I've been home for two days now - my luggage for 1 1/2. I slept through most of the first day and today I think I'm starting to feel a little more normal again. There are many pics I cannot post because of adoption laws. Therefore, if you truly want to see other endearing pictures (and there are many!) you'll have to invite yourselves over to see them :)
I don't think I'll ever be able to truly put everything I saw, heard, smelled, touched and loved into words. I do know that I will go back...someday. I also know that some of the emotions I felt were only the tip of the iceberg of what God must feel for these children. Despite the conditions they live in, every single child I met smiled. Every single child I met had hope. Every single child I met was thankful for what very, very little they had. And every child I met had a name and an incredible story to tell. I enjoyed every hard-to-breathe, hard-to-fathom, hard-to-describe, moment. And, as much as I hate to cry, there were many times I had to will myself not to.
As I re-read the posts that Kyle had to make for me, I noticed a few type-o's. Oh well! Not going to fix them. It took a lot of effort on his part to retrieve them from e-mail and then re-type everything after a long day at work and being a "single dad." (note to Kyle - you did a great job managing everything and having you post for me made me feel like you were there with me - I love You!)
I will end this little adventure with a few more photos that can be shared. I hope you will not only look at them, but will allow these images to remind you to pray for children 1/2 way around the world. Children I met, children I held, children who captured my heart. And, mostly, I hope you will DO someday...whatever it is God calls you to DO.
African Proverb: Pray...but when you pray, move your feet!
"Moving you feet" may cost you something...vacation time, a paycheck, time away from something you love, etc. But nothing you or I sacrifice will ever compare to what Christ sacrificed for us.
Our VO Team in Korah.
I don't think I'll ever be able to truly put everything I saw, heard, smelled, touched and loved into words. I do know that I will go back...someday. I also know that some of the emotions I felt were only the tip of the iceberg of what God must feel for these children. Despite the conditions they live in, every single child I met smiled. Every single child I met had hope. Every single child I met was thankful for what very, very little they had. And every child I met had a name and an incredible story to tell. I enjoyed every hard-to-breathe, hard-to-fathom, hard-to-describe, moment. And, as much as I hate to cry, there were many times I had to will myself not to.
As I re-read the posts that Kyle had to make for me, I noticed a few type-o's. Oh well! Not going to fix them. It took a lot of effort on his part to retrieve them from e-mail and then re-type everything after a long day at work and being a "single dad." (note to Kyle - you did a great job managing everything and having you post for me made me feel like you were there with me - I love You!)
I will end this little adventure with a few more photos that can be shared. I hope you will not only look at them, but will allow these images to remind you to pray for children 1/2 way around the world. Children I met, children I held, children who captured my heart. And, mostly, I hope you will DO someday...whatever it is God calls you to DO.
African Proverb: Pray...but when you pray, move your feet!
"Moving you feet" may cost you something...vacation time, a paycheck, time away from something you love, etc. But nothing you or I sacrifice will ever compare to what Christ sacrificed for us.
Summer & Cory and their three boys.
They sold everything they had to move to Addis and start P61.
The girl on the right is Ashley. She lives in Addis now too. She oversees the orphanage we did a "make-over" for and works with Summer.
This would be the hands of a 13 year old boy praying for me after I prayed for him. He wants to be a Pastor someday. How sweet is that?
A random photo of somewhere in Addis.
Goats on their way to market. No kidding; 100+ goats were squished in there!
Entodo Mountain- a view from above.
These women walked to the top of the mountain to gather their firewood and were heading back down. I've never seen such strong women in my life...and there were many of them making the trek!
These women walked to the top of the mountain to gather their firewood and were heading back down. I've never seen such strong women in my life...and there were many of them making the trek!
An entry way into a home in Korah.
The kids at New Hope know Jesus. They sing to him every day and loved the little projects we brought for them to make. Of course they wanted us to keep them (but we ended up talking them into keeping them - finally!)
A little boy thrilled with his "Jesus"
A street in Korah...they are filled with children.
A street in Korah...they are filled with children.
One of the "Extremem Make-Over Orphanage Edition" rooms we painted.
When all the kids saw their new rooms they were kissing our knees! No joke. They were so happy to have such a fun place to call their own.
No comments:
Post a Comment