Today was our day to go to Beza Church. It is an English speaking church that I look forward to taking my teams to. Again, my teams are very diverse in denominations and religion but this is such an awesome, non denominational, high energy church that it brings a great opportunity for us all to come together as one to thank God for bringing us to Africa and opening our eyes, no matter how strong we feel our relationship is with Him. God meets us right where we are. You can't help but to go to that church and feel a deeper connection with God. It is an awesome experience!
As we were getting ready to leave some of the boys in the house kept telling me that there was someone outside that was asking for me. When I walked out it was this young neighborhood boy with a concerned look on his face. He seemed nervous. I didn't see any of the other boys around him. I walked out and he said, "Kelly, Beza Church?" I said, "You want to go to church with us?" and he nodded "Yes". I had given taxi money for the other neighborhood boys to meet us at church but this little guy got left behind and he was so sad about it and worried he wouldn't get to go. So I said, "Sure, little dude! Hop in and go with us!" He jumped in our bus and his little face lit up with a smile as he was so relieved. We will call him little N.
We also stopped and picked up the only two girls living at Hope 4 Hopeless and took them with us. We had really bonded and they wanted to go to church with us. We were glad to have them.
Church was amazing as usual. We sang many songs that we sing in my church at home. It's amazing seeing a different nation of people singing and praising the same God from all the way around the world. It seems ten times as powerful feeling God's presence after witnessing some of the needs and the miracles that have taken place since our stay in Ethiopia.
As we sang, one by one, the neighborhood boys started showing up and filing in the rows. About 13 of them came to church with us that morning because we had invited them. It was awesome to see!!
After church we all piled in and went to lunch. It is quite the crowd when we all show up somewhere to eat :-)
Little N was our sidekick for the remainder of the trip. My husband went and visited his house and met his grandmother that he lives with. He doesn't have a mother or a father or siblings, only a grandmother. Shane said they lived in your typical mud shack of a house. He saw how they were struggling and asked the grandmother how she pays for N's school. She explained that she waits for N's uncle to send money when he can but it is very difficult. He asked how much his school cost and she said 300 Birr a year. That is about $18 US dollars. Shane reached in his pocket where he remembered he had some birr. He pulled out exactly 500 birr and handed it to her and said he wanted to pay for his year of school and expenses. He said the grandmother grabbed his hand and started kissing it with tears running down her face. He said when he looked over at little N, that he had tears running down his face as well.
It takes so very little to Change The World For One in this country!
Little N found his place with some new friends from our team. Ashley found him a new outfit and got him out of his shredded clothes that he showed up in.
We ended our day going to the market and allowing the team to get some souvenirs to take home to their families. It was a great day in Ethiopia!!
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