Not Forgotten
By: Addis Coffman
I have experienced benevolence in my life through my adoption story. The two parties involved in this act of kindness were God and my parents. God blessed me beyond measure, and I owe all the glory to Him. The Lord truly never forgot about me, even if, at times, I felt like He was not near. I’m reminded of the verse displayed on our company trailers – “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted.” What great hope and comfort this verse has been for me and my journey.
From birth to seven years old, I grew up in a poverty-stricken village in Ethiopia. I owned one dress (that barely fit me) and no shoes. There wasn’t a penny to my name, but God saw me in my affliction and brought me into a wonderful family that loves Him and loves me unconditionally. From the first day I laid eyes on my parents, to the indescribable hug in the orphanage courtyard, I knew that they were meant for me and me for them.
There were so many scenarios where I could’ve stayed in Ethiopia permanently, whether it was paperwork, me being too old, or even just the language barrier. God saw me and chose adoption for me and my younger brother. I am forever grateful to my family and God for bringing me out of darkness and into a loving family. Benevolence has forever changed my life.
About The Benevolence Committee
The Benevolence Committee exists to amplify and uphold our “Benevolence” core value and serve as a bridge between employee-owners and the charities we regularly support. In January, they hosted a writing contest and asked contestants to respond to the question, “What does benevolence mean to you?” or “How have you seen or experienced benevolence in your life?” This story is one of five that will be shared over the week of February 12-16. We hope you are touched and encouraged as you read about the gift of benevolence. Each winner was asked to choose a charity for the Benevolence Committee to donate $500 to. Addis chose Empty the Orphanage (her father is one of the founders):
“I would love to donate to Empty the Orphanage because I believe God is doing a great work over in Zimbabwe. God has blessed me beyond measure. Therefore, I want to honor him with every blessing that I receive.”
To all of the writers (whether your story is shared or not), we want to send out a sincere thank you for your vulnerability and willingness to share your story. The Benevolence Committee had a very hard time narrowing down the entries to the five that will be shared this week. Each story was special, and a testament to the power of benevolence in our lives.
