A few reflections by Jennifer

By Jennifer Lane

There are so many things I could share.  I’m so thankful for the opportunity to serve on this trip.  It was so educational for me to go back to the same spot, and learn even deeper lessons about short-term missions, Ethiopia, and the way God is working in our world.

But since this was a Storyteller Missions trip, I think sharing a story would be an excellent idea.

While we were in Ethiopia, I was able to ask about “E”, a boy we had met on our trip last year.  He was a sweet 6 year old that we had given Starbursts to an orphanage at the beginning of the week, and on the last day of our trip last year, met "E" again at America World’s Transition Home.  He had been transferred there to be considered for adoption.  "E" had ran up to us, and said, “I know you. You gave me yellow candy.”

I found out that “E” had not been put up for adoption.  AWAA had done the research to find out if his story of abandonment was true, and they had found his mother.  He had ended up at the government orphanage because of a neglectful stepfather.  His mother was having a hard time finding work, so she had temporarily gone to the United Arab Emirates to work as a housekeeper.  While she was gone, the stepfather had put “E” on the street to beg, and he was taken to the orphanage.  His mother had returned to Ethiopia.

I was glad to hear that “E” had been reunited with his mother, but his family situation sounded very tumultuous.

Please pray for “E”.  AWAA has placed his family on the sponsorship program. If you are interested in helping a family like “E”’s, please check out AWAA’s sponsorship program.

I have written a long blog post on my personal blog, if you would like to hear more about our trip.
Or you can listen to Episode 9 of the Re:Podcast, where I share about the trip.

A few reflections from Mariah & Beth

By Mariah Cowell

As I've returned home and settled back into everyday life, I have found that this trip has impacted so much of what I do. I'm studying Social Work and am incredibly passionate about social justice. As I return to my studies this fall, I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to experience and build relationships with people who are encountering the very things I am attempting to address. This trip has given me perspective on my career and my everyday life. I have learned how big God is. I tend to try to handle things on my own, I learned so quickly in Ethiopia that if we attempt to do this we will fail. We are called to lean on Christ. He is our defender and he is faithful and consistent. I also learned the importance of life experiences. I could have lived my whole life not knowing what happens in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. But that is not what we are called to do as Christians. We cannot get so caught up in the menial details of our lives and forget our purpose as Christians. The man who teaches English at Hope for Korah was explaining to Beth and I all that he has done in the Korah area in Addis and we were amazed. His simple response was, "Well, we are called to serve." He was not going above and beyond, he was doing what God has called us all to do, serve. Service and relationships are vital to Christianity. These experiences in Addis gave me something invaluable, a "Why." I now know who I am doing what I do for. Being able to communicate and interact with the people I care for gives me an amazing opportunity to be their advocate here in America. I am so grateful for this trip and how these people have impacted my life.

By Beth Adams

It is inevitable that once one travels abroad to places like Ethiopia someone will ask why you did not focus on the needs here at home. As I reflect on why it is necessary to go and see even from afar, these are my thoughts: In the US there are deep, pervasive needs in vulnerable children but we do have a foster care system, even with its limitations, that suggests that children do best when placed in families if at all possible. In many countries worldwide there are so many children, so many needs and such a lack of resources that in effect, children are placed in large orphanages and spend years if not decades there. As those on our team would probably agree, it is worthwhile to go, to see, to learn, to give. As a needy child reaches out to you from a crib, as a small child grabs your hand to show you her bracelet given by a member of a previous team, as a special needs child makes eye contact with you and claps wildly, as an older child laughs as you play soccer with him and later ask about his dreams for the future, as you listen to the longing of an older man who has seen much suffering, you just may encounter the face of Christ in one of His many disguises. Go and see. Go and learn. Go and serve. 

Day 8 - What Day is it?

By Barry Wilson

What day is it? That's the first thought I had this morning. I'm starting to lose track of days, and that's not a bad thing. There is a peace to taking each day one by one. No need to worry about tomorrow. That seems to be a way of life here, and I like it.

We spent the entire day today at the AWAA transition home. It was great to be able to relax, and continue to build relationships. No packed itinerary today.

Beth, our resident expert in counseling and child trauma issues, spent the day with the on-site psychologist. It is indeed a blessing to have a full time psychologist on staff at the home. She is in the trenches on a daily basis, fighting for the emotional well being of these kids. Hats off to her. She is amazing.

The remaining team members with creative minds (all except me and Tyson) worked on colorful paper creations to hang from the ceiling in the special needs room. These kids spend more time in their beds than most. We thought they might like to stare at something other than the ceiling.

The non-creative types (me and Tyson) taught some older boys how to throw a football and run a basic receiver pattern. It takes all types to form an effective mission team!

We broke out bubbles, frisbees, soccer balls, and musical instruments. It was a blast!

But all the fun aside, the highlights of the day for me were:


- arriving at the house and seeing special needs children outside, basking in the sun. This doesn't happen elsewhere. We've seen other orphanages where the kids might not even get out of their bed on a daily basis, much less get outside.


I held a boy earlier this week, who pointed and begged to be taken outside. To feel the sun, the rain, the wind....anything. I thank God for the nannies at the transition home who understand we are all made in God's image, and all have value, no matter how special our needs are.


- taking pictures and recording video of toddlers and babies, each of whom has a family back in the U.S., to send to their families. These families are wading through the various stages of regulatory red tape in order to get these kids home. To be able to send updated information to these families is like a lifeline. I pray that someone will do the same for Shelly and I when we are in the same situation.


- listening to two older boys as they shared photos and stories of their adoptive families. They are so proud! It was obvious the pictures had been handled hundreds of times. They are ready! We talked about which states they were going to, what the weather was like, and most important to them was, what sport was popular in that state. These young men will change the world!

I'm still not exactly sure what day it is. But I know this; it was a great day! We serve a mighty God!



Footnote: after I wrote today's blog, the team visited a cultural restaurant for traditional Ethiopian food and entertainment. Fun was had by all. Video footage of James and Shelly attempting a tribal dance may, or may not, exist!

Day 7 - Korah

By James Lane

Loading up in our van at 7:15 this morning I did not know what to expect. We were waking up early and getting a jump on the day because today was going to be different. We were on our way to Korah. As we made our way through the maze of honking car horns and streets that seem to weave around in circles, the team members that visited there last year began to share the experiences that they had at Korah. Even though they were trying to explain this amazing ministry I could not picture it in my head. 

We rolled up to the compound and were immediately greeted by a courtyard full of kids waiting on us to serve them breakfast. We got a quick tour of the compound and I began to see what made Korah so special. Everyone that was there had a heart for the community of people around them. There was a thoughtful approach to each ministry that is taking place there. The first person that was introduced to us was a man that taught the children English two times each day. He informed us that his primary goal was for the children to interpret and understand scripture better. However, before he could finish his explanation, we were rushed over to a smoke filled kitchen where dozens of pancakes were being made along with a barrel sized pot of hot tea. The team stepped into the smoke and each of us emerged with a dish or a kettle. Remember, we came to serve breakfast.  

We made it into a room that quickly filled up. We started to pass out the meal, one pancake and a cup of tea. As the team rushed around passing out the food we were able to interact with the children. We began to find that the English classes were working.  Several of them told me their name, and recited scripture in English, but it wasn't just repetition. We began to have conversations with them. The conversations turned into friendships and before too long all of us had flooded back into the courtyard. This time though, it felt like we were all together, instead of watching them we were playing with them. We were the talking to them and we were making things with them. The separation was gone and there we were, no longer us and them, but a community. 

We continued to see this theme of togetherness as we toured the rest of Korah. We walked about a hundred steps to the next compound and arrived in a different community, about seven 'elder men'. These men were spending their last days at Korah in a compound specially designed to make them feel comfortable and honored. They greeted us with withering hands and big smiles. 

We passed out Cokes and Starburst candy as gifts and the men began to tell us stories. One of the men sang songs thanking God for sending Jesus. Another offered a prayer for us. I read the 23 psalm in English and then it was translated into Amharic. It started to feel like a church service. One of the elders remarked how even though we were from so far away, we had so much in common because of Jesus. Everyone in the room agreed and we could all tell that The Holy Spirit was there among us. Israel, our interpreter offered a final prayer in Amharic and even though I did not understand the language my spirit was in full agreement with her in prayer. 

Our morning at Korah ended with a coffee ceremony at another compound were there is a Family work program and a place where the people there sell their handicrafts.  Again we were there together, sharing with each other, talking, and praying together. 

Our time in Korah highlighted, for me, the importance of being together. God had called us all out of darkness and we all stand before Him as one in His Glorious Light. To get to see so many expressions of the gospel all in one morning was a privilege. It was an honor to be together with my friends at Korah. 

For more information on Korah visit http://www.hopeforkorah.com

Day 6 - Christ Be With Me

By Beth Adams

I had the words of the hymn attributed to st. Patrick running through my mind this morning as I awakened.

    I bind unto myself today the strong name of the trinity, by invocation of the same, the three in One and one in three

At this point in the trip we are all aware of our limitations whether it be from lack of sleep, having clothes soiled by wet infants or inhaling large quantities of exhaust as we travel by van and we, or at least I, have no doubt that I am weak and have little to offer.

So why are we here? In some small way perhaps by showing up at the small private orphanage and playing frisbee,soccer, making airplanes,racing small cars, singing, making a fitness circuit (with push-ups, pull-ups, biceps curls, long jump and balancing activities, no less!) we communicated that children, these children, are valued. Perhaps by taking time to hold and interact with special needs children in recent days communicates to them and to others that God values every life. Could it be that showing up at large orphanages to follow up on how donations were used or to ask what current needs are suggests that we will return and that there is accountability? Could being here be part of something God is doing that will not be clear to us in our lifetimes?

Only our Heavenly Father knows the answers to these questions. What is known however, is the privilege we had today in serving lunch to these precious children and watching as the oldest child, a fourteen year old boy rise to his feet and lead the younger children in a prayer of thanks. Here is the next generation, here are those who may carry the love of God to the world and only God knows what they have suffered in their short lives and what obstacles, dangers, or temptations they may face as they grow. But God is here. We see him at work today, in this place. We are in him and he is in us.

Again I think of the hymn that fills my mind today.......

     Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, 

      Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.

      Christ beneath me,Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, 

      Christ in hearts of all who love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Day 5 - Hope and a Birthday

By Shelly Wilson

It's amazing to be back in this country! We've started most of our mornings since being here with devotions centered around hope and I definitely feel like that is what God has been revealing to our team as each day has unfolded here. Our first stop today was at a large orphanage for girls ages 8-18. 

Last year at this time we were able to deliver 350 new mattresses to this same orphanage. Since being able to initially visit this orphanage over a year ago, the storyteller teams have been a part of helping to build 6 new latrines, two shower buildings, and a covered shed for drying clothes. What a blessing that God has allowed our teams to come alongside these girls and help them with some very basic needs. I was definitely filled with hope as we toured the orphanage today especially considering the complete lack of these items previously.

We had a lot of quality time today with the girls making paper airplanes, playing soccer and frisbee, drawing pictures, and braiding hair!

After eating our packed lunch at a city park, we moved on to our second orphanage. It was a smaller orphanage but filled with some amazing kids and nannies. This orphanage was doing a really great job with their special needs kids especially considering the limited resources. All the kids were a family and the special needs kids were included and not just shut off in a room. It was filled with hope. We were able to have a really good conversation with the director and it helped shed some light on how some of this convoluted process works. Unfortunately, the drastic decrease in adoptions that are being allowed has resulted in the shutting down of partner orphanages in Addis and throughout the country. This has also affected the sponsorship programs that were facilitated through those orphanages. It is a struggle for these orphanages to be sustainable when most of their funding comes from adoption fees. However, they had great programs in place for reunification, foster care, and reintegration for when these children turn 18 and are turned out of the orphanage. I was hopeful as I listened to this director passionately discuss his love for the kids here and creatively working to provide programs and plan for ways to continue to care for them.


Our day ended with dinner and birthday dessert for our lovely team member, Mariah! She turned 21 today and I know she enjoyed spending her special day loving on some really special kids! The pizza I had was phenomenal and I had baclava for the first time ever!


"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him." Psalm 62:5

Day 4 - Large Orphanage and Hospital Tours

By Jennifer Lane

Little sleeper pj legs hanging down through the metal crib bars and swinging was the first thing I saw when I entered the baby room. When his little eyes met mine, he threw up his hands into the universal signal for, "pick me up." I gladly obliged, and when I got him to giggle, I knew my job was done. 

The orphanage nannies called his name, and my new little friend jumped up and down in my arms. This little guy was one highlight of my day and an occupant of the second room of the tour of a very large orphanage that we took this afternoon. 

We spent time with the babies, special needs children, temporary care children, toddlers, and 5 to 7 year olds.

The toddlers were especially glad to have new playmates to engage with. They seemed to be very fascinated with my husband's watch. Anything can become a toy when resources are short. 

As we were leaving, I was thrilled to see that the older kids had made a craft with volunteers from a local church. Local volunteers is a big key to providing enhanced care to such a large amount of young children. The group had made watches out of toilet paper rolls and construction paper. It's likely they have had their watch inspected by a curious playmate too. 

Our team was glad to have spent the afternoon showing love and care for the children. I pray that we were salt to everyone we encountered from the newborn babies to the orphanage director. 

The much appreciated supplies we were able to donate included cloth diapers, disposable diapers, formula, vitamins, a few toys, disposable gloves, and some yoga balls to use with the special needs children. 

That morning our team had toured a very different facility. 

The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital performs surgeries and treats women who have damaged bladders and other internal organs during obstructed childbirth. 

When an obstructed fistula happens to a birthing women in the rural areas of Ethiopia, the child can remain stuck in the birth canal for up to 8 days. 99% of the babies become stillborn when this occurs.

Our team toured the beautiful grounds of the hospital. The hospital performs several types of surgeries on the thousands of women who are treated free of charge each year. The grounds included rehabilitation and physical therapy rooms, education space, midwife training classrooms, and facilities to provide c-sections to women who had recovered from fistulas surgeries. 

The philosophy of the hospital was to provide a wholistic approach in their patient care. They educated the women patients on medical and educational basics. They also taught how to make hand made items to the recovering women and provided a shop to sell their handiworks to visitors. This opportunity to earn a little money does wonders to boost the self esteem of the recovering women. 

Our team eagerly spent our funds of personal Birr in the small shop. 

As we finished up our tour, we were surprised to hear that Dr. Catherine Hamlin, who founded the hospital in 1975, was 91 and still living on the hospital grounds. Ethiopia had awarded her an honorary citizenship. 

It isn't any wonder why she fell in love with is beautiful, warm, and generous country. It is a blessing God has allowed her to significantly alter millions of women's lives over the last 4 decades. 

The hospital operates completely on donations. If you would like to donate or learn more about the Addis Ababa Hospital, visit their website at http://hamlinfistula.org.

Day 3 - Church at Beza

By Tyson Payne

Church day, today started off just like the past couple days have. Up at seven, do some reading, drink some coffee, and enjoy a great breakfast with the rest of the team. We talk about what the day holds, (or at least what we think it holds) and load up in the van.  Baruk, our faithful driver patiently waiting to transport us through a maze stricken with pot holes, random farm animals, broken down vehicles, and pedestrians who don't seem to care much for cross walks. We are always in amazement when we arrive not only safely, but also without any dents in the van. The streets and traffic here can only be described as organized chaos.  Everything seems to flow, but looks like at any moment everything is going to come to a screeching halt. I feel confident speaking for the team when I say Baruk has some skill behind the wheel!
  We arrived at Beza international church, and I won't lie I was a bit more than skeptical to see what we were about to experience. Not because I knew anything about this church, but having been in many other church services in different countries here in Africa that have been less than enjoyable, or edifying. I had already prepared myself for whatever may come. That's not something I'm proud saying, it's actually quite embarrassing. I mean, we are about to walk into the house of God to worship with local believers. I'm not a very skeptical person, I've always been a "glass half full" kinda guy; I guess I  just let my past experience dictate what I thought we were walking into. I'm extremely joyed to say I couldn't have been more incorrect!
   We walked into the church, smiling and shaking some hands. Not looked at like we were there to put on some big show and save everybody that showed up (past experience). But rather we were there for the same reason everyone else was...to worship. And that we did. There is something so breathtaking about being in a different country half way around the world, in a room full of people you don't know, who we will most likely never see again in this lifetime and stand shoulder to shoulder with them and sing songs of praise to the same God. It's something so simple, yet mind blowing all at the same time. We listened to a man of God bring a message that was rooted in scripture, whose sole purpose was to bring the good news to the people of his country, not to put another dollar in his pocket, and a message that was  just as relevant here as it would have been if we were at our home churches. I feel truly blessed to have gotten to worship with the brothers and sisters at Beza church today!
   Church wasn't the only thing we did today, though noting else quite compared. I had probably the best bacon cheese burger I've had in Africa, so that was cool, and bought more diapers all at one time than I ever thought I would... But you'll hear more about that tomorrow. 

Day 2 - AWAA Transition Home

By Samantha Payne


Day two in Ethiopia has been wonderful. We were able to visit the transition home for America World. I spent most of my time with the children that have special needs. There were several that could not walk or really move any of their limbs on their own. Most would thrive from physical therapy or other services that just aren't easy to access or they don't even have here. I loved the time spent with them! We also played games with the other children. The younger ones loved the balloons that we brought to play with! It has been a great experience so far and I feel blessed.

America World not only helps with orphan care and adoption, they also have a ministry of orphan prevention.

They have a sponsorship program to help families that are in need of a little help to support in caring for a child because of poverty.  There are 107 families in the sponsorship program, and today at the transition home, we were able to meet four of those families.  The  situations that caused the child to be at risk of becoming an orphan were all unique, but there was a commonality of love, pride, and true affection from the caregiver accompanying the child to the meeting.

We met a grandmother who works hard selling bread and goods to provide a home for her 8 year old granddaughter, an aunt who is caring for her hospitalized brother's 11 year old son, a grandfather with an exceptionally bright 9 year old grandson, and a soft spoken mother who became a single because of her son's medical hardships.The families were so gracious to share their stories with us and answer all of our questions that were translated to them.

We were excited to provide each of the families with a gift bag of goodies, macaroni, and large bag of teff, which is a grain used in making injera bread.

 unloading bags of teff

Day 1 - We Made It

By Mariah Cowell

Upon our arrival today in Addis Ababa, a few things have already changed my perspective in the few hours we have been here. As we drove through the city I was struck by how similar we are to these people across the world from us. It can be so easy to fall into line with stereotypes that society projects. As we rode through the streets I witnessed people going to work, hanging out with friends and kids running around. I feel as Christians it can be so easy for us to view mission work as "us helping them." I have so quickly realized that although poverty is prevalent in this country and there are people who need their stories told, we are similar. Mission work is affective when it is based relationships. The idea that you can travel some 70,000 miles across the world and still relate to people is such an amazing example of how big our God is. Please pray that we would be intentional with our interactions, that each individual we encounter will be heard and understood and that we would pursue boldly what God has for us here. 

Meet Mariah Cowell

My name is Mariah Cowell. I am a 20 year old from Charlotte, North Carolina. I am currently studying Social Work and Gender studies in school. I plan on going on to graduate school to study policy within social work, especially regarding children’s rights in international adoption. I feel so blessed with this amazing opportunity to be able to go to Addis Ababa to see and interact with these people. I am so excited to see what God has for us on this trip and those that we will encounter!

Meet Jennifer & James Lane

We are the parents of three, reside in Amarillo, Texas.  We have ministered at Citychurch in downtown Amarillo for 19 years.  James performs the role of media director and minister at Citychurch.  One of his responsibilities is producing a television program called For the Heart of the City.

Jennifer traveled on an AWAA mission trip to Ethiopia last year, and James has gone on five mission trips to several countries in Africa.  James has visited Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and South Sudan.

God used his trip in January of 2013 to South Sudan to call our family to adoption.  We are now on the waiting list with America World Adoption Agency in their Ethiopia program.  We have requested a little boy between the ages of three and seven.  We anxiously wait for the day that we can add him to our family. 

We are very excited about this mission trip to Ethiopia with America World Storyteller missions.  This will be the first time we both will visit Africa at the same time.  We feel honored to be able to share the love of Christ with the children we will encounter. 

Meet Samantha & Tyson Payne

We are Tyson and Samantha Payne. We are parents to an amazing one year old boy. Tyson is part owner of a mechanic shop and I, Samantha, am a social worker and write home studies for several agencies including America World Adoption Agency. We are grateful for the opportunity to go to Ethiopia and cannot wait to see what God has in store for our team! 

Meet Beth Adams

Beth Adams

Born and raised in Virginia. Married, with three adult children, a son in law, daughter in law, and three grandchildren. Member of the Anglican Church. Happy to return to Ethiopia where my granddaughter was adopted in 2010. I work as a licensed professional counselor.

Meet Barry & Shelly Wilson

We are Barry and Shelly Wilson from Amarillo, Texas.  We are proud parents to three wonderful children.

  

Our love for Ethiopia began in the summer of 2012 when, by God's leading, our family started the process of adopting from the country.  As we began to educate ourselves on the country of Ethiopia in general, and the orphan crisis specifically, we fell more in love with Ethiopia and grew more heartbroken for the children there.  As the wait times for adoption started to lengthen, we prayerfully asked God what we could do, or how we could be involved, during this adoption wait time.  As an answer to prayer, He led us on a mission trip.  In August of 2014, we made our first trip to Ethiopia and it changed our lives. We knew as soon as we made it home that we would have to return.  

We never could have imagined the road God had planned for us when we started this journey. We continue to pray for open eyes and obedient hearts as we go where He leads us. So, here we go again…… 

Welcome!

Hello! Welcome to our Ethiopia August 2015 team blog. We would like to tell you a little about ourselves and how God is using us as we prepare to travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in a few weeks! Our team of eight is so excited! In the following posts we will take time to let you know more about ourselves and why we feel led individually to go.

We will be going through the Storyteller Missions department of America World Adoption Agency. They exist to send out short term mission teams to partner long term with orphanages in eight different countries. Please take a few minutes and see all the great things that they are doing to help those most in need.  www.storytellermissons.org 

We hope you will check back often as we prepare and plan for our journey to Ethiopia to be the hands and feet of Christ in a real and tangible way. We would also covet your prayers as we seek to Glorify God through our team and our trip.

Blessings,

Storytellers in Ethiopia