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.”