Ethiopian update 1

Hello from Ethiopia We have arrived safe and well in Addis Ababa.

Then first thing that hits you is the smell of smoke when you get off the plane. We had a long wait to get our visa then we were greeted by one of the team who drove us over some very bumpy roads to get to the SIM Guest House. It is a lovely big house with lots of space and we have the whole place to ourselves! Except poor Debbie is having to share a room with Gillian!

We went to St Matthews church and had our first taste of Ethiopian tea, which can only be described as syrupy. Needless to say the plants got well watered that day. However, Debbie didn’t next the extra hydration as she managed to take communion twice!

We have just spent our first day at the Project,meeting all the staff and beneficiaries. We split upto go out on house visits with the staff; Jennifer and Debbie visiting some housebound women who rely on the support from the Project. Meantime Marianne and Gillian visited some of the more sick people with the doctor. It was really humbling to visit these women and pray with them.

We plan to work with the support groups this week,sharing God’s word and teaching new crafts. Apart from Jennifer (!) we’re struggling to remember how to say hello and goodbye in Amharic never mind anything else! However, we have never felt so welcomed and loved going by the number of handshakes, wrist-shakes,shoulder-kissing and smiles. They’re all SO delighted to see Jennifer again – she gets at least 4 hugs fromeach person! Unsurprisingly, Gillian’s just spent the last hour entertaining the wee kids with some balloons! It actually enabled their Mum’s to listen to the health education on HIV.

Prayer Requests

Pray for the time here that we will be a benefit to the project.
For the teenage girls support group on Wednesday.
For Jennifer as she meets so many old friends and seeks to share the Word with the support groups.
That we would be willing and enabled to do everything God would have us do here.