North Dakotan couple Mariah and Derek were excited to begin building their dream family home, until they saw the price tag. After praying it over and wondering what direction they should take, Mariah woke up one morning with a curious thought on her mind, one that could only be from God- “build a home there.” In Ethiopia.
A call to missions had bloomed in Mariah’s heart as a teen, and some years later a simple google search had led her and her best friend on a journey to Ethiopia to work in an orphanage in the village Harbu Chulu. It was a short 9 days of an “emotional roller coaster” ride. The poverty was heart wrenching, while God’s presence and light in the orphanage joy giving. Mariah knew she wanted to continue serving these orphans even after she stepped off the plane home, and God’s word to her that one morning after a night of prayer was the answer. Well, three cheers for supportive husbands! Derek jumped on board and together they started a brand new business that pours 100% of its earnings into the orphanage Mariah visited!
Agape Co. sells a variety of quality leather bags and other accessories made in Ethiopia to help fund the expansion of HOPEthiopia. HOPEthiopia is not just an orphanage— they also work to conserve and reforest Ethiopian land, they’ve opened a trade center where they teach skills such as hand making goods, and they serve the whole community of Harbu Chulu with access to clean water at the well dug on their property.
Tune in to learn the full story of Agape Co., and to hear how love can make us capable of anything!
Visit agapeco.shop, and stay tuned for some awesome new products coming in 2021 (genuine leather Bible covers are on the list!). Your guest hosts Collin & Emily will also be stocking their marketplace Bought Beautifully with some Agape Co. products this month, so keep checking back for that as well! boughtbeautifully.org
You can get in contact with Mariah & Derek at