7 Things I Learned in Ethiopia

A few things I learned in Ethiopia:

1. There is hope.

• Politically, economically & spiritually there is hope in Ethiopia. Their new prime minister is a born again Christian who prays daily for the country. Majority of the country is very supportive of him and the unity he is trying to bring to the nation of Ethiopia. This could be a big change in their history, which was really cool to be a witness to. Economically, the country has really taken off in the past few year, and although it still has a long way to go, progress is rapidly increasing. Spiritually, there are many believers sharing their faith and pouring into the youth and future generation. I am believing there will be a revival in Ethiopia in the near future. 

2. God is never caught off guard and was protecting our squad.

• There were a lot of situations we were not expecting to encounter this month, but God had His hand on our squad in so many situations and circumstances. For example, we had a team of women in Hawassa and there ended up being a celebration that turned into a lot of rioting. The team had gone to a resort on an off day for WiFi, but when it came to leave, the Ethiopian military was there and told our team they couldn’t leave the resort because it was dangerous. That’s another long story that isn’t mine to tell, but ironically, the Lord had them at one of the safest places to be in the country by being at that resort. 
• In addition to providing protection for the team in Hawassa, God opened up multiple housing opportunities for more than one of our teams in Addis Ababa when we were challenged with a really tight lodging budget. ((Shout out to Eastridge church and it’s members for housing us and inviting us into your community!))
• To top it all off, we met an awesome guy named Chris our first week in Ethiopia, and he happened to work at the US Embassy. This was a huge blessing, not only the hospitality and kindness of him and his family, but also because we had a direct line to the US Embassy when there were political riots and things happening. We were informed and safe and in constant contact with them. Praises!
• We had teams out in the bush ministering to different people groups that came out with countless stories of how God provided and how they were able to see Him moving. 
• While there were obstacles and challenges, He never abandoned us and protected the entire squad. 

3. It’s not unusual to eat food out of someone else’s hands. 

• If you’ve ever eaten Ethiopian food, you know that it always consists of a food called injera which is used to scoop and eat all your food with. You eat with your hands and share the platter with everyone at the table, generally. Super yummy 🙂 
• Well, I didn’t know that if someone offers you a bite, you are supposed to take it and you actually eat it out of their hands. When we were staying at Kene’s House, one of the women there was cooking and offered me some of her food, so I accepted it by taking it out of her hand, putting it in mine, then eating the shiro soaked injera….then Kayla (my teammate) told me that you’re supposed to eat it out of her hand…ooops.
• On our last day with our friend, Habtie, he insisted I eat some injera and tibs at dinner and literally fed me 3 times lol. But Hey, the food was good!

4. There is some serious population density happening in Addis Ababa.

• There are SO many people. So many. 
• Ethiopia’s population is almost 108 million, and its capital, Addis Ababa has a population of around 4 million. That’s about the same as Houston, Dallas, and Austin combined!!

5. You can get 6 avocados for less than a dollar. Yesssss 🙂 you read that correctly.

6. Ethiopians don’t get to enjoy the best coffee beans because the best ones are exported.

   • I know this makes sense economically, but something about that just seems a little weird. The people that live in the country most known for its coffee don’t actually get to enjoy the same quality of coffee as other countries that drink the coffee from their country. I learned this from our friend, Fili, as he told us about his coffee roasting business. 

7. Finally, I can’t solve the world’s problems.

   • I don’t have the time, capacity or resources. This was something I knew long before the world race, but it was was a tough reality living in Addis Ababa last month, seeing the amount of people begging for money every day on the streets, being approached by kids every single day saying “give me money, I’m hungry,” and hearing how so many street kids are being sexually abused. It’s an overwhelming and daunting reality that stared me in the face all month. It’s something I wrestled with God about. It’s something I still don’t have all the answers to, but I know that God is still good. I know I met dozens of people who are devoting their lives to make things better for the future generation. I know of many organizations that are taking action to help those in need and provide opportunities for help and growth. I know that my God never abandons those who call out for Him, and I know He is moving and working on their behalf. I know that I am not the Savior, but He is. He brings the peace, joy, love, acceptance, thankfulness, comfort, and healing that the world craves and searches for. Whether it’s the begger on the streets of Ethiopia or the teenager seeking acceptance and identity through his/her social media account, there’s always a hole we look to fill that can only be filled through Jesus Christ. 

 

I could list many, many more things I learned last month in Ethiopia, but those are some of the highlights. 

I’m currently in Rwanda, using a squatty potty and taking bucket showers, and life is more than good. I hope everybody is having an awesome summer at home and thanks again for keeping up with my journey! 

Blessings & love to you!!