I’ve typed a few blogs about our time at HopEthiopia in Harbu Chulule, Ethiopia. Not one of them seems to adequately encompass all that I experienced this past month. So I decided to list out some of the things I learned in Ethiopia.
First let me tell you about our host. HopEthiopoa is a Christian NGO supporting women and children. While, supporting women is children is their main focus, they are changing the lives of thousands through medical, vet, reforestation, water, sanitation, and many other projects.
We were blessed and got to stay at their orphanage.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
They are truly changing the life of thousands in Ethiopians and those of missionaries like me.
Here are some of my take always:
- The power of prayer. This last month I prayed some pretty bold prayers. Another teammate and I were doing physical therapy with a sweet boy named, Robira. He was left in a box as a baby and was found severely malnourished. He was completely comatose when they found him. Due to this he is both physically and cognitively underdeveloped. When we first arrived at HopEthiopia he couldn’t hold his head up or sit up on his own. Each day we would spend 4-5 hours a day working with him to build strength. We begin praying for healing a few days into our time with him. I’ve prayed for healing before but never in my life have I seen it happen almost instantly. Each day he could do more and more. Things people thought he would never do. He can now hold his head up, sit, and stand without help. We truly got to witness a miracle as it is happening. I say “is happening” because their is no doubt in my mind that the Lord is going to use this little guy for big things. Pray the bold prayer. Have big faith.
- Don’t quit dreaming—ever! I realized on the race that as we get older we stop believing in our dreams. We end up letting life happen to us instead living life. We slowly over time fall into our daily routines and become okay with a monotonous life. It’s more about what we have to do instead of what we can do. Throughout the race time and time again I’ve met people who didn’t let their age, race, culture, finances, etc…tell them what they have to do. They believe in what they CAN do. We all have a calling from the Lord. Have you settled? Are you doing what you have to do? Or are you believing in what you can do?
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
- Be brave. Before the race I was given a key with the word BRAVE engraved on it. Each key was prayed over and a word selected. The point of the key is to find out why the Lord selected that word for you. Once you find out how the word applies to you and the pass it on. When I got the word brave, I thought how cliche. I didn’t think brave was applicable to me. Brave is for those who put their lives on the line each day. Who spend their lives protecting and saving lives of others. Slowly of the Lord revealed to me His definition of brave and how it applied to me. For me it’s saying some of the following sentences:
I’m not okay.
I need help.
I don’t have it all together.
I’m not perfect.
I messed up.
I can’t do it on my own.
I realized in Romania that each of us are brave in our on unique ways. I personally rather go bungee jumping or jump out of a plane and call myself “brave.” But, my biggest fear is not being good enough. For me to do something like sky diving and call myself brave is a cop out. My version of brave is being vulnerable and transparent. What’s your brave?
I passed my key a long to Abiti. He lives at the orphanage at HopEthiopia. He wants to be a pilot when he gets older. When I left he asked if I was going to come back. I said “I really hope so.” He responded, “I’ll be praying that God brings you back.” I can’t wait to see what his brave is.
These are just a few things I learned in Ethiopia! I don’t think I could ever put into words what I experienced at HopEthiopia. One thing I know is hope brings dreams to life. And there is a reason God reminds us of faith, HOPE, and love.
