Top Ten [Ethiopia version]

Before I even start with the TOP TEN list, let me fill you in on what we considered to be the most significant part of our time in Ethiopia. Last Friday, we got into a van and drove [on the bumpiest roads I have ever experienced!] from Addis Ababa, the capital city, about 10 hours north to a small village called Wombera. This is the home of Ayehu, the birthmother of my dear siblings, Tem and Tessa. We walked down the muddy streets of this small village to a one room mud hut and spent an hour conversing with this incredible woman. Our lives intersected in a glorious clashing of two different worlds. But, we are now family. We spent close to 300 hours on this Ethiopia adventure, but our 1 hour in Wombera changed our lives.

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." James 1:27 ESV

The rest of our time was spent doing a whole mix of things. Here's a glimpse:

10. Seeing wildlife that we have never seen before: Hippos and baboons. It was so awesome.

9. Our day in Bahir Dar: After meeting Ayehu, we stayed in this northern city on the shores of Lake Tana. Our time included: hanging out with Mahi, two ridiculous boat rides, hiking by the Nile River, and visiting a monastery.

8. Bethany Christian Services: We worked alongside BCS-Ethiopia and enjoyed spending time with some of the staff. Abel, one of my dear friends from my trip last year, took us to Mt. Entoto and had lunch with us a few days. We also met Senait, a dear friend that we hope to see again.

7. Eating injera. And drinking a lot of coffee. And, our favorite: mango juice.

6. Bungalow D: Our humble abode for our time in Addis Ababa. We have a new gratitude for showers with good water pressure, comfortable mattresses, and being able to flush toilet paper.

5. Funny signs: We saw signs for Baby Land Public School, the Hallelujah Pharmacy, Hanna Montana Baby Store, and a sticker declaring that "Jesus is the only way to Haven."

4. The Frankfurt Airport: We did not expect to spend so much time here. However, because of a volcanic ash cloud that cancelled our flight to Ethiopia, we stayed overnight in a German hotel and spent a full day in the airport. We actually had fun, met new friends like Riley and the four funny Canadians, and enjoyed a meal at McDonald's. ("annullie" = "cancelled")

3. Reading and sleeping: These are two things that we have neglected in the last year because of busyness. For two weeks we were living in Ethiopia without email, school, jobs, social events, etc. So, any free time was used to read and sleep. So wonderful.

2. Meeting some incredible adoptive families: Who knew you could get to know someone SO WELL in two days or less? We LOVE our new friends and cried tears of joy as we watched them interact with their new children.

1. Learning to trust God: We used our time in Ethiopia to encourage and support adoptive families, to love orphans and widows, and to attempt to teach English to kids in some orphanages.

On multiple occasions, we looked at each other and said, "just go with it." We had plans, but God didn't always abide by them. He did His own thing. And we are glad He did.

Made it to Frankfurt! Leaving for Chicago in a few hours....

HOME.....well, almost!!

We just received a scarce email from the girls (email is just beginning to catch on over there:)......and RIGHT NOW at this moment the girls should be on a plane beginning to fly back home!! Which also means they have a very long night (or is it day??) ahead of them. They should be in Frankfurt sometime in the middle of the night (for us) and then arrive in Chicago around 12:30 p.m. tomorrow. So pray......for lots of energy, for safety, for no major disasters in places like ethiopia or eritrea or germany like volcanoes to hinder them (i know, this sounds a little selfish - we could just pray for no disasters anywhere in the world), and for the jetlag and culture shock to be easy on them.

Also, please keep praying for Ayehu. Who knows what this visit has done to her emotionally? We hope it has given her a lot of peace, but it may have also opened some painful emotional wounds. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to give up your children, even if you know you are doing the best and right thing. Our hope is that she would receive the comfort of Jesus every day and know the peace that he can give.

This is posted by Connie again. Just in case you were wondering.

ADDIS ABABA.....TO SHENDI......AND BACK

Connie here and I am updating the girls' blog from UPBC, where I am attending prayer camp today and tomorrow. This morning Don VanRyn shared some verses from Psalm 46: ......though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging (erupting volcanoes).....BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. Shortly after that I received an email from the girls and am reminded that this trip isn't all about their plans. It is all about what God wants to do with them in HIS plan. Even if it meant getting there a day or so later.
They finally arrived in Addis Ababa around 3 a.m.Thursday to find Abel, our friend from our last trip to adopt Tem and Tessa, waiting for them with his huge smile and I can only imagine how wonderful it was to see a familiar face! He had been waiting since midnight!! He brought them to the guesthouse where they showered and rested and received their itinerary for the next week and a half.
Tomorrow they will be traveling all day to meet Ayehu (biological mom of Tem and Tessa). Tem and Tessa decided they wanted to give their mom a Bible (which we had purchased last year in Ethiopia) in Amharic with their pictures in it and they each wrote her a little note. Also, the girls made a book with pictures of the kids during this past year which they will leave with Ayehu. Please pray for all of them tomorrow, as this will be a very emotional day for all. Also, pray for Mahi,, their translator from Bethany, and the driver. It is our hope that Ayehu will know how great God's love is for her and will have peace about her dear little ones being placed in our family.
After returning to Addis Ababa on Sunday, the girls plan to work in an orphanage Monday through Friday for half of the day and the rest of each day will be spent helping adoptive families on their outings. They have brought suitcases full of shoes as well as other items to donate and will need wisdom in knowing where the greatest needs are and how to distribute these gifts.
Pray for continued strength and good health for the girls and that they will continue to be open to HIS agenda, rather than their own.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for Julie, Kate, and Abby!!

FINALLY??!!

Just heard from Kate that they are on flight #598 to Addis Ababa. However, I have checked the status of this flight and they keep delaying it for some reason......we'll just trust that God will keep that volcano from erupting any more!! Pray for the girls to be encouraged and well rested when they arrive in Ethiopia.

- Connie

so here we are in Frankfurt

Our first flight from Chicago to Frankfurt was wonderful (including being able to check bags with donations for free and finding a free Starbucks drink certificate).

We're currently at a Ramada in Hofheim, Germany because all flights to Ethiopia were cancelled due to an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Eritrea. Lufthansa paid for our hotels and meals for the night and we're on stand-by for tomorrow.

Please pray that the ash could would miraculously disappear, that flights to Ethiopia could take place tomorrow, and that we'll all be able to get on the flight at 1:15 tomorrow afternoon (that would be 7:15 am Michigan time).

We're not discouraged, but we would love to get to Ethiopia tomorrow if possible. We've been especially thankful for exceptionally helpful Germans (at the ticket counter, at the passport booth, at the hotel, etc.).

We're confident that God is guiding and directing each step of our journey to Ethiopia. Please continue to pray that we'll be sensitive to His leading.

NEXT STOP......FRANKFURT......THEN ADDIS ABABA!!