As I write this, I am sitting on the porch of our HopEthiopia base on a sunny Sunday afternoon looking out at the Ethiopian countryside. I am literally staring at some grass and a few cows as I laugh for joy that this is the life I get to live.
I have absolutely zero idea how to begin to explain what it’s been like to be off the grid for a whole month (especially since it was during the holidays) in the middle of nowhere in Ethiopia. So I am just asking the Lord what I need to share and what people need to hear because I can’t do it on my own, haha.
So where do I start, Lord?
First of all, I have never been more terrified than I was getting on that 17 hour flight to Addis Ababa. You can ask my nana and pops, since I was basically crying on the phone with them right before we took off. I wasn’t quite prepared to say goodbye (again) to my family since we weren’t sure what communication was going to look like. But it was rough. I had never been across the pond before and I didn’t know anything about Ethiopian culture (my fault), I just felt really unequipped, and on top of that, just so heart broken from leaving Guatemala.
Our first week or two here I was struggling with the lie that my heart “isn’t here” because my whole life I’ve been obsessed with Latin America. I was also mourning the end of the honeymoon phase of the world race. I feel like this past season was extra special because I had been called to Guatemala in the first place. I was coming to the realization that the world race isn’t gonna be tortillas and guacamole. God made me realize He has so much more for me that looks way different than I could ever imagine. The time finally came when I had to trade my comfort for cold showers and ingera (ethiopian food I had never tried before coming here, turns out it’s pretty yummy).
Yes, I am giving up a lot of comfort while being here in the middle of nowhere, and yes I could write this explaining every little detail that makes me uncomfortable. But I understand God called me into this. Although I am uncomfortable sometimes here, I get to wake up to God’s beautiful creation and talk to Him while the sun comes up. I get to have nice meals prepared for us everyday. I have 35 little Ethiopian friends running around and 40 little world racer friends around as well (haha). I have the opportunity to learn what praying for people even means now that it’s my only communication to the rest of the world. I hear God’s tone clearer than ever before because He has given me the gift and opportunity to be off the grid with no distractions. I have been reading more books than I would have if I were home (Thanks to Ralph’s awesome library). I get to have real, deep, and spirit led conversations with those around me. I get to sit in the grass with the new people I love. I get to grow my capacity in ways I never knew I needed.
And it is so worth it. Every kid that sneezes on me, every shirt I wear for the fourth day in a row, every lice-scare we have, all the dry skin, all the yearnings for home, every time I feel scared, all the hard conversations (we love community living), it’s all worth it. God is so worth it. Every moment I have with him (which can be every moment of every day if I choose into it) is the complete fullness of joy. Nothing else matters.
On a whole other level: Christmas and New Years. I knew coming into this I would be away from home. This was the cost of which I had an understanding. But it was different actually living it. God calls us into hard things when we say yes to his call, but he is so near and helps us through it all. Christmas in Africa was all I could imagine and way more. New Years was a life changer for me. I would explain it all, but it was a very special moment for me and my whole squad. I’ll talk about it over the phone or over coffee when I get back 🙂
Even though I had no idea what I got myself into when I was crying on Ethiopian Airlines, I can live to tell the tale that God met me where I was at. I am glad I didn’t know all the details because God is the eternal planner.
Thank you Lord I don’t know it all and thank you Lord it’s not about me.
Peace and blessings,
Hannah Keller
