Hello friends and family back in America!!
I’ve been living in a complex in Harbu Chulule for a little over a month now. God brought me to Ethiopia and I’m so glad He did. I’m living the simplest sweetest life. A roller coaster but yet so much joy. About 3 hours away from really anything, WiFi or any town, we live on the top of this mountain in the middle of nowhere, Altitude at about 8000ft, so if you go for a run you get light headed real quick. The skies here are incredible, I’ve never seen so many stars in my life.
Culture here is SO different from Asia, Africans are way more touchy, they offer you food often (meaning they stick it in your mouth), you’re probably getting invited to coffee ceremonies once a day (this isn’t a bad thing), if you go into the market you’ll find yourself being surrounded, jewelry being stolen or taken off your wrists, and being called beautiful by the men. The people here are absolutely gorgeous, so generous and accepting, I have fallen in love with every single one I’ve come in contact with. There are lots of goats, cows, and donkeys just roaming around or tied up for sell, you have to keep valuables very close to you, we have to have at least 2 guys and one local with us at all times, the market here is way different… very overwhelming, not a lot of options, most of our food we eat is imported from the Capitol Addis Ababa. Carbs on carbs on carbs, every meal consists of bread or pasta. Don’t worry I’ve been working out every week day.. Transportation here is horses and they stack things on donkeys for them to carry such as hay or luggage. I feel like I’m living in Jesus’s time.
Ministry is so many things… we have a few houses on our complex where orphans live, since adoption recently got banned the organization I’m working with took in a bunch of the orphans. The free spirited, loving, fun kids ever. We spend our time in the afternoon loving on them and playing with them; on Fridays we have a movie night.
During the day ministry looks like cutting grass with knives, teaching the kids, loving on the house moms, doing water distribution, gardening, creating a chicken coop, helping cook meals for the squad with the kitchen ladies, evangelism, and going out to the community, but the past 2 weeks my ministry has been reforestation.
This is about a 35-minute walk through the towns and villages, down a mountain, and basically through a desert to this beautiful escape of nature and beauty. We spend our time watering all these trees that have been planted, playing in the river with the kids, talking to the woman who do their laundry in the river and sitting in a circle and stuffing dirt into plastic bags so they can be planted. This is where the renewal of plant life happens. A bunch of wildlife and forests have been wiped out so we are there to help rebuild plant life, and bring back Gods creations in Ethiopia. The workers there are the sweetest, it’s my favorite part of the day when I get to escape into this forest and watch Gods beauty bloom.
Friends and family, I NEED HELP!! Tomorrow I leave the capitol and head back to Harbu. Where I will no longer have Wi-Fi until March. I am still about $2000 away from being fully funded and relying fully on God to provide. Which I know He will, I have over 100 subscribers and know you’ll be reading this. I’m asking for any amount of donations so I can continue on the race, if you could spread the word, and help me continue on my journey. I have to have at least $1000 of it raised by February 15th, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND CANT WAIT TO TALK TO YOU IN NICARAGUA!!!
