Fr Mark Montebello O.P.

The name of the young man who appears in this photo here is Zemenu. He is an 18-year-old Ethiopian. At the moment he is following a three-year medical course at the University of Addis Abeba, Ethiopia’s capital city. He is doing so with the help of donations that I am sending to him from Malta. Zemenu is an orphan. He has no-one in the world. The money I am sending him is saving his life.

A sad past

I met Zemenu while carrying out missionary work in Ethiopia last August. Part of my assignment there was in a place called Powie, working with Capuchin friars. Zemenu was raised by them together with the many orphans the friars care for on a daily basis. He lived on his own in a very small shack just across the street from the friars’ compound. He possessed only the very bare living essentials.

Zemenu is a lively person. He is intelligent and knows English well. He has no brothers or sisters. He lost his father at a very young age. Then his mother got ill too, and they had to leave their village and go to Powie, close to a public hospital. But his mother passed away too, and Zemenu was left alone in the whole world. If it were not for the Capuchin friars who took care of him, giving him clothing and food, like so many other children he would surely have ended up a beggar, and dead at a tender age from illness and malnutrition.

In Ethiopia people die like insects. Malaria, tuberculosis, polio, AIDS and glaucoma feast on their poor physical constitutions, and finish them up before their 50th birthday. If you are unfortunate enough to contract some disease, you are likely to be maimed for life, go blind or depart this earth. Zemenu was fortunate enough to find big-hearted people who took care of him and saved his life from a cruel destiny.

Faith in God

Zemenu always did well in his studies. He received his basic education from the Capuchin friars and their teaching staff, and progressed through all the grades with flying colours. He even sat for the public exams so as to be eligible for university, and did very well. Having no money to pursue his studies he still studied in the hope that God would send someone who could provide him with the necessary funds.

God sent me exactly in time. Not only did I have pity on him, but I also saw his great potential. I did not commit myself blindly to helping him out. He is an honest and genuine person; he is capable of pursuing his studies with success; and he has the full support and assurance of the Capuchin friars, with whom I keep in contact. In this way, I say that providing him with financial assistance would not be money down the drain. On the contrary, it would be an indirect way of helping countless people through him.

I promised to help, even if I did not know exactly from where I was going to collect the money required. Like him, I hope in God. Now Zemenu is studying at the University of Addis Abeda, Ethiopia’s capital city. He needs e2,000 for every year of his course, and this takes three years to complete. This means that I need to raise e6,000 in three years.

A true mission

So here I am extending to you an invitation to help me with any money that you can give to help Zemenu and give him a life and a future. Up till now, in three months time, I succeeded in collecting more than e2,000, and this lays my mind at rest for Zemenu’s first year of studies. But I still need more than double to fulfil this mission. Every euro cent counts, and I believe that God, who began this act of mercy, will eventually bring it to completion.

It is with great humility that I ask you to send me money, as you can, and make this Christmas a special one for yourself. Scripture says: “Who saves one life, saves the entire world”; and this surely comes to pass with the money you send dear Zemenu. I assure you that your generosity will prove an investment that will aid the life of this young man.

You can send me a cheque or a money order at the address: Dominican Priory, St Monica Street, Pieta PTA 3111. You can otherwise deposit money directly at a bank account reserved for this purpose: HSBC 040-0722-66-004. I appreciate if, together with your offering, you include your name and address to keep you up to date on your money.

I plead to you most heartily to help Zemenu succeed. Thank you, and may you have a holy Christmas and a blessed new year.

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