A Week of Firsts

Last week’s blog was written and sent out early on Wednesday morning from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!

I had been there only a few days and had already seen some incredible, life changing things! However, I had no idea what the Lord had in store for the rest of that Wednesday.

I shared with you last week about the lepers who came each day to eat lunch, and how a few of us got to feed them – a major “first” in my life for which I will be eternally grateful.

On the way to the Korah community that Wednesday, we stopped on the side of the road to buy some goats. When we arrived, a few of the workers took them away… and guess what was served for lunch? Yep! Another “first”…

Also that morning, we were invited to attend a worship and prayer time with the “bead ladies.” They spend the day making bead jewelry to help support themselves and the Great Hope Center.

We stepped into a dimly lit, shed-like room and the presence of the Holy Spirit was so thick that I could barely keep standing!

As they began to pray and sing, I could feel my spirit being drawn in immediately… the Holy Spirit transcending the language barrier.

All of sudden I began to hear the Lord whispering words into my heart. Words of worship. I asked the Lord, “Are these the words they are singing?” A moment later, one of the women stopped and said, “I would like to interpret this song for you.” As she began telling us the words to the song, I was completely undone because she was speaking the words the Lord had been pouring into my spirit!

Then we began singing and dancing together again! The passion in that place was over the top!

Afterwards, we hung out with the kids and then went to visit the homes in the area we had renovated that week. The people were so appreciative and wanted to honor us with a “coffee ceremony.”

To make coffee, they must pick the beans, roast them over a small open fire in the middle of their one-room home, crush the beans, boil the water then pour the water over the ground beans.

The whole process takes almost 2 hours. Thus, it is a ceremony! Can you imagine going through that each day for a cup of coffee?

Another “first”…. and in my spirit I could hear the Lord saying, “Oh, but there’s more…”

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you the rest of the story!