Welcome to Ethiopia

First full day in Addis Ababa

Joy comes in the morning. After my dream, Patrick woke us up at 7:00 a.m. I finished the night in peace. I had one more dream, but all I remember is that Brian Denker was in it. I miss Brian. It was good to see him…even if it was only in a dream. When I awoke, I lookewd outside. The courtyard of the Ethiopian Red Cross compound looked nice. I went to Ross’ room after a shower and saw the view from His window. There are beautiful mountains all around.

After breakfast, Fukatu picked us up. We walked out of the compound and to the closest busy road. I have never even imagined what I saw. There were no businesses or shops, but the street was loaded with people. On the side of the road I saw what appeared to be people cooking over small fires, perhaps to sell to passersby. We made it to the busy street and hopped on a taxi-van. There was a guy driving and another hung out of the sliding door in the back. He would try and get other passengers to get on. It got full at times. Praise God I didn’t have another panic attack. We got out of the van and walked along the busy streets of Addis. Beggars everywhere: lame, blind, lepers, amputees, children and on and on. I was overwhelmed!

I witnessed poverty I have only heard about. Along the streets, among with hoards of people, are mud, dung, goats, sheep, and shacks, which were evidently businesses. I almost wept when a man, while the door to the van was open, walked up, extending two wrists without hands, mumbling desperate words I couldn’t understand. Why I almost wept is hard to say. I almost wept many times. Obviously, for an American to see any individual living in such poverty, is overwhelming, much more an antire city. But I hope my verge-of-tears was due to something else; perhaps not.

After leaving the van, we walked a ways and got a taxi to take us to the Baptist training center, where Negash works. They were having a graduation ceremony. I met many ment whose names I don’t remember. Patrick, then took us across the street to Agassi for tea. He gave us coins to give to beggars if the Spirit led us. Then we walked up the street to see the Orthodox church. We also saw a sheep market. On the way back, a small group of children accompanied us. They wanted money. They were beautiful children. Patrick spoke to them in Amharic. He joked with them a little. While we walked, Ross and I discussed how to discern when to give and when not to give. I wondered if this was a familiar situation with the disciples and apostles. What did they do? I felt bad, but I didn’t give them any money. Patrick pointed out that they had healthy bellies, but they convinced him to buy them some bread. As we got back to the BTC, more children surrounded us (many of the same kids). One little girl only held my hand and asked for nothing. Patrick handed me the rest of the bread and said “have fun.” I gave out in the name of Jesus to smiling kids, but many were the same kids who had already received some. I ahd a little left in my pocket at the end of the day.

We went back to Agassi for lunch. I had my first poop experience there. Not as traumatic as expected, but no diarriah (praise God). We ate with two I.O.I. missionaries: Tetuk and Goshaway. Tetuk shared his testimony with us. He accepted Christ during the famine in 1977. American missionaries shared Christ with him and he believed. Goshaway sat silent most of the meal because he didn’t speak English. But with Tetuk translating, he shared his testimony, too. He was a Muslim but fell very ill. He lost the use of his limbs for a while and then fell mute. Allah couldn’t heal him. After unsuccessfully seeking healing from Muslims, he heard about the healing power of Christ. He attended an Evangelical [church] where he received a Bible. He read it faithfully for six months. He loved the book of Job. He then had a dream that he was atop a mountain and heard a voice from heavne saying, “Your time of sickness is finished, I have healed you.” A man brought him down from the mountain, where Muslims wanted to kill him. The man fought for him and killed the Muslims. He woke up with joy and he was saved. My eyes filled with tears. After this we went back to the BTC where we prayed for Goshaway (he was going home the next day and it is a long journey).

Negash took us back to the Red Cross after this. He prayed for us and left. We talked in Ross’ room for a while. I took a short nap in my room and went downstairs for dinner: rice, spinach, squash, and tomatoes, French fries, nile pike, and beef. It was a wonderful meal.