ADDIS ABEBA (ETHIOPIA) -
Circular letter from June 2009
The past six months have really flown by, and next week, our German Church School students will already be receiving their report cards. The same will be true for a fair number of adults that have been joining us for classes every evening. We're very pleased that more than 40 percent of these adults (more women than men) are the parents of our young students. This opportunity for education means a lot for destitute families: the chances for employment increase, as does these parents' ability to help their children at home.
Overall, however, economic developments in Ethiopia give us real reason to worry. Runaway inflation, massive increases in food prices, water shortages in rural areas, all of these factors have the most painful impact on society's poorest. Prices for the staple food "Teff" have increased five-fold in the past three years; fruit and milk prices have exploded as well. Due to energy shortages, electricity is now completely shut off every second day. Most people sit in the dark after 7 pm. On our school grounds, the diesel generator roars all day until 8 pm, when the last students leave. It is difficult to concentrate, or to find some peace and quiet during breaks. It seems like it's just a matter of time before diesel fuel and gas become hard to find or rationed as well.
Inauguration of our Gym
For the kids, the clear highlight of the event was the participation of Haile Gebreselassie. He had pledged to be there for 20 minutes; this turned into more than an hour. The genial long distance star clearly enjoyed entering into sporting competitions with the kids. He tested the moving floor with the Karate-Kids, then had a blindfolded race with our blind kids on the treadmill -- and lost!
Learning by doing: Our School - Day
Looking forward
At this point, we are anxiously awaiting official permission to expand our school building. As previously mentioned, we'd like to leave behind the need to teach in morning and afternoon shifts, and would like to begin teaching based on the "whole-day" principle, a change that the Ethiopian Ministry of Education has also requested. In a further step, we then intend to expand classes to include grades 9 and 10. Since the children live in very tight spatial circumstances in their huts at home, they'd rather stay in school anyways….but we don't have the room.
Without your extraordinary support, we would not have a sports gym today, so we'd like to ask for your continued help towards our great project...even beyond what you've already given.
Some days ago, I was reminded of the Annual Motto 2009: "That which is impossible with people, is possible with God." I find this to be a good motto, regardless of our given circumstances. Please accept my heartfelt greetings, and once again a great THANK YOU for all of your help!
Ato Teklu Tafesse, Principal and 
All the more reason to mark every significant event with a real celebration. On 21 May, we were finally able to inaugurate our sports gymnasium. The idea was born 11 years ago; five years ago, construction started. Since the city of Addis Ababa is directly involved, we were allowed to build the facility right next door to our school, on Jan-Meda field.
Three days a week, the gym is at the exclusive disposal of the German Church School. During his visit in 2004, the German Chancellor had pledged his support; the German and Austrian embassies also provided significant assistance, so on inauguration day, both ambassadors, as well as the deputy mayor of Addis Ababa were present.
"In order to run, and to win a competition, your eyes and your legs are not the most important bodypart...it is your heart. These kids have a big heart: they know when to start, how to run, and when to stop." Four days after his most recent win in Manchester, the winner of the Berlin Marathon honored his young competitors with these words.
The following day was our yearly "School Day", a happy event with game competitions, artistic attractions, and on this occasion, a presentation by the physics class. 16 different experiments had been set up, and the young students were all eyes and ears as their classmates enthusiastically demonstrated and explained their experiments in optics, electronics, hydro-power, and magnetism. Since practical instruction is rather rare in Ethiopia, I was particularly pleased by this initiative. By the way, thanks to a very generous donation by the "Suedtiroler Schuetzen" , we will be able to modernise our computer room and adapt it to the childrens' educational needs.
We are quite aware that in Germany and Europe, life is not getting any easier either, and that more and more people have to struggle in difficult economic circumstances. Which is why we are all the more appreciative that the willingness to contribute to the German Church School has not diminished. We are also grateful and happy for every visit, such visits allow some of you to take away your own personal impressions, and often turn you into ambassadors for the German Church School when you return home.
Martin Gossens, Pastor
