The Adventure to Africa

I'm home! How can I possibly sum up two incredible weeks in one blog post? I can't. I will probably post about the trip several times in the future.
It really has been a hard but yet wonderfully blessed journey. It was incredible to step off the plane into Africa again. The memories just flooded in as we made our way into the depth of Ethiopia a few days after arriving. We arrived in Alaba Kulito after a 6 hour drive from Addis to a wonderful, welcoming family. Ministry began hard two Sundays ago. It was a rocky start as Kandace got a stomach bug the first Saturday night. I can tell you that we really had to rely on the Lord and He was faithful. She was better within 12 hours and recovered from the weakness within of few days.

The villages we visited were amazing. It left me speechless by the joy of the people. The poverty level there is about as low as you can imagine and it was an honor to be able to share the Gospel with the "outermost parts of the earth." And that it was. Kandace, I and a girl named Abigail Jacobs taught the children in nine of these villages. I had such joy to tell them that they are loved by Jesus. They soaked it in and made every bumpy mile to those places worth it.

The people were so caring and loving. The host family fixed us three meals a day. It was Ethiopian food so we had some struggle adjusting, but they even fixed us popcorn and homemade french fries to give us a taste of home.

My Dad taught in the main church in Alaba. It has over 2,000 members and is what they call the "Mother Church." The village churches are offshoots from this one. Dad had a blessing teaching the many men who sacrificed to come miles from home and sleep on the church floor so they could here the Word of the Lord.

The children absolutely stole my heart. They couldn't be anymore precious.

 Obviously, the main goal of the trip was to spread the Gospel, but it was also to encourage the churches there. When they see us come from 7,000 miles away to help, they are encouraged. It has nothing to do with the rich helping the poor, or Americans helping Africans, it is all about Christians supporting Christians. I told the children at every village as they stared at out white skin or rubbed my hand to see if the white would come off, that color doesn't matter. We are all children of God if we are saved by Jesus. It means nothing what color our skin is. Neither is better than the other.

Like always, toward the end of the trip I was ready for home and a bath! The Lord taught me MUCH patience. Right when I thought, "I can't go any further... I'm so tried." God boosted my strength. It is a hard trip. I will admit it. There are no showers in Alaba, no toilets, and no American food. You are plunged into another world. It literally looks like 2,000 years ago. It isn't easy, but the Joy of the Lord is so great that many Christians have no idea how it feels to feel Jesus that way. These people are warriors for Christ. Muslims are predominant. Over 95% of the people in Alaba are Muslims. Every morning a Muslim chant is sounded over loud speakers throughout the surrounding area. It is one of the saddest and eeriest sounds I've ever heard.

I was very ready to get home after a 20 hour plane ride and bed bugs which had somehow made their way into clothes (I was thankful for new clothes in the Addis airport!). But once again the Lord stretched me as we stood on the plane in Atlanta waiting to get off. We had 57 minutes till our next plane took off for RDU. We still had to go through immigration, baggage, customs and then find the terminal! I nearly had a nervous breakdown. We were so close to home and yet we could miss our flight! But God is SO GOOD. We zoomed through immigration, and customs, we slung our luggage off the belt and ran, I mean RAN through the airport on wobbly legs. It was like on Home Alone when the family was trying to get to their plane. People may have thought we were nuts, but hey, WE MADE IT! It was an exciting ending to the day.

Home had never been so sweet. I almost kissed the floor. No matter how great a trip is, there is no place like home. The Lord did amazing things. He really stretched our family through this and made us stronger, He blessed the church in Ethiopia and allowed many to hear about Him all over Alaba. I say that is a pretty good trip. I'm so thankful for our awesome team of the magnificent 7... Dad, Kandace, Cindi Jacobs, Abigail Jacobs, Jason Hatley, Dale Jennings and me. What a great group.

It is beyond wonderful to know that the Lord is pleased. There is NOTHING like mission work, especially when it is in the "outermost parts." All of us as children of God are missionaries, we are called to this. It was an honor. It is an honor. Jesus be praised. We are nothing, but He is everything! Amen!