05/01/2026
Haircuts and Hope
There’s something powerful about a simple haircut.
During our recent outreach in Addis Ababa, a visiting team from Hillside Church, Vermillion SD helped lead a homeless outreach service—meeting practical needs while reminding people they are seen, valued, and not forgotten. One of the most meaningful moments came through something many of us might overlook: haircuts.
For several men experiencing homelessness, and even a few children of homeless mothers, a fresh haircut did more than clean them up—it restored dignity. It helped them see themselves in a new light. It communicated worth. It said, “You matter.”
But perhaps the most powerful part? The barber.
The man giving those haircuts was once homeless himself. Through our discipleship and vocational training program, he found hope, developed a skill, and is now launching his own small business as a barber. Now, he’s using what he’s been given to serve others walking a path he knows all too well.
That’s the Gospel in action.
That’s transformation.
That’s what happens when hope meets opportunity.
Thank you to the team who came, served, and loved so well. Lives are being changed—one person, one story, one haircut at a time.
