The wind tore and ripped around my body. My clothes strangled my limbs and my hair tossed and turned into my face. The bone chilling blasts of air came through like dragons breath. Grass waved back and fourth making the sight almost calming. On the horizon, mountains climbed their way into the sky, peaking over the rutty and wild grass lands stretching from it. Dawn was approaching, the sun barely peering over the dim outlines yet bursting the clouds above with color. Some stars still stuck to the deep blue sky. Dirt and gravel scrapped under my feet as I trudged up to breakfast. Then I came to the realization, this is Africa.
Well, it’s been a while. I’ve been in Ethiopia for over a month now. No Wi-Fi, no contact with the outside world, not much leaving the Hopethiopia compound. It’s been AMAZING. I have had ups and downs with Christmas and New Years and being away from home. Yep, it’s been hard but all I need is Jesus and He is more then enough for me. It’s been emotional but so good. The Lord has been showing me His side of Jehovah-Jireh(the Lord will See or Provide). He has seen me and is providing for me always even when I don’t see it.
Since being here in Harbu Chulule we have merged with the entire squad. All forty eight of us. My team and I live in the children’s village in one of the small houses we have called/deemed Wakanda. It’s a chilly three minute walk every morning to the visitors house where everyone else sleeps, eats, and congregates.
The ministry Grafted has had over the past month has varied. For the first two weeks we worked on a wall around a garden area and a giant fish pond. There is a crazy story that comes with the fish pond ministry. There were two honey badgers involved between 3 and 4 and a half feet long. Crazy story if you want to hear about it comment down below. Anyways, after two weeks of manual labor on the wall and fish pond we transferred to kitchen duty and teaching at a local school. I personally got to help meal prep every day and have grown very close with Zanete, Eldana, and Bozze. The three kitchen ladies whom I love very much. I also got to walk kiddos to school which is about a fifteen to twenty minute walk.
My normal day looks like getting up early enough to do some devotionals before breakfast. After breakfast I help in the kitchen all morning until lunch. I cut, boil, dice, fry, slice, sauté, peel, and chop any and everything they ask me to. Our meals usually consist of carbs, carbs, more carbs, sugar, the occasional meat and some veggies. Halleluiah for vegetables. Also, the coffee and tea here is infinite. There is always a hot cup of something available. Unless of course the power goes out for hours at a time or the water doesn’t come up out of the well they have here. Another cool story for another time if you’d like to hear about the well they have dug here. After lunch its back to more meal prep for dinner. I usually get a few hours of a break in the afternoon which I fill with playing with kiddos or spending more time with Jesus. Then its back to the kitchen to prep for dinner. Once dinner is cleaned up, people are free to have social time, shower, go to bed early, play games, etc… Each team also has dishes every other day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Night time here is my absolute favorite. (Those who know me well know why) Even though I freeze and can’t feel my toes or fingers most nights the views are always worth it. Glittering stars, nebulas, planets, and asteroids litter the blackened sky every night with a magnitude that WAS beyond my wildest imagination. If I want I can see at least one shooting star every night. The milky way is always visible even with a full moon. So, thus far, that’s what my days have looked like for the last few weeks.
The biggest take away I’ve gleaned from my time here in Ethiopia is that ALL I need is Jesus. Everything outside of Him is a gift. Every person, circumstance, conversation, feeling, thought, breath, experience, etc. alongside Jesus is a blessing. The cherry on top. I have learned to seek Him out in the little moments and the big moments. I have learned that I would much rather spend the whole day with Him then anyone else. I have learned that I need to praise Him in my joy and in my sorrow. I can run to Him when I miss people back home or am worried. I have learned to trust not only Him but the people He has put into my life. I have learned that He works for the good of those who love Him.
I can run to Him when I am lonely, tired, hurting, broken, worn out, lost, and confused. He provides for me. He sees me. He comforts me, gives me companionship, gives me energy, heals me, mends me, raises me up, points me in the right direction, guides me, and gives me clarity. He sees me and knows me, even more then I see and know myself.
This time away from family, friends, home, and comfort has been so good for me. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I know I’ll go back home some day, I know life will go on. The things I learn here are so necessary. This race is the training camp for the rest of my life and I am eternally grateful God chose to draw me closer to Him in this way. Yes, I miss home and my family and my friends. Yet, I am learning to live in the now, live in the present. Cause living in the present is pretty amazing. No distractions of cell phones, drama, stress, no work, no school, expectations, ect. Just me, God and all the Time in the world. My favorite quote that I pray I will carry with me from now on is the “Life is Ministry and Ministry is Life”. Meaning my thoughts, words, and actions should be that of a kingdom mindset. My life is a ministry, it doesn’t stop when the race stops, it continues for the rest of my life.
Psalm 139
Prayer Requests:
Lice doesn’t continue to spread.
Bed bugs go away.
I Stay Warm.
Mindset stays present.
Staying productive.
Everyone on the squad gets fully funded fast.
Continuing Living for an audience of 1.
More info on where I am at and the ministry I am working with at Hopethiopia.com
