Abandoned at Birth
The neighbors knew something was terribly wrong when they heard shrieking cries coming from a nearby home. They rushed over to help but the door was locked. After breaking down the door, they found twin infants, crying and alone.
The babies’ mother was never seen again.
The neighbors gathered up the young girls and hurried to find their father, who had recently separated from the mother. The baby girls’ father, Mr. Ayalew, became their primary caregiver and named them Elisabeth and Alemtarik.
Raising Twins Despite the Struggle
As the girls grew, Mr. Ayalew did everything he could to provide for them, including selling sugarcane at the local market. As Mr. Ayalew sliced and sold his sugarcane, he never took his eyes off the twins as they played on the dusty roads of Huruta, a small town in Ethiopia.
“Our father sacrificed a lot to care for us. He chose to raise us through the struggle, even if it meant that he had to always scraped together money to provide for us.” — Elisabeth
Although he worked tirelessly with the twins in tow, Mr. Ayalew’s income was far from enough to care for their needs.
Help Comes Knocking
One morning, a group of people from the community’s local church knocked on Mr. Ayalew’s door to ask if he had any children who needed support.
At first, he was suspicious. But soon, 4-year-old Elisabeth and Alemtarik joined the church’s Compassion program. Almost immediately, the twins received access to critical care and encouragement, lifting some of the massive weight from Mr. Ayalew’s shoulders.
More Tragedy Threatens the Family
Mr. Ayalew began to suffer severe and frequent asthma attacks. Although the local church helped him get medical treatment, his strength continued to decline.
Mr. Ayalew had to quit selling sugarcane, the only means he had to sustain the family. Sadly, he couldn’t pay the cost to keep his home, leading to eviction. The twin girls were left feeling confused and helpless.
“We were not sure what to do. We were scared to tell anyone what was happening at home. Our landlords would try to evict us, thinking that our father would soon die. I think they didn’t want the trouble of helping us bury him.” — Alemtarik
The Family Finds an Advocate
On the morning of the family’s eviction, the landlord was throwing all their belongings into the street. Solomon, the accountant at the twins’ Compassion center, just so happened to walk by.
Solomon took it upon himself to fight for the girls, making sure the family could return to their home. He also became their advocate, ensuring they received additional support through Compassion’s Highly Vulnerable Children fund.
Through this support, the family received food each month, a safe place to call home and additional care for their needs. It was this love and care, and Solomon’s advocacy, that would carry the twins through the worst loss they’d ever experience.
Orphaned But Not Forgotten
Mr. Ayalew’s health continued to decline. And when the twins were just 12 years old, their father passed away.
Elisabeth and Alemtarik moved into a small, rented room in their godmother’s compound. Alone and with no one else to care for them, the Compassion center stood by them. The staff, especially Solomon, walked beside the girls in their grief, praying for them, comforting them and providing for them.
The center hired a cook to help provide nutritious meals, and the staff regularly visited Elisabeth and Alemtarik to ensure they were doing well.
The girls attended program activities at the center regularly. They spent most of their free time at the center, singing with the children’s choir and joining in Bible classes. Despite their incredible loss, the girls had found family at the local church.
“The center was a family for us. We spent our time there since there was nothing good back home. Solomon was like a father to us. He treated us like his children. Having the center in our lives was our security.” — Elisabeth
“The Best Thing We Got Was Jesus”
Each day at the Compassion center, the twins were brought to the feet of Jesus through classes, Bible reading, worship and prayer. And as they grew, they also grew closer to him.
As they read the Bible, they were strengthened by its truth. And as they prayed, they began to feel hope despite the trauma they had faced.
“The best thing that helped us endure all the trauma in our lives is the fact that we found Jesus. He is truly our Father. Whenever we feel sad, we talk to him. Whenever we feel lonely, we know he is with us. Whenever we lack anything, we ask for his provision. The best thing we got from the center is Jesus.” — Alemtarik
Holding onto him, Elisabeth and Alemtarik began to see his purpose for their lives. They knew they were so much more than poverty or their trauma. This truth inspired them to begin reaching for a brighter future.
Stronger Than Ever
Elisabeth and Alemtarik graduated high school together. And through Compassion’s support, they’re receiving consistent help with housing and food so they can continue their studies in college.
The twins have decided to pursue accounting — one step closer to fulfilling their father’s dream that they would become wise and successful young women.
Elisabeth and Alemtarik attribute their success so far and who they have become to their heavenly Father and those who love them at their Compassion center.
“The support we received since our father passed away is the reason we are here today. It has made us who we are today. Without the support, we would have ended up on the streets or been separated. We thought we had no one when we lost our dad. But we had the Compassion center that stood with us — even today.” — Elisabeth
“Looking back on our lives, I always say that the Lord had a purpose for our hardships. I believe we are stronger than ever, and we can tackle the issues of poverty since we were right in the middle of the pit.” — Alemtarik
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. — Psalm 40:2, NIV
Stories like these are close to the Lord’s heart. James 1:27 says that the purest devotion to God is to “look after orphans and widows in their distress.” Caring for the vulnerable is exactly what Compassion centers do each day. And through their love and care, children like Elisabeth and Alemtarik experience hope in Jesus, changing their lives forever.
