dear friends,
hi from east africa! i live in ethiopia!!!!! how crazy is that ! here are a few (surprising) things i have learned since moving here :::
(1) it’s really, really, really cold.
(2) you can see every star in the entire galaxy, i am convinced.
(3) it is currently 2012 here. all the months, dates, and even times are different than the international calendar. time travel, baby!
(4) best coffee in the entire world. I mean ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, it only makes sense.
(5) kindest, most honest people.
okay so now that you know a couple random, cool facts about life in ethiopia …. here’s a day-in-the-life but before i begin i must tell you a bit about our home for these three months ! we are located in a small, rural community named, harbu chulule, about four hours from the capital. HOPEthiopia is the organization we are associated with and we live on their base alongside the orphanage. it’s so fun !!! okay, here’s life !
6:20 am – wake up! work very hard to get out of my warm bed.
6:30 – 8 am – run and workout. reminder, we are at an elevation of 8,000 feet so you could say the first couple days it was quite difficult to breathe. also it’s -10 degrees. kidding but that’s how it feels. followed by a cold shower. 7/10 would recommend. you will feel invincible once you get used to taking icy showers.
8 am – breakfast, baby!!!!!!!!! a whole lot of bread.
9 – 11 am – preschool ministry !!!!!!!!!! my team was assigned the younger children (so children ages 3-4) to love, teach and encourage. two of them have a few physical disabilities, and one also suffers with mental difficulties, so we are given the opportunity to help both in their physical therapies. each morning, we go down to the children’s village and “pick” them up. (like real school, fuuuun!) then we either read bible stories, paint or do crafts, lead them in physical therapy and overall just have a blast! they are such a joy and laugh a whole lot.
11 – 12 pm – quiet time spent with the Father.
12 – 1:30 pm – lunch! more bread. team time! rest!
1:30 – 5 pm – afternoon ministry tracks begin. there were three options given to us; reforestation, training center women and house moms, and finally, the children’s committee. during the first week, we were given the space to pray and ask the Lord what track He wanted us to pursue during our time here. on base is a training center where women from the village are invited to attend classes all week to learn specific trades such as sewing and business. they make absolutely beautiful cosmetic bags, journals, earrings, wallets and other miscellaneous items using all natural, sustainable materials. the training center’s vision is to educate these women in practical skills so that they can create their own businesses to provide for their families and for themselves. this track also includes loving on the wonderful house moms who so faithfully serve the children here. the next track is the children’s committee. these individuals are given the opportunity to love on and lead the children in different activities, such as learning english, playing sports and teaching them arts. when i asked the Lord what track He wanted me to pursue for the next three months, i was given reforestation. reforestation is a track that focuses on the environment. a couple years ago, HOPEthiopia began a program that planted trees in an attempt to rebuild. the individual’s in this track, walk thirty minutes each afternoon to the reforestation site to assist the employees in stuffing pods with dirt so seeds can be placed inside and watering the up and coming sprouts. it is an absolutely beautiful site. shaded by giant trees with a river streaming down the side where each day we fill up the watering pots. full of peace and quiet. when we can not go down to the site, we cut grass at the base and tend to the apple orchard and gardens here.
5 – 6 pm – rest !!!! time to spend with the kids or a chance to take another cold shower if one is feeling up for it.
6 pm – dinner. even more bread.
7 pm – sleep time – usually the evenings are pretty relaxing and restful here. we enjoy playing cards, watching movies or simply having sweet conversations. ethiopia has been a place full of deep relationships within ourselves and the amazing staff. because this is a more isolated place than i am used too, i have been given ample time to pursue activities i love but have believed i’ve never had the time for. art! reading! writing!
this past month of ministry has been incredibly difficult but so incredible. being placed in a position to lead young children in physical therapy was challenging, if i am being honest. the enemy placed a lot of doubt, guilt and frustration on me— “i am not qualified for this! i know nothing about how to help these little ones! what if i am making it worse? why can’t i do this right!?“ learning to trust solely in the Father for He is the one who qualifies.
being here as also offered a lot of quiet time. before the race, the Lord promised me that many things i’ve been praying for were going to be fulfilled while i was in ethiopia. my family was going to be completely restored. some of my friends would come to know Christ as their Father. i would find peace in my battle with depression and anxiety. thanks to the elimination of distraction from the outside world, i have been able to grow even closer to my Father. i have been empowered to intercede and fight for those at home by lifting them up in prayer. i have been able to sleep with no worries surrounding my future.
this is life in ethiopia! here’s to never wanting to leave! here’s to everything i still have to learn! here’s to giving up all control! here’s to trust! here’s to continuing to learn of the Lord’s good character! here’s to intercession! here’s to letting go of all expectation! here’s to genuine love! here’s to deepening my relationship with my heavenly Father!
with love,
sadie
