Teblez Mebrahtu

Teblez Medhanie was born in September 1941 to an Orthodox Christian family in Eritrea, East Africa.

She was the third eldest daughter in a family of 7 children and learned early the importance of sharing and caring for her family and the many visitors to the family home. Her parents were hospitable whatever their own circumstances happened to be, and taught her the principle of “giving the shirt off your back” if someone else needed it more, a motto that stuck with her throughout her life.

Teblez grew up with strong Christian principles and worked in several senior administrative roles in Eritrea and Ethiopia. Forced to leave school early, she started work in an office in Asmara at the tender age of 14, a job that enabled her to support her family with ongoing financial struggles that they faced.

In 1968, Teblez was introduced by her family to Teame Mebrahtu, a senior educator in Eritrea, who shared her vision of Christian love in action and they decided to marry not long after.

Three daughters later, they emigrated to the UK in 1976 due to the breakout of civil war in their home region and Teame pursuing a PhD at the University of Bristol in England.

Teblez worked tirelessly to create a safe and loving home for her family as they settled in Bristol for the next few decades and she devoted her life to her husband and children until her sad passing in 2022.

Teblez’s strong faith combined with a generous heart, a sharp strategic brain, self-sacrificial love and unflinching courage led her to seek out the broken and the desperate all her life. She embodied the true spirit of the Good Samaritan, with no bias regarding religion or location (as required by Christ’s command) in her calling to alleviate suffering.

Amongst the blessings that Teblez bestowed on others during her lifetime, she was able to build a small orphanage for children in her home town of Keren in Eritrea, as well as funding the building of a church near her mothers birthplace.

Teblez was also involved in starting one of Bristols first soup-runs, cooking warming meals for the homeless of the city as part of a Christian community group for over thirty years. 

Until the last day of a life filled with medical obstacles that she refused to allow to overcome her, Teblez emphasised the importance of following her friend, comforter, saviour and our heavenly Lord and Father – “The King of her heart”.

We hope and pray that this Foundation does you proud Mum and helps those most unloved and forgotten- you are so much missed but your legacy lives on!