Team Ethiopia: Loving Leadership
June 18, 2010
The following is an update from Team Ethiopia, a small group from Central Church in Memphis, TN, who will be serving as short-term missionaries at Children’s Home Ethiopia in June 2010. We’ve invited our dear friends and ministry partners to post their trip updates and prayer requests here on the TFC blog. Enjoy…
The reality that we will soon be departing from this place is beginning to resonate with many of the team members. Tonight in our debriefing we are talking about that reality — tomorrow is our last day with the children and amazing staff we have been working with. TOMORROW – Friday – we really cannot believe it has already become that time. Honestly, the acknowledgment of Friday is leaving many of us with sadness and shedding tears anywhere from a few to uncontrollable moments for some… more evidence of what God is doing here in us, through us, around us.
Today we had a split day in which we spent the first half of the day at the Drop-In Center teaching, playing, and loving on the children and staff. It was Liz’s turn to teach the VBS Lesson this week and she talked about prayer and helped correlate with the children that praying to God is like talking to your football (soccer) coach, but even easier. She encouraged the children that God hears our prayers, wants us to inquire upon Him, and is easily accessible. Kelly McGoo helped Liz with her presentation, showing the children how to make paper airplanes… Liz let them know that they do not need an airplane to send prayers to God, rather He’s always listening and available for them. Additionally, we had another hygiene lesson for the kids that Bonnie instructed. She showed them how to properly take care of minor injuries and cuts. She also taught them the signs of heat exhaustion (after yesterday’s experience) and how they can work to make themselves or someone else better who is suffering from it, and also preventative measures to keep from getting heat exhaustion. She did fabulous, as did Liz. Additional activities included, volleyball, braiding of the girls’ hair (they braided our hair, not vice versa), inventory organization and counting for the center’s supplies, and beyond.
After lunch, we made our way again to the Boy’s Halfway Home. The girls also joined us. We were greeted with a coffee ceremony (don’t think we mentioned that about Monday, but we were also greeted the first day there with one). The gist of the ceremony is a welcoming, hospitable thing in which each guest is served coffee (think expresso with lots of sugar – very strong). The serving cup sizes are smaller, but the serving occurs three times, along with popcorn to eat. Following the coffee ceremony (which was a great time for us to sit with the children, hold them, hug them, and just love on them – also feeding them the popcorn to show our respect and affection), we enjoyed arts and crafts time, played with bubbles, and held a Rock,Paper,Sissors competition that the children loved. Leaving them for the day was difficult, as we are not sure if we will see these specific boys tomorrow (our last day with the children). We had some very touching moments as we were saying Dehna hunu… let’s just say it wasn’t easy.
This evening however was a BLAST as the Team went out to dinner with the staff members. We ate at a very cultural restaurant that had music, dancing and singing throughout the evening. We so enjoyed the one on one time with the staff, as often our attention is directed at the children mostly during the day. These men and women are AMAZING – seriously amazing. The work they are doing here in Addis Ababa is the most beautiful depiction of Christ’s love. Below are some photos of the evening… you’ll notice that a few of our team members made to the stage for part of the entertainment.
Tom surprised the performers when he jumped up on stage - but they sure ran with it! Go Tom Go!
And later Heather was recruited by one of the male dancers to join the show for a bit!
Team Ethiopia clothed in their Ethiopian Attire - gifts from the staff members to us!
Many of the AMAZING staff members of this great ministry. These are truly the depiction of LOVING LEADERSHIP! Thankful for them and blessed to know them!
Before we close for the night – a couple prayer request updates…. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS – Kara slept last night for 8 hours!!!! Keep praying so tonight might be the same! Additionally the little girl from yesterday that we took to the clinic, we have heard from the staff that she is doing much better and should be back at the center tomorrow to participate in the activities. Praise God! Please keep lifting all the other requests up for us – - – the missing donations bag has yet to arrive – Pray specifically that it arrives tomorrow!
Thank you.
Resting in God’s Grace,
Team Ethiopia
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8 Responses to “Team Ethiopia: Loving Leadership”
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OMG!!! It doesn’t surprise me that Heather hopped on stage BUT TOM!!! I wish I could have seen it with my own eyes. LOVE IT!
I’ve already been praying for your goodbyes. It will be tough
Guess ALL of you will just have to come back again.
I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to have 8 more people love these kids. Thank you for sacrificing your time and talents to love “the least of these.”
Continual prayers!!
I don’t know what I am going to do without these daily updates. I feel sad about you guys leaving also, and I cannot imagine the sadness that you are experiencing preparing to say goodbye. I will pray for you all as you take your next step and begin the journey home.
I am glad to hear Kara slept well, and I know God is answering all of our other prayers too.
Thank you all for being willing to take a risk and step out in a new role for the Kingdom of God. Even thinking about how God has used this team leadership role in Joe’s life makes me so happy and curious about some of the things God might have up His sleeve. I am proud to call several of you friends, and by praying for you all this week I feel a special place in my heart for you all, as well as those you have been ministering to.
God bless!
Can’t wait to see you guys!
I just sent this in an email to Heather, and then I thought maybe all of you would be encouraged by it:
Praying for you guys today as you say goodbye to those kids. Can’t imagine how heart-wrenching it will be. Praying that, in your brokenness, you will be reminded that there is HOPE! This is what you did in Ethiopia:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.
Isaiah 61:1-3
There will be glory given to the Lord because of YOUR time in Ethiopia. And He will continue to work in these kids after your gone. There is hope!
Praying for you all and I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to say goodbye! Thank you all again for sharing this experience with us through these beautiful posts. It really is amazing to think of all the things that God is doing through this ministry! Safe travels back home!
Yay, my wife slept!!! I’m sure you’ve made an impacted and were impacted upon greatly. Really looking forward to hearing it all first hand. Thanks so much for going and serving, guys. You rock.
I love you, Kara.
…jp
Thank you for sharing your amazing stories with us. I am so ready to hear more. Please know we are still praying for your time together and your travel home. Great Pictures! We Love you, Kathy
We are really proud of you guys and look forward to your safe return. Thank you Liz for representing Acts 2:42 and being so willing to share the Gospel and serve.