So I’m living in Ethiopia now. Life moves fast and time flies. They tell me it’s the halfway point now, but I’m pretty sure I left home about 3 weeks ago but also 3 years ago if that makes any sense. Sometimes I just stop and think about the fact that I. Am. Living. In. Africa. Right. Now. And I’m kind of confused how I ended up here, but really grateful.
My whole squad has been living in Harbu Chulule for about a month now and we’ll be spending the next two here also! We’re working with a ministry called HOPEthiopia which is basically just the coolest thing I’ve ever been part of and it’s run by even cooler people. Seriously! So! Cool! They’re all about the restoration of this community and they focus on family, education, healthcare, and agriculture.
Our days here are all about love. Loving and serving the people that are in this place. It’s not just my squad living on this compound. We live with about 30 kids from the community, their house moms, and a few other staff members. Ministry is a lot of doing life with these incredible new friends of mine, and just loving people. Dream job ok? In the mornings my team is either taking care of the gardens on the property or hanging out in the children’s village with the house moms. In the afternoons we spend all our time just hanging out with the kids here. Playing soccer, helping with homework, doing art, playing games, and just living. I love these kids with my whole entire heart. They are talented and funny and kind and absolutely wild. Hanging out with them is always a blast and never ever boring.
Abaru is one of the house moms that works and lives here. She lives in a house in the children’s village with 6 kids (4 boys and 2 girls) that she cares for. She loves these kids with such tenderness and steadiness. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning I go visit her and just spend time in her presence. She doesn’t speak much English and I really don’t speak a bit of the language, but her personality and love are evident without words. She always offers me coffee or bread or barley tea (I would strongly not recommend drinking this) and greets me with hugs and kisses and a huge smile. The kids living in her home have all experienced difficult pasts, but the love of Jesus that flows through her has so obviously brought so much healing, restoration, joy, and love into their lives. She is absolutely incredible in every single way and passionately loves the Lord. My ministry on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings is to love and serve her and teach some English, but she radiates so much love and joy that every day I find myself learning from her. I get to do life with this amazing woman!
Life here is definitely slow and definitely different from anything I’ve experienced yet, but it’s been such a time of space for resting and renewal and really truly depending on Jesus, and that’s a massive blessing. I’m slowly falling in love with the physical place (we’re surrounded by beautiful mountains and open fields) and especially the people here (they are amazing in every way) but most of all I’m slowly falling in love with this season.
It’s tough to be isolated like we are. It’s tough to be so completely disconnected from life back home. It’s tough to miss Christmas and New Years. It’s tough to have been away from home for the past four and a half months and to realize that there’s four and half more months to go. I miss my family so incredibly much. I miss my home and my independence and my life in Austin, Texas. I miss a lot of people and places and things but at the same time I’m falling in with so many new people and place and things. Trying hard to be present and not miss a single minute of the right here right now.
It’s definitely a wild adventure and I’m grateful for it all. HALFWAY THERE PEOPLE
Also I’m still fundraising!! most of my team still is. We‘re trusting in His goodness and provision and I would love for y’all to be part of this with us. Please pray!
