We made it to Africa! Ethiopia to be exact. This begins our first stop in Africa for the remainder three months of the Race. Bittersweet, I’m excited to experience a new culture and sad to see the end of the Race approaching. Here’s a bit of an update on what I’ve experienced since arriving in Africa.
Ethiopia gave us a “lovely” welcome our first day. The Ordinary Hero hostel we stayed in our first few days in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, was a 15 minute walk from the grocery store. We expected a casual walk, instead every person and their mother was staring at us. Staring like they’d never seen a white person before. Not a big deal, right? Until we finished shopping and stepped outside.
It had began sprinkling. Unfortunately, we didn’t know African weather comes like a tidal wave. We’d hardly reached the first block on the walk back to the hostel when the heavens opened and rain came pouring down. Freezing cold rain, hail, thunder and lightening coming down as we ran through the city. Hearing amused laughter at every store and car we passed. 30 minutes later as the rain finished, completely soaked through, we made it back to the hostel. What a welcome to Ethiopia!
We spent a few rainy days in the capital, before heading with our host to Hawassa. A 7 hour drive from the capital through roads and highways sporadically covered with horses, goats and cows.
A colorful drive only described as what you’d imagine ‘The Lion King’s’ Pride Land to look like in real life. I ate the most delicious strawberries from a local farm beside the highway. Passed huts and homes of all shapes and sizes. Prayed for a car flipped into a gulley. Witnessed a horrific motorcycle accident and a beautiful sunset. Never a dull moment here in Africa.
Our host, Hizkias, is a church planter whose helped plant 16 churches throughout Ethiopia. We’ve had the opportunity to visited five churches to pray, preach, encourage and worship with them.
African worship is what I imagine worshipping in Heaven will look like. Not only singing but belting out your love for Him. The most passionate worship and dancing I have ever experienced. It’s brought me to tears experiencing the passion here. The congregation gives it all. Gives all the love, all the passion and all the glory they have from the marrow of their bones to the Lord. They leave nothing behind and hold nothing back. No energy, no words, nothing. They give it all. It’s beautiful to experience.
The culture is beautifully different from the States and everything i’ve experienced these past 8 months. The language, Amharic, is difficult to learn, loud in prayer and as passionate as everything else Ethiopians do. There are a total of 88 different languages in Ethiopia. Wow!
The coffee is sensational, nothing less than expected from the inventors of coffee. Traditionally coffee beans are slowly cooked over charcoal. A process that takes around 30 minutes. Continually shaking the beans over the fire till all beans are cooked through completely. The room fills with a smell of cooked coffee beans making your mouth water for the goodness to come!
The most surprising thing to me is Ethiopian’s time and calendar. Ethiopian’s celebrate New Years on September 1st which is the United States September 11th.This year I get two birthdays! (My birthday was September 1 for those whose minds it may have slipped). This New Years Ethiopia is welcoming in the year 2009. Ethiopian months only last 30 days and depending on the year they have 5-6 days at the end of the year which are month-less. Also, Ethiopian’s day begins at our 7am which they refer to as 1am. Just as our 7pm is Ethiopian 1pm. It often feels like i’ve traveled back in time!
For the New Year my team bought a goat to share with our host as a celebration of the New Year. We drove it home where soon after I watched as my teammates Brandon and Ben slaughtered him. His name was Billy.
This month has been a lovely culture shock. I get to ride around the city in a blue Baja (feel only slightly unsafe).
Visit local markets that remind me of the South Carolina Pickens flee market. Indulge in Ethiopian cuisine and delicious traditional coffee. Play with kids, often making babies cry because they’ve never seen a white person before and they think i’m a ghost. Doing all this while experiencing the Lord’s presence in a whole new way.
Another update soon to come when wifi is accessible. Excited to see what else this month and the rest of Africa has in store.
