Well after being back in the US for a week I decided it was time to finish this blog sharing with each of you about what I learned while I was in Ethiopia. The major things I learned may not sound like major revelations to you but, they are lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
The first major thing I learned was that just ONE person can make a huge difference. One of my faovrite quotes is "to the world you may just be one person, but to one person you may be the world", How true this quote was for me during my time in Africa. A smile, hug, handshake, even a tiny container of bubbles can make someones day. God has blessed you, no matter who you are and He didn't give you the many blessings you have so you can keep them for yourself. God blesses us so that we might be a blessing to someone else. The money we have, our education, our family, our talents are all given to us to share with others no hoard for ourselves alone. I never would have thought that the money everyone donated to this trip would clothe over ten children, feed 5 families for a month and provided baby formula for a baby who's mother has HIV, and pay rent for a month for a family, and even buy over ten pairs of shoes for children. WOW! All of those children, and thier families were blessed because some of you decided to share God's blessing with them. How awesome is that!
Another thing I learned while I was in a home visit was what joy really is. Joy is smiling because of the Lord and all the He has done for you. Joy isn't being happy because of tangilble things. The source of Joy comes from the Lord. I hope to continue to share my blessings with others like I did in Africa, because the feeling I got from delivering food to a guardian with no speck of food in the house was indescribeable. I didn't do that for me, I did it because God has called us to feed the hungery; however, i think their faces were more of blessing for me than anything else i have on earth. I met countless mothers who are trying thier very hardest to live on less than 25 cents a day while providing food, clothes and if they are lcuky, and education for thier children. On top of that, some of these mothers were living with HIV. If they can be full of joy why isn't every American? God truly is all we need in the world, it doesn't matter how much stuff you have, what matters is what you did with your blessings and time.
I loved every minute spent with the children in Africa. I think about them every day and miss their smiles and hugs and kisses, but the presence of the Lord is so strong in that country. Everywhere we went we saw scripture, or pictures of Jesus, not to mention the joy most of the people there have. The funny thing is my first day back home was the only time I have cried since returning. What is surprising is that I wasn't crying, for the kids, or Ethiopia, I was crying for America. The fact that so many people in this country are living their lives totally separte from the Lord breaks my heart. The need for a savior is physically visible in Ethiopia, but here in America we are just as in need of a Savior, even if we have our physical needs met. Here murder, and rape, and theft occur every day in every city across this country. Where is the joy? Where is Love? Our country is missing something that Ethiopians have figured out, God is ALL we need. I ask you to continue to pray for BCI and the country of Ethiopia, but I also want you to really pray for this country. Pray for a revival in the church and in our country. We are letting Satan get the best of us because of our lack of action. By not doing anything you are working against the Lord. How will you reach our dying world?
