Each year we visit the school at the end of December for Christmas and in the month of June for graduation. Our students sponsors often come with us to visit Thrive Academy to meet their students.
Gloria was so excited to meet Demelash and get to know him better. Gloria bought Demelash some clothing and other necessities. She asked if she could take them to his house and then come back. Gloria left holding Demelash's hand. Hours later Gloria returned with Demelash only to find that he lives miles away from the school.
She walked through fields, animals, rocky terrain and the cold to Demelash's home made of dirt floors and walls. These children travel so far to come to school each day.
When the Thrive Academy was opened in September of 2014, Chuck and Vicki asked if they could sponsor two children. They have raised a boy and girl of their own and asked to sponsor both a girl and a boy.
Vicki decided that meeting these two beautiful Ethiopia children was worth the long plane trip, strange and even no food, the long bus ride from Addis to Debre Birhan and even the ridiculous amount of shots necessary to travel to Ethiopia.
When Vicki meet Derash and Nebeyat, it was love at first site. These children love her as much as she fell in love with them. No ocean is large enough to separate this rare and special connection.
