Swim Lessons

Ella has become a master swimmer...seriously. I'm amazed at her athletic ability and her focus when learning something new. Here are a few pictures from the end of session program:

Journey to Ethiopia (Part II)

When I posted earlier about my journey to Ethiopia, I left out many of the details from my trip. This was intentional; it's not that I don't want to share those very precious memories, it's just that they are VERY precious and will be saved for Elias' ears some day. I do, however, want to share a little about the people whom I met while in Addis Ababa and also share a little about the city. I mentioned that we went on a tour of the city the first day that we were there. I was stunned by the poverty and intrigued by the efficiency of the people who lived there. Most of the families lived in very small "shack like" dwellings that consisted of not much more than four walls and a tin or bamboo roof. These dwellings dotted the city. It was clear that most survived without electricity and running water, and those who did have electricity...well, it usually goes out 2-4 times a week. However, in the midst of all of this, I saw laughter, hugging, commraderie and much more. Of course there were some who were so destitute that they appeared to have lost all hope, and it's for them that I continue to pray for. But there were many, many people who moved forward each day trying their best to make a better way.

At the HOH #2, we had a cook, a guard and three lovely women who cleaned. These precious people were some of the most gracious and caring people I have ever met. Our meals were delicious and prepared with such love. The day after we arrived, we were summoned to breakfast. The table was set so eloquently, and the variety of food was overwhelming. Oh, and the coffee!!! So delicious!! We were never served dessert, just coffee at the end of the meal. We were well taken care of, and I'll never forget how welcomed and appreciated I felt while I was there.

We had a driver for the week, and his name was Tesfu. I regret not getting a picture of him because I would love for Elias to see him someday. He was an amazing young man who took care of Sherry and me better than any big brother could have. He stayed with us wherever we went and always made sure we were safe. The day before we left, he knew how distraught we were about Elias being sick. We were worried that we wouldn't get his Visa in time to go home...well, you read the story. Anyway, Tesfu looked me right in the eye and said, "I will get his Visa. Do not worry." That day, he had on a t-shirt that had a cross on it and on the cross, it said, "Jesus Saves!". I told him I liked his shirt, and he said, "I love Jesus." It was that simple..."I love Jesus." We were surrounded by sweet souls like Tesfu and it's not that I didn't expect that, it's just that God was SO present there. I met person after person who didn't hold back how he or she felt about Jesus. It was so incredibly refreshing. I felt so revived when I left there. In fact, my SIL and I talk about life after Africa quite a bit. We have such a different perspective now.