| Ethiopia | Our Brothers + Sisters

So it’s finally here…the final slideshow. I still have a few photos to share from my visit with the ladies of fashionABLE, but this is the final slideshow highlighting our trip to Ethiopia!

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Making this slideshow was the most difficult, exciting, saddening and joyous one for me to make. These people I met have a true deep part of my heart. They love hard, give hard and live hard. Children are happy with what thy have and students are eager to learn. Everyone we met was so excited to see us….I hope they know how excited we were to see them.

During our time there, I had a hard time with processing it all. I expected to go and be wrecked in my heart and mind. When I didn’t have that reacation, I immediately thought…”What’s wrong with me!?” Why  am I not torn up about what I’m seeing?

It took me a little bit to figure out, but it’s because I was expecting to pity. It’s so shameful to admit, but that’s what my vain mind thought. But, I don’t pity the people I met at all. They taught us so much about life and so much about how to live…and how to give. People glowed with Jesus’ love. I saw Jesus in each one of their faces…their eyes…their heart.

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I think once you go through the photos/slideshow…you’ll see what I’m talking about. Sometimes I just want to get on a plane and go hug them and hang out with them. My biggest prayer is for their basic necessities to be met at the very least. I want more for them of course, but they’ve got a lot of things figured out way better than I do when it comes to giving and loving!

We always ask: :Why are they hungry?” “Why are they sick?” “Why are they dying?”

And the answer is us..humans. God provides, and He works through us to provide. He gave us abilities to help. Poverty wouldn’t be where it’s at without sin. We sin, we don’t give graciously ….we pity. We’re apathetic + sympathetic. We need to learn what compassion is from the One who showed it best.

We don’t need to help with Western ideals in mind but rather our Lord’s idea of community. He gives us the opportunity to be His hands and feet (not just a wallet because financial aid isn’t always the answer). And I’m not immune….I’m just figuring it all out like you are. So let’s follow Him.