Safe Arrival

Our team of 7 women are spending 11 days in Ethiopia, ministering to widows, teen girls and the children in our orphanages. (Pictures below were not taken on this trip but are from a trip I went on last year.)

We had an email from Abebe, our wonderful in-country representative, who said he met 6 of the team at the airport last night (it's already Friday in Ethiopia as I write this!) and this morning met Carolyn, who flew separately. They spent the night in Addis Ababa at the Catholic Guest House which has dorm-like rooms of two beds, a bathroom with toilet and shower and a sitting area. Meals are provided downstairs in the dining room and are prepared and served by a very sweet group of nuns, who also clean and do laundry. These women don't speak English so there's lots of smiling and patting of backs to say 'thanks.'

I'm imagining that for breakfast they had rolls, some sort of fresh fruit (papaya, banana or melon), perhaps an egg and always dark, strong coffee! Meal times here are great times to talk about the day, pray, plan and share how everyone is doing. Liane will be sure there's lots of laughter!

Abebe's wife, Abonesh, will join the team and will accompany them on much of their travels and ministry. On the schedule for today is a visit to the Fistula Hospital, which you can read more about here and here. (And if you haven't already seen it, please rent the dvd "A Walk To Beautiful" to see a wonderful telling of the history and ongoing work of this ministry.)

In the afternoon, the team plans to visit the YWAM Children's Home, where Abdissa is 'father' to over twenty children who he has rescued from life on the streets or without hope. These kids know Adoption Ministry's teams well and so look forward to our visits. There will be squeals and hugs - even the girls who've never been there won't be strangers for long! The team may also visit some of the children who are living in the community in Addis who Abdissa knows and ministers to. For dinner, they'll take the teen girls with them back to the Guest House for dinner and a fun evening together.

There is a lot to take in when you arrive in Ethiopia for the first time. There are thousands of people on the streets, many begging or desperately trying to sell their wares to provide food for their families. Let's pray for physical strength today as the women adjust to a new time zone, for direction and unity as the team begins their time of ministry and for God to show Himself in each of their lives as they pour them out to so many in need of His touch.

posted by Becky