Thoughts & Questions
Wednesday
We spent the
morning at CFI again today. Another good
day with the women. We made
necklaces. They are so creative, and
they loved making them and wearing them home.
The kids had a great time.
We went to
the drop-in center at Kechene this afternoon and heard the really disturbing
news that their American supporter has pulled funding. Their rent is paid through mid-May. After that, there is no money. (At least, not right now.) The kids have no uniforms, and they are no
longer being fed. After the KG kids
(equivalent to our pre-school/kindergarten ages) left, we sat in their empty
cinderblock classroom. KG kids stay at
the drop-in center all day, while the elementary kids go to the local
government school and come to the center for lunch. Nicodemus told us that when the elementary
school children had come to the center yesterday for lunch, they’d had to tell
them that there was no food. As Peter
translated Nicodemus’ words and told us that the kids (150 total, including KG and
elementary) were no longer eating at the center, his voice broke. He stopped speaking and sat quietly for a
moment. Then he began to sob, second day
in a row, this time out of grief, not joy.
The room fell completely silent except for the sound of Peter’s weeping
as we sat with the knowledge that 150 desperately hungry children were no
longer receiving what was likely their only meal of the day. Soon the room was filled with the sound of
quiet weeping. Many minutes passed. It takes time to grapple with that kind of
news. Children you recognize, children
you just spent time singing and playing with, children who have no hope or
resources outside the gates you sit within, just left hungry. And will again and again and maybe
permanently if God doesn’t work another amazing miracle.
As part of our group toured the compound, it
began to rain. I’ve now been in Ethiopia
5 times, and I’ve never seen it rain. I
stood on the porch of a classroom and looked out over the valley in front of
me. On the opposite hill stood the
American embassy. It’s made of clean
white concrete. In the valley between
the dirty, worn down compound I stood in and the beautiful embassy on the
opposite hill was only tin roof after tin roof covering hundreds of tin
shacks. And a cemetery with what seemed
like hundreds of identical, simple crosses.
The sight was striking.
It began to
hail. The hail stones pounded and
bounced crazily on the tin roof of building to my right. As we waited out the storm in a dark
classroom, the sun broke through the clouds.
A partial, faint rainbow appeared over that valley. After another good hard rain, the sun shone
through again, and I went back to the porch to see if the rainbow had
reappeared. It had, and as I followed it
to see if it traced a full arc, I gasped.
I swear that rainbow ended right in the valley in front of me. I could literally see the colors shimmering
in the air between me and the trees below.
The rain finally slacked, and we said our goodbyes and walked toward the
gate. Yet another (yes, the third)
rainbow appeared. Although covering only
half the sky, this one was incredibly vibrant.
You could see every single color of the spectrum. It lasted a long time. As we drove back to our guest house and the
clouds began to break apart, the sunset was magnificent. God has certainly been spectacular this trip
in painting His creation.
These last days have left me with deep questions and
thoughts to ponder:
·
Can 30 seconds of
stroking a baby’s cheek possibly make a difference in a lifetime?
·
What about 15
minutes of holding a child in your arms?
·
Every child
really does need a momma.
·
Do donors half a
world away have any concept at all of the impact their giving or not giving
really has?
·
Just as we must
responsibly give, we must responsibly withdraw giving.
·
God still works
miracles.
·
God is totally
sovereign.
·
God is faithful.
·
God’s speaks to
us through His creation in beautiful, breathtaking ways.
·
God’s promises
are true.
I have absolutely loved reading every post!
ReplyDeleteLuv u!
No words yet prayers for this sweet ministry!
ReplyDeleteIs anything being done to find financial help so these children can eat?
ReplyDelete