The Atraga family hosted an authentic Ethiopian dinner for friends from Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Atlanta and St. Peter Chanel in Roswell. Cheru began by explaining the situation in his hometown of Gubre, Ethiopia. Fr. Tamiru, Cheru's brother, added to the conversation about the hardships of growing up in Gubre. As children, they had to walk almost three hours to get to school. There weren't enough textbooks, let alone resource materials available. It was also difficult to find a quiet place to study in their home of eleven children.
Their guests were mesmerized as Cheru unfolded the dream of a library in Gubre. One with computers, books, restrooms and plenty of space. He and his family have already put their own money and time into the project. One of the biggest hurdles crossed was the Ethiopian government agreeing to donate the land for the library and to pay for future staffing. Many villagers have also offered to help with construction. The next great task is to raise the money for materials and specialized labor.
Since this meeting, several attendees have stepped up to serve on the board, assist with marketing, and made donations. With God's help the goal is in sight.
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