The Beauty of Ethiopia

One thing my Knight and I discovered on this trip to Ethiopia is that what we were taught in grade school about Africa (and Ethiopia) was a lie.  Ethiopia is not a brown, hot and dry desert like place.  It is very green and very beautiful.  This time God allowed us to venture out of Addis Ababa (the capitol city) and into the country side of Ethiopia.  WOW, what a difference.  As much as I love Addis, the charm of the country has planted itself deeply within my heart. 

I will share the pictures soon, of all the beauty that God let us drink in.  I desperately tried to capture it on my camera, so when I became homesick for Ethiopia, that I'd have a bit of it always within my grasp.  The funny thing is, where God planted us, oft times looks like the village my daughter is from.  Not so much the houses, or the paved roads, but occasionally as I drive past freshly plowed fields and acres and acres of dark rich soil, I point to our new daughter and say, "Woliso."  And she nods her head in agreement.  A tiny bit the same, but so vastly different too.

An update on us:

I'd be negligent in not telling you that we are exhausted.  I think with each adoption, we have become aware that adoption is mentally, spiritually and physically exhausting.  Oft times, when the children are all tucked in bed (usually by 7:30-8 p.m. at our house for everyone under 11 years old), either my Knight or myself will say how tired we are.  A different kind of tired than we normally experience, a tired that we have only known that comes with adoption.  I am guessing it is part of the submission into His hands, part of the release of our will for His own. 

Of course we are thankful for your prayers, without you, well, I can't even imagine what it would be like.

Our new baby is doing remarkably well.  The stubborn has disappeared.  She is asking when we can go to church. Part of the problem we have at church, is the number of people who want to welcome her.  A good problem, but for her overwhelming because of the language barrier we still have.  I think also the preaching part exhausts her still, just so much English still for her ears to take in. 

We went to a different church over the weekend, I explained to her that we were visiting to say good-bye to a dear friend who is dieing of cancer.  It was my friend's birthday, it was also Mother's Day.  My friend is now having hospice, she was unable to attend the service that had been her hope for months.  After church, a large group of the church brought church to my friend's home.  She understood all that the day was centered around.  She kissed my friend and hugged her brown face, as she lay in her hospital bed in her room filled with balloons and flowers.  Our Ethiopian beauty joined in singing, 
"Happy Birthday to YOU," as we sang to our dear sister in the Lord.  It was one of those times when you could feel God's presence and you just felt the need to take of your shoes, as the place was of Holy ground.

As we drove away from my friend's home, she said that she liked the church, but that she really liked ours better.  Actually what she said is, "Bella's church what I like."  We laughed, because the weeks before she had given us a bit of grief in getting dressed or participating in church.  My mother's heart was heavy.  Funny, how God works things into us.  Change is sometimes hard, but He has a way of coming into each situation with His Spirit and filling in the hard parts. 

To which I have to say, "amen!"