Entering a new season in a brand new country!! How fun! I am in month 5 (out of 9) of my race! Wild times! Let me fill you in on what has been happening here!
I’m currently in Africa! Ethiopia to be more specific! My squad and I arrived in Ethiopia on the morning of December 8th. We first arrived in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. We stayed in Addis overnight, then the next morning we drove 3 hours to our base, which is in a town called Harbu Chulule. We are living at the HopEthiopia base! HopEthiopia is a Non-prophit organization that is passionate about serving children in need and the surrounding community in many different areas. We started to get settled in our new home, which wasn’t hard because this place felt like home from the second we pulled up. An 11n11 World Race squad happened to be doing ministry in Ethiopia the same time we were so we met up with them at the base! This meet up is called an Awakening. We spent 3 days with them bonding, worshiping, and sharing testimonies of what the Lord has been doing on both of our journeys thus far. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to meet them and it was such an amazing way to start off Ethiopia!
The place where I am living is breathtaking. It is one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to. We are surrounded by wide open fields with a few farms here and there and a village right down the road. We live on an orphanage with 32 adorable kids that we play with all day. There are a lot of things going on throughout the day. There are always 3 women in the kitchen cooking something delicious, kids are playing or riding their skateboards every which way, the base staff here are around having meetings. People are playing soccer and volleyball while others might be planting or doing their laundry in the back by the clothes line. It is a very busy place.
Next to the guest house (where I live!!) is a building called the training center. This is a place where one of the base staff members is teaching young women that come from the village life skills and entrepreneurship. They sew and create things like cosmetic bags, backpacks, journals, and tons of other thing. The purpose of this is to teach the women how to make these products so that they can then sell them and develop their own business to provide for their families. It is amazing!
Ethiopia has taught me A LOT of things! The people have taught me A LOT! The Lord man oh man has been teaching me A LOT!
There ya have it…a quick little overview of all things Ethiopia! This place is special. It is an absolute honor to be here serving!!
with love & joy,
Leanna Murphy
