MMI-TEAM VISIT TO SODDO: OCTOBER 2009

The past two weeks:

- One Optometrist, Three Ethiopian Trainees, Two surgeons

- Approximately 1 500 patients were screened and attended to through ministry and Eye care!

- Cataract/Other Eye Surgeries: 205

We rejoice in the smooth , well organized Eye Project which Harry and his 3 Eye Clinic Staff prepared for during the past year. We are so thankful to the 3 Hospital Chaplans who ministered every day at different times to the group of waiting patiens under the home made tent…….! Walking by patients to and from the Hospital, were drawn in to listen as well.

A week before the team’s arrival, the Ghana Director, GOLLINS arrived and assisted with final announcements in the communities nearby. It was so interesting to hear his surprise in how the Ethiopian culture differ from his homeland. He was overwhelmed by the complexity, bureaucracy and poverty and was amazed at what Harry has been able to accomplish during the past 3 years already!

The team was large this year: 14 members and they had to live in a nearby hotel without hot water and not comfortable at all, but they were brave. The Hospital compound has a ‘guest space’ where 10-12 people can comfortable sleep in two large dorm-style rooms, but we could not find space for this larger group.

It was difficult to feed such a large group – we do not have an infrastructure with large industrial stoves, pots, pans, dishes, etc., We have to improvise for groups !

For the first time, I ventured out to employ the Hospital Cook’s services for lunch and she (SIMET) served with dignity and grace, provided such delicious meals for the team, that it made my task simpler to only provide suppers for the team.

Willie Hunter’s words: “this was an almost perfect project” has been encouraging to the Ethiopian staff on the ground.Harry is also encouraged and is looking at several ways to grow and develop this program further.

THANK YOU to everyone for your prayers, encouragement and support throughout these intense two week!

FEET…..
Must confess: I have had an interest in feet for quite some time now – especially children’s feet! 
Here in Ethiopia, where only a few children have the luxury of shoes, the nakedness of feet, communicates so much more about their lives:  lifestyle, economical status, health and much more.  Children’s feet carry them over sharp rocks with ease, cautiously through dirty roads.   They gather so much of the earth and deposit the debris a few hops further – just for the uncoming cow’s hoofs to pinch it between hardened toes……   This is how the many forms of disease spread here – people walk in and out of blessing, in and out of curse.   It is a cruel soil. 
Another reality here, is the presence of silicon in the farm land, so with a combination of genetics, MOSSY FOOT is the sad result of an unhygienic lifestyle where water is scarce, so washing is often impossible.   This transforms feet into puffy, swollen, painful, infected, burst skin and can lead to the terrible elephantiasis.  
The feet of a little boy whom I spotted limping on his water walk, held my attention.  His feet were hurting.   The hardened,  swollen skin, hosted jiggers.   Jiggers that devour the skin and lay eggs in dirty flesh – painful!  I brought him home and while he enjoyed his breakfast, his feet soaked in a bucket of warm bleach water.    After drying his feet well, we gave him fresh socks and placed his feet carefully into the slightly-too-large tennis shoes.  Uncomfortably, he waddled off, smiling happily, because now he could concentrate on the water task and not his painful feet.  After 2 weeks of this morning routine, he hopped and skipped along in his now weary tennis shoes.
Our son has practical, fun feet.  Functional, hosting his limber body firmly and secure as his monkey climb up the large tree, amazes my  ’Mamma-wanting-to-caution-my-child’!   When he gave his first steps as a 1 year old, his feet carried him towards the door which lead into the garden and in that moment, I knew that he would always be curious after the adventures of His design!
Our daughter has long, narrow feet – bony and fragile in my hands when I lotion her skin after an evening bath.   Her tall walk is secure on pre-teen feet which carried her from a continent away into our hearts!
The Southern Ethiopians have feet of endurance.  Feet that carry surviving bodies in and out of days filled with challenge and risk.   The darker the skin, the less nutrition.   MOST feet are very dark here!   Sad feet where the skeleton pattern is visible under dry, dehydrated skin.  Feet that seldom loose contact with the soil, because they carry tired bodies over long distances in dust or mud.   Feet are the general transport.
The contrast of a new born baby whose feet I kiss, the tiny feet that I hold in my hands while feeding and speaking out blessing over life’s path!   Soft, innocent feet which reminds me of the perfection of JESUS’ feet!

- in Sandals.   I often wonder about the feet of Jesus!   We know how He washed the disciple’s feet and the honor which was bestowed…… 
I was strongly reminded of this, when MARIA (our house angel) walked with me to the front door yesterday, asked me which shoes I was going to wear to the Orphanage, then taking it off the shoe rack, bent down and put it on my feet…… she found such delight and I  was humbled!
A dear and close friend of ours, was thrown from a horse about a month ago – he is now in recovery and we keep a close watch on his healing process, but as for now, he is paralyzed and lost the power of his feet……. We find ourselves kneeling before the Throne of grace on behalf of him and his family!
When Jesus walked His earth, He was overcome by the variety and depth of pain and devastation.  He shook the dust from His feet when He was unwelcome.  He removed His sandals to tread on holy ground.  He lowered Himself to reach other’s feet and when His own feet were soaked in oil and wiped by a woman’s hair, He celebrated her devotion!
The Amharic word for FACE is FEET …….!  
Feet – defining our stand before the Creator!  
Be blessed in your walk with Him!
Stephne

Today, I am bound to bed –  exhausted after a dreary night with a tummy virus.  I wake up to our house help, MARIA, kneeling on my bedside, praying for His healing touch.  She is so much more than house help – she has become our family friend, my discerning spiritual sister who calls me to ‘order’ when I feel overwhelmed.  She rejoices with us in the breakthroughs and weeps with me over a sick or lost child…… At 4pm, I feel well enough for a cup of tea, so, together my children and I share a cup of delight with Maria while she praises the Lord for His faithfulness and shares with me how she received a Word from the Lord that He was going to hear her heart’s cry when she asked Him for help about 3 years ago – then He sent our family……..!   I quietly wipe the tears of encouragement and thank the Father for His perfect plan!  ………everyone needs ‘a Maria’.   Just when I was about to minister encouragement to her, she allows the Lord to use her to do just that for me – and I am called to quiet! Not long ago, someone asked us what has been happening with Evangelism here, so I wrote the following: Approach & Focus: Spiritual Ministry is always the heart of every day - to glorify the Lord in all we are and do, is the base and foundation on which we work - it is not always reported, because it is woven into every day - and what may be the ‘normal’ of every day for us here, may be the ‘unusual’ for others, so I apologize for not ‘reporting’ this on a more regular basis! Our family is here, because we have been called by the Lord!   CWA is here, because they have been called by the Lord!  This ‘connection’ between us has been designed by the Creator Himself and we delight in this moment in time when we can all network together in HIS Kingdom - for HIS Kingdom sake!    Our days are motived and driven by His love alone!  Bringing the GOOD NEWS, is the fire and drive of why we are here - bringing it into the day to day living of a devastating nation where survival intensity is high amongst an oppressed and poverty stricken people, is the challenge! ORPHANAGES: STAFF: - every morning, the staff spends about 30 minutes in worship and prayer.       - Special speakers are invited on a regular basis:  Evangelists from community churches are invited to come to our orphanages to share the Word, pray and intercede and when we face illness or emotional challenges amongst staff, we have invited spiritually discerning teachers to come and encourage.      - Soddo:   Our Secretary has had intensive Bible Training and she is in charge of the Spiritual well being of the staff;      - We try to employ born again believers - it has happened three times - after being employed, that nannies and our Soddo Nurse for instance, realized that their personal walk with the Lord has been challenged into a deeper relationship with Him, due to working in our environment; CHILDREN:  - Every morning, the children partake in the worship time, - Afterwards, they have a children’s teaching time with the Teacher/Nannies who have been employed to educate the children; - Children are also ministered to by Local Community Evangelists who come on Saturdays and Sundays; - Children are being prayed over by nannies, administrative staff, etc. - Karmyn teaches a Bible Story 2-3 times per week in Soddo with Felt Board Stories -I am planning to teach the same concept to our    Awassa Home soon - I have a second set of felt board characters and are going to use it there; GOVERNMENTAL TRAINING: - Every Training Seminar that we host and present,  has a large component of Ministry built into the training; - Every Session is opened with prayer; - It is made clear that this work is based on JAMES 1:27 -  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless, is this: to look after widows and orphans in their distress and to keep ourselves from being polluted by this world. GENERAL: - Prayer is a key focus in our ministry. - We (orphanage staff) try to pray over Every family who asks or approach us for help. - Discerning how to help every family member and child that cross our path, is based on the Word of the Lord; PRACTICAL: - Henok and I have been supporting two young people from the MURCI tribe (who live in the Southern Region of Ethiopia) by sending them to Bible School - they are now in their final year (3rd) and will return to their own tribe to minister His Word of healing and release from the MINGI sacrifice - sharing the redeeming Hand of Jesus instead.   They have been home twice already to practice their education and they have been received very well. - We hope to continue building relationship with already established churches in our communities, to stand with them and continue to encourage them through training more evangelists and pastors to minister to their own people.   - About 2 years ago, the Lord showed me that Sarah (who came to work in our family home) had more to serve Him with than she has had opportunities for, so, after Harry and I prayed about it, we asked the Hospital if she could be trained as an Evangelist to minister to women patients.   She has been a tremendous blessing and the Lord has been using her powerfully in ministry in the Hospital. - The bigger problem, is that the local church does not have sufficient funding to pay their pastors and evangelists, so, when we invite special speakers, we normally give them a nice meal, clothing for their families, general donations of what we have on hand. - A muslim woman in a wheelchair, came to us about 2 years ago, asking for food - we invited her into the compound and the Lord created a marvelous opportunity for us to minister to her.   She accepted Jesus as her personal saviour on this day and received fresh bread - also the Bread of Life! Just because we do not “REPORT” these happenings, does NOT mean that there is NOT ministry - I hope that by this brief sharing (of course there is more) you can get an idea of ministry that takes place every day!     THIS work CANNOT be done without the understanding of all of us MINISTERING all the time - being in an attitude of service - as Jesus did, is how we live here - this is why this work is so very demanding.   EVERY need should be evaluated and discerned about very carefully! Henok and I often find ourselves weeping before the Father in prayer as we seek His guidance to practical living.   We refuse to ‘count the souls’ - that belongs to the Holy Spirit who prompts people to come to Him and to give true numbers of how many people accept the Lord as their savior, is such an intimate and holy place - this is not for man to know - this is the Father’s personal relationship with each one that is brought to His throne.   All we do, is bring them to Him - He does the rest, after we present freedom in Jesus Christ to them.    We hear and see their acceptance, but only the Lord knows their true hearts. So, Ministry takes place every day - it is what drives this work into the Heavenlies and allow us to stand aside so that the Lord can do what He called us to.  He does not really need us to do His work - He graciously invited us to walk beside Him as He does through and around us, what He so desires for this nation to experience!   What an honorable position for CWA to have access to the hearts of Ethiopians - we have a tremendous responsibility to be authentic in our dedication to serve this nation as Jesus would have if He was to walk in the dust of this land!   I trust that this explains the passion and dedication of the call to BRING THE CHILDREN TO JESUS in such a variety of ways! In His love, Stephne

THANK YOU to the Lord for releasing His blessing to the nations! We are so aware of His grace and mercy throughout this experience and THANK every kind and generous heart to responded to Mike’s prompting as you gathered quick, invested and donated a tremendous amount of Eye Equipment, Medical Supplies, food, clothing, diapers, toiletries, shoes, etc., etc!  Harry and Henok alternated trips to and from Addis to organize, mediate, plead and guide on behalf of so many in need!   Since the container was filled, laws changed, new laws were passed, so we lost about a quarter or items which were not pass inspection.    Finally, the ISUZU was loaded and arrived in Soddo on 4 June 2009! We unpacked with a team of 10 guys and started distributing the food items first. We are now sorting through the content, meeting with different village leaders in order to establish whom to distribute to first.   We hope to empty the storage unit within the next two months! THANK YOU again for compassionate hearts and tremendous love - have a look at the album for visuals!

SODDO:  CONTAINER UPDATE: We trust that all is well in your hearts and homes!   We are writing to you from a warm Addis Ababa where we are struggling to get the long awaited container through customs.   Since precious friends gathered and filled a large container full of diapers, food, clothing and eye equipment, the Government made changes regarding import laws and our duty free status were adjusted before our helpless eyes…….! In order for us to get the container’s content (which would feed and clothe so many of the poor in the south), customs is expecting us to pay US$7 000.00 in penalties for   second hand clothing which is against the law – to import…… we watched 350kg of clothing and shoes being burnt, while naked children watched from the other side of the fence!   There is not much to be done in the flesh, so we are trusting the Father for His divine intervention, since Harry and I spent $2 000.00 already to just get the container out of Djibouti. Would you please stand with us in faith as we have asked for one more appointment on Monday morning to effort a negotiation and call of gracious hearts! In His grace!

THANK YOU so for your prayers and encouragement!  Precious Tadelech is thriving and well in the loving arms of dedicated orphanage nannies!  The newest three admissions are adjusting and well and finally, our littlest 2.4kg guy here between kissing Missionary Doctors and mothers on the Hospital Compound, is recovering and doing well! Our water challenges are not resolved yet, which causes Harry to still do night drill in order to fill the water tanks!  We are so thankful - washing machines humming at night, we can actually rotate clothing now!  We are so fortunate! Eye Clinic Staff challenges are causing us to seek the Lord’s guidance as to continued ministry in spite of what is deserved…..  Placing us in a position to demonstrate grace and minister His love to those who struggle in His Kingdom. Karmyn & Benjamin are well and slowly getting excited about our pending August/September trip to the USA.   We will post dates and schedules soon! Blessings, Harry, Steph, Karmyn & Benjamin

It comes in different forms:  a burnt child who fell in the fire, left there while his sibling looked for help, a depressed and anxious, overwhelmed mother who is looking at ways to let go of her child, devastation when a father deserts his family, a missionary without water (how ironic to include this into the list), …..but, not one pain as heart clenching as the death of a child! After months of holding her close, praying and pleading for her life, long nights and days of hospital visits, fighting fevers, the Lord released her from her suffering and took her home yesterday.  Her twin brother continues what once was a legacy of two, now the surviving sibling to know about a beloved sister he shared life with for a short period of time. Our hearts ache for this loss, but rejoice in the Father’s mercy to so many who should have/could have had early childhood deaths here in Ethiopia, but due to the love and care of pockets of loving hearts and hands who bring newborns and young children from a place of hopelessness into a moment of love and grace, the Lord Himself restore and revive so many in the palm of this temporary space of grace! It is so difficult to stay within a place of perspective, as life and death breaths loud next to each other!  We cannot ’save them all’ - as our daughter just reminded me:  “Mamma, Jesus must have loved her just too much to let her be here for now - He needed her more!”   And it is in this childlike expression, that I find my peace today!  “Hold them close - with OPEN HANDS”, I hear Him say - “they are Mine!”  There is such release from the pressure in this reminder and I breathe calmer, with ease and enter a place of rest in knowing that this journey is one of grace - in all directions, but mostly to me, as His servant for today!   It has been a few ‘heavy’ days - filled with discouragement and sadness, I find my cry shallow and tears flow over the edge so easily - only Jesus’ return will truly release us! Thank you for your continuous prayer and support - for investing with us into His Kingdom! With His love, Stephne