Reflections on Africa

On my way home yesterday from my trip to Zambia and Ethiopia, my mind was flooded with dozens of stories I couldn't wait to tell- then I remembered some wise words a friend told me after a previous trip of serving others, "you can't share too many stories or too much information with people, it's too overwhelming, and they won't want to listen. Pick 2 or 3 of the best ones and share them succinctly and enthusiastically". With that in mind, let me share with you some thoughts about my trip...

Story number 1: Starting with my last day first, this scene is still fresh in my mind. Visiting Kaela Gottlieb (our representative servant in Ethiopia) in Addis Ababa, I was hoping to find out several things,i.e., Is she doing ok emotionally, spiritually, physically? Does she have a good support system looking out for her?, and does she think that, at this time, she is in the right place that God has for her? Quickly I found out that her enthusiasm and joy for working with Kids was truly infectious- she is amazing around kids! But the memory that sticks with me is her Christ-like love for a homeless,brand new Mother. She had told me of her meeting this very young Woman on the streets, and of her passion to help her. Later that same day, Kaela learned that a team of servants from the United States, on a short term mission to serve and bless, had brought in with them a big supply of baby clothes, blankets, diapers, and baby food. We immediately headed out to find this Single Mother. There on the sidewalk of a downtown Addis Ababa street, this woman had set up her temporary camp, under a six foot by ten foot piece of plastic that you could barely crawl under(I couldn't but Kaela could and did). Excitedly, she brought in the gifts. As this young Mother looked on with all the joy of a Christmas morning, Kaela quickly took the baby and held it as if it were her own. The issue of finding her a more permanent home is still in process- there are no easy solutions, as she is but one of countless other homeless Mothers. But for this one moment, Jesus had visited her through Kaela's heart, smile and touch.