Returning "Home"

                        The elegant and lively (!) Workayehu at Yod Abyssinia Restaurant

                                                            We all had a great time

                                           Various Ethiopian Stews on Injera--Delicious!

                                       The fabulous and energetic dancers at Yod Abyssinia

This evening we had the opportunity to enjoy Ethiopian food, music and dance as a team and with our new brothers and sisters on the Boston team, at the Yod Abyssinia Restaurant in Addis.  We had great fun enjoying the company, food and ambiance, and many of our team members were fine dancers and joined in the traditional Ethiopian dancing throughout the evening!

But what would it be like to return to Ethiopia on a medical missionary trip as a nurse,  to one of the poorest communities in Addis Ababa, when you have been raised there?  Workayehu one of our team, immigrated to the US when she was 31 but grew up in Addis in a middle income household where her father was an LVN. Her mother and 1 sister still live here in Addis.

This is what she shared:

What was it like to return to Ethiopia?  She had been wanting to go on a mission trip for years as she had felt led to serve God, but for various reasons, it hadn't been possible. When this trip came up, Bill Zuber invited her to come--they had met when Workayehu had assisted with an Ethiopian child who came to this country for surgery a few years ago. With a new job and other things "falling into place" the dream became a reality and she knew this was her answer to prayer.

Were there any surprises? Since it had been 2 years since she had visited, there weren't too many surprises regarding the various challenges facing the people of Ethiopia. While it was an adjustment to have our plans changed from Yetebon to Addis, she has been touched and impressed by the work being done by ACT and wishes to continue to support their work.

What has been the favorite part of the trip so far? Being part of a team that wants to serve God has been a wonderful thing, as she has felt part of a group of people who have a common goal.

What do you want non-Ethiopians to know? There are many challenges for the people of Ethiopia, aside from the basic needs for food, water, shelter and dignity that all humans share. Much prayer and support are needed on an ongoing basis, but there is also hope, hope that comes from organizations like ACT who are in Ethiopia and dedicated to the mission of serving "the least of these." (Matthew 25: 31-46)