Where
to begin... This being my second year on this trip, I was extremely
excited to come back to Ethiopia! What I soon realized, though, was that
most of my excitement stemmed from me expecting to encounter the same
life changing experiences as I had the first year. This perspective
drastically changed the moment we met up at KCI on Friday morning with
the simple realization that it was a different group of people. The
initial sorrow of missing those folks who wouldn't be going with us this
year still lingers (Taylor, Sarah, Dakota, Hannah, Connie, Lanette,
Jodi, Kelsey, and Amy) but let me tell you, the 16 of us have had the
most amazing week so far and have grown so close! Each day has been
filled with laughs, cries, dances, hugs, kisses, songs, and prayers.
We
began today by heading to Mission Ethiopia, a ministry that is devoted
to helping those surrounded by poverty to obtain a self-sustaining
lifestyle. Women filled two of the rooms busy with their work of making
beads and other jewelry out of clay. Full of smiles, they welcomed us in
to sit with them, talk with them, and even attempt to learn their
craft! Communication was difficult, but in their broken English and our
hilarious attempts at Amharic, we were able to share God's love with
each other in its purest form. Songs of praise in the universal words of
"Alleluia Jesus, Alleluia" filled that tiny room and goose bumps
immediately rose on my arms. To think of what these women have gone
through and continue to face everyday and to watch how hard they work
while praising The Lord with joy, it brings me to a state of humility
and hope. Humility knowing that God deserves our relentless praise NO
MATTER WHAT and hope knowing that even ashes can be turned into beauty.
What a testimony to the work that God can do and is doing in Ethiopia
and around the world.
From
Mission Ethiopia, we were allowed to visit the home of one of the women
living near Mission Ethiopia. She is the mother of 4, the oldest being 7
years old, and struggles to support her family with an injured leg and a
husband who must beg on the streets for income. We entered the tiny 10'
x 10' room which housed a bed and some clothes spread throughout and
gave the woman a gift with some food and cooking oil. She was very
grateful and said nothing but words of thankfulness and praise to us,
yet another humbling experience. Before leaving, we sang the song "I
Love You Lord" to her, knowing that her heart was singing with us,
wow...
Next
came the care point which was a new experience for us all! With a fully
stocked kitchen fit with appliances and cabinets and a sheltered eating
area, it was clear to see how much progress the care point has made and
even more importantly the impact that the care point is making on the
members of the community of Kora! Little kids ran to us with smiles and
immediately attached themselves to our hands, an experience that will
never lose its impact, we heard an amazing testimony from a member of
the community who grew up in the dump and is now a crucial member of the
care point team, and got to help feed the children (always a blast!).
Leaving those precious kids was difficult, but the separation was
different than the trip from last year.
This
brings me back to the point of this year being a different experience
than last year's trip. When we left the children at the care points last
year, I was filled with sorrow because I felt that I was abandoning
these kids to a life without love, hope, or a future. But boy have my
eyes been opened to the good, no, the GREAT that is happening through
the work of Children's Hope Chest by the grace and power of God! These
kids are receiving their basic needs of food, water, and health care,
along with an education that will allow them to go to college (yes,
college!), and most importantly discipleship that will lead them into
the arms of "The One Who Can Do All Things" as one Ethiopian put it. The
work that is being done also helps the families become self-sustaining
so that hope for a prosperous life coupled with the love of Jesus will
spread throughout the communities involved. Amazing, right? Remind me
again why I doubt the power of God...
Shopping
at the market was crazy and exhilarating as always, but the night ended
with quite the cultural experience. (Pic below Joey and Sammy brushing their teeth Ethiopian style in the market!)
The team ate at Yod Absynnia, a
traditional Ethiopian restaurant complete with authentic food, music,
and dancing (Yod Abyssinia website). Our eyes were plastered to the performers as they worked
their shoulders (the Ethiopian equivalent to the hips in American
dance), and our taste buds were tested as many sampled and some devoured
the variety platter of Ethiopian food. Two members of our group were
called on stage to dance with the performers! Tammy rocked it up there
like a dancin' machine and the other 'lucky' contestant did his best...
;)
In
short, this trip has stretched me and encouraged me at the same time. I
am continually reminded that life is 100% about praising God and using
who I am to give Him ALL the glory in any and every circumstance. The
one body of Christ truly has many parts that are all unique and
important in their own way: the workers with Hope Chest, the women at
Mission Ethiopia, this incredible team I get the pleasure of traveling
with, the children, the cooks at the guest house, and the list goes
on... One Body, Many Parts, being the hands and feet of Jesus. For His
Glory..... Tyler Davison
From Tyler's Facebook Post Tuesday:
Last
year at Kind Hearts, I met this little guy, Cubahn, and immediately
fell in love. We spent two days together and become incredibly close,
with our only forms of communication being smiles, hugs, and tears. I
hated leaving that second day because I knew I might never see him
again, and I thought that fear became a reality until 5 minutes before
we left kind hearts yesterday. I spent all day looking
for him but gave up when we were saying goodbye to everyone, telling
myself that he must not be at the school anymore. It wasn't until I was
hugging all the kids, kissing them on the cheek and telling them goodbye
that I noticed something familiar about the grip of one of the kids. I
pulled him in front of my face and boy did a smile spread across my face
when I realized who it was! He looks so much healthier than last year
and so much more grown up! I cannot wait to go back today and spend an
entire day with him!!!
Trees of Glory library!!!!
