Ethiopia

We just finished our time in Ethiopia and it was such a wonderful experience. This was my second time in Ethiopia, and it was so great to return and to experience more that I did not see the first time.

 We started at the Fistula Hospital. You need to watch, A Walk to Beautiful. This is a documentary about these women and how the Fistula Hospital completely and radically changes their life. We were able to walk around and pass out small gifts to all of these precious women. They are so lovely, and to think of all the pain that they have been through and how some of them have walked for days to be there to get healing just hurts my heart. They are so strong. Stronger than any one of us.

Next, we visited a large catholic orphanage in Addis. So many kids and so many with special needs.  It makes me so sad that there are so many of these babies and kids up for adoption, and yet so many American families do not want a special needs baby. I held the most beautiful baby girl in my arms and she had lost all of her limbs except one arm. She was absolutely stunning. Her eyes would just gaze into yours and I’m sure that deep in her soul all that she is longing for is a mommy to love her and hold her every single day. Think of all the potential that she could have in the states with prosthetics, and yet….if you do not go, do not hold or do not see with your own eyes you will not understand. I know that this has been true for me. As I held this little baby that felt like a little ball due to no limbs, my heart just ached to bring her home and to give her the love and the life that she deserves.

We then spent some time with Project 61. I visited this ministry 2 years ago on my first trip to Ethiopia. This is where there is a HUGE trash dump and a family started a ministry to get these kids off the dump where they were living and searching for food, to a new life and the chance to go to school. Hands down, Ethiopians are absolutely stunning. The children cling to you and are some of the best huggers I have ever met.  There was this one little girl…maybe five years old. She would not let me put her down. She hugged my neck so tight and when I had to say goodbye she just squeezed me and gave me the biggest kiss!! They are so precious and so joyful—yet they live in a community that is the lowest of the low, filled with leprosy, HIV and AIDS and no money. They are shunned…outcasted…not wanted. We visited one family of 3 that lives in a room that fits one double bed and a dresser. This is their home.

 Project 61 has done an incredible job of rescuing these children, getting them sponsors and then sending them to a very prestige boarding school in Shashamene. We were able to make the trek there and I am so glad that we did! It was a 3 hour drive from Addis and we were able to spend some time with the kids there from Project 61. We led a “gold” themed talk with the girls using Britt Nicole’s song “Gold”. We were able to validate and affirm them. We talked about how sometimes pain in our lives does not make us feel beautiful and it is hard to understand how God views us. I had them listen to the song “Gold” and then draw whatever image came up for them while they were listening. A few of the girls shared their drawings and they were filled with pictures of what they felt they looked like and how their heart felt before understanding the true love of God.  It was such an honor to work with them and to be able to encourage them.

Lastly, Chuko! This is a very special place for our leader, Julie Neal. One of her adopted sons is from this rural, remote village. God led her family to bring clean water to this village. They are still in the process of getting everything built, but we were able to see 4 of the completed water sites, the water reserve and where the pump will be built. We made the walk that the women have to do twice a day to get water. Let me tell you, those water jugs are heavy! I carried a toddler on the way back and I know he was not comparable to the large water jugs and I was seriously dying! I had to put him down! Such strong women!

Every time I come, I am always humbled by the way these individuals bless and encourage me. We spent our last couple of hours with some women in Korah (The throw aways) with Mission Ethiopia. We watched them make jewelry and we wanted to encourage and love them.  They ended up singing and dancing for us and then praying for all of us. The Holy Spirit was ever present and I want to pray like them….fervently, unashamed, bold, loud and with great passion. I was overcome with tears and amazed at how once again…..

My heart needs Africa.