by Mesfin H. Beshir
In the quiet town of Shashemane, Ethiopia, there lived a parent named Shewangizaw Tesfaye. He had two bright children who loved stories but had never owned a book of their own. Most evenings, Shewangizaw would gather them under the shade of a big sycamore tree and tell tales he remembered from his parents and grandparents—about lions with golden manes, rivers that sang, and stars that carried wishes across the sky.
One morning, a wonderful surprise arrived. A package had come from far away, all the way from Portland. It was a gift from Ms. Ann Griffin, a kind woman who believed that every child deserved the magic of a book. She had partnered with Open Heart and Big Dreams Organization to send stories across oceans, into the hands of children like Shewangizaw’s.
When Shewangizaw opened the package, his children gasped. Inside was a colorful book, filled with pictures drawn by the Ethiopian artist Mr. Teklemariam Zewde. The illustrations showed children running through fields of teff, families dancing in bright clothes, and mountains rising proudly against the horizon.
That evening, for the very first time, Shewangizaw did not have to invent a story. Instead, he opened the book and read aloud. His children’s eyes widened as they followed every word, their imaginations soaring higher with each page.
The book became more than just paper and ink. It became a bridge—between Portland and Shashemane, between strangers and friends, between dreams and possibilities.
Shewangizaw’s children began to dream bigger dreams. They wanted to read more, to learn more, to write their own stories one day—stories that could also travel the world and touch the hearts of others.
And so, under the shade of the sycamore tree, one family discovered that a single gift, given with love, could plant the seeds of endless tomorrows.
Photo Credit: Mesfin H. Beshir