I’m never going back
Ministry is life and life is ministry. That’s our squad mantra and goal for what we want our lives to look like… living what we believe whether that’s by serving in a structured ministry setting, sharing the gospel during travel days, or being the light during free time. I’ve decided that I’m never going back… never going back to just living life without making an impact on the Kingdom, without loving my Father’s children, taking the easy route because that’s more convenient for me. I’ve spent the first eight months of this year stepping out of my comfort zone, putting others before myself, and focusing on making each moment count for eternity. Month nine has challenged me in a whole new way.
Adventures in Addis
The first couple of weeks in Ethiopia about half the squad spent time in the countryside with their parents during parent vision trip while the rest of us stayed in the city to find our own ways to live missionally. We had no set ministry or responsibilities other than asking the Lord each day how we were to spend our time. Right off the bat, I knew the Lord was asking me to build relationships with the staff at the guest house we were staying at. What better way to encourage someone than to start a conversation and really listen to their story? When you’re looking for ways to serve the community, it also helps to have local friends to make you aware of needs and point you in the right direction. The following is a collection of short stories from the week spent following the Lord around Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Go to the darkest place
The first day of ministry in Ethiopia, the Lord told me to go to the darkest places and pray boldly. He also told me to find a mosque or church and bring the light there. The thought of this scared me until two of my squad-mates said that the Lord told them to follow along with someone who had a plan. Bringing light to the darkness was the plan. The three of us set out that morning to find the “dark place” which led us down over a hill where we found the most beautiful kids. We made friends, chatted, and prayed with them before heading back up the hill. Seeing a large church building in the distance, we set out in that direction. From the moment we looked through the gate at the ornate building, I felt a heaviness. Covering my head with a scarf out of cultural sensitivity and respect and with the blessing of a man standing outside, we crossed onto the property. Watching people come and go, kneeling, kissing and praying, I sat outside the building in the courtyard praying for their eyes to be opened to the truth. Salvation is free and faith is the path. We had a conversation sharing this good news with a young girl before heading back to the guest house.
“And this Living Expression is the Light that bursts through gloom—
the Light that darkness could not diminish!” John 1:5 TPT
Boomerang
Birara, the friendly face that greeted me almost every day at the front desk of the guest house. One afternoon after a whirlwind of people coming and going through the lobby, saying goodbye for the week to my teammate Julie, and helping people get rides to other parts of the city, I plopped down in the cushiony chair next to the desk. I was exhausted, still getting my strength back from being sick and getting used to the altitude change. I told Birara that I needed to sit for a few minutes in order to get the energy to climb the stairs to my room. He chuckled. What started as a spot to rest for a few minutes turned into a two-hour-long conversation about life and ministry. I shared that ministry this week was freestyle… asking the Lord where to serve. I told Him how the Lord told me that morning that He wanted me to go to the darkest places and pray boldly. I explained our trek down the hill and to the orthodox church and asked his opinion of where the darkest place was. His question was a game-changer… “Have you heard of Korah?” My answer was no. He explained to me that he spent most of his childhood growing up in Korah- the garbage dump village in Addis Ababa. This is where the sick, disabled, elderly, and poor make their home because of the low cost of living. As a young man, he was involved in gangs and learned at an early age how to fight for survival. Eventually, he was chosen to be a part of a sponsorship program that helped support his family and funded his education. After lots of mistakes and an abundance of grace, he made the decision to follow Christ. When given the opportunity to get out of Korah, he made the choice to go back. Now, at 22, he works full time at the guest house and with various ministries serving the people that still hold his heart. He regularly takes teams back to the garbage dump to play with the kids and visit families. During this impromptu conversation, Birara offered to take a group of us there on his day off so that we could bring light to the darkness.
[pictured are my friends Kelly, Birara, and I in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia]
Stay tuned for stories from the garbage dump…
