Ethiopia

A new country, a new language, a new people. Ethiopia is proudly known as one of the only two un-colonized nations in Africa. From its discovery of coffee to its embracing hospitality, Ethiopia has left a lasting mark in the hearts of many, including me.

We were able to visit a few schools while there. I loved seeing the children line up to sing to us as we walked into the campus of a well-advanced school system on the top of a mountain in upcountry Ethiopia. I loved feeling like royalty as I participated in a coffee ceremony and was distinguished as a guest of honor by means of dawning a scarf and holding a rose. But some of my favorite moments came when the children who did not go to school, who were maybe not as well off as others, saw me and grabbed my heart.

"We traveled a long, uncomfortable way up to the peak of a mountain to a school in the ICCM system today. We did not go to teach, to serve, or to work. We simply went to see the school. And because we were visitors, we were treated like royalty. It was incredible.

"While feeling like the most important person in the world is nice from time to time, I have two favorite parts of the day that involved being humbled. While we were walking from one campus to another, we attracted a large group of street children. I gave out my last two candy bars and tried to communicate with them. As we walked, it was not long before a felt a little hand slip into mine. As soon as the other children saw that it was safe to touch the hand of this strange-looking person, my vacant hand was battled over. We walked hand-in-hand (-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand-in-hand...) for quite a ways. They led me around muddy areas and through the smoothest parts in the road. It was beautiful to bond with these children, even though I will probably never see them again.

"My second experience of humbleness occurred several hours later. A group of boys gathered around our bus. As we were waiting to leave, I opened a window and spoke to them. I gave them all a piece of gum, a 3/4 empty water bottle, a package of nuts, or simply a handshake. I know they were hoping for money, but I'd rather give them something instead of money. One little boy hacked off a piece of sugarcane for me. While I did not eat it, I was grateful for his generosity. But there was another young man that really touched me. I had explained to some of the kids that I did not have any money on me, so I was unable to give them anything. This precious little special needs boy must have heard me say this, because he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bill worth 10 birr (about $.50) and tried to give it to me. I was so floored at this boy's generosity, even when he has none."

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As I earlier mentioned, I had the opportunity to spend the last ten days in Ethiopia with quite a wonderful mixture of people. The group I was with was composed of people from eleven different countries, eight from Africa and three from North America. These people are all leaders of International Childcare Ministries in their countries (Not sure what ICCM is? Check it out here!). It was such an honor to be able to attend this conference with these incredible people. However, I had a thought concerning these marvelous souls.

"I was thinking about our group today. Eleven different countries from two different continents composed our group. I don't even know how many languages could come from the lips of our group as a whole. There were times when the language played a role as a blockade in communication; yet there were also times when each of us lifted up the name of Jesus in our native tongues. Though we were all praising in our own languages, we were united through the bond and declaration of the greatness of our God. It's very possible that our group will not again be all together this side of heaven. But I'm already looking forward to that day of reunion, whether it be in this lifetime or our next perfect one.

"Either way, that day will be full of hugs, laughs, and another union in our sweet Savior."

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"I told myself as soon as I landed in Addis Ababa that one visit to Ethiopia in my lifetime was enough, that I would live in Kenya for the rest of my life, that I didn't even need to visit other parts of Africa because I knew exactly where I was going to be and what I was going to do. But maybe that's not true.

"Maybe there is more that I still need to see."

Blessings,
Bekah

Early Encounters

"After becoming very cozy in my bed at this guest house [in Johannesburg, South Africa], I quickly fell into a deep sleep. In the morning, I awoke to the sounds of another guest chattering to someone as he was walking past my room. I stretched, yawned, and prepared to get up and get ready for the day. Then I checked the time. 10:08. I suddenly began to panic. I knew that I had to be checked out of my room before 10, and the stern reminder of the receptionist from the night before started playing in my head: 'Brehkfahst ess from hahf pahst seeks to hahf pahst nine. Don't be late.' I immediately checked my phone to determine why my alarm didn't go off; it must have died during the night since I don't have a proper outlet for charging purposes [Looking back, it makes no sense as to why I thought my phone had died. It was obviously not dead since I just checked the time on it...]. I checked my alarm app, and my alarm was still set for 8:00 AM of May 13, 2014. Then it hit me: my home screen was still displaying the date 'May 12, 2014.' It was still the day that I arrived in Johannesburg. This means that I slept for one hour (I dozed off around 9) and had awoken feeling fully rested. After just one. hour. of. sleep."

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I thought I would start off with an amusing experience on my way here. So much has happened since that time. Let me quickly catch you up to date:

• I landed in Kenya around 1 AM local time on the 14th.
• Later that day, Vickie (my host missionary) and I went to downtown Nairobi to run some errands.
• That next day (the 15th), I journeyed about 6 hours upcountry with Vickie and some familiar and not so familiar people to introduce Bible Quizzing to two schools around that area.
• I just got back from that little jaunt about 2 hours ago.

Congratulations! You are now (in general) up to speed with what has happened so far. I left out several key and not so key details. Some of those involve seeing wild zebras along the highway, getting lost several times on our way upcountry, and getting a flat tire while driving to our accommodations. However, all of these things that happened, whether good or bad, have made my trip so far memorable and exciting. I cannot explain the depth of my love for these people and this land.

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"I am a spectacle.
To some, I am famous.
To some, I am ignorant.
I am hope.
I am help.
I am a disturbance.
I am hatred.
I present a chance for relief as well as an opportunity to be taken advantage of.
I am a spectacle."

I'm not going to pretend that being here is all fun and games. I love the prospect of spending my summer with beautiful little faces, smiling and chanting "How are YOU!" as I pass by. I love being able to see animals that most people only see in zoos and even having the chance to get very close to them. I love being able to experience a culture that most simply read about in books or watch a Discovery documentary about. But I am not ignorant. I know of the violence and outbreaks happening here. I know about what could happen to me simply because I am a "mzungu." I know that I have the possibility of being harmed or worse while I am here.

But I am not afraid. No, I am not seeking out danger, but I know that no matter what happens to me, God is still my protector, my provision. He will keep me safe and take care of me, even if that means welcoming me into his courts earlier than I expect.

Everything, no matter how big or how small, has a special place in His hands.

For that, I am eternally grateful.

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"The company and souls full of Christ that I have encountered on this trip are overwhelming and beautiful. Last night we ate a fully Kenyan meal composed of ugali, chipatis, greens, and meats prepared by an elderly lady who lived on the school's property. She did not have much, but compared to others, she did. She praised God for everything. At one point, she told us that nothing was hers; it is all God's. She was happy to cook for us and serve us because she knew that everything in her house, and even her very life was not hers, but all God's. I want that mentality. We all need that view."

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Thank you for following me on this journey. I would not be here if it was not for your support and encouragement. You all mean the world to me, and I mean it with all of my heart.

God bless,
Bekah

One Week

In one week, I will be back in Kenya.

In one week, I will be submerged into a culture so different from that of North America.

In one week, I will be independent from the rushed society of this fast-paced nation.

In one week, I will be surrounding by a language that is not my own.

In one week, I will be adjusting to a different time zone.

In one week, I will be noticed as a "sore thumb."

In one week, I will be back in Kenya.

In one week, I will be beginning my three month stay.

In one week, I will be greeted by the Swahili word "Jambo!"

In one week, I will be back in the land that stole my heart two years ago.

In one week, I will be back in the streets of a country for which I have a soft spot.

In one week, I will see friendly strangers with smiles consuming the entirety of their faces.

In one week, I will be back in Kenya.

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This blog will serve as an update for my experiences and encounters as I spend my summer in Kenya. Please join me on this adventure. My journey begins in one week.

Until then, Kenya take me back to Africa?



Love always,
Bekah

Our media.

For a while now, I have been planning on starting this blog. It was not ideal for me to start it so soon.

But today is appropriate. 

Look at the news. What kind of articles are out there right now? Perhaps you can find a story about the struggles of Kim and Kanye's baby which recently made his dramatic debut into the world. Or perhaps you may read an article about the new golden iPhone and how it is successfully being purchased all over the nation. Maybe you can even experience a news piece about the possibility of an alien life form existing somewhere in the final frontier. 

Might I just take a moment to ask WHAT ON EARTH IS WRONG WITH OUR MEDIA?!

How can we call all of this junk "breaking news" when so many people are struggling with survival from day to day because they simply do not have access to food which we willingly waste so abundantly? How can we claim to be going through "hard times" if we lack our normal caffeinated indulgence when nearly 6,000 precious babies die every day because they have no means of obtaining water, the essential element of life? How can we even pretend that we have problems because our plans for an event fall through when God's children all over the world have to hide under ground or in closets just so that they might pray to our heavenly father and not be killed because of it?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?!

Go to your favorite (or not so favorite, either way) news website. The breaking stories for today involve some strange baseball record being broken, a song from Miley to Billy Ray, glamorous movie characters, and, hidden in between all of these meaningless stories, a report on an attack in Kenya.

Wow. 

This shocks me. It really does.

How can we pay more attention to the events that are happening in Hollywood which have absolutely no effect on anybody's lives when at least 22 people were killed due to an attack at a mall in Nairobi, Kenya? Why is it so hard for us to focus our attention on the terrible tragedies that are happening around the world? Why can we not even stop to acknowledge the number of kids that go without food, water, medical attention, and even love? Why is that so hard for us?

Maybe it is because I have seen an uber tiny glimpse of poverty that I care so much about these happenstances. I don't know. But what I do know is that we can help. We can help those who are not as blessed as we are. We can help those who struggle to find food and water to provide for the needs of their bodies. We can help those who have no shelter above their heads and are exposed every day to the harsh conditions of their area.

Truth be told, we probably cannot end poverty.

But we can help reduce it. 

If our media would focus less on abandoned dogs and focus more on abandoned children, maybe then we could start to realize the extreme needs of the people around us. 

If we took time out of our day to pray for the least of these and ask God how we personally could be His hands an feet, maybe then we could stop being consumed with what Hollywood tells us we need and focus more on what these precious children who are dying all around the world need.

Maybe, just maybe. 

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Sorry to go on a rant on the first post of this blog.

The ultimate reason for starting this blog was to let you know that I may have the opportunity to return to Kenya next summer. I'll use this as a way to keep everyone up to date on possible fundraising opportunities, prayer concerns, news of where I will be going, and hopefully, stories of experiences during my journey. 

With that being said, Kenya take me back to Africa?

With faith, hope, and love,

Bekah