We stayed in Addis Ababa before heading out to start our next three months in Harbu Chulule. We started in the city but as we drove out towards Hopethiopia, the landscape started changing from tall buildings to expanses of grass dotted with straw huts and mountains rolling in the distance. We pulled up to Hopethiopia and I immediately felt so much peace and knew that this was going to be a sweet season. As soon as we were settling in, more vans with 11N11 racers pulled up.
Our first two days in Ethiopia were spent with the 11N11 Squad W in a gathering known as an “Awakening.” This is a time where two or more squads will meet up if they are in the same country and spend the days empowering and encouraging each other. It was a beautiful time of constant worship, teachings, getting to meet new people, and evangelizing to the surrounding villages in Harbu Chulule. During this event, Mo and I were hospitality coordinators and we got to help lead the planning of events to help our two squads get to know each other and create a welcoming environment not only for the squad, but also all of those that live and work at Hopethiopia. During this time, Hopethiopia was working on spreading more branches out to surrounding countries like Rwanda. While presentations were being made to the government, our squads decided to hold a 24 hour worship night. Throughout the night people worshiped, prayed over Rwanda, Ethiopia, the squads, and our individual squad mates.
We were fortunate enough to meet the founder of Hopethiopia, Ralph, and spent a couple of days with him before he headed back home for the Holidays with his wife. Ralph started Hopethiopia 10 years ago and in that time has impacted the surrounding community so much. He has brought water to Harbu Chulule, has started reforestation projects, planted an apple orchard, performs eye surgeries for the surrounding community, trains women to make leather products, and began the orphanage. He has so much vision for Hopethiopia and wants to spread into surrounding countries. The children and staff here are loved so well and dreaming big is a part of daily life. Children are taken from unfortunate situations and are given a chance to dream about a future that once was not possible.
I was so excited to start jumping into ministry and spend more time with the kids that were already stealing my heart. During our first week of ministry we spent the mornings working with the preschool aged children. We wanted to spend the first week getting to know the kids better and establish relationships, so we played inside the nursery and out on the swing sets. In the afternoon, I worked with the women’s track. This time between 1:30-4 involves teaching English, life lessons, and spending time with the women in the training center. There they have jobs where they are taught how to make products like journals, backpacks, jewelry, and clothing. We also spend time with the House moms. They are the women that take care of the children at the orphanage. During that time we talk with the house moms, help them around their house, learn English and Oromiffaa, and spend time with the kids. Fridays are all squad ministry days and we spend the mornings cutting the grass on the base and picking up trash. In the afternoons we play with the kids. Ralph’s vision was that whatever projects we were working on or what ministry we were a part of, that we were giving 50% of our day to the kids.
My first week in Ethiopia has surpassed all my expectations. The Lord has been speaking something special over Ethiopia for me and now that I am here and living in his promises I can not wait to discover more. He has already given me so much peace about being in Ethiopia, has allowed me to connect so quickly with the children, has opened up room for deeper and more intentional community with my squad and team, and has given my heart a desire for this place to pour into it for these three months and hopefully to return in the future.
