June 19, 2012
Well, technically it's Sunday. (USA central time, it's about 3am) Our plane left on schedule. I think that we are somewhere over Europe. Where in Europe, I have no clue. It's broad daylight here. I don't feel very tired, but I know that I will be. The medication that I took didn't put me out for very long. I slept through the first meal. I woke up partway through and tried a bite of Korie's chicken, rice, thing. I could barely see it, and was likely about 75% asleep (after-note* I was more like 97% asleep). It would have been hilarious to watch.
Later,
Well, I've seen France, Germany, the Alps, and some other miscellaneous countries. I'm pretty sure that I are breakfast over France. Fun! =) I couldn't find my camera for a while. But I didn't freak out. Well, not too much...The flight so far has been good. Right now we are over Bulgaria. We should land in about 50 minutes. Europe is beautiful, I can even tell this from some 39,000 feet in the air.
Even later,
We landed smoothly. Security in Istanbul went easily for me. ¡No problemas! =) I am sitting in the plane in Istanbul, waiting for take0off. It's hard to believe that in 5-ish hours, I will be in Africa, in Ethiopia. I'm so excited! I can't believe that today has finally come. It's hard to believe that just a little over three months ago, we have our first meeting - and God has shaped us into a team!
June 20, 2011
Today we toured the city. We went to Entoto and saw the museum and palace (note* it is nothing like the palace that you all are imagining. It was the home of the old emperors, but is not much larger that about three large, wooden/stone buildings.). It was cool, not spectacular, but good. We saw the old, very colorful Orthodox church up there as well. We saw some people bowing and praying - one to Mary. On the way back down we saw some boys who had some whips which pretty much sounded like a machine gun. Josh and Dan tried to crack the whip, it didn't work great. It was humorous though. We went to the Sheraton Hotel, which happens to be one of the nicest hotels I have seen. (It runs at over $300 per night.) It's shocking to see the difference between the two cultures. There is even a painted scene behind the pool so as to block the other view (of the shanties, so that the guests do not have to be faced with the poverty while they are relaxing). It was ridiculous! While we were there, we saw the former presidents of South Africa (not Nelson Mandela) and Nigeria, and a government official from Bombay. We were so excited!! =)
The hopelessness in the eyes of the beggars is devastating. It breaks your heart to tell them "no." There are so many people who need help and love. I was asking God, "Why would you allow a place like the Sheraton here and next door a hut filled with people who would have to work for years just to stay one night there?" And He said, "If they lived in a place like the Sheraton, they wouldn't need much on earth. But placed where they are, they need, to experience My love and care. You get to give it to them."
June 21, 2011
We started on home visits this morning and we are going back out in about an hour. I got to meet ____ (my apologies, I am choosing to omit the names of the Africans, just for the sake of ministry and safety. The person that I am currently referring to is a child that my family sponsors through Hope in View.). It was amazing! I went with Josh, Korie, and a few translators. The specifically told me not to worry about time, and to just enjoy it. Such a blessing!! =) He (the sponsor child) is missing his two front teeth. He held my hand and told me "I love you". He was so precious! His mom kept saying that she is so thankful and that it is only because of our sponsorship that he is able to go to school.
Later,
Well, I got to visit ___ this afternoon. She is so pretty! Her mom is a day laborer and is, therefore, very this and is often sick. We did not get to meet her as she was working. I am so blessed to be able to meet them! It was such a great day! I'm just so happy! =) Little kids will run up to you and just say "hi" and to touch your hands. It makes you so grateful. It reminds you that all that really lasts is relationships. The relationships are what is precious.
June 22, 2011
The first day of teaching. It went pretty well; we can obviously improve. I really like ___, ___, and ___. They are so nice. We went down to a field not far from the guest house (owned by Hope in View) and played soccer in a field with about a ton of kids - while avoiding cows. It was totally a fiend that you could easily sprain your ankle in.
June 23, 2011
We finished the lesson today. The comments on the training were really good. We prayed together, and it was amazing! They prayed numerous blessings over us.
I experiences the first feelings of sickness this morning. I think that it might have something to do with my malaria pills...I feel much better now. (Note* never take malaria pills on an empty stomach unless specifically instructed to do so by a doctor or on the prescription. Also, keep plenty of pepto bismol on hand.)
I think that we experienced that first trials tonight. Some of us, myself included, kind of got on Korie and then Keren played a prank on Josh.
June 24, 2011
I am on my way to Awassa. It is a rather bumpy ride. We passed so many people just sitting, passed so many huts. We have so many people, adults and kids, out plowing the fields with two oxen and a hand plow. The country is beautiful. There are fields and trees everywhere. It's gorgeous!
Later,
We made it to Awassa sate and sound. The five of us (the girls) are staying in one house-like building (three bedrooms, two bathrooms, one living area), and each of the guts had their own little one-room "house". It's pretty sweet - minus the bugs. We went down to Lake Awassa and went out to the pier - which was amazing. We took pictures. = Just feeling the waves role over your feet just made me feel grace, love, peace, faith, hope, joy, patience, just wash over me. I felt God saying "I am here." It was so amazing.
We went out to dinner at a hotel (pretty much the only place that we could eat because of food safety issues). We went to buy some water and bug spray after dinner and there were some kids who came up and asked us for food - not money, food. It hurt so much to tell them no, especially after we didn't finish all of our dinner...(some of you are surely asking, why couldn't we give them the food? The problem was that giving them the food could actually hurt them. There were many more kids around that just the seven or eight around our car. The other kids, or even adults, bigger and stronger and just as driven by hunger as these kids, would have fought them for the food. These kids could have been seriously hurt if we had given it to them.) CJ grabbed my hand afterward and told me that it was okay to feel the hurt, that it is Jesus's hurt too. At our debrief time tonight, we discussed helping others - when it's right and when it's not. We all cried a lot. But it was good to let go of those tears (and to share the burden that we each were bearing). It hurts.
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Well, there is part of my account of the first six days of my trip. The funnier parts are still to come - I promise. I hope that these re-accounts will show you some of the fun that we had, but also the hurts and trials that come with ministry in any context. It wasn't easy for us, but God is faithful. I did leave out some details in these writings. What I shared included exerpts from my travel journal, so I am not just relying on my memory. I left out some things for a number of reasons, but just know that I am glad that you are interested in my trips. I am more that happy to be able to share some of my experiences with you all.
Blessings,
Hannah
This is a really nice post, Hannah! I enjoyed it quite a bit. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt was really touching.
I hope that you will continue to share the stories of your travels with us.
Thank you, Zach. Your comments are always so encouraging. =)
ReplyDeleteI do plan to continue with these travel posts until I finish with my Ethiopia trip...and I might do the same for my Mexico trip - we'll see. =)
I'm glad that you enjoyed it!!
Hannah