52 Days and Counting

What to take, what to leave, what to sell, what to give away. These have been the abiding questions for us as we get ready to leave for Tigrai, Ethiopia. The cost of shipping makes some decisions easy for us. What's light enough and valuable enough to pay to send? What do we have to take to do our jobs correctly, regardless of the cost?
    Most of the trimming down has been surprisingly enjoyable. With every perceived treasure we decide to part with, we discover the people and memories attached to it are still with us. The stuff itself is not what carries the value. So we look forward to traveling light. We'll ship one cubic meter of stuff by sea, take two 44 pound suitcases, one carry-on and Roscoe the Yorkie. We'll rent one container that will stay here to store basic kitchen stuff, some simple furnishings, and the things that sustain day to day housekeeping. Everything else goes!
    We plan to purchase another laptop for Jane and some curriculum we think will work well in Mekele. Since I will spend much time teaching American English, I'm purchasing some really good teaching material that come in print and on DVD.
    The purpose of this blog is to keep in touch with friends and family while we spend our time in Mekele. However, some of you have asked if you can help out financially. The answer is yes! The Timothy Project has agreed to allow us to raise support through their organization. They are a 501c3 non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible. Their mailing address is:

The Timothy Project, PO Box 193, Wheaton, IL 60189-0193

    Please mark your check, payable to the Timothy Project,  for support of Ted and Jane Scheuermann. Currently we could use some help with shipping to Ethiopia. That will cost $650.00 or more and that's by ocean shipping, the cheapest option. We also need to purchase that second laptop computer.

Scholarship Students at Simret Learning Center

    Now for the fun part. We have finally gotten pictures from Simret Learning Center in Mekele. I'll include some here for you to see. Please note the number of scholarship students. They are usually children who have been orphaned and are living with extended family such as aunts, uncles, older siblings, and grandparents. They need and want education, but their families cannot afford the tuition of 300 Ethiopian Birr per month (about $18.00 US). If we get contributions for scholarships, we can add more students. I understand there is a limitless supply.


The 2010 Kindergarten Class

    Finally, take a look at the Kindergarten graduating class from last year. One picture says it all. We'll be filing our visa applications next week and having our estate sale sometime during the next two weeks. Of course we want everything to go smoothly, but we'll settle for things going exactly the way the Lord wants them to go.