Hi!
We're Sammy, Lea, Chloe, and Mia: or simply, the Sammys. We live in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where Sammy serves as the director of youth and college ministry at the International Evangelical Church and Lea leads IEC's Orphan Care Initiative.
Our Story
Sammy was born and raised in Addis Ababa. He began attending IEC as a youth and remained connected even through his college years. In 2019, he accepted an internship at IEC that would start him on the journey to today where he is a full-time staff member. His ministry impacts around 300 students ages 13-25 (middle school-college). In addition to teaching and organizing year-round programs, he also leads a team of interns and volunteers to serve within both ministries.
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Lea was born in Ethiopia but grew up in Denver, CO. She returned to Ethiopia in 2019 to be involved in the realm of orphan care and has worked in two local NGOs. Her own story of being adopted has given her a heart for advocating and encouraging the growing culture of domestic adoption in Ethiopia.
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God brought us together at IEC, actually through the youth ministry. Sammy spotted Lea as a new volunteer in the Fall of 2019 and smoothly asked for her phone number to "send Bible study resources". A few months later, COVID hit and the slow pace of life created ample time for us to get to know one another well. The uninterrupted time combined with matchmaking mentors led to the start of a married life together in January 2021.
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Chloe joined our family in June 2022, and Mia a short 18 months later. They are the joy of our home!