It’s hard to believe it’s the end of September. I sit in disbelief knowing I have sixty days until I step foot back on American soil.
This month in Ethiopia has been unlike any before …
I’ve sat across the table from women, most of them widowed or abandoned by their husbands, who are raising almost 20 orphan children.
I’ve stared into beautiful brown eyes wondering what stories they would tell if I could speak their language.
I’ve watched torrential downpours flood our compound.
I’ve sat on a hospital bed, holding a two year old who was fighting his hardest against the measles.
I’ve been mocked, laughed at and even had rocks thrown at me simply because I am an outsider.
I’ve danced for hours with children I may never see again.
I spontaneously ran a 7K with what looked like a bunch of Ethiopian Olympians.
I’ve been tired and I’ve been enthusiastic.
I’ve fallen in love.
I’ve missed home yet I’ve asked the Lord for permission to stay.
I’ve painted rooms orphan children will someday call their homes.
I’ve pulled countless weeds and planted rows of veggies.
I’ve played soccer, I’ve played volleyball and I’ve even taught teenage boys how to throw a football.
I’ve felt pain and I’ve felt joy.
I could go on and on about all of the incredible experiences I had this month, but the reality is words and pictures won’t do justice to the abundant life I’ve lived over the last four weeks. I’ve decided to list just a few of the most memorable ones from the month.
Top three highlights:
- Kiso
- I remember the very first time I saw Kiso. It was the first day we arrived at HOPEthiopia and he wanted nothing to do with us foreigners, in that moment I knew he would be “mine.” The first week he remained shy and timid but after a while he opened up. The second week we were there, Kiso got a really bad case of the measles and was hospitalized for about a week. I was able to visit him a few times in the hospital and once he was fully recuperated and back at the children’s village he was a totally different kiddo. My favorite things about Kiso: A) his laugh, B) when he says “I love you” in English, and 3) he loves cuddles.
- Gym buddies
- If you want to work out on the race you usually have to be pretty creative; you can only do so many workout videos. This month our ministry had a “set of weights” and a “gym” for us to utilize. Weights were made of coffee cans filled with cement and the “gym” was a concrete slab where bricks are made, but hey it works! The fun thing about HOPEthiopia is you never work out alone. All month long I had gym buddies who loved jumping jacks, burpees, push-ups and bicep curls!
- VBS
- We were able to host a Vacation Bible School for The Full Gospel church in the village of Harbu Chulule and it was incredible. I had kind of forgotten how much I loved working with kids. Songs, story time and crafts made for a fun filled couple of days.
Three low points from the month:
- Getting sick.
- This month there were two teams at HOPEthiopia and I don’t think one person escaped the “bug” that floated around all month. We had everything from fevers to sinus infections.
- Working with kids is tiresome and exhausting.
- Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love working with kids but some days you’re just straight up tired. Constantly diffusing fights and thinking of games on the fly is mentally and physically draining.
- Um, America?
- With less than two months left of the race, the thought of coming back to the states is strange for all of us. What will it be like to talk without a translator? What will it be like to wear “normal” clothes again? Grocery shopping will sure be an adventure. The thought of coming home is exciting, but things like going out to eat, dressing normally and going grocery shopping are slightly terrifying.
Earlier today I hid in the bathroom in an effort to hide my tears. While I was in there the Lord reminded me of something: “Your prayers are more powerful than your presence.” Leaving behind those beautiful little faces is not easy, but if there’s anything I’ve learned on the race it’s that God is pretty good at being God.
This is hands down the hardest goodbye I have had in several months. As we drove away from the compound I discretely slipped on my sunglasses to hide the tears and thought about all the things that broke my heart this month.
I hate to make promises I can’t keep but I don’t think this will be last time I visit Ethiopia.
