Ethiopia: From St. Joe With LOVE!

Friday, April 5, 2013

2014 Dates set

It looks like SJCS & SJSD have the same spring break...which means...the Ethiopia dates will be April 11-19, 2014! Join us? #Ethiopia

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Thursday, March 28, 2013: Trees of Glory

Thursday-Trees of Glory

The room is quiet and dark, and I finally have a moment to reflect on today. I'm amazed that 10 short hours ago our group of 16 piled into the vans headed to another Childern's HopeChest care point called "Trees of Glory." We packed so much into those hours that the day flew by.

It's another beautiful day in Addis-yet this one would take us to the countryside, to huge open spaces filled with fragrant eucalyptus trees, blue skies and rolling green hills. It's so beautiful sometimes it honestly takes your breath away! Sprinkled throughout the countryside are mud huts, children hurrying donkeys along, women carrying 40-50 pounds of eucalyptus tree leaves to the market to sell and buildings that encourage me that new construction means new jobs.

So many wonderful things happened at Trees of Glory that it's hard to write down, but here it is in a nutshell: we were able to hand out sponsor packets to the children from their sponsors in the US and take in their joy at a kind written word, encouragement, prayer or gift; play with the kids in the (hot!) sunshine; tour the amazing grounds and marvel at the new chicken coop, clean water well, and best of all, the new mud hut that is now their chapel. Here we gathered as a group with some Trees of Glory staff members and prayed & sang Amazing Grace and Shout to The Lord. Many staff members didn't know the words, but knew how to praise. Language just doesn't matter at a sacred moment like that.

A few of us were able to take Simeret, the director of the school aside, lay hands on her and pray for her. Her shoulders shook and she cried as Cindy Richardson spoke one of the most beautiful prayers I've ever heard lifted to heaven. Simeret is an indescribable force for the school and a visionary leader. What a huge impact she has made not only for the children, but the community surrounding Trees of Glory.

We concluded the night with a Maundy Thursday service led by Rick Randleman. After he spoke and read about the Last Supper, we took communion as a group (Goldfish and water, but hey! , it counts!!) and meditated while "How Beautiful" played. After our service, Ali Freudenthal asked that everyone speak a word of encouragement about the person to your right. Not many could get through their moments without completely breaking down. Call it exhaustion, but this group had a quick and loving bond that was immediately evident. It has been a tremendous blessing for me personally to be a part of such a great group. Thank you God, for blessings big and small-for those evident and those unseen! by Joey Austin

We leave tomorrow night to head back to the States. But you know, Ethiopia never really leaves me at all.

Trees of Glory library!!!!

Yes... Mrs. Zahnd and Mrs. Richardson have eucalyptus under their noses!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

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!!!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Tuesday pics

"Let us love...with ACTIONS and in TRUTH..." 1 John 3:18

Logan with the kids at Kind Hearts

Madison, Mrs. Richardson and Sarah help students write sponsor thank you notes for their Easter care packages

Tyler loving every moment!

Tuesday, March 26 Kind Hearts, Parables, Crafts and more! by Joey

This trip has been such a joy to lead! I think I might say this every year...but we have had such a joyous time together--I'm so glad God put the perfect group together to go through this journey together!

Today we served at the Kind Hearts Care point. Our goal for the day was to simply spend time with the kids. Grace Dahlgren held a hand washing class, and so many kids could not wait to take their turn to wash their hands-with SOAP!-under the clean water well. It felt like a mini field trip. It's the little things that make us pause and smile at their precious joy at something we take for granted.

Tyler Davison, Sarah Gregory, Madison Nigus, Caleb Dahlgren, Tim Chester, Morgan Brand and Logan Morrison re-enacted the parable of the Good Samaritan as Rick Randleman (youth pastor of Central Christian Church) told the story to the kids. We have been so touched to share a few stories with the children about God's love for them. We also were able to sing "I Love You Lord" and "Amazing Grace" to the children. We don't want to miss an opportunity to let them know how much God loves them!

Grace Dahlgren also had the chance to pull some of the ladies who work at Kind Hearts aside and give them a special "Women's Hygiene" packet. To not be too graphic, many Ethiopian women are unable to find what we in America take for granted (Tampax, Kotex) and often use anything available (example: sticks, grass, rocks, etc..) during their monthly cycle. Many women in St.Joseph pitched in to help create a kit that includes a flannel pad that is washable and discreet all while being packaged in a pretty bag. To say they were excited and ecstatic was an understatement. Lanette Bocquin, who was on the 2012 team, helped create "Days for Girls" kits for students to use as well. We were so happy to share this gift with them. Grace named this project "Common Threads..." It was a perfect name for the project!

I have been thinking so much about what the pastor at Beza International Church shared during his sermon on Palm Sunday...he said, "God doesn't look at the outside. He looks inside to see the blood of Jesus in you. We are all ONE BLOOD. All of us will be together one day in heaven...ONE BLOOD."

That's the only way I can describe how the group feels about the kids at Kind Hearts...we are ONE BLOOD. There is a sense of relationship, kinship, friendship and love that really can't be explained. Many tears were shed when we left today. I finally got to hear the words from our sponsor child Hyder..."I love you." Oh the joy...pure joy. I've loved you a long time, buddy. See you next year...