Final Thoughts from the Final Three

Well, actually, only 2 of the final 3. I didn't receive a last update from Josh. Perhaps he'll post after they return.
Here are some final thoughts from Kaite and Joe as they got ready to leave for home. Difficult to summarize such an experience succintly.

Katie’s thoughts

This past two months have been an incredible adventure. You have all heard many stories but right now I want to share with you a little of what God taught me this summer. My time in Ethiopia and with the people here have taught me more about how to be grateful and live a life of thankfulness. Seeing the poverty here has been one way in which I have grown to be more thankful for God’s blessings, but it is so much more than that. The Ethiopian people are so thankful despite their lack of resources or material possessions. The joy we have experienced here is evidence of the people’s thankfulness of God’s presence in their lives and the little that he has blessed them with.
First I think of the breakfast program and the cool experience it has been to sit with the kids, head bowed against the table, as they give thanks to God for the small amount of food they receive each day. They are genuinely grateful-so grateful that they cannot help but share the little they have with me and with each other. I cannot tell you how many pieces of dabo and moose (bread and bananas) have been offered to me by these young children who only get 2 pieces of bread and 2 bananas for food for the entire day. It has been such a blessing to see their gratitude manifested in generosity.
Another example of gratitude that I have experienced here has been going to Pastor Matteows’ church. At that church, they rejoice and give thanks to God for hours and still have more to be thankful for. While that means that their services are long, I am always struck with their ability to thank God and thank each other for everything (and sometimes it seems like they are thanking God for everything). The intensity and sincerity with which they pray and give thanks has been an example to me, as their lives demonstrate their inward gratitude to God for every blessing they receive.
One great opportunity we had was to purchase and give out new shoes to the feeding center workers and the children that help serve at the feeding center. It was a wonderful experience to bless them in such a small way, yet their gratitude was abundant. They were so joyful and thankful for the small gift we were able to give them. Their thankfulness was a blessing to me and their lives are another example of hearts full of gratitude.
In Henri Nouwen’s book, Gracias!, which is a journal of his time doing missions work in Bolivia and Peru, he comes to the realization that, “All of life is a gift, a gift to be celebrated, a gift to be shared. The poor are a people who know to say thanks to God, to life, to each other.” I have found this truth wherever I go here in Ethiopia. Whether it is the thankful children who only got bananas the day there was no bread or the girls at the girls’ home that are thankful when I give them markers to draw with or Frisbees to play with, the Ethiopians have challenged me to be more thankful. They have taught me through their actions how to live a life out of a thankful response to God.
There are many things that I am thankful for from this summer’s experience. I am thankful for the time I have been able to spend here and the relationships I have developed with God’s children. I am thankful for the lessons I have learned and the opportunities I have been given to grow and serve God in new ways. I am thankful for God’s presence in my life and his faithfulness in caring for his people. Finally, I am thankful for all of you and your support and prayers throughout this journey.
I have been challenged here to recognize that everything is a gift from God, a gift for which to be grateful. Although it is easy to take so many things for granted, I have learned that every situation provides an opportunity to respond with gratitude. My prayer for myself as I leave this amazing country and finish out my summer would be my prayer for all of you as well. It is found in Colossians 2:6-7- “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Goodbye and God bless from Addis!
With Love,
Katie

Joe’s thoughts

I write this with great joy, hoping that the Holy Spirit will convey His amazing
works that He chose to do through us while here in Ethiopia.
Together as a team, each of us has authentically proclaimed the Gospel of
Christ; through words, actions, encouragement, service, and challenging others
to be more like Him. Because of this, God has blessed us immensely.
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to preach the Gospel of Christ twice a
week for the past month. The responsibility has been an amazingly humbling
one…I am continually reminded of my insufficiency, constant need for Christ, His
mercy, salvation, forgiveness and grace. After each sermon, God chose to move
the hearts of numerous people. They responded by raising their hands and
joining Pastor Matthews and I in a model prayer that confessed our sinful
nature, our need for Jesus Christ- the perfect Son of God who was sent to live
and die on the cross for our sins and who after three days rose again, so that
through belief in Christ we would be saved. What a blessing it has been to be
a part of God’s miracles. God be praised!

I have begun to understand more thoroughly why God told me to “Consider it
pure joy, that you-Joe- are seeing this heartache.” He did so because He wanted
to show me what it truly was like for evil to be overcome by good, and for His
people to be brought back home. Truthfully, this hasn’t been an easy lesson.
I’m ready for a rest. But the joy!….the Joy is unmatched!
And to see God is amazing! And totally worth it!

Let me tell you just part of the transformation that God has done:

The women and children- my arms are sore from playing airplane with the kids…but
they have had a chance to play, to be rambunctious, to be loved, to be crazy,
and to simply be children. The women have been shown that they are appreciated,
and they beam like a new mother excited to show off her kid and what God has
blessed her with! New life and meaning has been given to them!

The old men have a spring in their step! Thankful, and ever teaching me more
about humility- the 60 year old men are renewed with jovial hearts.

The men have begun to accept the challenge to be men. Some alcoholics, who’ve
actually come to the feeding center sober- this alone is a dramatic and praise
worthy change! Thieves are being challenged, convicted, and changing from their
unrighteous ways. But mostly, the men have been encouraged that they are more
than just another beggar, but a child of God! And each child of God is loved by
the Father immensely! Even the hardest of hard hearts are beginning to be
softened by the Spirit.

While the pain is still there- the goodness of God is greater. And for this, we
should be thankful!

In the last time I was able to speak to them through the translation of Pastor
Matthews, I challenged the whole community to become a community committed to
Christ, founded in love. I told them, “How great would it be if Addis Ababa was
taken back by us becoming a unified body; loving Christ Jesus and doing amazing
things for and through Him? How amazing would it be if we became so active in
their faith that mountains moved, people were saved, and lives were filled with
God’s amazing joy! And what if we wholeheartedly gave our lives to Christ and
allowed Him to truly work miracles in each of our lives? Wouldn’t that be
amazing!” And I wholeheartedly believe that it can and will happen. It is my
prayer, and hopefully you’ll join me, that God will do an amazing work at the
Hope Feeding Center in this next year. That thousands will be saved, and that a
revolution for Christ will be continued.

I want to challenge each of you who read this. Rob Bell said in his book Velvet
Elvis, “It is our turn to rediscover the beautiful, dangerous, compelling idea
that a group of people, surrendered to God and to each other, really can change
the World.” The work has been started and results have already been seen.
Hopefully you will join us and together we will all see God do the impossible.

Community

I John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Friends and Family,

This trip and this past week especially, I have been struck by the community and love that exists here amongst almost everyone we have come into contact with. We have had the opportunity to visit many different households and experience an incredible amount of hospitality and care. It began with a coffee ceremony at Pastor Mateos’s house a month ago. His family cordially welcomed us and made every effort to make us comfortable. Last week we were able to attend Jerry’s house, the young girl from the feeding center, and were humbled by her family and their sacrificial love as they spent precious birr on bread and milk for their guests. Last Friday night we were invited to a party at Abraham’s boys home. The boys home is affiliated with the girls home where Katie spends time on Monday’s and Thursday’s. The party included both groups and was celebrating Jeremy and Reid, two college-age English teachers, for a month of dedication to the girls and boys of both homes. Joe and I previously had limited interaction with the girls and previously no interaction with the boys, but within the first hour we had met each guy, seen their rooms, artwork and favorite soccer posters, as well as a few life stories and how they came to be in Abraham’s boys home. (The girls were still practicing the songs they were going to sing for Jeremy and Reid) Jeremy told us about life at the boys home and how impressed they were the sense of community present. Every Friday night they take their mattresses into the living room, watch a movie, and fall asleep together. It’s one big slumber party every week. They greet each other with kisses on cheeks and often kiss each other after a good laugh or funny story. They were full of joy and it was a beauty to watch, but it was also contagious. Soon enough they were sitting on our laps and kissing our cheeks as well. They welcomed us into their tight-knit community with open arms and invited us back. I was reminded of 1 John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” They love without hesitation and without boundaries.

The following Sunday I was able to visit with my friends Yanet and Zelaelum, and they invited me to their house. I didn’t know it at the time, but that afternoon there was an engagement party for Yanet’s brother. There house is in a poorer section of town, but they would be considered to be the at the top end of the lower class. They have a tattered couch, some chairs and a sweet T.V. from the 70’s. I had never met Yanet’s family before but upon arrival they insisted I sit in the head chair, reserved for honored guests. The entire family had gathered for this momentous occasion and here I was, just some foreigner sitting in the guest chair instead of the newly engaged couple. To top it off there was obviously not enough seats for everyone in this small living room, though they did manage to seat like 20 people somehow, so I was sitting while older aunts and uncles had to stand. There were a variety of desserts hand-prepared and with each new item brought out I was offered first choice. I tried to refuse a piece of cake because there would not be enough for everyone, but her mom was insulted and made me take two. They treated me like royalty though they had just met me. Hebrews 13:1-2 says, “Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have unwittingly entertained angels.” In their actions, I saw Jesus clear as day, and that image has stuck with me and constantly served as a reminder of what my actions should look more like.

Finally, this past Wednesday we had dinner with Zenebe, the executive director of Hope Enterprises, at his home here in Addis. His family had prepared a delicious feast for us and again, we were treated like royalty. It was humbling to be in such a respected person’s house being treated in turn with the utmost respect and care. They even brought out a special Ethiopian dessert for us that is a prized possession. I could go on and on with examples: our stay at our guest house and the family we have all become, the feeding center, the three of us as our own tight-knit community, etc. All of these experiences have been a vivid, tangible reminder that I need to make love a constant expression in my life rather than a commodity. As we come upon our final week in Ethiopia, pray that we would utilize our time to its utmost potential, but also that would not feel any sense of urgency as time runs out. Pray that we can continue to open up to each other and share our hearts as our minds process the entire trip and prepare to leave. We appreciate all of the prayers and support, keep it coming.

Thanks,

-Josh and the slightly smaller Ethiopian Entourage

Friday, August 10, 2007

The Joy of Kids

The Joy of Kids- Blog Update, August 3, 2007

For those of you that don’t know me, you should know that I love kids. I am passionate about being around children, taking care of them, playing with them, teaching them, and learning from them. One of the main reasons I came to Ethiopia was to be around and impact kids. My desire was to teach them and share God’s love with them. As it turns out, I have learned far more from them than I could ever have taught them. They have shown me God’s love in so many different ways and I see the joy of Christ daily in their smiling faces.
Day after day we see the familiar faces of the children at the feeding center. They always are smiling despite their cold hands and their ragged clothes. It has been such an encouragement to be able to play with them and serve them a warm meal each day. It is a wonderful feeling to be recognized and greeted with delight by these children whose love is contagious.
The Ethiopian children have taught me how to cherish life and find joy in the midst of suffering. While their pasts and circumstances are often more difficult than I could ever imagine, they still have fun playing and just being kids. I especially think of the girls at the girls’ home, who find joy whether it is braiding my hair, drawing with sidewalk chalk, learning how to make cookies, doing cartwheels and dancing, or just simply being close to me. Every time I leave the girls (with a new hairstyle, of course), I am hugged and kissed goodbye with sincerity. Their calls to me of “odashalo (I love you)” are so genuine; I have come to love and cherish each of these girls.
I also think of the 4th graders I teach at HOPE school. We have so much fun playing skipping games and jumping rope at recess. The kids greet us warmly with “teacher, teacher” each morning and it is nearly impossible to tear myself away from their embraces at the end of class. When I reflect on some of the struggles these children face, I realize that God has blessed them with a gift of joy and the ability to love life no matter what.
Another unique gift from God I have witnessed in these children is their gift of service. There are several children that come to the breakfast program and then stay and serve at the lunchtime feeding center. They volunteer to help serve the food and clean up afterward. They are fun to watch and play with and are always so giving of their time and of themselves. They consistently offer me some of their food, fully knowing that they will only receive that one meal for each day. After the feeding center today, Meseret and Yerus took us to their house- (one mud-walled room) and their mother served us hot sweet milk and bread. It was humbling to be served in such a way and be shown so much hospitality from those that have so little to give. The mother, Werekesh, prayed and thanked God for the food and for our presence, and I was filled with gratitude as I was able to witness the servanthood of Christ exemplified in this family.
The other afternoon we had a chance to do some hiking and exploring in Ayer Tena, the mountains near our house. On our walk we passed by a house where 4 kids ran out to greet us. The two girls, Mekedes and Tzita, held my hands and walked with me during our hike. The joy on Mekedes’ face was contagious, and I felt like Jesus was smiling at me through her face. These spontaneous moments with kids remind me of God’s love for his people and his care for his children, blessing them with a joy that I see in their faces and in their lives.
One of the unique opportunities we have had has been living in the guest house. For 2 weeks we had 2 families staying with us that adopted 4 children from Ethiopia. It was so neat to be a part of their lives and witness God’s blessings showered upon these children. Although it was not always easy (it’s not everyday I get a wakeup call from a 5-year old “Katie? Katie?”), I learned a lot about God’s provision for his people. I saw Jesus daily in the faces of the children at the guest house and know that God has provided amazing new families to welcome these orphans that have known so much hardship in such a short life span. I had the opportunity to go to the goodbye party for two of the children, Nafkot and Habtamu, at the orphanage. The party was full of joy and laughter (and a few cookies and some balloons for a treat). At the same time, I was struck by the thought that there are probably many of these parties that Nafkot and Habtamu had witnessed in which they said goodbye to their friends. Finally, it was their turn to be in the spotlight, and it must have been a wonderful feeling to know that they were finally going home to a family that loves them and will care for them.
More than anything, the kids here in Ethiopia have shown me Jesus. Their smiles, laughter, and playfulness remind me of Jesus’ love. Their joyful service and giving demonstrate Jesus’ compassion. I know that Jesus provides for his children that are unloved, forgotten and suffering and he has blessed them and provided for them in numerous ways. I am reminded of the passage in Matthew 19:13-14, in which little children are brought to Jesus for him to bless them, but the disciples try to send them away. Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” I have been blessed to see God’s kingdom in the faces and lives of the children I have come to know and love here in Ethiopia. Please pray for these children and for us- that we will continue to see Jesus in the faces and lives of the children here. We send our best to all of you and hope that God has been blessing your summers!
With Love,
Katie (and JOESH-get it, Joe and Josh…hehe)

Miracles

Have you ever been involved in some of God’s miracles? I certainly have. On
this trip there have been many of them- some big, many small. Through each
of them God has revealed Himself in mighty and powerful ways. Here are 5 that
I’d like to share with you. Four of them happened in consecutive days, and the
first happened about a week and a half ago.


Miracle # 1- 700
Donations have increased so that now instead of the 660 people that were receiving food at the Feeding Center, 700 people can be fed at lunch. This increase of 40 people is amazing. 40 more people who were once turned away are now welcomed to a hot warm meal…awesome.


Miracle #2- Day 1 Kadist and Alayu-

Kadist and Alayu are a married couple who manage the guest house we where
we have been staying. As strong Christians, they both have experienced the joy
and pain that comes with following Christ. Kadist has been sick for over 15
years with an intestinal problem. The pain is evident, as it inhibits her
movement and often restricts her to bed. Doctors are expensive and ineffective here in
Ethiopia. The necessary surgery is out of the question as the concerns of
infection are too great a risk. But God is the great physician. A missionary
from Virginia decided to support Kadist and in one fell swoop, plane tickets,
money and visas were quickly given (This is truly amazing as it usually takes at
least 6 months to get a visa) and soon she’ll be having surgery. I wish I could
convey the awe and O MY GOODNESS, NO WAY! Of this story…Praise God! But I’ve got
more to tell you, so let’s move on.

Miracle #3- 3 more kids and an anonymous call

A family staying with us has 7 kids and felt called by God to adopt 3 more.
Yes. Process that thought. 10 Kids…that’s a lot. Now Carolyn, the mom, believed
that God would take care of all expenses. Kiel (the father) is a painter and
was skeptical that they would be able to make ends meet. But God provides.
Late one evening an organization they belong to called. Someone
made an anonymous $20,000 donation! It was so cool to be there! O man, if you
know me…you know I get all excited. Ok, now- take that image, multiply it by 10
and that was Carolyn. Ha! I felt right at home and it was amazing! Praise God!

Miracle #4- 40 more agree “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.”

The great commission was not something to ignore, but something to fulfill.
As Christians we have a responsibility to share the Gospel and its fruit with
all those around us. At the feeding center this past Tuesday, July 24th, 2007 I
was blessed with the opportunity to witness about 40 people accept Christ as
their personal Lord and Savior. What an amazingly humbling experience. It was
incredible to see the Holy Spirit work and all the glory is for Christ alone. I
can’t wait to talk to them in Heaven.

Miracle #5- The cost

Phone calls can bring happiness, and also great sorrow. In the morning
Carolyn and Kiel received a phone call that their child Ethan just suffered a
Grand Mal Seizure. His seizure lasted for 5 minutes and its cause is not known.
But thanks to God, it appears that little damage was done…at least that’s what
the results show so far. Keep Ethan and the family in your prayers.
The miracle is to have joy through it all (James 1:2), to rely on and experience God’s strength,
and to delve into a deeper intimacy with Christ. We all have been continuing to
persevere with God’s help and therefore, I’ve put this as a miracle.

Serving God here has been a roller coaster of a ride and you never really know
what is going to happen. But don’t worry, God is in control. I hope you’re
encouraged by this post. Keep your eyes open for the miracles God is doing your
life everyday. How great it is to be a servant of Christ.

Joe ( Katie and Josh)

Summary thoughts from Victoria

“We can do no great things, just small things with great love. It’s not how much you do, but how much love you put into doing it.” –Mother Teresa

As I am nearing the end of my first full day at home, I have taken some time to reflect on the past month spent in Ethiopia. I struggle trying to find the right words to describe some of my experiences, as the past month has been an absolutely incredible and life-changing time for me. I feel as though I have seen and experienced God in brand new ways – in the city, through the team, as we were traveling, and in our everyday adventures.
A few highlights for me include our great quality time at the girls home. Seeing the girls’ faces light up as we baked, read books, talked and laughed made our weeks so much brighter! The language barrier certainly didn’t stop us from sharing lots of laughs and fun times together. On the last day there, the girls braided Katie’s hair and mine…and attempted to braid Susan’s. ;) What sweet, cuddly girls they are – and we certainly treasured the time we had with them. I’m so excited to know many of these girls have accepted Christ through their time at the Joy Home. The hugs and goodbyes were very difficult for me, but we promised to write each other and I look forward to keeping in touch with them as well.
Another memorable time for me was our lunches at the feeding center. It was quite a humbling experience to serve them, and know this meal might be their only food all day or week. It was so neat to recognize and talk with many of the people there.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I knew my time in Ethiopia had come to an end. I will never forget the smells, the sights, the people and the joy of Ethiopia. The experiences and friendships with the locals and the team have impacted my life in tremendous ways. I ask you to continue to be in prayer for the people of Ethiopia as well as for Katie, Joe and Josh as they are continuing their ministry in Ethiopia until August 18th. Victoria

Roggie Report

Roggie Report

After meeting the Johnson-Hammack team (another MPPC-based teaching team) we boarded our tour bus for the five hour drive to Roggie. We mixed and mingled with the other team (16 of them) and it was interesting to hear their stories and their excitement about their trip. They had just arrived in Addis the night before from the US so we did feel a bit like “locals” as we described our past month’s adventures to them.
The view out the window quickly changed as the kilometers went by. From the crowded, noisy streets of Addis to the more wide open agricultural areas on our way south. I’ve previously described this view as more like a National Geographic picture of Africa – round huts clustered in compounds, thorny wooden enclosures for animals, and small cooking fires being tended by women and children.
We left the paved road and made the last 5 km journey on a rutted dirt path passable only because it was not currently raining. The leftover “puddles” made the trip a bit like a cross between Great America’s Log Ride and Disneyland’s Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride but we made it safely across.

The road represents the journey that many of the school children take each day and it was dotted with clusters of huts and grazing animals of all kinds. As our bus passed, the sight and sound brought dozens of running children to the bus windows, waving and cheering our arrival.

As we rounded the last turn we could see in the distance the school buildings on the hillside. This was especially exciting for me since on my last visit to Roggie in January 2005 there was only a single church building on the site.
We were met by what appeared to be the entire Roggie community but before we could enjoy the welcoming ceremony they had planned for us we couldn’t help poking our heads into the classrooms where the KG1, KG2 and Grade 1 students were sitting quietly at their desks. Who knows how long they had been waiting for us but they greeted us enthusiastically (WELCOME!!!) and eagerly presented all of us with pictures they had drawn thanking their MPPC sponsors. Another personal highlight was meeting Meskerem Terefe, a KG1 student who I am sponsoring. What a blessing to meet her in person, see her smile and hold her hand.

Our team spent some time doing a few songs and some crafts (Todd’s team worked on a photo project for MPPC) before breaking out the jump ropes and playing with the children. Before leaving Roggie for the day, we visited one of the school children’s houses and delivered gifts that had been sent by MPPC families to their kids in Roggie.

Our overnight stay was at a lodge on the shores of Lake Langano.
This was our visit to mosquito country and the large and numerous ones were waiting to greet us when we arrived. The grounds were beautiful and we enjoyed a dinner together before heading to bed. Yeah, about that…..this was the first time for all of us (except Stephen) that we spent the night under mosquito nets. Katie and Victoria had the added adventure of sharing a twin bed under a mosquito net. The 90+ degree temperature inside and our inabililty to open any windows (“Will we have a goat in here?, because that’s my only concern” V.G.) made for an interesting night’s “sleep”.

In the morning we returned to Roggie. We stopped at the site of the well, another MPPC project which is completely changing the way these villagers will spend their days. The construction of the pumping stations and generator will begin this next week so future visits will show even more progress. Zenebe had asked the kids to come to school this day bringing with them their goats. Last summer’s MPPC children’s offering had been designated to purchase goats for each of the children of the school. What an amazing sight to see all of them and their goats gathered together on the school grounds. Many of the goats had offspring during the year so I think the kids outnumbered the kids.

We spent some time again with the children in their classrooms teaching some simple songs and a few English lessons. By mid-day it was time to leave.
I know as I approach the end of my month’s stay in Ethiopia I am facing several difficult goodbyes but hugging Meskerem goodbye was especially tough for me. As with all of the many lives we’ve touched and been touched by, we count it a blessing to have been here even briefly and we trust God with the continued care of His people.

More poetry

Here are a couple of poems that I (Susan) wrote inspired by our time at the Feeding Center. Thank you for your continued prayers for the 660+ men, women and children who are served each day by this ministry of hot food.

Sofia

7 months ago.
Sofia discovered that a new beginning was growing within her. Excitement and joy competed with the sorrow that life with her ill husband imposed.

6 months ago. Sofia’s stomach churned in the early morning. A reminder that soon there would be yet another mouth to feed.

5 months ago. Her husband’s ever-worsening symptoms coincide with her ever-expanding belly and she waits.

4 months ago. The difficulties increase as her fears about the future deepen. There is no work. There is no food. There is no hope.

3 months ago. The worst happens. A visit from death and the family that should be growing larger loses its Father.

2 months ago. Her pleas for hospitality go unanswered. An unmerciful landlord forces her eviction into the cold, dark streets of Addis.

1 month ago. Her toddler son asks the questions for which she has no answers. When is Daddy coming back? What is there to eat today? Why?

Today. Sofia slowly travels the cement walkway that leads to lunch. Exchanging her ticket for a bowl of injera and wat. All that she’ll receive today to share with her wiggly 3 year old and her unborn child.

Now it’s my turn for questions that go unanswered.
Where will she go to deliver this new baby? What will happen to them? Why?


The Feeding Center

Group after group they come
Women and their children
The sick, the poor, the lame
Blind, orphaned and alone
Wearing their entire wardrobe at once
The sum of their possessions in the bottom of a twisted plastic bag.

First order, and then chaos
Now noise, and then quiet as food placed in front of them makes its way into their empty places.

All the same, and yet all different.
A bit of onion broken apart, some pepper seeds or pieces of garlic waiting at the bottom of a blue plastic bowl. Story after story of heartache, hurt and suffering among the young and the old alike.

Injera.
Torn, folded or rolled above or below the steaming wat.
The only meal they’ll see today or the only meal they’ll see this week.

Up from the cold cement benches
Bowls empty
Up the ramp and out
Or maybe first what passes for a bath at the cold-water spigot
Making their way back to the street and to the world that looks at them every day without seeing them.

Not a chance for me to turn around or to turn away and then it comes again.
Another wave of people. More stories, more suffereing, more need.
The scene repeats itself.
4 times each day
6 days each week
660 x 6 x 52 = 205, 920
No, that’ can’t be right.
Is it over yet?
The last arrive.
No more injera.
Just a piece of bread and a platter of leftover scraps on the ground like a dish of food I might set out for my dogs.
Gathered around it are the squatting men, 10, 20, 30 of them.
Dipping.
Dipping their bread together as they share this communal meal.
It is almost too much… this relentless suffering.
Look!, There’s Jesus

Matthew 25:40 “For whenever you did this for the least of these, you did it for me.”

Summary thoughts from week before Roggie

Welcome Blog Readers,

It is a pleasure to write this blog update about this last week as Karen and I prepare to leave tomorrow (Saturday). We just arrived back in Addis from being in Roggie Thursday and Friday. Susan will be giving more detail on that; I will recap Monday through Wednesday and some parting thoughts.

This week felt as if we finally established a routine. On Monday Karen and I went to the RSCP feeding center while the rest of the group was teaching at Hope School. It was a heartbreaking last time at RSCP for Karen and me. That morning was very cold and rainy and most of those boys have hardly any clothing; the little clothing they have was soaked. You just wanted to wrap them all up in your jacket. We sang some songs and then re-enacted the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The boys enjoyed having one of their friends be the Dad as I played the part of the lost son. Karen beautifully narrated and then concluded with prayer. This lasted about 30 minutes and then it was time to feed them. The woman in charge then informed us that the bread had not yet arrived. It didn’t arrive for another 15 minutes, which isn’t long but it was painful to watch as these boys were trying to sit quietly, but they were wiggling in hunger and shivering in cold. It was quite the reminder that for some of them this little meal of bread, bananas, and warm milk is their only meal until the next morning.

After the feeding center we met up with the rest of the team at the school. From there we went to the feeding center for the adults, continuing to build relationships with the people there and making a few smile when we used the little Amharic we know. After the feeding center the girls returned to the girls home for another rewarding time spent with these young women who have had little positive interaction such as this. I know the women on our team have truly cherished the few times they have been able to spend with the girls. Erstwhile, the boys went back to the word working shop to continue our building adventures. The highlight was being able to completely finish some of the school chairs that we had started the first day we came. We put the finishing touches on by putting on the seats and backs of the chairs. I believe that it was the first time for any of us to put rivets in with a hand-powered machine instead of an electric tool. At least the drill for the holes was electrical. For us boys it was an “awesome rah-rah manly” feeling to look at these chairs and know that we went from bending pieces of metal to now having them complete.

Tuesday was Amharic lessons again in the morning. From there we rushed back to the feeding center to serve lunch (one last time for Karen and me). This part of our ministry has been a completely unexpected heart rending experience for us. It has really challenged Karen and me to pursue this type of service back in the United States. Following this we went back to the Sisters of Charity Orphanage and taught English.

Wednesday’s recap will be short for your sake and mine. Karen and I spent the morning one last time at the feeing center with the children while the others were teaching. We caught up with the team at Hope School, enjoyed the rare and beautiful sunshine by playing outside, and then headed out to the orphanage. It turned out to be a gorgeous day in Addis, one of the few full days of sunshine we have had. But, this was also followed by the hardest rainfall we have had. That night as we were playing cards, the power went out. We finished our game in candlelight around nine and decided it was a good time to go to bed because we were getting up at five for our trip to Roggie. The rain awakened most of the team around midnight. It sounded like the rain was going to collapse the roof of the house. The rain continued to come down this hard for another 3-4 hours – it was phenomenal, the sheer power of the rain. Yet, now that I hear the rain I think of what Susan shared early on in the trip how there are so many in this city who don’t have a home. Now when I hear the rain I thank God for the replenishing of the soil and pray for those without homes.

It is time to say good-bye – to the blog, blog readers, and Ethiopia. It has been an amazing time here, made possible by our team and Hope Enterprises. God moves in amazing ways: bringing this team together, Hope Projects, the Hope staff, etc. The love of Christ is alive and well here in Addis – all you have to do is see Pastor Matheos face light up every time he sees someone – and his joy is typical of the many wonderful Ethiopians serving the Lord here.

God Bless,

Stephen and the Team

Lalibela and some thoughts from Karen

Hi all,
Before jumping into our Lalibela experience, we felt it important to recap last Thursday. As Josh mentioned we all felt pretty discouraged last Monday evening, in part due to the teaching and in part due to the time at “Joy Home” and woodshop. Thursday afternoons mirror our Monday afternoons, so we didn’t quite know what to expect as the girls and guys headed off in our separate directions.
Unsurprisingly, God proved faithful yet again. The 10 girls at Joy Home shyly greeted us and we began to show them how to make pineapple pizza. While the girls seemed interested and helpful, they still were a bit reserved with us. As the pizzas were cooking, we told the girls that we had brought a camera, a photo printer, and decorations for a craft—the girls came alive at this! They scurried to their rooms to get ready for their “photo shoot”, some trying on 3 or 4 outfits to get the right look. Once all the pictures were taken, the girls huddled around the photo printer, watching with joy and giggles as the pictures slowly made their way out of the printer. Konjit, the woman in charge of the girls’ home, told us that these were the first pictures that some of the girls had of themselves. We felt God really blessing our interactions and relationships with the girls and couldn’t wait to return Monday.
The boys were similarly blessed with some good conversations and interactions at the woodshop. For the last hour of their time, there was a project that all three guys, a shop teacher, and some of the shop students all worked on together. This facilitated a time for talking, sharing, and even a few theological discussions. The boys joined us in the minivan with dirt and glue on their hands and big smiles on their faces at the end of the afternoon.
Now on to the Lalibela adventure! Our flight to Lalibela went smoothly. We stepped off the plane onto the gravel runway, smaller than most parking lots in the States, and were surrounded by green hills and lush countryside. After the constant crush of people, sooty black car fumes, and dusty roads of Addis, we all took a couple deep breaths—inhaling the fresh air and the natural beauty that surrounded us. As we drove into Lalibela from the airport, it felt as if we were driving back in time. Straw and mud huts dotted the hills and shepherds looked up from their herds of sheep and goats to smile and wave at us.
We spent the day touring the ancient Orthodox churches for which the city is famous. These churches were built in the 1100-1200s and carved out of the soft red rock of the land. Many of these churches were literally carved from the top down and then the inside of the building was hollowed out from the stone. It’s amazing to think of the manpower and determination that it took to carve these beautiful churches. The centuries-old sanctuaries are still being used as places of worship. It was humbling to look down at the floors of the churches, worn smooth by hundreds of thousands of feet coming to worship across time, knowing that our footsteps were now joining theirs.
We got to see a service in progress with about a dozen priests and clergy chanting in praise to God. Stephen’s highlight of the trip occurred in that dimly lit sanctuary when an elderly gentleman mistook Stephen for a pillar in the church and was about to kiss his stomach. The man was quite surprised when the “wall” moved out of his way! Another of the group’s highlights was getting to travel through an underground tunnel that connected two of the churches.
Overall the trip was awe-inspiring and restorative; it was a nice mini-break as we reached our two-week mark. Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we continue this week with teaching and serving.
~Karen and the rest of the gang

Hola mis amigos/as! July 5, 2007

Josh here with the next edition of Our Life in Ethiopia: The delightful tale of seven wonderful servants adventuring… Sorry, but there has been a running joke that my blog segment would be more soap opera than update, but fear not, I’m here to inform. (Pretty sure Karen & Stephen are going to hook up though)
Where to begin? Well this has been our first full week with some semblance of routine. It began on Sunday with a visit to Pastor Matheos’ church. Pastor Matheos has been our companion and translator on all of our ministry adventures, consistently taking care of us and adopting us as his sheep. It was great to experience worship at an Ethiopian church and proved enlightening despite the language barrier. Occasionally we would receive interpretations as to what the sermon was about or what the songs we were singing actually meant. Or, thanks to our Amharic lessons, we would pick up words we recognized here and there causing us to smile and meet eyes excited by the familiar words. The speaker focused on the obedience exhibited in the life of Joshua using Joshua 1:1-9 and 1 Cor. 10. The rest of our day was preparation for our teaching debut. At 3 pm we left for a traditional coffee ceremony at Pastor Matheo’s house followed by an Ethiopian dinner at the Crown Hotel with entertainment taking the form of excellent traditional dancers…and our very own Joe. The room is fairly large, seating 100 people or so. Well the music gets going and the dancers get to dancing and pretty soon some nice middle-aged Ethiopian men to the left of us are standing up dancing along. So naturally Joe, jumps up and starts clapping along to the beat with a little awkward hip shaking thrown in for good measure. Next thing we know he’s running over to the middle aged men having a dance off Ethiopian style. Dancing over here is all about moving your shoulders, chest and neck to the beat. So there’s Joe with his hands on his hips thrusting his upper body and all of us crying from laughing so hard. What made it even better was that half of the place was watching Joe instead of the dancers.
We entered classrooms Monday morning ready to teach English, one of the major tasks for which we had prepared, only to be severely humbled and forced to take a step back and rethink a few things. Most of the kids proved to be more of a handful than we had expected and our limited language skills impacted our abilities to present our lessons in an understandable way. We left the school that day disheartened, but continued on to the feeding center at Hope headquarters to serve some familiar faces and see some of our new friends. After that, we split up and the girls went to “Joy Home” a house ministry to about a dozen orphan girls ages 10-16. Meanwhile the guys went back to HOPE school to spend some time with our friends in the woodworking shop. There were a few discouraging and uncomfortable parts of the afternoon as well and by the time we all regrouped at home we were pretty down. Together we discussed our experiences as well as a plan of action. We realized that maybe this teaching thing was not going to go as planned but either way we would pray and seek God’s guidance. So Tuesday morning we had our Amharic lessons followed by a trip to the ASCO Children’s Center, a home run by the Sisters of Charity for HIV+/AIDS children. We took a brief tour of the facilities and then we spent time with the directors discussing the possibility of some ongoing teaching to the children. The day went by but unfortunately for me, it was not much more than just another day. We prayed that night for God to give us patience with the children, and that we would be filled with strength and love to approach all of our teaching with a different perspective. I was reminded of the Scripture telling us that it is when we are weak that we realize the true strength of God. The next morning was a beautiful reminder that God answers prayer. The kids were attentive and quiet, ready for instruction and eager to learn - that’s what I saw in the classroom Stephen and I were in and basically mirrored the input from everyone else. We celebrated our victory in the classroom (and the 4th of July) with steak, hamburgers and fries, our attempt at being American. It was refreshing to sit down and have lunch together rather than rushing from place to place eating our granola bars and trail mix in the minibus.
Wednesday afternoon we began teaching at the ASCO Center and it was a great experience which we will be continuing a couple days each week. This trip has reminded me that a beautiful thing about service is that everyone is called to serve, just in different ways. Each individual has his or her unique talents and strengths that fill different niches. We can do more together than we can do alone. This is the truth found in the body of Christ. Pray for us as we leave for Lalibela Friday morning at 5am; although this might not be posted until we get back so…maybe just keep us in prayer for all of our ongoing and new relationships and ministries. Thank you for all of the support, prayer and love, keep it coming.

-Josh and the Ethiopian Entourage

Poetry

Hello again.
Susan here, taking a few minutes to write a quick entry.
Thanks to all of you for following along with us via our blog.
We love hearing from you and your words of support and encouragement have meant a great deal to all of us.
I've been writing poetry as a way to capture some of the thoughts and experiences of this trip so today I'll share two of them with you. The first was inspired by a little girl named Meskerm who I met at the street children's breakfast the other day. She quickly found my hand and held it as we made our way around the center.
We were friends, but I haven't seen her since.
The other was inspired by the relentless rainy season here in Addis.

Meskerm
Where was she today?
The sweet loving girl of yesterday.
Hand games and songs.
Missing teeth smiles.
The bouncing shoulders of Amharic dances on a stick like girl of seven.
Where was she today?

The Rain
The rain.
Beating on the metal roof.
Slapping at the windows with the tic-toc rhythm of the wind that drives it.
The rain.
Sending us deeper into the cushions of the couches and easy chairs.
Snuggling with books and cards and each other.
Imagining cocoa or popcorm or both.
The rain.
The rain.
Streaming off or through the corrugated tin.
Puddling on the plastic tarp.
Dissolving the cardboard shelter overhead.
Slapping their faces with the stinging wetness.
Muddying their sidewalk beds.
The rain.
The rain.


Blessings from the team.
Susan, Katie, Karen, Stephen, Joe, Josh and Victoria

Reflections from Joe

After being here just a week serving at Hope Enterprises Feeding Center, I think its time to be completely transparent. It's not possible to have experienced all of this and not be severely impacted.
As much of a positive twist that I would like to leave you with, I feel as though I would do each of you a disservice if I did not relay the actuality of the pain and suffering that we have encountered while serving at the feeding center.

"There really is no shortage of suffering on this Earth"-Karen. Whether it be in East Palo Alto in California, underneath the overpass in Eugene, the street kids, beggars, cripples here in Ethiopia, or in my life or yours, the suffering we experience can be all too difficult at times.

But God has been gracious and through time spent in the Word He has revealed numerous passages to remind me of His All-Powerful and merciful nature. I often hear lingering in my head- Consider it pure joy Joe that you are facing the trial of seeing My heartache. (James 1:2) Karen also reminds us, "when you serve, see Jesus, because that is who we are serving" (Matthew 25:40). The reminder that God is truly here in control has given me comfort within this storm.

Let me take you through my morning:

Breakfast- Imagine: At least 200 street kids ages 5-13, clothed in little at best, having inadequate shoes, lacking basic hygiene and having empty stomachs. I've seen too many children today alone that have been forced to grow up too quickly. Too many have not had the opportunity to just be kids. Loud, obnoxious, playful, running around, just being kids!! Oh, what an injustice that has been done to each of them...As I write this a rain storm has begun (something common to each day). Most of those kids will be getting wet right now, and if they're lucky to have found 1 birr, hopefully the sleeping spot they had to buy will have some covering.

Lunch- The tickets that people have to turn in to receive a meal describe the meal as "for the destitute." They're not lying.

1st shift- The elderly.

Greeting each with a handshake at the door, I try to pay the respect that each deserves. Crippled, blind, and frail they utter "Wat, Wat or soup, soup". You see, even though their bodies are weak and in desperate need of the beans and protein, they can't handle it. The injera (tortilla like bread) is tough enough.

Oh how I wish I could speak Amharic. To hear the stories these old men must have of their glory days would be priceless. But even to see their faces light up with joy when they are recognized is enough of a story to bring my tears. There has been one old man that stops me each time and looks intently in my eyes and says something to me in Amharic. As he points to the sky the only words I can really make out are Jesus Christ and Thank you. How excited I am to be able to find out how God saved his life when I meet him in Heaven.

2nd Shift- The crippled and maimed

Have you ever seen the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Take that image, make his left foot contorted to an unusable fashion used only to balance, and make his left hand his new foot. Or how about a man with the disfigured face from acid or a fire; He wears a head scarf to cover his face and when you first look Him in the eyes- if you can make it that far- the look of fear and shame is something you'll never forget. And then, when you smile at him...O when you smile at him...how that wall begins to fall, and just like what happens with the others, an amazing joy filled smile comes over Him. How I pray that He has accepted Christ as Lord and Savior so that I can hear his story too.

3rd shift- The women and children

16 year olds pregnant- too young to know about the pain of child birth ahead and unable to get sufficient prenatal care for their soon to be child...The majority are older, having multiple kids under a few years old. Most everyone carries her children on her back, causing deformity and most certainly severe back pain. For the 2nd day in a row there has been a small boy running around naked with an open shirt draped on him offering little covering. It's tempting to have a big smile and think about how cute that image was/is, until you realize that what he has on is it. It will be what he wears yesterday, today, tomorrow, during the last rain storm, this rain storm, and the next rain storm.

Oddly enough, some women have chosen the street; some have been forced onto it. Sofia is a 3rd trimester mother of 2 whose husband just died 3 months ago. All the money is gone and she and her family have been forced out into the streets.

4th shift- The men.
I can't. By this point, it just seems too much...Romans 12:21 comes into my head, "Do not be overcome by evil; but overcome evil with good."

Joy within it all:
I believe that Christ is my Lord and Savior, that He spent His days on this Earth serving men, women and children like this. I must remind myself that because of His grace and this feeding center, over 660 adults at lunch and 200+ children at breakfast are fed 6 days a week. Each of them have been given a little relief from this harsh and painful world.

How wonderful it was to be able to hear and see some accept Christ as their Savoir the other day. This is reason enough to have joy! Eternal salvation is offered and accepted hopefully each day by Hope. People are getting a meal. People who are shunned all too often by people like me are being served- treated as Christ would want them to be treated. OH! How there is great joy! I know it, have felt it, and have been blessed to be apart of it! I know I sound like a crazy man, and I'd be one of the first to ask the "Why God?" question. And how I wish I had an answer, but I don't. What I do have is faith that my God is real, that "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy" (James 5:11) and that our prayers are powerful and can yield change. Most of all, I have faith that since Jesus has already conquered death, he can surely conquer all that we have seen and will continue to see on this trip.

"Do not be overcome by evil; but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

Can you speak Amharic?

Dehina Nachioo,

It’s Katie here, time for another blog update. The past two days have been fun and busy, full of many new experiences and challenges. As you probably already know, the students that we are going to be teaching are taking their national exams this week. Since we won’t be in the classrooms until next week, this week we get to spend time with many of our other projects that will be ongoing for the next month (or two).
Monday began a little behind schedule but after a yummy breakfast of French toast we were off again in our faithful taxi. We first dropped off Susan, Karen, Stephen, and Josh at the HOPE school in Addis where they spent the morning working in the wood and metal work vocational schools. Joe, Victoria and I then headed to the HOPE headquarters where the breakfast and lunch feeding programs take place. This experience was one of my favorites from last year and this year proved to be the same. We enjoyed spending time with the children during breakfast and shared some songs and the Bible story of David and Goliath with them. The highlight for me was listening to the children sing “Jesus Loves Me” in Amharic. One of my goals for the trip is to learn this song (in Amharic, of course). The lunch program serves both children and adults, and many of these people are physically or mentally disabled (which is true for 10% of the population). It is hard to see these disabilities but I am always struck by the joy and peace that these people have despite their suffering. Joe had the opportunity to preach to the people before their lunch and shared from Luke 16 about the beggar and the rich man and their eternal rewards. The Holy Spirit was definitely evident in that moment and it was a cool experience to see these people (as well as Pastor Matheos) touched by the words that Joe shared.
After lunch, we headed back to the Addis school to meet up with the rest of the team. They went home to shower, probably because after they finished painting they had to wash their hands with gasoline. In addition to painting, Josh had spent the morning making doors, Karen had shown her aptitude for metal grinding, and Stephen was bending metal for chairs. Joe got hard to work, continuing to bend metal and Victoria and I began painting in the rain. No wonder that Karen and Susan had to spend so much of the morning sanding rust off of metal objects. The items made in the woodworking and metal shops are later used as desks and chairs in the HOPE schools.
Today we began our Amharic lessons, which were difficult but well enjoyed. We learned many greetings and some simple commands and nouns. For example, if I say “asayoo t’erep’aizah”, that means (of course) “show me the table, please”. As you maybe can tell, this language is going to be a challenge but we are all eager to try out our new Amharic on our taxi driver and hosts.
This afternoon we went to the ceramics studio, another HOPE ministry that provides opportunities for former street women to develop their ceramic skills and sell their products for income. This upcoming Saturday, there will be a craft bazaar with many charitable organizations (NGOs) selling products, and these ceramics will also be sold. We are going to be helping these women load up all their products for the fair but were able to do some personal shopping before they packed.
We are looking forward to having our whole team at the breakfast programs tomorrow and are excited for several other ministry opportunities that we will investigate over the next few days. We thank you for your continued prayers and would appreciate prayers for each ministry that we will work with and for our Amharic studies.
As far as the interactive part of the blog, today we will test your Amharic skills. Please post your translations of the following:
Gidgidah=?
Mets’ihaf=?
K’ooch’beloo=?
If you can translate 2 out of 3, you are very gombez! Good luck!

Igizeeabiheyr Yimesigen!
Dehina Waloo,
Katie (and Susan, Victoria, Karen, Stephen, Josh, and Joe)

Rootbeer and Random Stephen Thoughts

Greetings from Ethiopia,

For those who enjoy the quick summary of the day I have chosen to give you the option to stop reading at the end of the two paragraphs and then to choose to either continue reading, save the rest for later, or leave for someone else to read - your choice.

It is with great pleasure and honor to write the blog entry for the day. We are still doing well and continuing to be blessed by the people here. Saturday night we concluded with a fun game of “Fictionary”. The owner of the guesthouse, Ray, joined our group, adding an excellent addition to the game (it was actually his idea to play). In the game each person takes turns picking an obscure word from the dictionary. Then each person has to write a definition of what the word is. The person picking the word writes down the actual definition and then everyone tries to guess the correct definition. I highly recommend it to anyone, not simply because I am a school teacher, but it is quite entertaining to listen to what people come up with. If you haven’t noticed already, our blog has an interactive theme going. I hope all of you have taken the time to answer the dessert question. In true form, below you will find a few of the words from Saturday nights “Fictionary” for you to try and figure out the real definition amongst the fake ones. Give yourself one point for guessing the correct answer. This will have to be based on the honor system, trusting people will not look up the definition until after trying. Please reply back with your total score. I am sure we can find some kind of prize for the winner. But, I don’t want to promise what I don’t have (that is one of the original Viking codes-good code).
Ask Susan for your prize when she gets back.

In case you were wondering, because I know there are some inquisitive minds out there (especially if they are reading this blog), we will actually start our ministry tomorrow. I assure you that you haven’t supported us to come to Ethiopia to simply play games and tour the city. At the International Church today there was a guest speaker who had spent 15 years as a missionary in Ethiopia. He spoke from the passage in Isaiah, 11:1-10. He made the parallel between the contextual situation of Israel and the current situation of the world. Both the Israelites and our current world seem to be on a downward trajectory with no apparent hope. Yet, Isaiah offered hope to the people reminding them that out of the stump of Jesse a root will grow and out of that a branch will grow. Even though it may look bleak, there is hope in God who fulfills his promise. Isaiah was giving them hope of a savior who will come giving perfect justice, peace, and righteousness. Similarly, we have hope that Jesus will return again, restoring justice in our world. Thus, just like Isaiah giving hope to the people of Israel, we too have hope in this passage waiting for the return of Jesus. After church today we gathered all of our school supplies and organized them and started planning for the coming week. We were initially supposed to start working at a school but their exams haven’t finished yet. Tomorrow half of us will be going to Hope Enterprises morning feeding program and serve the children food and then have a quick English lesson. Erstwhile, the other half will go to a vocational program where they teach men and women woodworking skills. There we will be building relationships with the workers, have them show us what they are learning, and help them with various needs they might have in English. In the afternoon, those at the feeding program will go to the wood working place and the rest will go to another vocational program that works with women in ceramics. We will be doing similar work at the ceramics shop as the woodworking shop.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers. God Bless. Below you find the interactive portion of the blog and additional highlights

Stephen (Karen, Susan, Victoria, Katie, Joe, and Josh)

Additional Highlights:
 Cutest little boy in a suit at church today - the girls were quite smitten with him
 Met some people at church today and had dinner with them
 Ate at an authentic Ethiopian Tex Mex restaurant for lunch
 Discovered “Coke-Floats” - basically “Rootbeer-Floats” but with coke. For the die hard traditional Rootbeer-Float drinkers you will be mildly disappointed by the taste; but quite good for the novice drinker
 Another discovery: unsure if salsa is edible for North American stomachs, but the guacamole is fantastic
 Today we watch a video shown to us by a pastor from Dallas about the revival happening in Fiji - “Let the Sea Resound” - it is an amazing story about what God will do when his people respond.


Interactive Blog - Whoa!
Word of the Day Game:
The last two days a few of us have tried to incorporate a word that doesn’t seem to be heard very much any more in everyday language. We are trying to bring back these words and expand are ever decreasing lexicon despite the ever increasing amounts of words found in the dictionary. Try to the find yesterday and today’s word in the blog and reply back - give yourself a million points for finding them or a pat on the back from us - again, we like to give people options, or ask Susan for a prize.

FICTIONARY
Such a game demands to be completely capitalized. Enjoy and remember the honor system.

A. Ostracod
1. a dolphin that has been ostracized from its pod due to engaging in playful activities with humans.
2. the pile of ashes left at the scene of an arson fire.
3. the offspring of an octopus and a cephalopod.
4. a fish that has been banished.
5. completely removing oneself from society.
6. a person whose is an outcast from the community group.
7. a minute fresh water crustacean with a carapace.
8. a feline with a binary uterus.

B. Ultravirus
1. a disease carrying parasite that makes humans glow when exposed to light
2. a filterable virus
3. an easily transmitted disease with no known cure.
4. a theoretical virus created from the overuse of the antibiotic agent triclosan
5. a comic book villain infamous for spreading disease among unsuspecting civilians - arch nemesis of the Superhero Ultra-vaccine.
6. a plant disease discovered by the French biologist Surivart Lu.
7. a general term doctors use to describe an internal disease.
8. a virus whose form has mutated to such an extent making it impervious to treatment.

C. Decuple
1. the ability of a plant to flower annually.
2. a ten hour session of time.
3. tentimes; tenfold.
4. the segregation of two teams in a sporting event.
5. a common word in Canada used to describe a pair of animals; ex: Did you see decuple of geese-eh?
6. the tenth rib protrusion from the thoraxial cage.
7. the act of separating one railcar from another.
8. to break apart from a political party.

D. Eisteddfod
1. an object used in South American religious ceremonies; often considered sacred.
2. a traditional harvesting tool used by the Aborigines.
3. the harsh corrosive ester CH2Si3O, as used in chromate coating on metals.
4. a type of food developed by traveling Romanian circus groups.
5. a small deep water ocean fish dependent on iridescence for navigation.
6. an annual gathering of Welsh authors and poets.
7. an organic spread found primarily in Southeast Asia.
8. a small intricate tool used to cut tiny pieces of wood.

Museum and Merkato

Greetings from Addis! This is Victoria and it’s my turn to give today’s update.

We have enjoyed our time in Addis and getting to know our team better. We ate breakfast this morning with Ray and Laurale, the couple who run this guest home. It was fascinating to hear many of their incredible experiences they have had over the last 38 years they have been in Ethiopia. After breakfast, we were treated to a visit by a man named Mango who brought over many ostrich eggs to sell. We couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this! The eggs sold for 35 birr, which is only $4 in US dollars. Afterwards, we took a drive with Pastor Matheos to Ethiopia’s National Museum. Lucy, the fossilized hominid (basically an archeological discovery that has been identified as the link between prehistoric and modern man) discovered in 1974, was featured here. Many beautiful and intricate paintings, pottery, clothing and jewelry were also on display. It was interesting to learn more of Ethiopia’s history through the museum. We had fun together and many funny photos were taken. (Look for those in a later blog entry!)
Our next stop was the merkato -- East Africa’s largest market. Getting there was quite an adventure as cars are merging and honking from all directions and people and donkeys are walking and crossing the street from everywhere. You could find pretty much anything here, from produce to clothing, paper or possibly even animals. Saturday is the busiest shopping day, so we were grateful to have Pastor Matheos as our guide throughout the market. The hardest part for me was seeing the kids’ faces pressed against our car window, begging for money or selling things like gum or bracelets.
This afternoon, we had the opportunity to relax and continue to build relationships with our other team members. We ended our day with dinner, visiting with a few missionaries staying here and playing many different games together. We have had a great time getting to know each other these last few days, and even though many of us just met this week, to me it feels like we’ve known each other for a long time.
We are looking forward to visiting the International Evangelical Church tomorrow, and starting our work projects on Monday.

Our first full day

We’re just finishing up our first full day here in Addis.
On Thursday, we completed our travels from the US to Africa.
Katie and Susan made their way from San Francisco and set out to find not only the Ethiopian airlines gate but also Josh, Joe and Victoria who had arrived several hours earlier.
As with several members of our team, Josh, Joe and Victoria had never met each other. Joe admitted that he spent at least a few of his airport waiting hours wandering the airport terminal saying under his breath “Victoria, Victoria” and watching to see if anyone actually WAS Victoria. Karen and Stephen joined us this morning after a long day of travel from Norway, complete with 10+ hours in the airport in Paris. It was great to see them and wonderful to finally be all together as a team.
We had a great french toast breakfast prepared for us by Kidist and Hannah here in the guest house and then spent some time discussing our upcoming teaching schedule.
In the afternoon we were picked up by our private minibus and then went for a lunch at a local restaurant…that’s where the team picture was taken.
Our tour around town took us to the bank, the Hale Kewart church offices, the African Union building and the Hope Enterprises headquarters. We got to see the area where the street kids come for breakfast and where we’ll be helping them with English lessons.
We spent a few minutes with Dr. Minas who welcomed us and prayed for our team and then spent some time with Zenebe who helped us understand even more about our upcoming teaching responsibilities (yes there will be books!) and arranged for us to be served some amazing macchiato.
Stephen had tea. We stopped at an internet café and did a bit of email checking…some of us being more successful than others. Very slow connections here in Ethiopia but we’ll do our best to keep you updated and informed as frequently as possible.
During our spaghetti dinner back at the guest house we talked about some of the day’s highlights. We were blessed by our meetings with Dr. Minas and Zenebe and hearing how much they care about the people that HOPE serves here in Ethiopia but also how they so deeply care about us.
Our evening wound up with a bit of card playing, and lots of laughter with Stephen and Karen dressed appropriately in Norweigian ski caps. Good night from Addis.
P.S. If you could be any dessert what would it be and why?

P.P.S. Photos to come

Time and calendar

Hey, just so you aren't too confused....
I set the time zone on our blog to be Addis time...so it looks like the most recent post was at 8:31 am on Wednesday when in fact, here in Callifornia it is 10:31pm Tuesday.....so...that means that Addis is 10 hours ahead of West Coast time. Another interesting fact for all of you keeping track, Ethiopia uses a different calendar than we do.
They have a 13 month calendar year, which is why the travel posters say "Come to Ethiopia for 13 months of sunshine!" They also are currently in the year 1999 so another travel poster says, "Come to Ethiopia and be 7 years younger!" Their New Year's Day is celebrated in September so the country is currently wrestling with the challenges and potential disruption that the Millenium will bring...anybody here remember Y2K?
Oh, and they use a different "clock" too so that their day begins at 6am but their watches will say 1am.
Glad I could clear all that up for you! And you thought all we had to worry about was jet-lag!

Travel is underway

Our travel has begun.
Karen and Stephen are getting ready to leave Oslo on their way to begin their journey to Africa where they'll arrive on Friday morning. Joe has left for his red-eye to Washington DC where he'll arrive tomorrow. Victoria will get one more night to sleep in her own bed before leaving Chicago tomorrow bound for DC.
Josh is still getting packed ;.) but flies tomorrow from LA to Washington.
Katie and I will be at the airport in San Francisco tomorrow for our morning flight to DC.
The five of us will board our Ethiopian airlines flight on Wednesday evening and we'll arrive in Addis at 7pm on Thursday. After all the planning and arranging from all across the country it will be great to finally all be together and begin our ethiopiasummer when Karen and Stephen join us on Friday. We'll take a team photo so you can see the 'before" shot!
Next post will be from the other side of the world!

Pre-trip Prayer Requests

Well, we are only 10 days away from starting our journey to Ethiopia.
Karen and Stephen are already part way there, traveling in Europe before they join us.
We'd appreciate your prayers as we finalize the details and get packed and ready to leave on June 20.
Please pray for safe travel, good health and timely connections.
Pray for team cohesiveness as we connect in Washington D.C. with Josh and Victoria.
Pray for the planning of our English classes and preparation for teaching...a brand new thing for some of us.