My Ethiopia trip is still on my mind. I want to tell you about a man I met named Bzuneh Tulema, whose life was changed, in part, by an unexpected thing: bio-gas.

I have to admit, I snickered when I heard that we were going to see a bio-gas project in Ethiopia. There’s something funny about the concept of using waste—cow and human—for fuel. But I stopped laughing when I heard Bzuneh’s story.

Bzuneh, by his own admission, was once a falling-down drunk. I know firsthand what alcohol abuse can do to a family (see chapter 6 in my book, “A Hole in Me”). Bzuneh’s addiction caused misery. He beat his wife and his children, and they left him. His right cheekbone still bears the imprint of a crushing fall he suffered while inebriated.

Then something incredible happened. He was living in a small hut with his second wife, Bilile, also an alcoholic. They fought constantly—with words and fists. One day, their neighbors confronted Bilile, telling her she needed to put things right with God. “They said if you believe, you will become good people,” she told me. “So I went to church and accepted Jesus.”

Shortly after, Bzuneh also became a Christian and began to clean up his life. When World Vision workers met him, they saw a man with potential who needed a second chance. Bzuneh and 25 other farmers were given an ox, a donkey, solar cookers, and training to construct a bio-gas system for their cooking instead of relying on wood for fuel.

Bzuneh is now self-reliant, creating his own fuel and selling the excess as fertilizer. He raises livestock and honeybees. He is respected by his community. “Before the training, I was a poor man. After the training, I am changed. I even assist other people.” Bzuneh’s sons from his first marriage now live with him, and they remark that the difference in the sober father is significant.

What a privilege to meet this man who turned a wasted life into the sweet smell of success! See Bzuneh’s photo on my Ethiopia trip slideshow. And for reflection: What unexpected thing is God using in your life for good?