Addis Ababa...

Because of our long journey and delay, today (11/7) we rest and visit the city of Addis Ababa.

On 11/08/12 we visited families in Addis.  We talked and prayed with them and left them with a small bag of food which would feed their family for one month.

One room, dirt floors, and metal walls.  This is what the homes we visited consisted of.  Some had pictures of Jesus posted, others nothing.  No bathrooms inside.  A long walk to use the restroom in a hole in the ground.  Sadness.  Hopelessness.  Sickness.  Poverty.  And yet in the midst of this, you could see the joy in those who truly know Jesus.  

I met a young woman who captured my heart named Emebet.  She was sold to a man to be a housekeeper in Addis.  While she was there, he infected her with HIV.  He then passed away, and she was left on her own.  She lives on $2.50 per month selling beautifully embroidered cloth.  The space in which she lives is smaller than the other homes we visited.  In fact, it was smaller than most of our bathrooms.  When my group asked if we could pray with her, I reached out my hands to hers.  She hesitated as if she was protecting me from her disease.  

I wish I could go back to her.  Say more, do more.  Hug and love her more!  Tell her how beautiful she is.  I feel stronger now than I did on that day... I feel God has changed my faith and I would do things differently.   But I am comforted knowing Jesus can say and do more than I ever can.