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Monday, February 9, 2009

Humbled

Just back from a trip to Addis Ababa, ET. I joined my daughter and her family for the purpose of meeting their daughter. The Young’s are adopting the most beautiful girl, Myra. She is small, 6 lbs. 8oz. (at 2 ¾ months). Also, she’s soft, delicate, content, and totally my granddaughter!!! There are no words for me to express the joy of seeing her. She is receiving GREAT care. The facility is big, bright, and clean. The staff ratio for care-giving is good. The staff is committed to the care and love of these little ones – not just a job but a service of mission.

The rest of the time spent in ET was for the purpose of learning about children’s services. Adoption is only a very small part of the solution to the extreme poverty experienced by the millions of needy children in Addis and ET. We visited drop in centers (no real comparable service here in the US, but similar to Head Start), a home for unwed mothers who were formerly making their living in prostitution, a training center for young men; teaching them to learn a trade while providing additional services including a meal, and pick-up soccer games with street children who joined us for a meal that evening to name a few of the highlights.

I will be posting over the next few days about the experience in a more detailed way, but to begin, Ethiopia humbled me. Here is a beautiful city, Addis Ababa, an ancient resort city for royalty, banded by mountains, canopied by blue, blue sky with the most gracious, humble, service-minded believers that I stand in awe of their commitment to our God. Young men who work all day and then serve the most needy, HIV+ children and women, abandoned and scorned children with little resource other than the Word of God and His sustaining strength.
Women who have endured the greatest humiliation and suffering at the hands of harsh men, open their home to guests and serve me. They receive our gift of donated formula, knowing that the nutrition for their babies is life giving. They will not let us leave their home without serving us coffee. Everywhere I turned the Ethiopians gave; they gave when by American standards they have nothing.

A land where there is no reason for hope or joy is embedded with profuse hope and abundant joy. God is in Addis Ababa.

All they asked is that we remember. We remember what we saw, what they need, and what we can give. I will remember.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome home and congratulations on the newest addition to your family. From our heart to your home - Godspeed. Gabriella Divine

Anonymous said...

We are glad to have you home...and can't wait to hear more of the story. Pete