Brr-rr-rr-r It's Getting Cooler

Well, the Ethiopians would say it is very cold, but it is just starting to get cold. It is windy today and around 60 degrees, but it feels colder in the Guest House because of the construction of the building; concrete blocks and lots of marble. Since we are both fighting an annoying cold, we tend to notice it a little more.

We did not sleep well at all last night due to the coughing and congestion. We were supposed to go to the Mirr Hospital today to meet an orthopedic surgeon and his wife. He apparently operates mostly on children with cleft palates and club feet. But, since we were afraid of passing this cold on to the already compromised children, we decided to stay here at the guest house. We were going to meet many of the children and pass out clothes and toys. It may be possible to go there next Fri before we return to the states. We are hoping so.

So, we stayed here at the Guest House and got some much needed rest. We are praying that tonight will be a better night with healing rest. Tonight, we are going to dinner with Pastor Gary and Becky Threatt somewhere in Addis, just so that we can get to know each other a little better.

Becky just called to say that our plans have changed a little for next week. We are still going to Menz on Mon morning, but returning Thurs nite. We were supposedly staying at the World Vision complex up there, but Becky just learned this morning that they had booked it for World Vision staff without realizing that we had reserved it already for our group. So, we are staying at a hotel (take that word loosely, no hot showers, food???) and doing a clinic on Tues, Wed, Thurs and returning here late Thurs evening. That will be good, cause we have hot showers here and good food and a nice bed.

We are excited to go, because it looks like Doc's Well of Hope money will be spent to build a well in one of those villages, Zemero, which is very poor and has almost nothing there. They have a church and the well construction would be overseen by the church leaders and local leaders. Alayou has assurred us that a well in Zemero would be a gift of a lifetime to hundreds of people.

We are using today as a recoup day, both physically and mentally and we are trying to catch up with our communications and "praying up" as Brieanna puts it, for direction as to our future.

One thing we can say is that we are coming home as 2 "changed people." You cannot spend 2 weeks here and not be changed. We think of the scripture in Prov. 24:12 "Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act."

The question for us still is: "Lord, what would you have us to do to have the biggest impact for your kingdom and to save the most lives, both physically and spiritually?"

We see MANY opportunities, but it is important to follow God's leading.