International Resolution

     New Years is just a day away. Have you thought at all about a New Years resolution? How about making your resolution being intentional about reaching out to others. Go a step further even, and consider taking it international . Here are a few ways you can help out the kids at the orphanage where I am working:

Kids Care Package Ideas

• Balloons
• Bubble Wands (we can make bubbles here)
• Candies (Smarties, lollipops, gummies)
• Gently used boy clothes (sizes 6 months-3T)
• Coloring Books & Crayons
• Bottles
• Get creative... (They are 6months - three years old)

Mail all packages to:

Hannah Cowfer

PO Box 131

Soddo-Wolaitta, Ethiopia



Ways You Can Pray

• Pray that the kids would grow up healthy, happy, but most importantly grow up to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior
• Pray that adoption opens up so these children can find forever families
• Pray for the nannies that care for these children, that they would exhibit love and patience, and that they would know the value of their work

Adventure at Twin Falls

     This morning we took an adventure to Twin Falls in a town about an hour from our home in Soddo, Ethiopia. The trip was full of fun. Getting there brought its challenges (unmarked detours, road blocks, and the bumpiest of unpaved roads), but once we got there the views were well worth the extra effort it took to get there. And really, living in Africa you come to expect hurdles in your endeavors. The sights of this country are absolutely stunning, and Twin Falls is no exception. God created a piece of art when He created Ethiopia.

 

A Christmas to Remember

Wow, first Christmas away from my family. First Christmas away from the traditions that have shaped my expectations for how things should go. It is hard to know what to expect in preparing to be away from your "norms" especially at this time of year, but things have gone surprisingly well for me! And how fun that now I can claim the age old tune "I had Christmas down in Africa."

Christmas Eve was spent baking cookies with our wonderful neighbors. The evening held singing Christmas carols and reading the Christmas story around a campfire, in t-shirts I might add! It held games with dear friends that have become like family and late night conversations that carried us right into the holiday!  

Christmas Day held a beautiful simplicity that is so easily lost in the states. Christmas caroling at the local hospital, dinner with our missionary friends, and overall just a time of celebration of the birth of Jesus and fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ! I was reminded by a good friend that family is not always blood. This year I hold fast to that, as I feel right at home where I am even as far away from "home" as it is. 

I have definitely had my moments of wanting to be home for Christmas... There was even one day last week when I was plotting this great "fly home and surprise my family" scheme (don't get too exited guys, I didn't let that one get past the "that would be fun" phase). But really, I truly believe that God gives us the strength we need right when we need it, and He has given it to me this Christmas! Looking back, this will truly be a beautiful Christmas to remember! 

And my amazing Christmas present this year came from Baby E who I have talked so much about.... HE STARTED CRAWLING! 

Merry Christmas!!!! 

Photo Frenzy

3rd World Sick

Sometimes living in Africa means embracing the not so pleasant aspects of the 3rd world country life. Things like always having dirty feet, being a celeberty without doing anything, paying a bit extra for things just because that is how it works when you are "feringe", and then of course comes the illnesses! 

Since Thanksgiving I have been dealing with some pretty draining stomach "stuff". Over the course of time that I have had it I just assumed that, like most things I have gotten here, it would work its way out of my system and I would be home free. But when one week turned into two, and two into three we finally decided to check it out. It did not help that right in the middle of this I caught a stomach bug that took me down a few notches lower than I was. I may be 20, but being THAT sick and away from Mom is still quite a challange! But that's beside the point. What I was dealing with obviously had the physical affects of being sick, but it also carried emotional affects and had me not feeling at all like myself. My appetite was gone, I was tired all the time, and I thought that I was doing something wrong to be feeling so down. Turns out it was out of my control the whole time! 

On Friday myself and my amazing "sister" Jess spent the better part of our day at Soddo Christian Hospital (great place, you should totally check it out and consider supporting them as many of our missionary friends in the area live and work there). I actually have never been to a stateside hospital as a patient so I cannot speak to the process there, but goodness gracious... Going to the hospital here is quite the endeavor! First you go to a few windows to get in the system. Pay. Wait. Next comes vitals. More waiting.... Then you see the doctor.  Go to labs. Wait. Wait. Wait. Get results. Wait. See doctor again. Then FINALLY it's off to the pharmacy. 3 hours later we had a diagnosis. 

For those of you who are going there, NO. It was not milaria. NO, it was not ebola. 'Twas an amoeba! I have since named him Aaron the Amoeba (though his thousands of buddies will remain nameless). He has taken up residence in my for 3 weeks now and while I have been a gracious and patient host, I am ready to send him on his way. 

There are times when mission work can be draining as in all things in life, but this has been my most trying time yet. I am grateful to have faced this so I will know how to handle it next time AND am grateful that a 3 day round of medicine should take care of the issue. I am happy to have it resolved before Christmas so that I can welcome the joy of the season and prepare for the the most wonderful time of the year! God has been gracious and with me, even when I did not feel like Hannah, He was there! Now, as we prepare for Christmas and prepare to welcome 2015 I am glad to be getting back to myself and looking forward to all that the coming weeks will hold! 

My Hearts Prayer

     Just recently I decided to start praying for the hearts of the children I have the priveledge of working with each day. Right now, they are too young for me to personally lead to Christ, but that does not mean I cannot have a part in it. My hearts deepest desire for these 20 children is that they would find Christ and know Him more deeply than I could ever imagine. My prayer is that their hearts would be drawn to Him, that they would seek and rely on Him to carry them through their lives. My prayer is that they would be adopted in to forever families who love God above all else. My prayer is that my time here would be valuable for them, and that somehow, even thorugh language barriers and their age that they would feel the love of Christ in me. That the songs I sing to them and the prayers I pray over them would make a forever impact on their lives. 

     Part of the reality of mission work is that we do not always see the fruist of our labor. Rather, we plant seeds and pray that those seeds would prosper. For me especially, that is a reality that I had to accept early on. I was not going to be one of those missionaries that holds a revival and sees 100 people profess faith in Jesus, no not at all. But God knows my heart, my gifts, and His plan, and when all of those things come together I find that what I am doing here is the precious job of seed planting. A job as important at the next and as valuable as any other. After all, seeds that were never planted cannot prospser. So yes, I will spend my time here investing in these childrne never really know where life takes them. However, I get chills to think about how beautiful the day will be that I meet those that have chosen Christ in Heaven and know that God allowed me to be a part of their path to Him. 

Join me in praying for the salvation of these children as you feel called. What a valuable way to be involved from home. 

O' Christmas Tree

     Today I am celebrating the beginning of my 5th month in Ethiopia. Hard to believe. We took quite an adventure to celebrate: we went Christmas tree hunting. Now go ahead and put aside all of your preconceived ideas of bundling up, drinking hot cocoa, trekking through a snow-covered field of trees, and searching for the perfect one. Things here went down  just a little bit differently.
    Off we drove with our windows down fighting the heat of the sun trailing a guy on a motor bike. We bumped along a road that took us deeper and deeper into the middle of nowhere. Praise the Lord for 4-wheel drive cars because without one we never would have gotten to our destination. We finally arrived at a field and our motor bike guide informed us that "we are here". Ummm, excuse me sir, where exactly is here? After the drive was a short hike down a cliff (I mean, a steep dirt hill) and there we were, we had arrived at a plant nursery. Who knew they even had those in Ethiopia? Our expectations were not high, really all we were after was an evergreen, and here is what we got...

     This years Christmas tree hunt was unlike any I have been on before.  A 1 1/2 ft. cypress tree later our adventure goes down in the books for the most unique experience in searching for the bit of festive greenery. Ethiopian adventures for the win! 

LAST DAY!

Today I am thankful for:

My Longs List of Thankfuls



     After a month of reflecting on the many blessings both great and small I have in my life, I am thankful that I have a long list of things I never got to. I am thankful for new blessings this year, and ones that have carried me through the years! I am thankful for blessings unseen that are still on their way. I am thankful for December and the hope and promise that it brings with the celebration of the birth of Jesus. I am just thankful!
     Even with all the ups and downs of power and internet in Ethiopia, I managed to get something down for almost every day. Looking forward now to going back to a variety in posts, and for more opportunities for the spirit to lead my heard in writing. God is so good to us--I think we all have a great deal of things we can be thankful for this year!

Day 29: Thanksgiving in Ethiopia

Today I am thankful for:

Thanksgiving in Ethiopia 

     I have been asked time and time again about Thanksgiving in Ethiopia. Was it hard to be away from family? What foods do you eat? How do they celebrate?

 

     That last question is my favorite... How do Ethiopians celebrate? They don't. It's an American holiday. But because we live within a community of other missionaries from the states, we did get to celebrate this year with an imported turkey and all the trimmings! It was such a beautiful time of thankfulness and fellowship with those who are in the same boat. So this year, even thousands of miles away from home, I was able to celebrate Thanksgiving. How was it away from my family? Not nearly as difficult as I expected! I attribute most of that to it being warm here and not feeling like the typical Thanksgiving, but along with that I know I have an amazing family at home that is fully supporting me in this so for this year anyway, it is ok that I am away. Did I miss them? Of course! But more than that I am thankful for the opportunity to be here and be in the midst of lives being changed by Christ! What more is there to be thankful for? 

 

Day 28: $ Easy Money Math $

Today I am thankful for:

Birr-Dollar Conversion

     Part of going to a foreign country is figuring out money exchange rates. I remember getting through immigration at the airport and going to exchange my money--I LOVED it because I handed the lady a $50 bill and she handed me a thick stack of birr! I felt rich as could be. It seems like a shallow thing to be thankful for, but the easy 20:1 conversion rate between the Ethiopian birr and the US dollar has made the world of difference in figuring out money matters. Today as family and friends, and the rest of the US are working on getting deals and steals in the chaos of Black Friday sales, it seems only American to have money on the mind. Today I am thankful that I learned to count by 20s in elementary school, and that the conversion rate is easy to follow! 

Day 27: My Family

Today (and every day) I am thankful for:

My Family!

     Happy Thanksgiving!! Though it did not feel much like Thanksgiving here in Ethiopia, I was able to celebrate with my family via Skype. My mom and dad, sister and brother, grandparents, aunt and uncle, and even some cousins stopped in to chat! Seeing all of them together did make me sad that I could not be there too, but I am so in love with the work that I am able to be a part of here that it is ok being away this year. I am so thankful that I have a family I love, a family I am close with, who support and love me. Seeing them all and spending part of the holiday with them was certainly the highlight of my Thanksgiving. Thankful today for my family!

Day 26: The "In"

Today I am thankful for:

The "In"

      Today I spent my morning at the hospital with one of the little boys from the baby home. When I got to there this morning one of the nannies asked me if I would like to go along with her. Of course I said yes! It was such quality time together, even under the circumstances. (The little boy is fine--he had an infection that some antibiotics should clear up). When we returned it was well after lunch, but the ladies back at the orphanage had prepared a meal for us and waited for us to get back to eat. Again, such wonderful time of fellowship with the women that care for the children I so dearly love! And to wrap it all up: a coffee ceremony... Because no habasha (Ethiopian) meal is complete without a 3 pour coffee ceremony! I am thankful today that I am "in" with the ladies. They thanked me over and over for going to the hospital, but I really felt like I should thank them for including me and allowing me to be a part of yet another layer of these children's lives! These ladies are such a special part of the baby home--as you think of it today say a special prayer for them and the work that they do!

Day 25: The Pregnancy Clinic

Today I am thankful for:

The Pregnancy Clinic

     I have connected with some fellow missionaries in the area that operate a rural pregnancy clinic (more on that in my next newsletter). I went quite a few times after our move to Soddo and absolutely fell in love with being a part of sharing the gospel with new lives! Currently I go and help out when they need an extra set of hands--today was one of those days. After bumping an hour and a half down the road we arrived and set up shop. Roughly 40 women later we were packing up for the day. The ministry provides a bit of food, checking of vitals (my role is blood pressure and baby's heart beat), a lesson on care for self and baby incorporated into a gospel lesson, and a time of prayer for the women. It is such a joy to be a part of this awesome ministry that is touching lives of those who are yet to enter the world. Grateful today for the opportunity to be a part of this medical mission, and for the special women who walk for miles and miles to come.

Catching Up

     Well, it has been a few (more like quite a few) days since I have written. Africa has not been cooperating with my 30 days of Thankfulness these past few weeks. Rather than double and triple, or quadruple post as the case may be, I opted to pull another "I have forgiving readers" card and scrap it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll get to start up again and finish out the month strong.
     Just to catch you up on the latest happenings of Ethiopia, in typical Africa fashion we had another few days of power outages. Other than that life has been pretty normal. We are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving with our missionary friends this week. It is so strange preparing to celebrate without all of the typical holiday buzz. Between the continuation of normal day to day life and the lack of change in temperature it really does not feel like the end of November at all. I think it is weird preparing for Thanksgiving without the typical holiday buzz, I cannot even imagine what it will feel like welcoming Christmas. Either way the month and my projects here are moving right along. Today was our first rainy day since leaving Chencha--the dry season is getting a little break. It made the perfect excuse to stay inside at the orphanage and get a few extra snuggles with the munchkins.

In other news, I started my SECOND newsletter and it should be ready to send out shortly after Thanksgiving. If you are not on the mailing list and would like to receive it, email your name and address to goservelove.giving365@gmail.com . I would love to include you!



Days 16-18

November 16th

Today I am thankful for:

Nail Polish

     Yepp, nail polish. I may be in a 3rd world country, but I am still a 1st world girl. Our favorite shop (the one the size of your living room) just decided to upscale and started carrying things like lotion, soap, and NAIL POLISH. When I say they started carrying nail polish I mean like 5 or 6 bottles, but still... It's a big deal! ;) Even here in the hills of Ethiopia I keep a fresh coat of polish on more times than not. Let's be real here: there is absolutely nothing better to hide the Africa dirt than a nice coat of polish! 

     Today I am thankful for a fun and fashionable way to hide the dirt... I mean, I am thankful for nail polish! 

November 17th

Today I am thankful for:

The people who believed in me/sent me

     Getting to Africa was no feat of my own. Getting here took a team of people who believed in me and what I wanted to do. A team of people willing to support me financially. A team of people willing to pray for me as I prepared to go, and faithfully pray as I am away. It took a team of people willing to let me go, and people to encourage me every step of the way! Today I am thankful for you all: my readers, my senders, my family and friends, my prayer worriers, and each and every person who's belief in me got me to where I am today! I could not do it without you all!! 

November 18th 

Today I am thankful for:

The 1st Step

    I have a ring that I always wear that reads "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." The first step in coming to Africa, perhaps my biggest journey yet, was as simple as saying yes and responding to the tug on my heart. In dong so though I was taken beyond a thousand mile journey... Taking the first step in this journey was one that took me 7,450 miles away, across the ocean and into a land far from home. Hey, go big or go home. Right? 

Day 15: My Pink Book

Today I am thankful for:

My Pink Book

     There I was standing in the airport with my family at the crack of dawn. Just after our tearful goodbyes my mom handed me a bag and said, "You can open it once you get to your gate." What was inside that bag has brought me more tears, more joy, more encouragement, and more inspiration than any gift I have ever received. 

     Inside the bag was a pink book dated from when I left on-through my stay here. On nearly every page is a message from somebody in my sphere of relationships sharing a Bible verse, memory, quote, note of encouragement, or even just something to make me laugh. As I sat there at my gate skimming the names of everybody who had written in the book the tears that I had taken control of suddenly took control of me again. I am sure people were staring, wondering why a girl on a flight to Washington D.C. was such an emotional mess, but I couldn't help it. The beautiful book I was clinging to was an overwhelming outpouring of love and encouragement from people I did not even realize I had an influence on. 

     To everybody who added a special note to the book: THANK YOU! The messages that I look forward to reading each night have been one of the biggest blessings. God is so faithful in how each message is written on a day when those are exactly the word that I need to hear on that particular day. Today I am thankful for each and every person who added a bit of encouragement to the book, and for the amazing blessing that reading the notes has been to me! 

100 DAYS!!

    It's official. I have entered the triple digits. Today I am celebrating my 100th day in Ethiopia (no I am not counting... I have an app for that). In some ways I have a hard time believing that I have been here that long, but in other ways it seems like so long ago that I stepped off the plane and thought to myself "this is it, I am in Africa!" There is something about time here... It simultaneously moves so quickly and yet so slowly. I cannot really explain it, you just have to experience it. 

     These past 100 days have taught me so much. Seeing the world, experiencing culture, stepping out of my norm, learning from people who live life so differently than we do in the states, and seeing God in every portion of that growth... it's indescribable. I have always known and been close to God, but there is also something about stepping out in faith that has drawn me so much closer to Him. No matter the depth of the difference I make here, I feel like my time here is so worth it even just for that. 

     100 days ago I was on an airplane eagerly awaiting my first peak through the clouds of African soil. I was clinging to those "see ya later hugs" that would have to last a year, and trying to contain my excitement for all the little ones I would get to hug here. I was taking the ultimate step of independence and not looking back. And here, 100 days later I am going strong and loving life here. 

Days 9, 10, 11, & 12

November 9th

Today I am thankful for:

God the Artist

     Just a few minutes ago Jess called me outside. "Hannah, the stars are amazing tonight. You have to come look at them." So out I went. What I saw took my breath away as I stood there in awe of the twinkling lights that blanketed the sky. If I could have captured it in a picture I would have, but believe me I was capturing the moment in my head. It was one of those times when I was reminded of how small I am in the grand scheme of existence, and along with that how big God is. And to think, all those stars are there because He simply spoke them into being.  
     We have been without power now for roughly 24 hours, and as I stood outside, head tilted high, I was thankful that there was nothing to take away from the beauty of the night. No lights to minimize how full the sky was, no distractions that would keep us from that time of admiration. I've said it before and I'll say it again: God is an AMAZING artist, and for that I am very thankful. 

November 10th

Today I am thankful for:

Letter Writing

     One of the ways I take time to relax is letter writing. Similar to receiving letters, I like the old fashioned connection of taking time to share the latest happenings. It's such a fun way to let people know I am thinking of them... And seriously, who doesn't love getting mail from Ethiopia? Today I am thankful for the ability to relax while sharing my life with others. I am thankful for a post office that is GREAT about getting my letters mailed out and where they need to be (believe it or not those are tough to come by here). I am thankful for friends and family to write to. Thankful today for letter writing. 

 

November 11th

Today I am thankful for:

ELECTRICITY!

        Our power is back on!! After nearly 48 hours of mabrat yellum (power there is not) we are back in business. Being without power is pretty normal here. It is expected that we'll lose it at least once a day for some span of time, but rarely is it out for a day or more at a time. Usually it's no big deal, but when I missed 2 Skype dates is got to be a bit of an inconvenience. Lucky for me I have a forgiving family who won't hold it against me. ;) There was certainly beauty in the outage... Like getting to see the stars in all of their glory, knowing that we can indeed go on without it, and then the fun of guessing when it will be back on (which none of us were anywhere close this time around). Thankful today that the power is back on, because let's be honest..... Life with power, even in Africa, is much easier! 

   

 

 

 

November 12th

Today I am thankful for:

A forgiving audience

 

     As you gathered from compilation of posts we have been having major power and internet outages. So today, as the internet has finally come back I am thankful that I can post, but also thankful that I have a forgiving audience who won't care that I am copping out on today's post! ;) 

Day 8: Pictures

Today I am thankful for:

Pictures

 

They say that a picture can speak a thousand words. I say they can speak more. So here, without any words are pictures that can speak for themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Day 7: Friendships...Near and Far

Today I am thankful for:

Friendships... Near and Far

Friendships. I take them very seriously. I take quality over quantity and hold tight to people that are important to me. It has been such a privilege to see friendships stand firm even across the ocean, and it has been equally as wonderful to watch new friendships form over here. I have met missionary women of all ages that hold such value in my life because they "get it". I have friends in the states who are so intentional about keeping our relationship strong. I count myself blessed to have such wonderful people in my life! Such wonderful people who I can call friends. 

Day 6: Snail Mail

Today I am thankful for:

Snail Mail

What can I say... I'm old fashioned when it comes to my love for hand-written letters and cards! My love for them has been amplified even more since being over here. It's just such a fun way to connect with people, and feels so personal and special. Today we traveled into town and made a stop at the posta-bate (post office). Using my broken amharic I asked the guy if there was any mail in our box and sure enough he brings some out. I frequent the place mailing cards and letters to the states so they know me by name. I guess that's my claim to fame around here. A card, a letter, and a package. (S/O to Rachel, Melita, and my grandparents). Made my day as it always does. 

Thankful today for the Soddo post office and for the mail that finds its way into my hands! 

<Snail Mail Address>

Po Box 131 

Soddo-Wolaitta

Ethiopia

Day 5: Encouragement from Mom

Today I am thankful for:

Encouraging words from Mom

Last night just before going to bed I opened up a card from my mom. The card spoke such truth into my heart: a truth that I clung to today with everything in me. 

"You are changing the world one child at a time... Love them like no one else, invest in them like no one else, and believe in them like no one else and they will never forget you or the God you serve!!!"  

Today was tough. As cultural stress met homesickness I had a hard time holding onto the joy that keeps me going strong. Suddenly all I wanted was a hug from my Mom and a reminder that I CAN do this! How timely. Her words from last night played over and over in my head. She was so right. I may not feel 110% in it today, but how important today was. Today, along with each day before, and every day I have left to spend with these kids I need to love, invest, and believe in them with all that I have. It is true, they bring my heart such joy, but above that I find joy in truth that my serving them on God's behalf will hopefully one day turn their eyes and more importantly their hearts towards Him.

While I wish I could be spending time with my Mom, I am so thankful for the words of encouragement that God filled her heart with to give me just at the moment when I needed them. 

Day 4: Baby Giggles

Today I am thankful for:

Baby Giggles

It has been just over a month since I started spending time at the baby home. I sat there with the kids this morning in awe of how far this month together has brought us. These little ones have learned to trust me, accept me, and love me. They have welcomed me into their lives and have allowed me to see deeper into their hearts with each priceles smile and every precious giggle. They have taught me even more about what it is to love, and have showed me the value that love holds. 

When I started at the baby home, there was a litlte guy who did not take long to win my heart. He was the 1st name I learned and the 1st little one that I really connected with. He stood out to me because his eyes held an emptiness, a look of mere existance. It broke my heart and yet all I knew to do was hold him close and love him. And so that is what I did. It did not take him long to warm up to the attention that he was getting, and not too much time passed before he became jealous if my attention was elsewhere. I was overjoyed by his jeaousy because that meant we were getting somewhere... we had bonded. For a week he sat limp in my lap, content to just be close. Two weeks ago though he began sitting up on his own, making eye contact, letting out a smile, grasping my finger, and he even began to giggle. The first time he let out a giggle I thought my heart was going to burst. God has been at work in this little one that just a month ago was merely existing. He is a new baby. What a joy-filled transformation it has been. 

Today I sat on the pourch of the baby's room with little ones all around. I was lost in the moment with one little guy on either shoulder and one fast asleep on my legs. It was a moment of pure bliss. There was lots of snuggling, but more than that there were giggles. Today, I am praising God for baby giggles! 

Day 3: Suquar (Sugar)

Today I am thankful for:

Sost Kilos Suquar 

(Three kilos of sugar)

    
It has been about a month since sugar has been available in rural Ethiopia. That's just how things go here sometimes. They run out of stuff. Sometimes eggs, sometimes benzine (gas), sometimes sugar, sometimes electricity, and sometimes even water. It's just a part of life. Picture this though: you go to your local grocery store, walk down the baking aisle, and realize there is no sugar to be had. Two weeks later you go back: Nothing. You spend the next two weeks asking every shop keeper you know if they have sugar. Still none. Until FINALLY, on a beautiful Monday in November sugar has returned. 

Some fun grocery facts:

• The biggest "grocery store" in Soddo is about the size of the average living room and has AN aisle. 
• When you purchase items such as sugar, flour, pasta, lentils, or beans they measure them out on an old fashioned scale and pour them right into a plastic grocery bag. Have you ever tried to pour 5 kilos of flour out of a plastic grocery bag? It's not exactly what you would call easy. 
• Most shopping here happens at a suke. A suke is a walk-up shop where you can get just about anything you need. (See picture)

Not having sugar has not been the end of the world by any means, but it has certainly added an extra layer of complication when I have gotten the urge to bake. What tops this still: we have not only sugar but eggs also. AT THE SAME TIME! It's a marvelous beautiful thing. 


Today, I am thankful to have sost kilos of suquar (three kilos of sugar) in the cupboards waiting to sweeten our lives. 

Day 2: His Plans Trump Mine

Today I am thankful that:

God had a plan for me far beyond any I could have imagined for myself. 

My journey to Africa is one that goes back to 6 1/2 years ago when I was in middle-school and God first laid the idea of going to Africa on my heart. Back then I didn't know details I just knew that when I graduated I was going to a baby orphanage in Africa. As the months turned into years I could barely contain my desire to hop on a plane and cross the ocean that laid between me and my dream... Me and my calling. Up until just last August I thought I was going to Johannesburg, South Africa to serve in a home for babies that were abandoned on the streets of the city. Last August God opened my eyes that the struggles and challenges that would come with being in the crime capital of the world on my own. Bad news bears! It was not long after He closed that door for me that He presented me with HIS plan: Ethiopia. In January I made contact with the family I am staying with now, at which point plans fell into place as perfectly as puzzle pieces and there was no doubt in my mind that God had orchestrated this. 

Yet another plot twist. Originally I thought I was coming here to help homeschool and teach at a local preschool. I was excited about the possibility as working with kids was really where my heart was, but once I got here and we talked about moving from Chencha to Soddo I was even more excited than ever because of what moving would mean for me. Moving to Soddo opened up the door for me to do exactly what I said I was going to do all those years ago: work in a baby orphanage in Africa!

God called me to faithfulness even when I did not have all the details. He called me to follow His plan and be willing to give up my own. He called me to GO and promised that everything would fall into place. And it has. God has been so faithful, and through all the possibilities that have come and gone, He allowed me to follow my heart and serve the babies of Africa. It's a beautiful thing when life's dreams align with God's plan. 

Today as I reflect back on my journey to Africa, I am thankful that God had a plan for me far beyond any I could have imagined for myself.

Day 1: Skype

One of my favorite things to do leading up to Thanksgiving is the 30 days of Thankfulness where each day I intentionally take time to think of something I am thankful for. It's a good time to be intentional about counting your blessings. So... for the next 30 days I'll be doing a daily post (or nearly daily depending on the internet) with items in my life that I am thankful for. During this time I encourage you to spend time thinking about the blessing in your life.

Today I am thankful for...

Skype

Today, as I eagerly await a Skype date with my family later this evening, I am thinking about what a blessing Skype has been since arriving in Ethiopia. I am so thankful for the ability to see my family in real-time and share with one another the joys and struggles of life. Without fail, getting to see the faces of the family that I love so very much brightens up my day and brings a smile to my face!  Even from thousands of miles away, we can be together. For that reason and so many others: today I am thankful for Skype.

All in a Day's Walk

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to take a walk down a street in rural Ethiopia? Yeah, me either. But now it has become a regular part of my life... and WOW!  

Picture this... On the average day I start my day with a 45 minute walk to the baby home. 

On that walk I:

• Get at least a dozen offers for "a lift my sister"
• Turn down at least a dozen offers for "a lift my sister"
• Hold the hand of a child who is a total stranger

• Greet people I do not know as if we were best friends
• Turn down more offers for "a lift my sister"
• Have time to think about life
• Dodge Izusus, Bajajs, motor bikes, donkeys, wheel barrows, women carrying their market loads, sheep, mud puddles, funeral processions, and a myriad of other things
• Attempt to tune out the "feringe" shouts
• Get a healthy dose of Vitamin D
• Huff and puff up the world's steepest hill like a champ

• Enjoy the most beautiful scenery and am reminded of the beauty of our God

Mango Tree R&R

Sometimes, when God gives you beautiful weather, you've just got to drop everything and embrace it. Over the weekend we did just that. A little outdoor rest and relaxation for the win. 

A Drop of Love

Oceans. Have you ever thought about how many drops of water it would take to fill an ocean? As I spent hour after hour flying over the water I was hit by how overwhelmingly HUGE the Atlantic Ocean is. 

Over the past week I have struggled with facing ocean-sized-realities that with all that is in me I want to fix. Babies that cannot get adopted because of a freeze, street children who are left utterly alone in this world, children that I so wish had the love and support I had growing up. As we have pretty well settled into life in Soddo, I find that day by day my eyes are opened more and more to the reality of life here. It is a good town full of great people, but even in my little bubble of life here there is need. Along with facing those harsh realities, I have been struck with the fact that I am one person, totally and completely incapable of solving the world's problems. If I could though, believe me, I would! 

Even after two and a half short months here I came to doubt myself; I wondered if going to the orphanage and spending time with the kids there was enough. After all, I am not with them all the time, and what is a few hours of love in the grand scheme of their lives? This is the question I took to The Lord last night: "Lord, you called me here. Am I doing all that you have on the table for me?"

This morning I got up and began my trek to the baby home dodging motor bikes and donkeys all along the way. Upon arriving I went about the normal routine of greeting the staff, getting hugs and handshakes from the older children, and making my way to the baby room. As I sat there with the little ones this morning, softly humming Baby E to sleep I felt the gracious arms of Christ wrapping around me. "This, my child, is exactly where I have planted you. Spread my love." I looked into Baby E's eyes and stroked his tight curls, and as his face broke into a smile I knew that I was indeed doing everything in my power to bring the love of Jesus into their lives. And the beautiful part is, without even knowing it, they are doing the same thing in my life. 

Sharing love, that is what I am here to do... Giving the thing that my life is overflowing with. Yes, my influence is just a drop in the ocean, but without that drop the ocean would not be complete. 

NEW ADDRESS

NEW MAILING ADDRESS:

PO Box 131

Soddo Wolaitta

Ethiopia 

Looking forward to lots of snail-mail flooding the new box! 

A Week in Review

Highlight

It is hard to narrow down just one item from the week to highlight.

• Hearing that my newsletters arrived was a pretty hight point... I've got a newsletter in print, that makes me a REAL missionary, right? ;)
• Sending out some snail mail to the states was exciting as always!
• Hearing the giggles and seeing the growth in some of the children at the baby's home was a joy.
• Finding green beans in town was also a highlight.
• Perhaps though, topping all of those was the time I spent with local missionary ladies at our weekly Bible study. What a great time of fellowship, but even more importantly a great time to dig deeper into the reason we all came here in the first place. This week we were hunkered down in Philippinas, a hidden treasure in the New Testiment. I never realized how many precious words were in this book. Lessons on loving like Jesus, finding contentment in Christ, and a wonderful reminder not to be anxious about anything. This week, at the top of my list is the joy that came in studying Philippians with some amazing sisters-in-Christ.

Lowlight

This one is easy. Wednesday was a sick day. ICK! Mangoes out of season=bad idea! Life is back to normal now, but good-gravy that was rough!

Prayer Point

This week, please pray Paul's prayer in Philippians 1:9-11 for me (woah, talk about a tongue twister). Also know that this week I will be praying the same prayer for you, my readers.

We Moved!!

       This week, we have seen quite a bit of transition. We decided as a family that it was time to move to a little town about 100km (60 miles) from Chencha. This move was one that had come up in some e-mails before I even crossed the ocean, and after God dropped the perfect opportunity in our laps we took a step of faith and decided it was time to go. A week ago we packed up a good portion of the Chencha house and headed down the mountain to our new home in Soddo. 

        Now, you are probably asking lots of questions... "What does this mean for your ministry?" "How does Soddo compare to Chencha?" "Why the move?" Etc. 

        The move came about as my host family had pretty much accomplished their goal--they had worked themselves out of a job in Chencha. This is the ultimate goal of every missionary: to come in, empower the people, and watch them become self-sustaining in whatever it was that the missionary came to do. In this case, with the ag-project in Chencha where we were living, they had reached the phase where space was necessary to see if the farm could run on it's own. It was certainly sad to move off of the property because the staff there really feels like a family, but we will still be making frequent trips back, and Jon will still be in Chencha weekly to see how things are going with their self-sustainability. The work for my host family is still the same, just with added distance to give the staff the ability to really discover their strengths and abiliteis. 

        Compared to rural Chencha, Soddo is a hoppin' place! Where as life in Chencha meant rustic living in a village like setting, Soddo is a town and as a result is a bit more western. We have gone from a Chica-Bet (a mud house) on the farm in Chencha to our new home which has an indoor kitchen, their own rendition of indoor plumbing, and even glass windows. One of the biggest advantages here is that we have a feringe (white westerners) missionary community which makes all the difference in the world for minimizing cultural stresses. We are able to be a part of weekly Bible study, fellowship, and Sunday afternoon church. Yes, you read the correctly. Sunday afternoon, as in 4:00pm. They've got it going on!! Getting to know other missionaries has also been quite an encouragement. 

        For me, this move has meant plugging in with a mission VERY quickly! Up until this point I have been on mission for missionaries working with Jon and Jess and the kids through all the transitions that have gone along with leaving the farm. This has been good time to bond and grow together as a family, as I have been ever so blessed to call them mine. Looking forward though, I am excited to plug into something of my own. I'm looking forward to spending time with a local children's home that has captured my heart. They work predominantly with young children and those with special needs. In addition to that I have been privileged to travel to a rural pregnancy clinic and help care for mothers who do not have access to quality care on a regular basis. My goal in all things here: to pour out the love that I have been overwhelmed with all of my life. God has given me great opportunities to serve the people here... 

        So there you have it. Life in Africa is changing. That is exactly how things go here. And as in all things, God is at the center of this leading our hearts to where He wants to use us to further His kingdom. 

God's an Artist

 



Happy New Year!

                                    

          Happy Ethiopian New Year (a few days late). On Thursday, September 11th we welcomed in the year 2007 with lots of visiting with friends, more coffee than you could ever imagine consuming in a given day, and copious amounts of dorro wat with injera (a local chicken dish eaten with a fermented pancake like bread called injera). Welcoming a new year here is similar to the states in that it leaves you reflecting on the previous year and looking ahead to what is to come.

        The process of reflection took me back about 7 years, to what my life looked like in 2007. I was in the midst of the chaos they call middle school. ICK! Though, this is right about when God started laying Africa on my heart. And here, 7 years later (or no time later depending on which calendar you follow) I am living my dream in a situation that ONLY God could have orchestrated. It seemed as if these days would never come, preparing was a test of patience, but the result is so worth the wait. 

        Here, with a family I feel like I have been a part of my whole life, with people I have grown to love in such a short time, and with a new opportunity to serve right around the corner I feel complete. I am filled with joy and have never felt so alive. This is what it is to live, to come across a dream and follow it. It is not always easy, but it is worth it. 

Only in Africa

You might be a missionary in rural Ethiopia if: 

• You plan extra time into your trips because you may find yourself behind herds of animals and taking unplanned and unmarked detours because of construction. Alright, let's be honest here. It is not that you "may find yourself" in these situations... It is more a matter of how many times it'll happen. 

 

• You get excited when a bathroom has toilet paper in it. And let's not even talk about the thrill that comes with seeing a toilet... The excitement is kind of like Christmas and your birthday all rolled into one! 

• You have a love-hate relationship with rain! 
• Rain love: Cool water to drink, a good excuse to curl up and drink hot tea (though here you really don't need an excuse), and we can shower and wash clothes as often as we want. 
• Rain hate: Cold, muddy, sometimes long-term power outages, and being trapped inside. 

It is just life. The rain comes and goes. If it is dry in the morning, you can plan on a wet afternoon, and often it works the other way around too. 

• You are preparing to celebrate New Years. On Thursday, September 11th, we will be ringing in 2007. Yep, you got that right. I am back in my middle school years, though this time around is much more enjoyable than my first round of 2007 was. 

• You look around and sometimes wonder, is this even real? Then you realize that yes, it is indeed real and that not only is our God an amazing father... He has a side job as a world class artist!