Wreck my Life

I am started to get my journals from my trip to Ethiopia all typed out. We had no Internet, no cell service nothing while we were there....so it was back to stone ages of pen & paper. :)
Once I get them all finished I'll post more.

Ethiopia Day 1
November 5, 2011
Well we have just spent our first day in Addis Ababa. Only took a 3 hour drive to Dulles, then a 12 hour flight to Ethiopia – then a 2 hour crazy chaotic drive down to Mojo – where I now sit. I’m just beside myself, one because of the fact that 16 years later God answered my prayers, and I’m back in Africa, but two because I am excited & in anticipation of what he will do while here. I can’t wait to hug & love on the children. To show them Jesus loves them. On the plane I started reading the book Kisses from Katie, by Katie Davis. It is chilling to the core, I think I cried through the whole 1st couple chapters. Haha She just sounds like a normal girl, who said yes to Jesus. In chapter 11 she is talking about the phrase “God will not give you more than you can handle” – she believes that God totally, absolutely, and intentionally gives us more than we can handle – because this is when we surrender to Him and He takes over; proving Himself by doing the impossible in our lives.

“I have learned to accept it, even ask for it; give me more than I can handle, because in these times God shows himself victorious. All of this life requires more of Him & less of me. God does give us more – not maliciously, but intentionally, in love, so that his glory may be displayed that we have no doubt of who is in control, and people can see His grace and faithfulness shining through our lives” she writes.

I guess that is where I’m at – I’m terrified to ask for more than I can handle. I want to, but I’m scared to. I have no idea what this means, but I want this. Its one thing to be sitting in your comfy home, in your comfort zone and ask this….but its another when you are completely out of your element & in a new place, away from all the comforts we get as Americans. So as I sit here, In Mojo Ethiopia…I want Him to prove that He can do the impossible in my life and I would have no doubt about who is in control.
Wreck my life Lord.

Words we learned today:
Amesegenalehu – Thank you
Yesus – Jesus


Ethiopia Day 2
Sunday November 6, 2011
We went to Nazaret today, to a church service. During the service the pastor started yelling out & our translators were telling us that he was saying he would not continue until the evil spirits were gone. There were 3 demon possessed women in the crowd. When called out, one by one there was this wretched awful screech that was let out when each one of them were called out. Quite intense.

We also went out walking around Mojo today, with no guide. It was pretty….scary….men were yelling it was just a busy area & people started following us yelling stuff that we didn’t understand, so we felt it was time to turn around. We regrouped in the hotel parking lot & wanted to try again so we went the other direction & this street proved to be a bit more “safe” feeling. You still got the same stares as you walked by, but the crowds were not as dense so we didn’t the yelling & followers like we did the other direction. We saw some kids playing soccer & the guys wanted to go play soccer with them, so we did that. Then we ran into some men that were laughing & singing really loud, later to find out from Leul that they were drunk farmers coming in from a hard days work. Who knew! Haha
Overall it was a great day, we ate dinner together then played games trying to adjust to the time change (8 hours ahead of Lynchburg). I’m so excited to see what is next for us!


Ethiopia Day 3
Monday November 7, 2011
Today we went to Genesis Farms in Debre Zeit! It was SO lush & beautiful! The farm was begun thanks to two gentlemen, an American and an Ethiopian. Genesis farm is part of a project designed to pass on not only skills and knowledge about agriculture and farming, but also to spread the Gospel to others in developing countries like Ethiopia. Employing roughly 650 workers, the farm does an exceptional job at providing employment and also food security for the local community. As we were there we sat and watched a line of people waiting with jugs in hand. We asked Leul what they were waiting for it, and he told us that is how they get their milk. They wait in a long line then around 3pm they bring the milk from the cows & sell it to the people at a discounted rate so they can have fresh milk. I was rocked, as you can imagine. We walk into our many many grocery store locations to find gallons & gallons of milk. It just was very humbling.

After Genesis Farm, we went to Rafiki.
“Rafiki” means friend in Swahili and depicts the purpose of the Foundation—to befriend orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27). The mission of the Rafiki Foundation is to help Africans know God by caring for and educating orphans, providing materials and training in education and Bible study, and giving economic opportunities to widows.
It was such a good afternoon of just loving & hugging on those sweet kiddos. They were just so full of life. I was humbled again because some of those kids were found in barns by farmers. They would bring the kids who were just abandoned to Rafiki because they knew they would be loved & cared for. And that they are. It was really good to see how well taken care of they are.
Such a full day. My heart was really full today.

Ethiopia Bound

I am leaving for Ethiopia so SOON!! I'm SO excited!
They prayed for our team tonight at church, but I wasn't able to attend because of a sick baby. :( However, I was there in spirit.
Going back to Africa is a 16 year prayer request of mine that has been answered! See when I was a Junior in high school I went to Ghana Africa with Teen Mania Ministries & it was an experience that changed my life, forever. God birthed in me a love & a compassion for the people of Africa. I know its from him because my heart doesn't beat & skip for every culture like it does for the African culture. My heart beats for them, I love their culture, I love how joyful they are when they don't even have a fraction of what we have here in America. They are beautiful people & they captured my heart. They captured it so much that I had decided once done with college I was going to try to go live over there....well long story short with a now husband & baby...that plan did not pan out; obviously.
Until now. (sorta, minus the living part.) :)
See I have been praying to be able to go back at some point, some how; I even had an opportunity to go with a group a few years ago, but the time wasn't right & I wasn't able to go. Which leads me to today....one day away from yet another answered prayer. God is so amazing to me, not because he answers me & gives me the desires of my heart, but because he HEARS me. He doesn't give me my desires when I want them or when I think I need them, but in his time he has worked them out.....according to HIS plan. I am not the same girl I was 16, 10, even 5 years ago. He has transformed me & brought me to a place of complete & total surrender to him, and HIS plan....not mine....no matter what.
I go into this trip with knees to the earth, hands open wide, ready to drink in all he has for me.
I'm so humbled & in awe. I am not sure how much time I'll have to blog while over there, but I'll at least get some notes jotted down to bring back to everyone. Until next time....

Beaming with gratitude,
Janna ♥