Three years ago, we shared this story about the dangers of sexual assault that women and girls face working in dumpsites. Kathleen, a good friend to this organization and to me, who also happens to run a trucking company, asked how she could help. My daughter, Julia, was working closely with the Samaritan Girls Club in Ethiopia, and when she asked them the same question a few weeks later, they all shook their heads no. There was nothing we could do, they assured us. When assaults occur, it’s a girl’s word against a man’s, and the local police don’t have the interest or time to get involved.

“What about pepper spray?” Julia asked. The girls all laughed at her. “This is not America,” they said. “We don’t do that here.”

“What about learning self-defense then?” Julia asked. The girls were immediately interested but didn’t see how it could happen. ”Maybe if you are a boy and have money, maybe then you could get into a karate club at a really good school…”

They were all convinced that girls would never get a chance to learn self-defense where they live in Kore. That was all that Selam, our fearless leader, needed to hear. Within hours she had a budget for uniforms and was making calls to find a trainer. I shared this information with Kathleen, and she has been supporting these girls ever since.

Close to 100 girls from Kore have been trained in taekwondo since then, and 40 are taking two lessons every week this year. The internal confidence they have gained exceeds the obvious strength in their physical skills.

A few months ago, a couple of older teenage boys attacked one of our girls and her mother to steal their phone. What idiots! They got their butts kicked, and our scholar was able to keep her family’s phone.

Don’t mess with Samaritan Scholars! In Kore, they will go all Jack Reacher on you.

As we go into this Mother’s Day weekend, I wanted to share this message not just as a reminder of the strength of women amidst the horrific challenges they face in our communities, but also as an encouragement that there is no such thing as a hopeless situation with God, especially when His people stop to ask how they can help. 

With much gratitude to all of you giving so generously to make miracles and good things happen for our scholars all across the world, please enjoy this video from our team in Ethiopia. (Be sure to turn the volume up!)

Mike Tenbusch, President

Mike joined International Samaritan in 2018 after two decades of leading social change in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. He’s a University of Michigan Law grad and author of The Jonathan Effect: Helping Kids and Schools Win the Battle Against Poverty. He and his wife, Maritza, have three children who keep them young.