Part of ministry that a group of us have the opportunity to do is village ministry. Granted, we live in a small village but outside of that there’s small clusters of mud huts you can spot all over the horizon. It’s about a 20 minute walk from our home at HOPE to where all our friends live. There is also this magnificent tree that is the most Africa thing you’ve ever seen that welcomes us to the village everyday. Without fail, we always end each trip to the village hanging out there with all the kids who we now know as Senna, Mulu, Abdi, Dabalay, and many others. We climb to the top looking out over HOPEthiopia and Harbu Chulule from the distance. On these trips to the village we made a friend named Dimbalalay who has welcomed us with open arms since our first visit. She is the definition of love. Always welcoming and offering everything she has to us as we visit her home. Every visit turns into a party, full of dancing, coffee ceremonies, and every single kid cramming themselves inside to sit with us.
Let me tell you a little more about Dimbalalay. First off, she is a grandmother of 4 (now a grandmother of 10 as we adopted her). Her oldest son, his wife and three kids live in the same compound as she does. One of her other sons had a child but both him and his wife abandoned him and left Dimbalalay to take care of him. He’s now 8 years old and Dimbalalay has raised him since he was an infant. Even though she is getting older, she still works really hard to support and run her whole family. The first time we met her she was full of joy, laughter, and life but when we came back a few days later she was lying on a mat on the ground deathly ill. She wasn’t even able to turn her head up to us as we were leaving. Milto, who works at HOPE and takes us to the village, gave Dimbalalay’s grandson 100 birr (around $3) so she could visit the clinic. She hadn’t been able to visit the clinic because they didn’t have the money to take her there. Dimbalalay was able to get treated and by the next time we saw her she was full of life again, dancing around as she hugged and kissed us. She is full of determination and so much perseverance that not even her sickness was able to dim her spirits. This is crazy to me, we found out she doesn’t know what America is, she’s never heard of it. That was insane and I think the first person I’ve met that truly didn’t know what or even where America is. All in all Dimbalalay is our Ethiopian grandmother. We gave her this title because the way she invites everyone in and loves is just as a grandmother would. She demands respect and it’s given to her. She one of the strongest women I’ve ever met and have had the pleasure to get to know. Sure, the first time we walked up, kind of invited ourselves in, and sat on the mud benches in her hut was a little awkward, it’s now a place that feels like home. She tells us to visit anytime and means it. She is a true example of humility, hospitality, and love. Everyone should get to know a Dimbalalay in their lifetime, you won’t regret it.
(I will be posting pictures of the village and Dimbalalay when I have better wifi!)
