Wednesday, March 27 by Tyler Davison

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!!!