Ethiopia

Long overdue, I want to invite you to a walk-through of the time God allowed me to spend in Ethiopia this summer! Over a year before, in May of 2024, my sister called me while I was on outreach with Youth with a Mission. She told me that our dad's Ethiopian coworker, Zemen, wanted us to pray about coming the following summer to help them teach English over the school break. As we prayed, God made a way for Grace, Michelle (a young woman from my church in Chicago), and I to teach English in Salutta, Ethiopia for two weeks.

Michelle and I arrived first. Zemen and his nine-year-old daughter, Kaku, brought us to breakfast before driving us to the ministry center in Salutta, about an hour's drive outside of the capital. Kaku began teaching us Amharic the moment we got the in car!

The new ministry center in Salutta. We spent our first few nights here as we prepared to teach.

The view from Grace and I's third floor room.

The Lord is full of surprises! Grace and I never thought about asking others to join us on the trip, but God put it on Michelle's heart to ask if she could come along. I am incredibly thankful He hand-picked her to join! Michelle brought her experience from teaching in the Chicago's public schools in areas largely populated by immigrant families. She brought energy, flashcards, ideas and fun to the group. I admired Michelle's trusting and flexible attitude as she joined us for her first trip to Africa. She truly received an African experience!

Eating Ethiopian food together on our first day.

Ethiopian cuisine begins with the base of injera, a crepe-like bread made from fermented teff flour. This is served rolled up in long scroll shapes, which one unrolls on their plate, then puts on top the curries/sauces of choice. We ate a lot of tomato based lentil sauces, as well as meats, greens and eggs. The cooks also made pastas and breads for us, although Kaku enjoyed these dishes the most!

Coffee ceremony!

Shops in Salutta

In Salutta, horses are used to pull carts or carry loads.

Coffee is served at nearly every corner for a small price. The local men frequent these "cafes." Families roast coffee beans fresh in their homes and brew a pot to drink after every meal.

Shoe shining. Young boys were the most common salesmen of this sort, although one could find female shiners as well. They sat alongside the road where customers would come to their homemade station.

Fetching water using a horse cart

We taught English to children in two churches. Zemen's elder daughter, Grace, and I taught at an Assemblies of God church where 40-60 children gathered six days a week to spend three hours with us. I now know the challenge of a one-room schoolhouse teacher! We had students from three years old to late teenagers. Their English levels ranged from fresh beginner to someone able to hold a great conversation. Grace and I made frequent use of games, songs, and drama to keep everyone engaged. Zemen encouraged us repeatedly to teach them Bible stories as well, so we crafted a VBS English camp! The stories began with creation and fall, then skipped to the life of Jesus.

Some of our students! I felt so loved by these children; they would swarm Grace and I for hugs each morning when we arrived, then again before we left.

Every morning, when we arrived, the church's children teacher was praying with the kids. Their precious voices often echoed the expected "amen" in response to her words throughout the prayer.

Grace, Zemen's daughter, quickly became a close friend. She had taken her highschool final exams the days before joining us. Additionally, she gave up two weeks of break which she originally hoped to use to apply to colleges and worship with her youth group in order to teach the children in Salutta. As we spent time together, she shared her dream of studying abroad to become a lawyer. Grace loves Jesus fiercely and longs that Ethiopian youth would seek Him first. She shared how often she saw Christian young people live lukewarm, because they did not face opposition for their faith as their parents had. I was thrilled to see Grace's flourishing faith, because a few years earlier when my family visited Ethiopia for the first time, she shared with me how she was not close with Jesus, and did not have regular relationship with Him. She now prays to Jesus with such familiarity, honor and earnestness.

One day, a mom of one student stayed during the class and read her Bible.

We got to have a few conversations with mothers. One mom asked me about the level of her son's English after I talked with him about school and his hopes for the future. She was glowing when I told her that his English skill is quite advanced. Then, she shared how she is a single mom trying to raise her three kids and praying for them to have education opportunity beyond Salutta.

The students were always eager to answer! One of our biggest classroom management "problems" occurred because students would yell "Miss, Miss, Miss!" while progressively rising from their seats and crowding towards the front :)

Amharic translation of homework questions.

We taught with limited resources: a whiteboard, two markers, flashcards Michelle brought, and our student's notebooks. But God certainly strengthened our creativity to craft each day's lesson with meaningful and fun content. I'm not saying it proved easy. The third day of teaching- and Zemen's daughter Grace's first day joining me- the class erupted into chaos halfway through. A half hour later we were able to get things back in order.

A few days into the trip, we moved to Zemen's original ministry center.

My bedroom at the center. Zemen and his team took wonderful care of us!

Views of the neighborhood from the rooftop terrace (see bellow)

The rooftop

wet, weary

drooping down

intricate faces

facing ground

remaining alive

vibrant colors

hiding beauty

beneath burdens;

turn upwards

radiant light

beaming sunrays

beckoning life

rejuvenation

freedom

in the sun

glory of God

felt bellow

Injera cookers

To make injera, one lights a fire under the flat upper pan (or plugs the cooking stand in). Then, injera batter is poured on in a circular shape.

The baskets where injera is kept after it cools. Each meal, the cook would retrieve a stack to roll and set on the table.

Vibrant shades tightly woven,

story of culture held together

by bread unique, sustaining;

but will they eat Bread of Life

Life itself,

defining their humanity?

Week two, beginning again with daily prayer. This time, the students knelt as church members would on Sunday mornings.

We definitely had some characters in the group! :) I love getting to know the kids by name and discovering their unique personalities. How wonderful to know that God crafted them each, and He knows them intimately- even the number of hairs on their head. I rejoiced at the privilege of praying for them and teaching them Bible stories; Jesus rejoices over those in His flock and longs to bring in those who have not yet joined. As I grew to deeply love them, I glimpsed the expansive affection of our Savior for these children, because I knew my care paled to nothing in comparison.

The Orthodox church boasted a majority of the population as its members. We arrived on a church holiday and got to see congregants flocking the church gates. Women wear white scarves over their head whenever they attend the Orthodox services.

Zemen also took us girls to a cultural arts and crafts market, where my family (minus Grace) had come during our time in Ethiopia a few years ago.

The intricate patterns with vibrant colors and strands of sparkle adorned the hand-made dresses and scarves filling the crowded aisles of bursting full cubicle shops.

Traditional coffee pots, clay plates and incense burners

While we shopped for coffee pots outside the market, it began to downpour. Everyone took shelter under the overhanging roofs of nearby buildings. We sat in a small convivence store where you could buys freshly made coffee in addition to the bottled drinks.

Coffee setup. The traditional pot sits on top of live coals while the waiting customers smell incense filling the room from a decorated clay stand. Coffee is then poured into the small shot-sized mugs decorated with bright shades.

We came during the rainy season. Each day clouds covered the otherwise sunny sky, causing an overcast horizon. Rain poured down daily, often several times. Without central heating, the forty Fahrenheit weather drove us to bundle up in blankets and sweatshirts.

Kaku exhausted as we sat talking for hours after dinner. Meals became a lingering time of fellowship as we often waited for the food to be ready, then threw out random questions or got to know one another deeply through long conversations afterwards. Michelle suggested reading a book of the Bible together, so we read a chapter of Hebrews every night, then discussed it together. I was struck by the theme of trust running throughout Hebrews: trusting Christ who is over all as the Best One. We also prayed for one another before retiring for bed; this became a space of sharing struggles as we brought one another's worries or needs daily before Jesus.

Power often went off (you never knew if you'd get to shower or charge your phone at night). Two nights the power remained off over dinner time. As we waited for the food (the cooks had to make it over charcoal instead of the stovetop), the idea of a candlelight dinner emerged. Grace turned on Amharic worship music and we joked that we were having a romantic meal. The inconvenience became a fond memory.

Hands together

sisterhood

single candle

flame

penetrating dark

highlighting

faces intent

bent

together

The kitchen

One day our group of kids did not have class, so Grace and I visited Zemen's church where the others (my sister Grace, Michelle, and Zemen's niece Ananae) taught.

Grace and Michelle split their group of 70-80 students into two age groups for the majority of the morning. Grace taught the older ones in the church.

The younger kids in a small office room.

Just being a character!

Playing "head, shoulders, knees... book!" to practice the body parts in English.

Near the end of our time, we went on a day outing to a massive park in the forest.

Grace and Michelle got to experience traditional Ethiopian dancing for the first time. Michelle and I joined in!

Women walking

descending the mountain

vulnerable without a

Savior to defend 

them as Prince,

Ruler of Peace

who honor His

daughters

Spending time in a hilly region reminded me of a verse the Lord imprinted firmly upon my heart as a teenager and continues to remind me to date: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:13-15)

Although Ethiopia contains a history of ancient Christianity, the church faces opposition from Muslims and religious Orthodox members. The church needs prayers for strength and discipleship. Pray also for Zemen who visits pastors in predominantly Muslim areas to encourage the pastors there.

Although Ethiopia is quite different from Uganda, I know I'm still in Africa when the trucks are loaded beyond the "brim."

Kaku moments! She kept us laughing!

Second born's enjoying time together.

Making each other's hair for Sunday.

Our first Sunday we attended Zemen's church. After a long pre-service prayer time, the pastor called up the children and blessed them, with the congregation echoing amen's. 

Since the power was down, the choir sang acapella. Their voices swelled with angelic grace as the congregations joined in on memorized hymns.

Drying laundry when the sun peaked out. The clothes were later hurriedly gathered as clothes gathered and rain began to pour down. It took a few days to thoroughly dry the clothes.

Enjoying a movie night while trying to stay warm.

Making injera! One of the cooks, Amu, let us try our inexperienced hands at the art. She made flawless circles while we poured wanky shapes! Amu nearly died of laughter and ran to tell the other cooks about our distorted injera.

Amu making injera...

...versus my second attempt.

The injera batter and scoop next to a cooling product.

Amu and I holding a Bible translated into another Ethiopian language. I got excited to hold God's word with a sister in Christ around my age. She shared her culture with me in a way far more precious than bread by showing me the Word of He who is the Bread of Life in her tongue. 

Once, Mulu- the head cook- sent the Grace's and I to the capital city with a driver from church to get groceries not available in Salutta. On the way, we got caught in a fierce hail storm. For over a half hour, we had to park alongside the road before completing our journey.

When power went off, we made shadow puppets during our nightly Bible study and lesson planning.

A visitor at the gate...

Playing charades to practice our two weeks of English contest.

Competition between the girls and boys to say one of our Bible verses.

A end of class party with cookies!

Our students and the church's children leaders (see bellow).

Michelle wanted to learn how to make Ethiopian coffee, so our hosts instructed us in the entire coffee ceremony.

One begins by roasting the coffee beans. This is done in the group's presence, then the pan is brought around so that everyone can smell the roasted beans.

Then, one grinds the freshly roasted beans. A metal cup with a flat bottom plate allowed one to hold the cup down while smashing the beans into power.

Boiling water and coffee grounds are poured into the traditional pot which is set on the coals for the coffee to brew.

Later that day, we attended a youth worship night at the church where Grace and I had taught.

How touching to hear a few dozen young people praise their Lord with melodious worship and fervent prayers.

I was impressed with this team who came to set up early afternoon and led the worship night.

Sunday we attended the same church for the morning service. After an hour of prayer and two hours of worship, we had to leave early. The congregation seemed to love sitting in the Lord's presence together for extended time.

Before we left, several neighbors came to visit. We share lunch and of course coffee!

The baby sister of two of my students.

The said students and their mom! These sweet girls always came to class with a smile and proved hard workers though they understood very little English.

Ananae and her cousin. Zemen's mother had her apendix removed during our time in country; hence, she along with Zemen's brother and family moved into the ministry center with us for a majority of the second week. The living and dining room also become bedroom for grandma and the cousins! Zemen's family does have have a relationship with Jesus. Our small group prayed every night for them. I hope our interactions could demonstrate Jesus's love. A clear reminder that every interaction we have with another human potentially impacts their eternal destiny.

One of Grace/Michelle/Ananae's students came to say goodbye. She gifted us traditional scarves!

Another student, a young man, wrote us each thank-you notes. I got to talk with him (through two translators, because he did not speak Amharic) when visiting the class. He shared desire to further his studies, so I prayed with him. While I brought the matter before God, He gave me a picture of this young man standing on a wall as guard for God's children. He additionally reminded me of Ezekiel's task as a watchman (Ez. 3:17) over God's people, tasked with brining His words to them. I shared this message with the student, saying I believed God wanted to use him as one who warns the church of evil and teaches them about God's Word. After translating, the pastor eagerly told me that the student longed to become a pastor and disciple God's children.

Thank you to the cooks: Betty, Amu and Mulu. They served faithfully at the center. We had the privilege of praying with Betty, whose hands swelled. She had a degree in finances and hoped to use her knowledge in a job one day. Mulu, the head cook, does not know Jesus. Please join us in prayer that she will meet Christ through the lives and testimony of the Christians around her.

Zemen gifted us traditional dresses that a member of his church made by hand!

Thank you, Zemen, family and team, for allowing us to join you in God's work among your people. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of meeting brothers and sisters in Christ, teaching little ones made in God's image, and experiencing your culture.

Our full vehicle! (Notice Kaku in the boot/trunk!)

Scenes from the drive out...

Goodbye, Ethiopia!

Then I will purify the lips of the peoples,
    that all of them may call on the name of the Lord
    and serve him shoulder to shoulder.
 From beyond the rivers of Cush
    my worshipers, my scattered people,
    will bring me offerings.

Zephaniah 3:9-10