Day 2 In Ethiopia - The Lord is so Good!

Today our team was blessed by the opportunity to minister to village called Mojo about 2 hours outside of Addis Ababa the capitol of Ethiopia.  The children don't see many white people and some of them had never heard the gospel.  I was able to share the message of creation and the gospel to the children.  It was my first time speaking with an interpreter but the Lord is good and it was so fun.   The children listened so intently to everything our team shared.  The village is ran much like biblical times.  You see many plowing the fields with oxen and planting seeds.  We were invited to Buna (coffee) to celebrate and receive a blessing.  The people are so generous and give out of what they don't have.  I am in love with the people and the children of course.  Our team is having a great time getting to know each other.  The Lord has unified our team and we are learning so much. 

Update #3

I just got off the phone with Angela. She is doing really good. The team has been supportive and are already bonding. Angela is making fast friends like normal and already meeting locals. Their plans to do the VBS for yesterday were postponed and are set for today. Angela will definitely speak. They are speaking to a town that has never had a VBS before. Her notes are getting translated and left behind for the children and church staff to refer back to. Pretty exciting. I could definitely hear in her voice how excited she was to be there and be in a new place - the new food, sights, traffic, smells - she loves all of it. So proud!!

For those curious about myself and the kids. We are doing just fine. We have been busy, checking out new parks, libraries, stores and a tee ball game. It is going great.

Taylor

Update #2

I just got a message from Angela. She arrived safely and the team is doing well. Sounds like she is still pretty exhausted from the long trip and didn't get much sleep on her first night there. They are off to do their first Vacation Bible Study today, where she most likely is speaking. Please pray for her physical strength to make the transition and for her to do a fantastic job with the VBS.

Taylor

Update

Hey Everyone. Taylor filling in with a quick update. Angela called this afternoon shortly before her flight to let me know things were going smoothly. She has been in the air for about seven hours so far and has quite a bit left before she can arrive in Addis Ababa. One prayer request would be for her to be rested physically and mentally while traveling (hard to do). She will be the first one in her group to teach at the Vacation Bible School. This will take place the morning after they get there. Basically, she will travel for about 22 hours, sleep in new surrounds and then speak to about 600 people. Wow. So proud of her.

I also wanted to include the organization website. With Internet being spotty there, these may be the only updates I hear as well. Check it out here

Less Than 24 hours to go!

I have been anticipating, praying and waiting for the day I would finally get to go to Africa, and in less than 24 hours I will get on an airplane to embark on my adventure to Ethiopia. For the last number of years when I have pictures myself in Africa I was never nervous about anything. I just pictured myself embracing precious children, praying for them, comforting them and this week as my dream has become a reality, I have never been more nervous. I have been nervous about everything I can possibly think of; from getting a disease to opening my mouth to teach and having nothing come out. But then yesterday it came, the peace of the Lord, the peace that really does surpass all understanding. 

I am leaving my own beautiful children for 14 days, going to place where I have had to get so many vaccines and take Malaria medication, and it will take me 19 hours of flight time to get there. I arrive at 8:20pm in Ethiopia and the next day will boldly share creation and proclaim the gospel to as many 500 or 600 kids and families staring at me with anticipation. I should be freaking out but I just know that the Lord has got this, and I am reminded that the Lord has been preparing me for this for a very long time. I know that the Lord will speak through me and the only expectation I leave with is that the Lord will do miracles however He wants to. The only thing I have to offer is the grace of Jesus and that is what the people really need.

So my bags consist of two 50 lb suitcases full of Vacation Bible School supplies, solar powered audio bibles in the Amharic language, candy, stickers, and t-shirts for the children. Then I have a carry-on and a backpack with my stuff which is about what I usually bring for a long weekend trip to Oregon.

I came upstairs today looking for Andrew and there he was in my suitcase. He had taken everything out of it and he looked at me with his sweet smile and said, “Mommy is this the suitcase you are taking me in to Africa.” And I said, “not this time but one day we will go to Africa and serve the children together.” and he said, “like when I am 5.” Maybe not that soon but I believe we are family called to serve and I am so thankful for Taylor and my children. We are all in this together. The kids and Tay have been praying for me and they are a big part of the trip and are excited about what the Lord is going to through me and in me. I can leave them for 2 weeks because I am teaching my children how to be like Jesus and that "for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" in whatever we do.

Can't wait,

Angela