The following is an update from DownLine 2011 Team, a small group from DownLine Ministries in Memphis, TN, who will be serving as short-term missionaries at Onesimus Children Development Association and throughout Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in September 2011. We’ve invited our ministry partners to post their trip updates and prayer requests here on the TFC blog. You can learn more specifically about the goals of the trip by going to this post. Enjoy their journey and all God has in store...
God is ALWAYS working - part 1
Written by: Shad Berry
As many of you will be able to relate, today was a long day (or I should say long two days!). The last time most of us slept was on Wednesday night. We woke up Thursday morning, headed to the airport in DC and lifted off around 11:45 EST. Despite my very best efforts I could not make myself sleep. John Ozier’s headrest display wasn’t working, so I let him pick a movie from the one in front of me. Little did I know I wasn’t going to be able to sleep and that John would pick a romantic comedy. Doubly disappointing.
The flight was very smooth as was our transition from the airport to our guesthouse.The 12 hour plane ride to Ethiopia was filled with gospel opportunity and relationship building! Nicci Feathers will add a supplemental post about the people on the plane and the ministry God allowed us to carry on in flight!
The guesthouse is perfect to accommodate our whole team. Before we headed to kick off our first conference at the seminary we stopped for a quick bite to eat for a great meal. As you can imagine, everyone was lagging, myself included. Knowing we were about to teach we needed energy fast, and that is where the double shot macchiato comes in. Wow – there was enough caffeine in there to power a nuclear sub. Between the coffee and the Holy Spirit we were launched to the conference and what was originally supposed to be a group of 50 seminary students had grown to 95 men and women.
Steve introduced the conference with a lesson on the vision and strategy of Jesus Christ and I followed with a study of the Great Commission. Our point of contact, Nega, and his team had done in incredible job preparing for our arrival and getting the students and materials ready for us. The students were very engaged and the proverbial light bulb went off as we demonstrated the power of multiplication and how quickly God’s strategy can reach the world for the sake of the gospel.
The macchiato not only carried us through the training conference, but also powered Steve and I to go on run before dinner on no sleep for 22 hours. And no, I didn’t keep up with Steve to save my life, but an 8 year old boy in crocs had no problem keeping up with Steve while one of his little buddies showed me how to get back home, the scenic route.
Tomorrow is a full day of more training at the seminary so continue to pray that God will illuminate the hearts of the hearers and raise up leaders that will believe the Word of God and FOLLOW his footsteps!
