Beza International Church

Today we went to the Beza International Church. It was awesome to say the least. Todd would love the worship I saw and experienced today! Dang, these people know how to praise God. Sort of a Southern Baptist / Pentecostal meets James Brown thing.

We went to the English service. While I was in church, half of our team went to take 8 new babies to see the doctor with the girl that runs the orphanage here now. They were all pre-mature and malnourished. They showed up on her door step last night. One baby weighed 5 lbs and was found in a hotel after being for 2 days by himself. I haven't seem the babies yet, but of them are now at the orphanage. A group of us are headed there in a few minutes to do whatever we can, paint, bathe babies, play with kids, clean up all the puke, take out the trash, wash diapers, etc.

After church we took a bunch of "street kids" out for pizza. These kids live on the street or in the room behind their parents' store at the local shopping area called the Post Office. Some of the kids will go to school and others don't. Most kids still show up at church every Sunday, despite the walk! Can you believe that? Their parents are not with them because they are working. I asked the girl I hung out with what she does after school. She said, "I sell bubble gum and shine shoes." Her father is dead and her mother works at a store somewhere. I don't think they have a home of their own, or even a room somewhere. It sounded like she lives in or under whatever she and her mother and sisters can find. She is only 11 years old. She is in 5th grade and speaks English fairly well. I have a picture of her and I at lunch. It is very sweet.

We also gave these kids new flip flops. You'd have thought we just handed them gold! As we dropped them back off at the Post Office, she gave me a necklace she made; one she could sell but wanted me to have it. She said, "You remember me now, Okay?", and then gave me a hug.

The most amazing part, though, was that these street kids take care of each other. As we waited for pizza...and waited...and watied...one pizza would come out and the kids would start giving it to the other kids. None of the, "I get the first piece!" that I hear at home. These kids have nothing, yet they give everything even if it means they will be hungry a little longer. The girl I had lunch with saved two pieces of pizza at the end saying, "I take these home for my sister." I knew she was still hungry, but she refused to eat any more.

Only 1-1/2 days left before we head out. Our flight leaves Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday at around midnight local time (3pm Tuesday MDT, for those that are time-zone challenged.) I arrive back in Salt Lake City around 3:30pm Wednesday. That is 24.5 hours of traveling.

That's all for now. I will be heading to the orphanage for the rest of the night.

Final words from the worship Pastor at church today. "If you praise God only a little, how can you ask Him for big blessings? You give your all for Him, and He'll give you all you will ever need and more."