Thursday, March 6
Where do we begin? Just when we think we have experienced God's greatest plans here in Ethiopia, He shares more with us. We have met Monte Alexander and his 9-year-old son, Josiah from Indianapolis. They are here for the week to check in on the 70 families that they have sponsors for through their NGO, A Heart For Korah (AHFK).
We have spent 2 days with them and Fekadu, the Ethiopian director, visiting several families in the village of Korah. Korah is home to the "Poorest of the Poor." It is amazing, because you don't see the poverty, you see these beautiful people who have been created by God, just as we have been. They flock to us to say "Suhlam" and shake our hand. Then, they invite us into their lowly abode which is about 9x9 and made of manure/straw mud walls, floors and ceilings and houses where as many as 2-3 families may live. They want to share in Amharic how thankful they are for us and the provisions that their sponsors send each month. They love to have their pictures taken and then to view them on the digital screen.
Last week when Brieanna and Brittany were here, we were able to take digital polaroid photos and give them to the children. The looks on their faces said it all; they giggle and touch/kiss the camera. It is priceless.
Also, while we've been in Korah, we have had the privilege of praying with a dear sweet woman who is very ill and needy. We went to one of the "sooks" (tiny kiosk shops) in their village and bought her juice and took it back. The second day in Korah, we went back to her house taking with us barley, oats, juice and a new blanket, to find her improved and sitting up in bed to greet us and thank us with their word for thank you, "Amuhsuhginaluh." We prayed with her and reassured her that she would receive juice until better and also her monthly provisions from AHFK.
The first day in Korah, we visited the home of a darling, 14-year-old girl, Alina, who really touched Doc's heart. She spoke quite good English and told us she would like to go the United States. However, when we were with her in her home, the connection between her and her mom was so evident and it was very clear how much mom loved her. They were so proud to have us come to their house.
It is impossible to express here how we could fall so in love with a place as poor as Korah, but we are. They smile with their whole face when they greet you and they bow as they shake your hand and only want to treat you like royalty. They love for us to come in and sit down (if anything to sit on) and talk with them and pray for them. We have seen the Amharic children's Bibles that AHFK has given them, as well as youth and adult Amharic Bibles.
We were treated to dinner last night for the second time by the board of Bole Baptist Church, who is the group through which we do our water projects. They have expressed how grateful they are for all we have done to date to provide clean water in Arsi Negelle and to provide clean water in a nearby village to that. We feel so blessed to be apart of getting clean water to so many children and their families. God has been miraculous in supplying the money we need for our next project; before we left the US, we had almost 85% of the money we need for our next project. We are believing God for the rest by the time we return home so that we can wire the money and they can begin the project, hopefully to complete it by the end of the year.
We also received messages today from our 5K organizers and we need you all to register so we can get the final arrangements made. ALL of the money raised by the race will be used to bring hope through water and food to our dear, precious people of Ethiopia.
Well, I am running out of energy, so will end this post. Tomorrow night, several of us are going to Yod Abysinnia, a traditional, cultural Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. It is such a neat experience and I am anxious to see our friends reaction.
May God bless you all as you share this awesome experience with us.
Where do we begin? Just when we think we have experienced God's greatest plans here in Ethiopia, He shares more with us. We have met Monte Alexander and his 9-year-old son, Josiah from Indianapolis. They are here for the week to check in on the 70 families that they have sponsors for through their NGO, A Heart For Korah (AHFK).
We have spent 2 days with them and Fekadu, the Ethiopian director, visiting several families in the village of Korah. Korah is home to the "Poorest of the Poor." It is amazing, because you don't see the poverty, you see these beautiful people who have been created by God, just as we have been. They flock to us to say "Suhlam" and shake our hand. Then, they invite us into their lowly abode which is about 9x9 and made of manure/straw mud walls, floors and ceilings and houses where as many as 2-3 families may live. They want to share in Amharic how thankful they are for us and the provisions that their sponsors send each month. They love to have their pictures taken and then to view them on the digital screen.
Last week when Brieanna and Brittany were here, we were able to take digital polaroid photos and give them to the children. The looks on their faces said it all; they giggle and touch/kiss the camera. It is priceless.
Also, while we've been in Korah, we have had the privilege of praying with a dear sweet woman who is very ill and needy. We went to one of the "sooks" (tiny kiosk shops) in their village and bought her juice and took it back. The second day in Korah, we went back to her house taking with us barley, oats, juice and a new blanket, to find her improved and sitting up in bed to greet us and thank us with their word for thank you, "Amuhsuhginaluh." We prayed with her and reassured her that she would receive juice until better and also her monthly provisions from AHFK.
The first day in Korah, we visited the home of a darling, 14-year-old girl, Alina, who really touched Doc's heart. She spoke quite good English and told us she would like to go the United States. However, when we were with her in her home, the connection between her and her mom was so evident and it was very clear how much mom loved her. They were so proud to have us come to their house.
It is impossible to express here how we could fall so in love with a place as poor as Korah, but we are. They smile with their whole face when they greet you and they bow as they shake your hand and only want to treat you like royalty. They love for us to come in and sit down (if anything to sit on) and talk with them and pray for them. We have seen the Amharic children's Bibles that AHFK has given them, as well as youth and adult Amharic Bibles.
We were treated to dinner last night for the second time by the board of Bole Baptist Church, who is the group through which we do our water projects. They have expressed how grateful they are for all we have done to date to provide clean water in Arsi Negelle and to provide clean water in a nearby village to that. We feel so blessed to be apart of getting clean water to so many children and their families. God has been miraculous in supplying the money we need for our next project; before we left the US, we had almost 85% of the money we need for our next project. We are believing God for the rest by the time we return home so that we can wire the money and they can begin the project, hopefully to complete it by the end of the year.
We also received messages today from our 5K organizers and we need you all to register so we can get the final arrangements made. ALL of the money raised by the race will be used to bring hope through water and food to our dear, precious people of Ethiopia.
Well, I am running out of energy, so will end this post. Tomorrow night, several of us are going to Yod Abysinnia, a traditional, cultural Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. It is such a neat experience and I am anxious to see our friends reaction.
May God bless you all as you share this awesome experience with us.
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