Three years ago, Z. asked me about the possibility of taking a short term mission team to Ethiopia someday. He agreed to help co-lead this venture. In the following year, our church began a "sister church" relationship with the Debre Zeit Kale Heywet Church, a fellowship that both Z. and E., an Ethiopian lady from our church, had association with when they lived in that country. Through e-mail, letters, and photos, we started to communicate with the leaders of this church and began to get acquainted with their thriving church and their vision to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people in the surrounding villages.
From the outset, our new sister church extended a "heartfelt invitation" that we come and visit. In praying about the idea of taking a team, both Z. and myself felt God's confirmation that the time was right. One year ago in October, we approached the church board for approval. We also communicated our desire to our friends in Ethiopia, who immediately became excited about the possibility of hosting us. Each person from our church who indicated a desire to be part of the team had a unique story testifying about God's call on their heart to participate.
Thus began our year-long preparation: team building, watching recommended training videos and reading books, fundraising, communicating our progress and prayer requests to our local church family, arranging flights, ground transportation and accommodations, immunizations, and lots of discussion with the hosting committee in Debre Zeit. There was much work involved in trying to make this trip as successful as possible - aside from the obvious priority of praying diligently!
In late August, after many faith-testing delays, I was finally able to book our flights. Excitement, with a good measure of fear and trembling, would describe my feelings that day. Remember - I like the comfort of the familiar. Africa was so FAR from the familiar it wasn't funny!
Perhaps this excerpt from my prayer journal will illustrate the emotions that were on my heart: "Lord, hold me. I'm feeling like a blind man being led by Your hand. Please don't let me stumble or bump into things, and protect us from the dangers which I can't see. I'm going to have to trust You completely in order to avoid getting my insides tied into knots. Please give me grace and strength for that much trust."
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