A Woman With an Abundance of Hope
A story of restoration and hope
Before the local church stepped in, Ukume Boltana’s life looked bleak.
After her husband died, his family cast her out with no inheritance and not a penny to her name. With unpredictable work, she struggled to feed and provide for her son for nearly two decades. Even paying the miniscule rent for a one room house was difficult.
The only asset she owned was a 6 x 20 metre plot of land she had bought many years ago. She didn’t allow herself to consider the idea of constructing a house on the land; it seemed like an utterly impossible dream.
But through a donor-supported Tearfund CCT initiative called the Nehemiah Project, a local church was awakened and visited Ukume. In response to the biblical mandate to care for widows and orphans (James 1:27), they saw Ukume’s living condition and supported her with grain, edible oil, and cash. Moreover, they promised to help build her a house on the land she owned. “While I’m not a member of their church, they came to help my problem,” Ukume shared. She explains that this love is something “which I have never heard and experienced in my life.”
The Abela Faracho Kale Heywet Church has become a powerful example of a Christ-centered church in action through Tearfund’s CCT program. Led by a newly formed committee of seven, they serve the community under the guidance of the Nehemiah Project, which focuses on integrating mission-driven, holistic leadership. Traditionally, the church supported the poor on holidays or when believers from other congregations came with letters of need. But after receiving training from the Nehemiah Project, the church saw beyond its walls, reaching out to neighbors like Ukume who weren’t members.
Every church member contributed to building Ukume’s home and supporting her family. Some donated wood, while others volunteered carpentry skills, food, and funds. As the church grows in service, they are gathering regular contributions to sustain this mission and continue teaching members about their role in the community. The chairperson explains that the training “has not only helped us to support people in need, but also to revise our ways of evangelism, strategies, and… it has helped us to re-discover the under-utilized resources we have and preach the gospel in its fullest form.”
Our God is a God of restoration and He is truly using your donations to restore lives. Thank you for your incredible support of this project.
100% of CCT work is supported by individuals like you.
