Street Boys - Ambo

The remainder of our week was spent with boys who live on the street. Again cultural relevance is important. In America we do not have any population that resembles the street boys. The boys are not like homeless people that you may see on the streets of large U.S. cities. These boys range from all ages beginning at about. Each one of them have a story. There are many reasons why these boys live on the streets. The have been orphaned by the death of their parents, they have been kicked out of their homes because their family is too poor to care for them or they have fled their homes to be spared of physical and sexual abuse that is occurring in their homes. The only common denominator is that these boys live on the streets and as terrible as life on the streets is for them it is better than their other options. As a result these boys have become their own family. They take care of each other, live together, work together and try to survive together.

We fed the boys, taught the boys English, played games with them, taught them how to play kickball and had a bible study with them. I really struggled the day we had the bible study with them. It is so hard to reconcile these worlds and how they all work together. One of the girls on our team did a great job telling the story of Phillip and an Ethiopian man. The hard part came later. When explaining the work that Christ has done on our behalf so that you may no longer have seperation between you and God. She explained that sin seperates us from God and that some examples of sin are stealing, lying, cheating, etc. I looked at these boys in the face and all I could think of was I wonder what they are thinking. What are these boys supposed to do. They probably have to steal and cheat just to eat at night... to help them survive. How does this work? I am not doubting God's providence, absolute truth or the ability to radically change a persons heart BUT what does it look like for these boys. Is it realistic for these boys to leave this lifestyle. Can they even comprehend what it would be to be a follower of Jesus? I have no idea. All I know is I have to keep praying. It is not up to me to understand or comprehend. God does not have to explain Himself to me but I would love for it to make sense. It was a good but hard day. It was hard to reconcile these worlds and it probably always will be. It is not right for these kids to be on the street. It is not ok. It is not ok that maybe the only meal that they will have this week is the one that we fed them. It is not ok that fights broke out between boys over scraps of food that remained on the plates. It is not ok that older boys were threatening the younger boys to give them his food. It is not ok that a little boy was crying so hard that he could barely eat his food. It is not ok that I had to grab the older boys by the arm and push them away and stand to protect the younger boy so he could eat a meal. It is not ok. We live in a fallen and sinful world and it is not ok. It is hard, it does not make sense, it is not fair and there is nothing that I can do to fix it. All I can do is pray for these boys and share with them the truth that God has redeemed His children. That may not be enough for this world but it is enough for eternity. I have to remember that we were not made for this world. We were made for something greater. These boys were not made for this world. I pray that they will someday know that they were made for something greater.

Compassion International Children - Ambo

The majority of our week was spent with about 200 children ranging from 1 yr to 15 yrs old. These children are all sponsored by Compassion International. The compound is in the center of their “neighborhood”. On the compound is a Church, two old school rooms and 5 new class rooms which the Mocha Club helped to build this past year. These children are rough… they find strength in their numbers. We are definitely out numbered by the children. The first morning with the children was absolute chaos It was hard, frustrating, overwhelming and tiring. We took a short break for lunch and our team fell apart. The thought of being with these kids for three weeks sent us all over the edge. We all wanted to quit and not go back. However, God was so gracious. Morning and afternoon was like day and night. It was such a great times with the kids. We got them under control and where able to actually enjoy spending time with them. We split the groups up between boys and girls and then by age group. The kids spent about an hour and a half in the classroom learning English which they loved. The other hour and a half was spent playing games. I was in charge of games. It is very difficult to teach children games when you cannot even speak the same language. I had an interpreter in and out but for the most part I was on my own. By the end of the week we were able to understand each other fairly well and they were listening much better. I have to admit that one of the reasons they listened better was because of the stick that I held in my hand all day. Now before you gasp in fear and disappointment let me explain a bit. One thing I have learned is how much important cultural relevance is when another culture especially Africa. What works in America does not work in Africa. What is practiced, accepted and encouraged in Africa is not in America. So… in Africa kids behave and respond when you have a stick in your hand. Often just the threat is enough but other times a hit on the desk in a class room was required by a translator. It is weird because it is not just a fear thing. It is just what works. So, I quickly found a stick. This is Africa.

Addis to Ambo

This past week we have been in a small town called Ambo. It is about 2.5 hours outside of Addis Ababa. Ambo is our “home” for the month. We are here during the weeks and then travel to Addis Ababa for the weekends. I love the drive to and from Ambo. It is through the country side and you see a pure Africa. The air is clean and fresh. The grass is green and then fields are being plowed by two cattle bound together by a yoke and a man following behind. There is no AC in the bus of course so we ride through the country side with the windows open. There are huts along with way with women laying out laundry in the grass to dry. Kids are playing in the rocks and the mud puddles. Cattle, donkeys and goats are often in the middle of the road. Boys no older than 7 are shepherding animals along the side of the road. Besides the few cars and buses on the main paved road there are none. When looking out of the window you will not see any trucks, cars, tractors, construction equipment, industrial plants just peace. It is an amazing sight. It is a great time to sit, think, be quiet, reflect, struggle, pray, worship. I love the drive to and from Ambo.

Day 4 Nazaret- Women at Risk

Nazaret is kind of a transition town. Lots of hustle and bustle. People traveling thru. Lots of noise, pollution and people. Apparently, there are lots of Prostitutes as well. The number we have been given is about 5,000 women usually between the ages of 16-25. These woman have left home because of abuse, poverty, being kicked out of there home. Rarely have these women chosen to pursue prostitution bec they want to live that lifestyle of are enticed by money.

We have been in Nazaret all week and have spent our days with 11 women and their children at a rehabilitation center for women that are trying to leave behind a life of prostitution. I say women loosely. The women here are as young as 16. One of them does not even look 10 years older than their daughter. Each morning we went and met the women for bible study. We spent the time with a devotion, singing and testimonies. They sang songs for us and it was a great time of worship together. Even though we could not understand what they were singing is was wonderful just hearing and seeing them praise God. We sang a couple of songs for them and Americans (esp white Americans) just don’t have the rhythm and soul that they have. It was very weak compared to their songs! I have some awesome video that I can’t wait to upload. After singing we had a devotion. Everyday except one the staff from the center gave the devotion. The other day they asked one of us to speak so after awkward silence I volunteered. It went well. It was challenging at times bec you have to wait on the translators but other than that it went well. After devotions we had 2 members of our team and 2 of the women give their testimony. It was such an amazing and special time hearing their stories. They were so open and vulnerable with their lives and their past. They each shared stories of the death of mothers and fathers, physical and sexual abuse, rejection, poverty, abortions, being possessed by evil spirits, war, and not being able to keep their children. All of them eventually ending up living a life of prostitution in an effort to flee their unbearable life. They would live in the back of bars and work the bars in the evenings. Over time each of these women had made their way to the rehabilitation center. For some it was their first time there and for others they had tried to leave the life of prostitution many times before. Tragically the choices that each of them has made has will ultimately lead to death. At least 2 of 11 shared that they are HIV positive and I am sure that there are many others that are infected. Both of the women have children… one is negative and the other is HIV positive. Each of these women must go thru the 12 step program which includes counseling. They are given a monthly budget and are able to pay for rent with that money. They come to the center and have bible studies, group therapy, individual counseling, day care, cooking classes, arts and crafts, and learning other household and daily skills that they were never taught.

This center has been a life blood for these women. Women who have become outcast from society, rejected by their families, left with no resources or ability to provide for themselves now have hope. Women who had no where to go, no where to teach them life skills, no one to love and accept them and most importantly no one to share with them the love, grace and forgiveness of Christ. These women have been given an amazing gift thru the women that work at the center. They have been taught that Christ has offered forgiveness, acceptance and righteousness. They now have hope. Life. A future. I heard women bear their souls and tell virtual strangers the most intimate details of their lives. I watched as their eyes filled up with pain, sadness and embarrassment. I listened as they told us that they once believed that God did not love them or that they were being punished. I saw them cry as they told us about their doctor giving them the news that they are HIV positive. I cried with them as they explained that their baby is also HIV positive. But it did not stop there…. My heart rejoiced as they explained the forgiveness and love that they have received from their Savior. I prayed over them as they shared that the tears they are crying are not from the pain of the past but the hope for their future. I praised God as they shared that they have been given a new life… that they are now a new creation.

This past week was an unbelievable week. I was so honored to hear their stories and to be encouraged by their faith. They are humble and broken women who are seeking after the Lord. They rely on Him desperately to give them grace and strength to continue to change their lives. As hard as it was to hear these painful stories there was also something so freeing about being with these women. There is freedom in the utter desperation for something greater than themselves. There pleas to be forgiven and restored. I see these women and do not have pity on them but actually envy them. I so envy their brokenness, humility, love, desperation, love, acceptance, joy, freedom, hope and ability to rejoice and give praise like nothing I have ever seen before. I am so thankful for these women. I am thankful that while my life circumstances have not been the same as these women God has saved me from a life of utter desperation. Thank you for praying for my time with these women and their children. I can’t wait to be able to share with you pictures and video of my time with them. It is amazing how God uses those who are seen as the lowest of the low to bring blessing and hope to so many. God is at work within these women and the town of Nazaret. Thank you for being a part of the work that He is doing. Please continue to pray for these women as they have a long and difficult journey ahead of them.

TIA- This is Africa

Have you ever seen Blood Diamond? If so you may be familiar with TIA. There are things that just don’t make sense in our “world” but here you just know that This is Africa.

A couple of logistics for those who are interested.

There is only power every other day. It is across Ethiopia as far as I can tell. The only way to have power is if you have a generator and even if there is a generator you never really know. When you go some place to eat it is always interesting as to what they really have because of the power.

Food is not so good. I am being careful bec I don’t want to sick. Sometimes the smell of this place or a restaurant will just send a wave of nausea. We will probably be eating at the hotel the majority of the week. The things to stick with are going to be fries, soup, pasta, bread. You can’t get much healthier than that! We had pizza twice in two days bec that is a safe bet. Chicken is ok sometimes but I stay away from other meat. I tried a chicken sandwich today and it looked so rough I didn’t have more than a bite. When I looked at “the same” chicken sandwich at the other end of the table it was totally different. TIA.

Water has been consistent so far and we have been able to take showers everyday. Hot water however is a different story.

The hotel we are at this week has mosquito nets hanging from the ceiling. So it should be an interesting week. It is really hot so the question is take a risk with the windows open and trust the net will do its job or just roast at night. I will probably open the windows and hope the net works.

There is no toilet paper in any public bathroom.

It is really hard to breath here. There are no restrictions on omissions on cars and trucks. There is a lot of air pollution. The altitude is also really high so that makes it hard to breathe also.

The scaffolding on the buildings for construction are sticks. It is amazing how they actually get that to stay up.

Day 2 Kids Care Orphanage - Addis Ababa

Saturday morning we went to an orphanage called Kids Care. We visited this orphanage last year so I was anxious to return to see if the same kids would be there. I was desperately hoping that I wouldn’t see the same kids because if I did of course that meant they had gone another year without being adopted. The kids are divided into rooms according to age. We began at the first room with was called the Recovery Room. The Recovery Room was for newborns, sick newborns or babies who are under the weight. Last year there were triplets that were the tiniest things I had ever seen. This year there were 7 infants, 2 of which just arrived the day before. I didn’t make it past that room to even see the other kids… I was captured. I love babies anyway but these tiny babies were the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. As soon as one of the babies let out anything resembling a cry I jumped at the opportunity to pick her up. She was two months old and she couldn’t have been more than 10 lbs. She was tiny. I think she was scared of white people because she wouldn’t look at me no matter how I moved her little body. I tried and tried to get that baby to smile and I was never successful. The woman who takes care of these babies did not speak any English so it made it difficult and a bit awkward to try to communicate. We both tried a couple of times with no success to communicate. Finally another girl who worked at Kids Care came in and she spoke English. It was great bec I then could not only talk to her but she could translate for us as well. I began asking her about the babies…. How long they have been there, what were the circumstances that brought them there were, etc. Some of the children there were true orphans, their parents had died because of HIV/AIDS or other sickness. Other children had been dropped off by their family because they were too poor to be able to take care of them. Others were there as a result of the unthinkable - abandonment on the streets. There was one beautiful baby boy who just had arrived the day before and the police had found him laying in the street and brought him to Kids Care. There were many children who had no record of a birthday or name. Such a heartbreaking thing to comprehend.

It made me think of how God uses the analogy in scripture of being an orphan and becoming a son/daughter of His. Actually seeing these children helped me to have a new understanding and appreciation of the use of that analogy. Before coming to Africa I didn’t REALLY understand or think about what it meant in reality to be an orphan. The United States does not really have orphans or orphanages. I began to see that being an orphan means having absolutely NOTHING. No family. No reference point of who you are. No identity. No name. No birthday. No love. No belonging. Not known. Nobody to provide the necessities of life. Complete and utter abandonment and separation from everything and everyone. Nothing to offer society or to others. This is what scriptures calls us. We are orphans without Christ. I am in complete desperation of saving, being loved, being provided for, an identity, a name. I am incapable of providing these things to or by myself. I am a tiny frail, sick, infant who has been abandoned with no hope. However, praise the Lord that scripture does not stop there. I am no longer an orphan. I have been adopted. I not only someone’s daughter now but a daughter of the King. I have been given an identity, a name. I am known. I now have a father who provides not only everything that I could ever need but a Father who loves me so deeply that He provides more than I could ever imagine. I have been given the inheritance of the King. I now understand more fully when Christ says He will come to me, He will not leave me as an orphan.

Day 1- Finally here

Landing in Addis Ababa today was an emotional time for me. As I began to see ground my eyes filled with tears. Some of it may have been that I had only slept 6 hours in the past two nights but mostly it is was because I couldn’t believe that I had finally made it back. It had been a year of thinking, praying, fund raising, planning, second guessing, figuring out, etc. and I was finally here.

The team is great and I am so excited about the coming weeks. There is so much I remember about being in Africa but still many things I had forgotten. One major thing I had forgotten was the smell. I can’t explain it but the smell just is like someone just punched you in the stomach. However, one thing I had not forgotten is the way you feel when you see little eyes look at you and their whole face lights up. These kids are amazing. They jump up and run to hug you or shake your hand they just want to be near you.

Today was a hard transition to go from one of the wealthiest cities (Dubai) to one of the poorest countries in the world. The contrast is heart breaking and honestly sickening. God is always faithful to me but it has been even more evident this past week. My doubts have been removed and a complete peace about being exactly where He wants me to be. There is just something about this place. It is a hard and painful process when God strips you of everything that stands between you and Him but what a glorious thing…. To Glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I am thrilled that God has brought me on such an amazing journey to know Him more and make Him known

Dubai

I am in the airport from Dubai getting ready to board for Ethiopia. Just a few more short hours until we will be settled… at least for a few days. It is crazy here. We went to see the Atlantis hotel and just so happened to see the WEEKLY firework show before the weekend! We drove down the palm island, saw a 7 star hotel, walked into the Arabic Sea…. Once thing I didn’t think about was that it is a Desert here! Wow is it hot. I don’t think you can go outside without sweating. Next up will be 70 degrees in Ethiopia who knew it would be cooler in Africa than Columbia. It will be interesting and hard to have such a contract in what we experienced the past 12 hours in Dubai where a room at a 7 star hotel is $11,000 a NIGHT. Now in a couple of hours I will be in an orphanage where children don’t even know their birthday. I am thrilled to be headed to Ethiopia. The team is great and it will be great getting to know and serve along with them. God has already blessed us during these few hours…. It is going to be an amazing trip.

Women at Risk - Nazaret, Ethiopia

The following is a new project that we will be apart of while in Ethiopia. I am very excited about it. Please pray for my time with these women. I cannot imagine the pain that these circumstances have caused them. My heart aches for them even now before even without having a face and name to associate with these horrific stories. We will be in Nazaret Monday July 13- Friday July 17.

We wanted to introduce to you a new project that Mocha Club is excited about helping fund, thanks to YOU! You are now helping us rehabilitate 50 former prostitutes or “sex workers” in the town of Nazaret, Ethiopia. The face of prostitution in Ethiopia, in general, is linked with deep poverty. As a result, many think that prostitution is their only hope. Women also deal with various social issues, including different levels of trauma they have experienced as early as childhood. Most young women go into prostitution because of lack of family support and a lack of income. From our experience, the women are desperate to leave this occupation, but are trapped by the lack of opportunities and rehabilitative support. Many women come from rural areas, especially those working at the lowest level of prostitution. This is because they have no education and are not necessarily street smart. Many women are second and third generation into the life of prostitution. According to a latest data released by HIV/AIDS Secretariate, the rate of HIV infection among women in prostitution is expected to be as high as 74%.Our rehabilitation requires not only getting these women off the streets, but also counseling them through their heart issues and helping them find alternate vocations and income. These women will either make a start by setting up their own small business projects or they will submit their new qualifications to the attention of other employers. The example set by the mothers will obviously impact their children who will have new role models to follow, thus distancing themselves from the night-life of prostitution. The ultimate goal of our partner organization, “Ellita – Women At Risk” is helping these women so that they remain healthy and become productive members of the society, through behavioral change and skill training. The program, Ellilta, is literally a shout of joy, such as during worship, weddings, or a new birth.

http://blog.mochaclub.org/articles/2009/03/20/introducing-women-at-risk