The Beginning

This blog was written right after Sarah and I arrived in Ethiopia, but I just now have Internet to post it...

The silence was tangible. Sitting on our respective beds, Sarah and I stared blankly at each other, occasionally glancing around our small hotel room. What to do now? Our flight was uneventful, our bags had all been claimed (Praise God! Specific answer to prayer), Suliman had welcomed us heartily at the airport and checked us into our hotel, and there we sat. Everything was finally happening. Our 6 months of dreaming, praying, planning, and more praying had culminated in the beginning of the biggest adventure of our lives. And there we sat. “Are you scared?” I asked Sarah. She paused. “No… I just feel very strange.” I couldn’t have said it better. We both knew that God had called us to this foreign land. He had answered prayers time and time again throughout the previous months. He’d convinced our parents that this was His plan for us and gotten all of our passports, visa, and shots delivered just in the nic-of-time. His protecting hand had gotten us over a huge ocean, through a busy airport, past government officials, to all of our luggage, into the care of a trusted leader, and finally behind the locked doors of a safe hotel. Through it all—the frenzied packing, the countless questions, the tearful goodbyes—we’d had a peace; a Divine knowledge that we were following God’s plan for our lives. That same peace had followed us to Ras Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and we knew that it would be our constant companion for the next 10 months. Yes, there were some tears that flowed that night. We miss our families and are anxious about the unknowns that lie ahead. But God is so good. We survived our first sampling of Injera the next morning (bleh) and successfully maneuvered four suitcases, two backpacks, and two purses down the hotel stairs and into the lobby, where we were eventually picked up by our faithful guide. Suliman took us to the ADRA headquarters and the Adventist Union, where we met a few of the workers, who welcomed us with big smiles and warm handshakes. He also took us to an Ethiopian monument, where he explained some history to us and let us take a few pictures. Next, we exchanged some of our money and began our search for cell phones. This took all of our morning, as it was necessary for us to journey through a maze of streets and shops, looking for the shops with the best products and lowest prices. By noon, we were the proud owners of Ethiopian currency and cell phones, and were ready to head to the orphanage. Let me tell you, having a communication device in my hand, even with as rare as I will use it, calmed my nerves immensely. I found it quite unnerving to be in a strange country with no access to anyone I know and love. What a blessing to have Suliman to help us sort things out! Our bus ride to Guder was beautiful. The weather cooled down, the stinky smog vanished, and the scenery turned mountainous and green. We ate lunch in Ambo, which was much tastier than I would ever have imagined, with Suliman and a Peace Corps worker name Julia. Talking to another American was a treat. We plan to help her and other Peace Corps workers with a camp they are putting on in Ambo this next week. Sounds like it will be a unique experience! After finishing our meal, which included a phone call home (!!), it was time to meet the kids. Their greeting is one that will forever remain etched in my mind. They were all lined up in two lines, and singing a song about how glad they were to meet us, how much they loved us, and welcoming us. The two little girls in the front, Xibabee and Cali were holding petite bouquets of yellow, purple, and white flowers to give to us. The walk to the orphanage was muddy, but the children held our hands and led us to our new “home.” Since arriving, we’ve toured the house and grounds (bird house and kitchen), been fed much more food than we could eat, enjoyed many smiles, and settled into our room. We are in love with the children, the view, and the hospitality. Yes, we know there are tough days ahead. The food will get boring, the bugs will get bothersome, and the routine will at times be mundane. But for now, we are savoring the blessings God has heaped on our plates. And during those days that are difficult, we hope to look back on these blessings and remember that God has led us in the past, and will be our constant companion. Thanks to each and every one of you who is praying for us and thinking of us. We love and miss you all, and cherish each and every letter and email that comes our way. Blessings!