Ethiopia Mission Trip Update: Day #10

After lunch, we had an appointment to go and see two of the future sites for Bethel Mekane Yesus School sites. First one was nearby the current location but right next to an upcoming major highway. I could just imagine all the noise that the students would have to endure as all the trucks and vehicles passed by. Then we headed towards second site that was in the south. Well, one thing that Ato (Mr.) Tefari, the principal, forgot to mention is that there is a LOT of construction going. Oh and he forgot to mention that the roads about mile out of the site is not developed. What did this mean? The poor 20-year-old Toyota minivan had to drive through the treacherous mud road! We got stuck once even on one of the turns! The local kids helped us get out eventually. We still had to park the van somewhere down the mountains and walk up the muddy roads. After some mud incidents, 5 of us (PS, Joy, Jade, John, and Peter) along with Dorothy and Ato Tefari made it to the future site. Though still undeveloped, the land was donated by the government but with all the development and staffing issues to be picked up by the school, it will be a daunting task. It was also a beautiful site to see all the countryside of Ethiopia. The whole thing reminded me of undeveloped Korea from the ’50s and ’60s time. We can only pray that the development will be beneficial to the entire country.

Once we came back and went out to dinner, we came back for a surprise b-day party for Jade along with the girls at the hostel. They had prepared a cake along with a cultural necklace as a gift. After that, they also gave each of us a gift of a shawl. After just simple time of hanging out together, we came back for prayer time.

Water and power go in and out very frequently. We haven’t had full running water for shower for several days now. Peter has 42 flea/bug bites on his legs and neck. EVERYONE is having gas issues. Many are having diarrhea as well. Christine just got off her steroids and is making her very agitated. So please pray for all of us