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.