asked some questions about the future of the retirement home. The discussions revealed that the entire project hinges on financial support. Although the situation in Ethiopia, particularly in the Oromia province, seems hopeless, Zewditu Worku and her team, as devout Christians, refuse to give up hope. The plans they are praying for and which they described to us are as follows:

Short-term goals:

1. Providing 100 elderly people with the essentials (food, clothing, Bibles, hygiene products, etc.)
2. To provide each aid recipient with annual health insurance worth 1,600 Ethiopian Birr (approx. €11).
3. Repair or renovate dilapidated huts for other needy people
4. Hold regular meetings where you pray with the elderly and tell them about Jesus Christ.
5. Creating job opportunities for healthy older people
6. To establish a funeral and burial service

Long-term goals:

1. To establish a Christian retirement home center where elderly people can live together, receive comprehensive care, and spend the end of their lives with dignity and to the glory of God.
2. Guiding healthy older people to provide for themselves and others through meaningful work
3. Offer training on the sustainable use of microloans and savings opportunities

They see all these goals as their duty before God. They believe that whoever helps others in need fulfills God's commandment. Deeply impressed by this vision and edified by the zeal and devotion of the Ethiopian brothers and sisters, our brothers began their journey home.

Daniel Hein

Tellig municipality