Love Does

Africa, especially Ethiopia, has a special piece of my heart! I love this country. I love the people and I love this trip. This is the second trip I have taken to Addis Ababa with the Journey Team. I am having quite a different experience the second time around! Equally as great, just different. One thing I did not do last year that I was determined to do this year was visit a sponsor child through Compassion or World Vision.

Over the weekend I had the amazing opportunity to visit one of my sponsor children. Tihitinna is the woman who runs the Selah Guesthouse that we are staying at. She also runs a sponsorship program for 100 children and their families. Last year I got to experience her sponsorship program first hand. We visited the location where she hands out bags of flour and oil each month to the families. We were able to help distribute the flour and oil to the families last year. After that experience I felt compelled to become a sponsor. Through the organization “All Our Children” I am able to help provide food for a thirteen year old girl named Etsubdink and her family. She lives with her mother, younger brother, and her even younger nephew. Tihitinna graciously drove me and one of my teammates, Jenn, to Etsubdink’s house on Sunday. This visit was a last minute decision so I gathered up a few gifts including two toothbrushes, toothpaste, a soccer ball, and many granola bars and we set out across the city. While we were driving to meet Etsubdink, Tihitinna explained that some families were Orthodox Christians, some were Protestant Christians, and still others were Muslim families. She explained that it is a mandatory requirement for the children in the program to attend at least one Bible study class each week at a church near where they live. She makes this a requirement in hopes that the families will learn the love of Jesus Christ. She has heard many stories of families that have accepted Jesus as their Savior.

When we arrived at Etsubdink’s house they were anxiously waiting for us. We stepped into what seemed like an incredibly small house. There were two small couches, a small television, a small refrigerator, a china hutch, and a bedroom off the back of the living quarters that had a bunk bed in it. I was told later that the house that Etsubdink and her family live in was actually a very nice living situation. I was shocked. While we were there, we were served coffee and popcorn. I asked Etsubdink many questions such as how she was doing in school, her favorite sport, and what hobbies she liked. She is doing well in School and wants to be a doctor when she grows up. She loves playing soccer and her biggest hobby is drawing. She showed me many many drawings of doves and Jesus. She told me she sells her drawings during holidays. It was so amazing to see Etsubdink and her family. Her mother is raising the last two of her six children and one of her grandsons all by herself. Her oldest son died in a car accident 5 years ago and that is how she ended up with her grandson. We asked where his mother was and she told us that the mother was diagnosed with HIV and they are unsure of her whereabouts. She assured us that the grandson has been tested two times for HIV and he does not have it. I was also told that the mother sells her injera for income. Injera is the most commonly made and consumed type of food here. She saved up enough money by selling injera to buy the fridge that was in their living room. Once she purchased the fridge she started making and selling popsicles, although that is not what they call them here. She seems like an incredibly smart woman. Etsubdink’s father does not live with them; he has separated from her mother. We were told that the father comes at least once a week to visit with the children; he also pays the mother a pension every month which helps pay for rent and her other expenses. She pays 14 birr for rent, 20-30 birr for electricity, and 50 birr toward a community fund which was explained to us as a sort of life insurance policy. All of her expenses totaled less than ten US dollars. She struggles to pay that, and is unable to afford food for her family. It was really nice for me to see that her mother is working hard to provide for her family.

Getting to meet my sponsor child was a very emotional and exciting and amazing and sad experience all rolled into one. It filled my heart with so much joy! I am very thankful that I got to meet her.
The very next day, four of our team members, including me, got to travel approximately 120 kilometers away from Addis Ababa to visit two more sponsored children in an area called Wonji. It was a very different experience, but also great! Jenn was able to meet her little boy, Sitota and his grandmother. Paige was able to meet her husband’s little girl, Kidist and her mother. Each experience was very emotional and amazing for different reasons. First we went to meet Jenn’s sponsor child Sitota and see what his project was all about. Sitota was a very shy 6 year old. We were told he was the littlest boy in the project! That particular project sponsored 187 children with about 30 more on the waiting list! Jenn drank her first drink of coffee in about 8 years! She loved it! After visiting the project, we went to see where Sitota and his grandmother lived. Turns out there are actually 7 people that are living with Sitota and his grandmother. Once Jenn gave Sitota his soccer ball and the rest of his gifts he came out of his shell a little. We all cried a bit while Sitota was pulling out his new clothes and shoes from the backpack Jenn had packed! His grandmother was also crying and was SO grateful for Jenn and her kindness and generosity. We prayed for Sitota and his family and then hopped in the van to head to Paige’s child’s house. We were greeted by the social worker who walked us through the streets that finally lead to Kidist and her family’s house. We were offered more coffee and this time there was a very large loaf of bread that Paige had the honor of cutting into. We all got a piece of the bread and watched as Paige and Kidist sat coloring with the new markers Paige had brought. She also brought a dress for Kidist, who loved it! She was already in a very bright blue dress with adorable pink dress shoes on and melted all of our hearts! We were told that Kidist’s father had left the family after learning that his wife was diagnosed with HIV. It was very hard for all of us to hear this news. Even more difficult was that she is struggling to pay her rent and cannot afford proper food for her to take antiretroviral medications as the doctors are now recommending. As we sat there, wiping our tears away, we told Kidist’s mother we loved her and we would continue to pray for her and try and help in any way we could. We finished the visit with a prayer for her family and happy tears as we took pictures.

It was a very emotional day for Jenn, Paige, Laci, and me. We are all so grateful to have the opportunity to visit these children and see the environment and villages that they call home.

Wow. That one word sums up what I feel like represents most of the team’s feelings since we first arrived. Once again, wow. But not a bad wow like, “Wow, I’m so overwhelmed I think I just wanna cry.” It’s a good wow like, “Wow, this trip has pushed me out of my comfort zone, but thankfully God has prepared us all spiritually, emotionally, physically and comically. I think I’m gonna be more than alright by the end of this.”
I can’t even begin to express how much God has revealed Himself just within this last week. Really, it all started when most of us were having a cryfest at the Bozeman airport saying goodbye to our loved ones. It seemed to hit all of us just what God was asking us to do and how much He was asking us to trust in Him. We all dabbled in and out of this state of mind until we got to DC. However, after we prayed as a group and walked into the final plane that was going to take us to a completely different continent, we all had our game faces on. It was time to fight the good fight.
After the 12ish hour plane ride and settling into the super awesome Selah guest house, we began to really see how big our God really is. We studied and discussed before coming to Addis Ababa that God is already here and has been way before we thought about going on this trip, but the true meaning of it didn’t comprehend until we took a look around and saw the simple, beautiful brokenness surrounding us. All I kept thinking was, Look how much our God loves us and look how BIG he is. Now that I look back at the beginning of this week, I’m imagining God laughing at me because He had even more in store for us.
The kids. These cute little Ethiopian babes have rocked my world. I can’t understand 90% of the things they say, 6% of the time when I do understand them I just smile and laugh because I don’t know what to say back, and the remaining 4% is reserved for when I understand them and can maybe come up with a decent response. When we first showed up to the Raey academy, I think most of us were pretty nervous because we didn’t know what to expect. Once Meese Shelliee (that’s how the kids pronounce it) started us off with Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand and some songs, it was all smooth sailing from there. It seemed to all flow naturally, the teaching, the relationships, and most of all the laughter. Here’s our nifty schedule:
9 am- Get started with reading a bible story and a memory verse.
9:30-11:15- Teach colors, conversation dialogue, animals, body parts, and actions (these were all on different days and we would also use this time to review the day prior’s lesson)
11:15- snack
11:30-1- Go over memory verses and teach more stuff
1-2: Lunch, playing, bonding
2-3: Do the bible story again except with a kids’ version and then do a craft pertaining to the day’s lesson and bible story.
Every day was a different day and every morning we were greeted with hugs and handshakes galore. The kids really loved when we played soccer with them and then they also loved it when we played Red Rover. We all have a couple kids we would love to pack home in our suitcases. I think we are all learning more than we’re teaching. BUT don’t get me wrong, this isn’t exactly easy. It’s not all roses and cupcakes and hugs. There are times when the children really test us and we have to constantly remind ourselves not to act out in anger because it would do more damage than good. We don’t know nor could we ever imagine what some of these kids have been through and one small move could be potentially setting off a bomb. Not only that, but it’s as though each of us have something God is calling us to work on through this. For myself, it’s my humility and pride (that really sucked to admit that on the internet to strangers so just go with it). He’s always challenging us and pushing out of our safe zone. I don’t feel like there are enough adjectives in the English and the Amharic languages put together to describe this trip. It’s a God thing.
One of the ultimate milestones of the trip was when we got to visit the organization we’re aiding, Bring Love In. For those of you who don’t know, Bring Love In is an organization started in 2009 that makes families out of widows and orphans. There’s a mom, who is a widow, and then there’s usually about 6-7 orphans who live with her. They also have an “aunt” who is a younger lady that helps with watching the kids. I don’t believe she lives with them. Don’t quote me on that. Anyways, when we drove to the Bring Love In organization we got to peer into all of the offices and meet more of the people who work there. They have Ethiopian psychologists, social workers, and nurses who all form a part of this amazing organization. We even got to visit one of the houses the kiddos live in and meet the mom and the aunt. There, they did a coffee ceremony for us and made us popcorn while we chatted with the kids and toured the house. It was so neat and humbling to hear how all of this got started and to see the oceans of love these kids are now swimming in.
Oddly enough, the hardest part of this trip is going to be saying goodbye. When you look into the kids’ eyes you see Christ looking straight back at you. It’s so clear and certainly mind boggling. We’ve come to love these kids with all of our hearts. Please pray for us as we enter into this next week and begin new relationships with the older kids, ages 11-17.
We all look forward to seeing you soon and love you all, Laci 

So I have been tasked with the job of writing about my first impressions of arriving in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Needless to say I think that it will be hard to put into words the sights, sounds, smells and feelings of arriving in a whole new world, but I will try.
I have to say first off that nothing could have prepared me for my first experience in Africa. I have watched documentaries and had friends come and go and heard their stories but even with all of that the culture shock is unimaginable.
When we first landed in Ethiopia there was this sense of relief. We had been traveling for two days and we were exhausted and so ready to be out of the plane. As we stepped onto the tarmac I noticed that the weather was cool and a bit more humid than we are used to in Montana. The smog was evident and a bit overwhelming, but I was grateful to be on solid ground. I kept reciting in my head, “I can’t believe I am really in Africa”.
After going through immigration, exchanging our currency, picking up our bags, the unanticipated anticlimactic experience of customs and fighting with the airport staff who insisted upon helping us with our bags and also insisted on a healthy tip, we finally made our way through the overcrowded parking lot to our van.
We strapped our 15 suitcases of donated items to the roof rack, piled in, and we were off, headed toward Selah Guest House. The drive was beyond overwhelming and like nothing I had ever experienced. The people were endless and so was the poverty. The population of Addis is over 5 million people and the city shows the effects of that. It could be my Montana roots, but to me it feels claustrophobic; like the city is bursting at the seams and there isn’t enough space for everyone and everything to move, live and be. There were donkeys and goats wandering the streets and sidewalks. The stray dogs and cats were mangy and most of them looked as if their skin was simply draped over their ribs and hip bones. The shops that lined the streets were metal shacks that reminded me of run down firework stands except they were all strung together as if they were one very long building. People were selling everything from knock-off designer clothing and shoes to vegetables and canned goods. Others that couldn’t afford to rent a shop were sitting on the sidewalks roasting corn, selling fruit or other small items. The streets were dirty and the traffic and driving habits were unbelievable. There are no real driving lanes in Addis, people swerve and maneuver in and out of other cars and pedestrians at a moment’s notice. Everyone is honking their horns but unlike Americans, it is almost like they are using them to say, “Hello, here I am, don’t mind me, I’m just gonna scoot by you”. The culture shock was extreme.
We arrived at the guest house within about a half hour. It is a gorgeous three story home with 5 large bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It is has two balconies and a full patio on the roof. It comes equipped with running water and toilets, which is a luxury for most in Addis. It is secured behind a six foot tall cement wall and sturdy gate. Tesfa, the gate keeper for the guest house, came over and unlocked the door for us when we arrived and helped with our luggage. When he was finished, I noticed him walk back across the dirt road, up the walkway and into a metal shack that is his home. That is when it sunk in. There is not a place you can go without seeing poverty. It is inescapable. From the roof of the guest house you can look out over a minute portion of Addis and you see it. The kids playing football with water bottles or soccer balls that are completely flat due to holes in them, kicking it around in slip-on shoes that don’t fit. The two young construction workers next door breaking rock and building a house by hand, without the tools we have back home. The stray animals that are desperate for food, the constant stream of people with their yellow containers going to find water and the garbage that is everywhere.
But as I began to look closely I was able to find joy as well. I stood on the roof that first day and watched our gatekeeper with his young son, playing with a toy “car”, (which is typically a bucket lid tied to a stick with wire or string that they push out in front of them). And I watched his wife wash clothes in a basin of water and hang them to dry in between feeding and bouncing their other young son. I saw the joy in the neighborhood kids when we carted inflated soccer balls out to the field to play. I saw kindness to each other and openness to our team. I began to see the life that is here and present in the midst of the poverty.
At the end of that first day I realized I was carrying around this assumption that the purpose of this trip was that God was calling me to make an impact here in Ethiopia. But after seeing that this world is broken beyond my wildest imagination I was so overwhelmed by my own inabilities that I knew I was going to fall very short of these perceived expectations. It was in that place that I broke. It became amazingly clear to me how prideful this thinking was and how unknowingly I had taken up a spirit of superiority and arrogance instead of humility. So the Lord challenged me in a firm way at 3am, telling me that he did not call me to Ethiopia to fix anything. He asked me to come here, listen to his voice and do what he asks of me. That is all. If I am willing to do those things and if my heart remains soft, if I discard my pride and I loosen my grip of control, then He will use me and our team to join with Him in what he is doing in Ethiopia while we are here these next few weeks. But everything has to start and end with Him. So that has been my prayer since that first day, that I will hear His voice and follow his leading. And above all that I would lay down my expectations because his plan for this trip looks a whole lot different than mine and only with God are all things possible.

I came to Ethiopia with three expectations: To help teach Christianity to the Ethiopian people, to jump-start my luke-warm Christianity, and to have a God centered experience with my daughter. God fulfilled all three of my expectations, and as God often does, provided so much more. What I didn’t expect was what the Ethiopian people taught me. The overwhelming sense of acceptance from the children and adults alike, and the powerful prayer warriors that God placed in our path everyday. The children, who despite awful circumstances, love the Lord in amazing ways, and the feeling of appreciation for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ working to help despite personal sacrifice. It has been an amazing gift to be able to be a part of this team and to be a part of this work.

Today is a bittersweet day for most of us in the house. I’m a homebody and I’m super excited to come back to Montana, but I cannot believe how attached I’ve become with the people here and am so hopeful that God presents me with another opportunity to come back. It’s amazing how revealing this trip has been for me. I have learned so much about myself and my faith in just a few short weeks.

 

A woman that we met runs a ministry in Addis that helps find sponsors for families in need, so this morning we were able to visit their compound and pass out bags of flour and bottles of oil. The families that we saw today are grateful for supplies to make the same meal for an entire month and I complain that McDonald’s doesn’t deliver in America. Since that makes sense. Needless to say, today was another super eye-opening day for me.

 

Then we came back to the house and had a chance to meet with Levi Benkert, the founder of Bring Love In, the organization we have been working with during the past few weeks. He is such an incredible man. His love for the Ethiopian people and children is so inspiring, and I learned so much about the culture and the work that he and his family do here. He was also able to tell us a lot about the children that we’ve been working with and how far they’ve come since they’ve joined the program. I highly recommend checking out the BringLove.In website because now I’ve seen firsthand how lives are being completely transformed by these sponsorships.

 

The team and I covet your prayers as we begin our journey home tomorrow evening. Not only do we have 30 hours of travel ahead of us, our layovers are short and some serious hustle will be necessary to make our connections.

 

Thank you again so much for your prayers while we have been here. Hopefully we’ll be back in the 406 Monday afternoon as planned.

 

Lexi

 

 

Today was a hard day. Hard because it’s a Friday and the kids just wanted to play but hard because this was the day that we had to say goodbye. Our class (Anna’s, Lexi’s and mine) were actually pretty calm today, we started off with review of what we had learned the previous days and then moved on to fill in the blanks and such other fun games. We then had an early lunch and play time. The whole day I kept in the back of my mind that we had to leave the kids today but I didn’t want to believe it was actually going to happen. It was more like a dream or just a thought. After lunch we corralled the kids back into the classroom and helped them make bracelets that explained how first God made the earth (blue bead) then man sinned (black bead) then Jesus bleed for us (red bead) and because of that we had a clean slate (white bead). Then the yellow bead which is heaven, Jesus is coming again. Then they made letters thanking the kids back in America for their generous donations that helped get things such as crayons, paper, pencils, and other such artwork supplies. While we were working the bus came with the younger kids we taught last week and the coffee ceremony supplies. So we waited for the other busload of kids to come and moved into the assembly building provided by the school. We were preparing for the ceremony when the other bus full of kids arrived. One of the students who made a big impact on me ran up to me before I even saw him, jumped up in my lap and gave me a huge hug. It almost brought me to tears (still is to be honest) and he stayed on my lap for the majority of the ceremony. It was one of the most heart touching things to see the kids from last week come back and sit on every single one of our laps during the ceremony. The ceremony was cool to watch and the coffee made was the best I have ever tasted. Afterward we were all hanging out with the kids trying to prepare our hearts for what was to come. It didn’t help much, the bus came and we said our goodbyes. Almost all of the group was in tears, and some of the children just wouldn’t let go of us. It took almost ten minutes for us to load onto the bus and it was painfully hard the whole time. We gave our last hugs to the kids and got on. There were tears the whole way home. We are here at home now and the tears have mostly stopped, but we are all feeling the after effects of this very emotional day. Please keep our team in your prayers as we deal with this, and God bless.     –Eric Sipes

 

Today we started day two with the older kids! They are so different from the younger children, but it is very nice to meet all their different personalities. The people here have so much love in their hearts it is impossible for it to not rub off on you. The biggest difference is the physical sense of love. The children always greet you with a kiss on the cheek and hug. They are so kind and caring. The simple little things they do are so different from kids in the US. A box of crayons is gold here along with any sort of ball. They have so much determination in any game, and are excited to learn ANYTHING new. I feel as though they have knowledge beyond their time, and I am very excited to be given the opportunity to work through God to help these amazing kids. I have a heavy heart tonight knowing that we are leaving in less than a week. We only have TWO days of teaching left. I know for sure I will come home with a different heart. Ethiopia’s people have touched my soul in a way I never expected. I hope that God works through me to come back to Ethiopia; there is so much to teach and learn here. Also, I will be waving with my eyebrows for the next six months because there is no way I can break this habit now! Thank you to everyone who has continually prayed for out team, and supported us to get here. God Bless!

-Anna

Ethiopia has been far different than anything I anticipated. When I pictured what it would be like here I half expected a tribal scene from National Geographic, silly I know. I have met easily the kindest most open people; their love for Jesus is so evident in the way they live. Seeing so many live in poverty has taught me to appreciate the many blessings I take for granted daily back home.

 

We have invited two Ethiopian boys to stay with us this last week and I have been so overjoyed by their presence. Mesgana, who is 16 years old and Belayneh, who is 17 years old, both know a little English and get along well with everyone. They enjoy spending time with the team, playing card games, and joining us for our lessons during the week. I find myself in a trance staring at them as they interact with each other. These two boys are amazing and have such incredible love for Jesus and other people. They have taught me so much and I am so grateful that I met them. Both once were, or, still are “street kids.” They have so much to offer, and yet hardly have roof over their heads. Our translator Aki has been nothing short of amazing. He is a passionate man of God and it is very evident in his actions and compassion for people.

 

A few things I have learned on this trip are to LOVE Jesus with all of my heart and to be open about it. The second thing I have learned is to appreciate all the little things in life such as running water, a constant flow of electricity, and knowing when and where my next meal is coming from. Also, I have learned that if we all do our part we can make a difference in this world.

 

From our guesthouse on the outskirts of town we drove into the city of Addis Ababa to the large Beza Church.  We were greeted with the typical strange looks that travelers in a foreign country get while passing through, although curious we were greeted with warmth and excitement.  The church was large and full of people from all over the world.  It really showed me a glimpse of what it will be like to worship God in eternity with masses of Christians from every country and ethnicity and all walks of life.   Parents with their adopted children as well as locals filed in.  As we found our seats the band started warming up and a mixed humming drone filled the building.  Unlike most churches I have visited this worship team was huge!  Two drummers, a lead guitarist, two keyboard players, a bass player, a saxophone player, three lead singers, and about ten background vocalists completed the ensemble.  I knew I was in for a worship experience like never before.

A small family of five sat in front of us and I was tormented through the entire worship experience by the cutest African faces peaking up at me with the most beautiful curious eyes I have ever seen!  I smiled as I realized that the three little boys were talking to me even though they were not speaking.  It is something I have had to get used to during my stay in Addis. The Ethiopian people communicate with their eyebrows!  They lift them to acknowledge you and they lift them to say yes!  So although I couldn’t communicate in the same language with those precious kids, I could lift my eyebrows and share a smile.  The worship team began to play and the African music filled the whole church.  It was so fun worshiping with the congregation.  It was so lively and energetic and they sang praises to God with such enthusiasm and reverence.  They danced, they clapped, they lifted their hands, they shed tears, and every fiber of their bodies was engaged in worship to our Savior.  It was so much fun to share in their worship and feel the Holy Spirit fill the entire place.  The pastor spoke with such passion and excitement for God’s word.  His message was powerful.

The pastor spoke about the amazing son-ship we share with Christ.  Focusing on the courage and boldness that comes when you know who and what you are in Christ.  We are truly royalty because of what God has done for us.  How easy it is to forget who we are in Christ and that we carry the freedom and the boldness that is often required to share the love of Jesus with others.  This message floored me and brought such a grounding strength to my soul.  Sometimes is takes such courage and boldness to share our faith with others, and sometimes all it takes is a pair of eyebrows. I will be forever changed and will leave Africa so much more grounded in my faith.  I will leave with a new excitement to help those in need and I will leave with a boldness that only comes from knowing who God has made me to be!  Blessings

 

All my love,

 

Ruth

 

As we drove farther into the African jungle, now 3 hours into what was supposed to be a 1.5-hour drive I said aloud “this has to be it.” The girls laughed, as this was the third time I had said it.  Myself, and three of my teammates were on our way to meet Lalise, my sponsored Compassion International child. Another half-hour on mud trails and we arrived in GoJo. Countless cows, sheep, goats, dogs, and baboons later we pulled into a place I pray we never forget.

 

Once we reached the Compassion site, I met Lalise (6 yrs), as well as her parents and other compassion staff members. After discussing what the program providers her and the family with we went through a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.  This included them giving me the honor of cutting into the largest loaf of bread I have ever seen. Which I of course did incorrectly…several times giving all the Ethiopians a good laugh 😉

 

Following the ceremony we toured the church where the children prayed and sang together. I watched them sing and dance. Their love for Jesus and each other so evident, it was impossible not to smile ear to ear. They love the God with absolute abandon. In a place where people have so little, I have learned so much. Everyone we meet here has been so wonderful and just radiates joy. I’m forever thankful for such an amazing and supportive team to be here with. We’ve been embraced freely, without any reservation or skepticism. I am so thankful for the experience of being a sponsor, and that God provided me with the opportunity of meeting Lalise, her family, and her village.  I pray that I carry with me all that these amazing people have taught me. They love God and people, and that is what really matters.

 

Sending lots of love and hugs!

 

-Jenna Rae