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Ethiopia Trip
Biny, Moriah, and I headed off to Ethiopia to continue the working on the vision Live Out Hope. Our goals were to continue our research and understanding of the Entoto community and how best to serve them in their need and share our love Jesus with them. It has become more clear that they lack job opportunities that pay a living wage, so we are seeking to build a farm in which to employ those struggling to survive right now in their current job of carrying firewood.
We were delighted to find out that Pastor Joye, who is Biny’s friend, got us an audience with a governmental official in the Mayor’s office who may be able to help guide us in our next steps to opening a dairy farm in Addis Ababa. We were given only a day’s notice to prepare for the meeting. We were going to meet Tilahun Worku Robi (Tilahun) who is the Head of Cabinet Affairs in Addis. Not knowing what to expect, we assembled a short presentation and woke up early the next morning to brave the Addis Ababa traffic.
We were supposed to meet our friend, Pastor Joye, at 8am and carpool together to the Mayor’s office. But this is Ethiopia, so even leaving an hour early to go 6 miles down the road wasn’t enough to make it to the church on time. There, we switched cars and headed to the Mayor’s office, and thankfully, hit very little traffic. We made it to the security gate with a few minutes to spare.
The heavily armed guards opened all our doors, checked the trunk, and patted down all three of us before letting us through. We got to the entrance and waited for our office connection to let us in.
We entered the building only to find out our meeting was delayed. We waited two hours before finally being called to the office. Pastor Joye gave a short summary of who we are gave us the floor to speak. We introduced ourselves, and Mr. Tilahun looked through the slides as Biny shared the heart of Live Out Hope. Next, I outlined the vision we have for Entoto.
Mr. Tilahun smiled and quietly expressed his support of us several times. He committed to connect us to
the right people and would assign one of his staff to walk us through the process to act as a resource should any barriers arise. He would help us find land. He is awaiting our official proposal to begin the process.
Mr. Tilahun was touched by our desire to help the struggling Entoto women, and he commended our attention to the poor because he is also a believer. He knows that’s what God cares about. “This is a noble
idea,” he said, “and it is our obligation to help the struggling people in Ethiopia.”
Pastor Joye prayed over us and Mr. Tilahun before we left. We commemorated the meeting with the picture below, the first of many for LOH! We are so thankful to God for orchestrating this meeting and can’t wait to see what God is going do next. We are open to wherever He directs.
Big Questions in Entoto
Q: “Where are the men and fathers? Why don’t they help you carry your wood?“
A: “They went to school to learn how to weave clothing to sell in the market.”
Q: “Why don’t you learn to weave, and they carry wood?“
A: They laughed. No answer. Perhaps they thought it would take too long to learn, or that they couldn’t learn the skill as well as their husbands.
Extra Stuff
Everyday Life in Addis Ababa and Entoto, Ethiopia
The People
There is a broad spectrum of people in Ethiopia. There are wealthy people who drive 2022 Land Rovers, and there are destitute children who clearly live on this corner of the street and beg for money all day.
People are everywhere, walking on the streets, weaving through traffic, shopping, walking to work,
ordering lunch at a café, and endless more. Life is everywhere, and it’s beautiful. It’s hard to feel isolated when you’re surrounded by life.
The Kids
The space people made for me and Moriah was an incredible experience. We had an ice cream man who always gave Moriah a free ice cream cone for herself. The baristas and waiters chatted and played with her every morning and night as we had our meals. One waitress walked her over to a counter to give her some free chocolate. Another time, the waitress saw her shoes were on the wrong feet and took the time to set it straight (we were too tired to do anything about it =P). One security guard used to whistle and call out to Moriah whenever she was on Biny’s shoulders as we walked by him on the street. There was so much room for the mischievous activities of kids because everyone has kids. It was wonderful to have such freedom in a foreign country. It was a blessing to experience.
The Food
The food. Is. Delicious. Need I say more? Okay then, Organic, GMO free, grass-fed, happy beef. Vegetables and beans are cheaper than cakes and sugar. Can’t complain.
The Reality of Poverty
Unfortunately, even though there is beauty here, there is the unmeasurable ever present poverty. Children and women beg everywhere you go, Men from outside the city walk with holes in their clothes, barefoot. The poor people stare at you everywhere because you’re clearly American and hold out their hands for help. Many people still don’t live in houses. They are homeless or live in homes made out of metal sheets and tarps. They work right outside their doors. It is heartbreaking.
Can we help everyone we see? Not even a little bit. But, we know God’s heart is with the poor and the orphans. And so I am reminded of why we’re here every single day. I wake up praising God for His love
for these people and hope we can serve His children more and more.
Non Profit News
Next Steps Over the Next Three Months
- Submit our official LOH proposal for the Dairy Farm and Farm Land.
- Form a Live Out Hope branch in Ethiopia.
- Get in contact with the five governmental authorities that oversee the ongoings of new businesses in Addis.
- Await the direction of our mayoral connection.
- Get the word out!
- Pray that God’s will be done!