Africa, here we come...again!

We are excited to tell you that we are going back to Addis in January! No, it's not to bring home another child...We are going to Addis on a missions trip with a small group. The vision for the trip: We are seeking to find the Christian Solution to the Orphan crisis.

We will be spending time with children at drop-in-centers, orphanages, on the streets, and in surrounding villages. As we ask the directors of these centers what they need most, the answer still surprises me. Consistently, they answer that they need others to come and spend time with the children. The message they have received so far in life is that someone does not love them. Although this is often not true (as often parents dying of HIV/AIDS surrender them to an orphanage because they do love them), when others come specifically to love them, it is utterly life changing…for everyone involved.

We will also be spending time with one of the ministries that works to get prostitutes off the street. Many times, they feel they have no choice but to be on the street. There is a ministry that is providing hope to them. They take them in for a certain amount of time and they are given a loom. They them teach them how to use the loom to weave things that they can sell. They provide childcare and food for them and their children while they are there. While they are in the program, the missionaries who run it help them sell their blankets to Americans who want to help over the internet and the women develop a little nest egg before leaving. After they leave they get to keep the loom so that they can continue to sell products to support their families. I am really excited about this ministry because it may keep more children with their parents and provide more of a long term solution.

This trip is also a means Rick and I asking, “What does God have for us?” Are we called to do more in Ethiopia? Whatever it may be, we are excited to go and be part of the solution…and to listen for what God may have for us. Bottom line, we want to show them the love of Jesus!

We are excited to be bringing the whole family on this trip also. We were not able to bring our 14 year old, Savannah, with us when we picked up Ayana and we are eager to take her this time. I think it will be life changing for her to work with us in these situations and to see where her sister came from. We will also take Ayana. We are afraid that being away from her for 10 days after having her for only 9 months may damage the attachment we are growing. We will stay at the Ethiopia Guest house with friends that will watch her during the day while we are ministering. This is financially a huge burden for 4 of us to be going but I know it’s God so He will provide and make a way.

Calling all Prayer Warriors: Please be praying for our group to raise the money we need and for God to move among the ministries we will be working with.

Also, if you have good fundraiser ideas, I am all ears…Please share.