Letting Go

I can't say that we weren't warned.  Zerihun told Judy and me that there would be as many as 8 new faces in this training, which meant that several friends who have been with us for the past couple of years would not be attending.  I thought I'd braced myself for the "worst", but when I saw the final list the evening before the training started, I felt like I'd been hit with a sledgehammer.  Zeleke would no longer be part of the project.

From the start of the first training in February 2010, Zeleke's infectious enthusiasm, booming voice, and huge heart had contributed greatly to the spirit of community that we all shared.  He was very open about his love for Jesus, but was greatly respected by the Muslims in the group.  He laughed and cried easily, and often caused me to do the same.  He implemented the training in his community work with tireless energy and love, as I got to see in person earlier this year.  He gave me my new name, Tesfalem.  And he became a very dear friend.  We wept each time we parted after a training.

I learned that he had been saving his money for a long time until he was able to purchase a mini-bus, and was now a self-employed driver.  His friends told me that this was a wonderful career opportunity, because such drivers earn a lot of money.  It also meant that he could provide more for his family, and would actually allow him to spend more time with them.  They all rejoiced for him.

But me?  After my initial shock, my first reaction was that it seemed like such a waste.  All of his work experience, all of his community contacts, all of the training he had received from us... for what?  So he could drive a bus?  Fortunately, God quickly pointed out to me what a selfish fool I was.  Selfish, because I could only see things from my own perspective, and though I didn't want to admit it, felt sorry for myself for no longer being able to work with him.  A fool, because I was relying on my own "wisdom", and not trusting God's.  I began to see how God would use him in this new role - how many lives he could touch with Jesus' love, how easily he would share his experience with everyone he met in communities throughout Ethiopia, not just in his prior project area.

And so I've released Zeleke into God's hands, to use this finely-crafted instrument in the way that only the Master can.  And I release all of our current and past participants as well.  In a way, this seems silly, because I never really "held" them in the first place.  But I know that, deep in my heart, I've tried to.  The time will come, or has already come, to say goodbye to each one of these people who have touched my life so profoundly in the past two years.  And I won't even know when that final goodbye occurs - or whether, in fact, it already has.  But as hard as it is to face that fact, I remind myself that this is not, and has never been, about me.  The very nature of our work is to train local workers and to release them to serve in communities.  And if I've done my job well, the name that the local people will hear about and want to learn more about is Jesus, not Tesfalem.  Because he is the true facilitator, the true change maker.  God bless you, Zeleke, and all of your brothers and sisters. 

A Treasure Chest

Every pirate movie, good or bad, has the scene where the pirates finally pry open the treasure chest, then appear hypnotized as they stare at the countless, many-colored jewels.  Perhaps they let a few sift through their fingers, but they quickly snap back to their "senses" and begin to plan how they'll spend the loot, never stopping to appreciate the beauty of each individual gem.

It's easy to look at a group of training participants and react the same way.  The ethnic, cultural, and language differences can make them seem exotically beautiful as a group, yet indistinguishable as individuals.  One of the great joys of this project has been the time we've had to get beyond that stage and to develop relationships.  What a diverse and wonderful bunch of people!  As I reflect back on the last couple of weeks, I keep turning over each of these precious gems in my mind.  There's Teshale, the mature team leader who still has the heart of a little boy.  And Misrak, the other team leader, who moves through life like a dancer bouncing to the rhythm of joyous music that only he can hear.  Workuha, with her huge heart, quick to laugh and just as quick to cry, especially at goodbyes.  Shunta and Bedane, the school directors with such passion for providing the very best opportunities for all of their students.  Mulatta and Gobena and their sweet, gentle spirits.  Tirunesh, with her quiet dignity and strength.  And Solomon and Feyissa, who keep everyone laughing with their antics, yet are respected as spiritual leaders of the group.  And that's only about half of the class!

Yes, it has been a wonderful group of participants to work with.  But more importantly, each is a priceless jewel, a beloved child of God, with unique gifts and talents.  What an incredible honor it is to work, worship, laugh, cry, and especially love, with each and every one of them.

Back to School

The highlights of all of our training trips are the days that we spend in the local communities.  These visits give our participants the opportunity to teach the lessons that we have shared with them to local people.  In this case, since we were teaching WASH in Schools, we naturally headed to a nearby primary school in Awassa.  We worked with one classroom of 50 children each from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, splitting each into two groups.  Three of our participants taught each group of 25 students.  We selected lessons that we thought would be interesting and appropriate for the age levels, and would also illustrate the variety of teaching techniques to the teachers and staff.

The day was a rousing success!  Our team was able to move around without causing too much distratction (rather, as little as a 6'4" gray-haired farenji can cause) so that we could observe all of the lessons.  In every group, our participants were animated, enthusiastic, and engaging with the students.  The students were very well behaved, eager to contribute and participate, and, of course, full of energy!  Apparently, they also asked some challenging questions!  Our participants reported that the most important lesson they learned was to prepare and prepare some more, never underestimating the students and their knowledge. 

At the end of the morning, the teachers and administrators told us that they were very impressed with both the curriculum and the teaching methods.  This participatory style of learning is unusual in Ethiopia, and they look forward to using it more and more.  As for the students, I think you can tell from the photos what THEY thought about the experience!

Salad, Shower and Sleep

Three things that were in short supply during our trip!  When I arrived home on Tuesday afternoon, they were among my top priorities.  First, a long, hot shower and a big, fluffy towel.  Next, a wonderful dinner at Gabby's here in Wyoming, Ohio, with a gigantic burger and a wonderful Greek salad.  Uncooked veggies are a no-no for farenji (white foreigners) in Ethiopia!  Finally, a long night's sleep on a big, comfortable mattress with my own pillow.  After two days, I'm beginning to feel almost back to "normal", but still very tired.

Yet, as great as it is to be home with Cindy, I already miss Ethiopia and my friends there.  I will share some more stories in the next few days.

Sunday Morning in Awassa

Today is our one day off during two weeks of training.  So, I took advantage by "sleeping in" until 600.  I awakened to the  familiar sound of the donkey across the alley, the same donkey I have heard every morning during the last two trips.  I know his distinctive bray very well!  After a few swigs of bottled water, I headed out to the streets for a run, a treat which I rarely get a chance to enjoy because of our long daily schedules. 

I warmed up by running down the boulevard towards the lake in the early morning sunshine, temperature in the low 60s.  Soon I was running alongside two smiling teenage boys.  After a few minutes I turned off onto a shaded cobblestone side street.  I headed to the Lewi Resort on the shores of the lake, and enjoyed watching the monkeys feast on the food left by late diners last night.  The lake was beautiful in the morning sun, and there were many, many birds, including eagles, hornbills, egrets, herons, ducks, and Awassa's famous - and ugly - marabou storks. 

Next, I headed down a dirt road to the gate of the Norwegian mission where Judy, Janet and I stayed at the end of our trip in 2010.  Retracing my steps, I passed the Lewi and veered onto the trail which runs right along the water's edge, watching the boys fish and swim.  Finally, I turned back onto the boulevard and headed back up towards St. Gabriel Orthodox Church, whose gold dome shone in the sun.  I stopped briefly to play soccer with some boys and watched their game for a few minutes.  Now in the "home stretch" of my 5-mile jaunt, I was greeted by many smiles, calls from the bajaj (3-wheeled taxi) drivers, and shouts of "Strong!"  As I caught my breath at the doors of my hotel, a young girl and boy giggled at me on their way to church.

After the wonderful treat of a hot shower, I went next door to the restaurant and enjoyed a cup of strong, Ethiopian coffee under a palm tree.  Back in the lobby I played with two 3-year-old boys who said hello in Mandarin, because they assumed from my fair skin that I was Chinese.  Soon my good friend Judy joined me and we went to a sidewalk cafe where I enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and honey (and more coffee, of course.)

Have I mentioned that I love Awassa?

Welcome to the Fourth Grade!

These eager (not so) young fourth graders are our students during our two weeks here in Awassa.  Actually, they're highly competent and motivated health extension workers and educators who are participating in Lifewater's WASH (WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene) in Schools training.  We model the lessons for them, and they play the role of primary school students (and obviously have a great time doing so!)  After practicing lessons on each other, they will go to a local school and teach lessons to real third, fourth and fifth graders next Thursday.  Today I visited the school with the two team leaders, Misrak and Teshale (left and center in the front row), and the school director is very excited to have us come.  It should be a great day for all of us!

The training has gone very well.  We've been at it for five long, hot days, and everyone is tired but very happy.  We have a great mix of training "veterans" whom I know very well, and new folks who have fit in wonderfully.  Tomorrow (Saturday) is a short day, then Sunday is a brief R&R.  Back to a full schedule next week, concluding Friday afternoon.

Our team is great.  Judy and I are old (she won't like that term) friends, Christine is the new Volunteer Programs Officer at Lifewater, and David is a retired fourth grade teacher with wonderful teaching skills and a great heart.

God has been moving powerfully here, and we're just along for the ride.  We appreciate your prayers, and you can trust that they've been answered in amazing ways!

Tesfalem

Safe and Sound!

We arrived (with our bags) on Wednesday night, and have been resting and preparing for our training.  We leave tomorrow for Awassa with our driver and translator.  Sunday will be a full day of preparation, and our participants will begin to arrive that afternoon for the beginning of training on Monday.  Everything is going very smoothly, and the team is great.  The only issue has been a pretty good case of jet lag for all four of us, but we're all used to shrugging that off and slogging on.

I got to see our dear brother Getu today, and he is recovering well from a major heart attack this summer.  He won't be driving for us this time, but might join us for a few days.  At the least, we will see him and his family when we return to Addis in two weeks.


It very much feels like home to be here again.  There was an almost instantaneous transition to the culture and pace of life.  And it's great to have good Ethiopian food again!  My Amharic is as bad as ever, but I manage to communicate anyway! 

I'll try to post again from Awassa after the training begins, but we will be working 12-14 hours days 6 days a week after Sunday, and internet is even spottier there.  So, thanks for the love, support, and prayers, and I'll be in touch when I can!

Tesfalem

The Journey Begins

I leave for the airport in 3 hours!  Now that I've done this a few times, the preparation is easier, but it's interesting how my emotions still go through the same cycle.  I'm now firmly in the "I can't believe I'm really doing this!" phase.  It is incredible to contemplate how different my life will be - how different I will be - in just a couple of days.  But I eagerly anticipate that transformation because of the richness of experience and opportunity that awaits.  Yes, there is uncertainty, and plenty of of challenges, but there is also exhilirating joy and a great sense of purpose and presence.  So I leave with confidence - not in myself, but in the God who has called me and will be with us in every circumstance.  Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support!  Ciao!  (Yes, that's how they say goodbye in Ethiopia!)

Don't Leave Home Without It!

It's hard for me to believe, but I leave for Ethiopia one week from today!  Cindy and I just got back from a wonderful beach vacation, and now I'm into full trip-preparation mode.  This includes not only logistical and curriculum preparation, but also the mundane chores of laundry, housecleaning, lawn-mowing, and bill-paying, to add as few things to Cindy's already full plate as possible while I'm gone.  The toughest chore is the packing.  I've learned a balance between under- and over-packing (although I still tend towards the latter), but there's always that underlying fear of forgetting important items.  This is particularly nerve-wracking when you're headed to a place where you can't just run down to Walgreens or the mall if you forget something!

What am I worried about forgetting?  Couldn't get far without my passport, of course.  And Judy would never forgive me if I left my training manual at home.  I might forget my razor on purpose.  Good old-fashioned American snacks?  Well, I pack some, but I really LIKE the food in Ethiopia.

So what is it that I most need to remember to bring with me, and to keep with me at all times?  Humility.  As described so well in the must-read When Helping Hurts, there is a common tendency on these sorts of trips to unintentionally and subconciously carry along feelings of intellectual, cultural, and even spiritual superiority.  After all, aren't we there to teach, to give, to tell about Jesus?  Yes, to a degree.  But we are also there to learn, to receive, and to listen to what God is already doing among the people there.  How arrogant it would be to think that I have anything of my own that can improve the health and change the lives of people in Ethiopia!  I've learned the discipline while in-country (and should apply the same here!) to begin each day by releasing all my plans and agendas to God, confessing my weakness and helplessness to Him, and simply asking Him to work, speak, and love through me.  That I would be a transparent vessel through which others could only see Christ within me.  And he has answered that prayer time and time again.

Please pray for me this week that God would soften my heart and remove any calluses of pride and self-reliance, and that he would give me the "big ears and small mouth" that we always teach about to our participants!

                                                                              Tesfalem

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because,
     "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's almighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all of your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  1 Peter 5:5-7

He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:8

Return to a Dry and Thirsty Land

When I met these Borena men in southern Ethiopia in February, we were celebrating the dedication of a surface water collection system that provided the first sustainable water source in their region.  In fact, we’re sitting on the lid of the cistern that holds the water, and you can see the pump behind us.  Little did I know that day, that this site would soon be near the epicenter of an international humanitarian crisis of terrifying proportions.   It estimated that more than 10 million people are at risk of malnutrition – or worse – as a result of the drought and famine in East Africa.  While the minimal news coverage has focused on the Somali refugees along the Kenyan border, the truth is that the impacts are being felt over many thousands of square miles in at least five nations, including this arid region of Ethiopia.   The Borena people are pastoral, and lead their cattle over vast distances in search of water and pasture.  The loss of countless livestock due to dehydration and starvation this year has had a devastating effect on the food supply and income of these proud people.   For more information, see http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=93247

This water system is part of the USAID-funded project that Lifewater International and the Mekane Yesus church have been conducting over the past two years.  I’ve had the privilege of participating in three training trips in that project.  Now USAID has extended its funding, and I have been invited to lead another trip in October.  The focus will be on training teachers in Lifewater’s WASH in Schools (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) curriculum.  Why are we concentrating on schools during such a crisis?  First, children are the most vulnerable to water-borne disease.  Ironically, many of the deaths from the current drought have been children who suffered from acute diarrhea.  Second, the lessons in this curriculum include such topics as making and keeping water safe, and practicing good sanitation and hygiene with limited access to clean water.  The USAID/Lifewater/Mekane Yesus project in Hossana, Ethiopia, which focused solely on sanitation and hygiene, contributed to reductions of up to 90% in the incidence of severe diarrhea in children.  Third, education is the foundation of hope in this region.  The man shaking my hand told us with a smile, “Now that we have water, the government will build us a new school!”  Finally, Jesus leaves us no alternative when he says, “Whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.”  (Matthew 18:5)

By now you all know my Amharic name, Tesfalem – “hope for the world”.  I continue to have great hope in the midst of this seemingly overwhelming crisis, because I place my hope in a merciful and loving God.  I am grateful to Him for giving me an opportunity to play a very small part in His work in this beautiful land, and I’m giving you the opportunity to help as well.  First, please pray – not just for me or the project, but for the people of East Africa and long-term, sustainable solutions to these problems.  Second, because this is my third trip to Africa this year, I very much need your support in finances as well.  Please contact me by email (h2otox@hotmail.com ) if you'd like to learn more about how to help. 

I can promise you that the only “handout” these people are looking for is the hand with which I reached out to them in that picture – a hand of partnership and love.  Please add your hand to the picture in whatever way you can.  Thank you, and may God richly bless you for your faithfulness.

                                                                                                      Jim (Tesfalem)

You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly.  The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. (Psalm 65:9)

Safari is Kiswahili for "Journey"

One of the things that often surprises people when I describe these trips is how hard we work.  Training days are typically at least 12 hours of work time - about 9 hours of training in a hot, stuffy room, with more time for debrief, prep, and various leadership tasks in the evening.  We also often train on Saturdays when we do two weeks of training, because it enables us to wrap up sooner and let the participants head home to their families.  And, of course, there are project meetings and other responsibilities.  So, when a "rest day" presents itself, we tend to take advantage!

Perhaps all of that is to rationalize these photos!  When in Kenya, you really HAVE to safari, of course!  Especially when you're located just minutes from 8,000 sq mi of wilderness national parks!  While seeing a great diversity of wildlife (I counted at least 16 species of mammals alone) in a beautiful natural setting was a dream come true, the best part was the people.  We piled nine into the World Vision Land Cruiser (we paid for the gas, in case you're a donor!), including 6 Kenyans, 1 Ethiopian, and just 2 mzungus (we of the paler persuasion), and everyone had a blast.  We had a picnic lunch that was packed by our "family" at the guest house, although we ate it close to the truck in case any wildlife was looking for a meal as well - and I don't mean our sandwiches.  We returned hot and tired, but jubilant, and mentally refreshed for the chiefs training the next day.  The only question was whether or not I should show these pictures to Cindy!  But I've promised her a return trip, now that I've done the recon - and have so many friends who can't wait to meet her!

Well, that about wraps it up for this trip.  As of now, I have no definite plans for the next, although I am hoping to return to Ethiopia later this year or early in 2012.  And I've learned my lesson about assuming that my plans are God's plans.  Thanks again for all your prayers and support, and I hope to be telling you of a new adventure sometime soon! 







A New Approach to Training

The biggest difference between the training on this trip and those of my previous trips was the background of the participants.  In Ethiopia, we had always trained professionals - health extension workers, teachers, school administrators, nurses, etc.  This time we were training volunteers.  Specifically, they were PTA members who had been recommended by teachers from the previous training in March.  They weren't selected because of their education or technical background (most had less than secondary education), but because of their passion for improving their schools and their communities.  As I said in an earlier post, the curriculum was Transformational Community Development, which serves as a foundation for our "technical" trainings.  Lina likened it to Jesus' story of the house built upon the rock, while Methusela, who was the only participant with a college degree, said that this training finally gave him the "software" to enable him to more effectively use the "hardware" of his engineering knowledge.  The participants had no idea what to expect, and just showed up as instructed with open minds and open hearts.  We overcame some initial language hurdles (including their complaints about my poor English pronunciation) with "volunteer" translation by Kioko, the young World Vision intern. They enthusiastically embraced the participatory training approach, and were eager to return to their schools and communities to be "ambassadors of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5: 17-20).  Any school in the US would be grateful for parents with their hearts and their dedication, and we were blessed to learn from them and to be inspired by them.

We also had a unique opportunity to conduct a half-day workshop for the chiefs of the 10 villages in which the project schools are located.  I had feared that they would be stuffy, self-important bureaucrats, but God enjoyed proving my assumptions wrong once again.  We explained the background of the project, then gave them a taste of the training we had done with the parents.  They thoroughly enjoyed the same learning activities (including drama, drawings, songs, and games) and loved to kid and challenge each other.  As we concluded, they all told us that would help to lead their schools and villages to improved sanitation and hygiene, beginning with serving as role models.

In all, the training was very successful, and we left the Mtito Andei area encouraged about the future for the children of the villages.  God has begun a great work there, and we know He finishes what he starts!  (Philippians 1: 3-6, the verses I read to the parents at their certificate ceremony.)

Exceeding Expectations

I can't say that I was really looking forward to this trip.  Perhaps it was because I was going to a new country with very little information about the logistics, or maybe it was just too soon after a wonderful trip to Ethiopia this spring.  I looked at it as sort of a business trip - travel, do the job, travel back.  Once again, I underestimated a great God!

First of all, I fell in love with Kenya!  At the great risk of generalizing after such a short trip to a single area, I found it to be a beautiful country full of outgoing, welcoming people.  The staff at the Kambua Guest House in Kibwezi, where we stayed for 10 days, was like a family to us.  In the photo with me is my new "sister", Kasti, who waited on us hand and foot, including making breakfast for us at 430 AM before our safari on our one day off.  (More about that in a future post!)  When we left for Nairobi last Tuesday, the entire staff, includings cooks, busboys, and housekeepers, came outside to say goodbye.

More importantly, God showed his hand in amazing ways.  For example, the World Vision project office just added a new intern on June 6 and a new water engineer on June 13 - the first day of the training.  Those two young men, Kioko and Methusela - pictured at right in Lifewater's famous "River Crossing" drama - were major reasons for the success of the training.  (More about that later as well!)  What's more, they became our very dear friends and brothers in Christ.

I think that God was teaching me a valuable lesson.  His Kingdom isn't limited to Ethiopia or any other nation.  It includes men, women and children from all peoples, and can be found wherever He is honored, and whenever His people share His love with everyone they meet.  So the next time He nudges me towards an unfamiliar destination on an inconvenient schedule, I'll (hopefully) recognize that as an opportunity for a new adventure with new friends and many new blessings!

Greetings from Nairobi!

I arrived late Wednesday night safe and sound with both of my checked bags after 30 hours of travel with virtually no sleep on very full planes.  I'm sure that my conversation with my cab driver was completely incoherent!  Yesterday was my rest day, because the rest of the team doesn't arrive in town until later today.  My task for the morning is to figure out how to get to the Bible Society bookshop to purchase 24 Bibles for our participants.  We purchase these with private funds, usually donated by church groups in the US. 

I still have not heard from anyone at our partner, World Vision Kenya.  The "plan"  is that we will drive down to our training location tomorrow morning, but all plans are subject to change with no notice!  Please pray for all of the logistics, and for safe and smooth travel for us and our participants.

The weather here in Nairobi is cool and cloudy.  The guest house is great!  Big, comfortable room with private bath, great food, friendly staff.  I could get used to this!

Ready, set...

Well, it's that time again.  Tomorrow I leave for Africa for the fourth time in 15 months, this time to Kenya.  While you might think this is getting to be routine, preparing for this trip has been very different and more challenging because my destination, my role, and our partner are all new.  Doing the homework to serve as both Lead Trainer and Team Leader has been fun, but I have felt more of a burden of responsibility.

That's where yesterday's church service comes in.  First Christian Assembly celebrated its "Family Day" with an international flavor.  This is a very diverse congregation, and that diversity was well represented in the worship team and the music.  I think that there were at least six countries represented among the singers, and we sang worship songs in English, Hebrew, Malaysian - and Amharic (Ethiopia) and Swahili (Kenya) as well!  I was wearing one of my traditional Ethiopian shirts and felt very much at home.  The worship really brought home the universality of God's Kingdom, and was a foretaste of what we can expect in heaven when all peoples gather together to worship the King.  Also, several of the songs used the theme of yielding ourselves to God and allowing Him to work and love others through us.  That message is really the theme of my preparation for this trip.  I have a sense that God has prepared me my whole life for what I am doing now.  Yet, I am just an instrument.  I can accomplish nothing without the master playing his music through me.  Please pray that I won't be a foolish flute that futilely frets to fashion its own fugue!  (How's that for alliteration?)

My flight leaves Cincinnati at 226 PM, and I arrive in Nairobi at 1025 PM Wednesday night (325 PM EDT).  The rest of my team arrives on Friday, and we travel to the training site on Saturday.  I am not taking my laptop this time, and internet interaction will be intermittent (sorry, couldn't resist!)  But please check back in case I'm able to post, or to have Cindy post for me like the last trip.  Your prayers are VERY much appreciated, because this is not about what our team is doing - it's about what God is doing through us in those communities.  Thank you, and may God bless you all for your support and faithfulness!

"In his heart a man plans his course..."

"...but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9, just a few verses before my personal favorite, v. 31 - check it out!)

When I was returning from my last trip to Ethiopia in March, I told everyone who would listen, "I need to spend some time at home, maybe I'll make another trip next year."  Well, apparently God was one of the ones who wasn't listening!  About 20 hours after landing in Cincinnati, I got a phone call from Janet at Lifewater asking me if I would consider leading a trip to Kenya at the beginning of June!  I was very resistant to the idea at first, but as the days went by, it started to make sense.  The project is a partnership with World Vision Kenya.  The training is for PTA members at 10 village schools near Mtito Andei, and the curriculum is Transformational Community Development.  This is the same training that we did in Ethiopia in February 2010, and it was truly transformational for our participants, their communities - and us!  That was the only previous time that this curriculum has been used "in country", so my experience really fit the niche.  So, I took the plunge, and will serve as both Lead Trainer and Team Leader!

This will be a truly unique team: Lina (a great staff member from California), Zerihun (our East Africa Director whom I written about extensively), Elizabeth (a volunteer in Kenya whom I've heard lots about), and me!  Because of the logistics, we'll have very little opportunity to plan together before we meet in Nairobi.  So, I'll be working on a teaching schedule with Janet, and our team will go over it together for the first time a day or two before we begin!  We will also do one day of training for the village chiefs.  Should be quite an adventure! 

I leave on May 31, arriving late on the evening of June 1.  The rest of the team joins me on June 3, and we travel to Mtito Andei the next day.  I fly home on June 15, arriving the evening of June 16.  And yes, I plan to make time for the team to do a safari - we'll be staying minutes from the gates of two of the largest national parks in Kenya!

I'll post more info as the date draws nearer.  Meanwhile, please pray for our team, our plans, our participants, and the people of the villages.

Top Ten List!

After each trip, I put together a list of the most interesting/fun/significant events for my "followers".  This time, it was especially difficult to distill it down to only 10.  But, with apologies to David Letterman, here goes...

10. Discovering that Ethiopia's wonderful natural carbonated spring water, Ambo, has introduced delicious fruit flavors!

9. Spending a great day of R&R at the Wondo Genet School of Forestry with Bob and Nancy, Judy's Peace Corps friends.  Beautiful scenery, lots of wildlife, and delicious home-cooked food!

8. Meeting people in small communities like Waryo, the 35-yr-old 7th grader who came back to school after 20 years and is now active in the school WASH club, and Amina, the proud and fiesty woman who told us how this project had "saved the lives of our children."

7. Holding Tahitina, the beautiful 3-month-old daughter of Mesfin, our translator and dear brother in Christ.  She was born 3 weeks after my last trip!

6. Seeing several of my close friends among our participants "in action" as we visited the communities in which they serve, and seeing the respect and affection that the community members have for them (as do I!)

5. Meeting my running hero, Haile Gebrselassie, the world record holder in the marathon and perhaps the greatest distance runner of all time - and learning that he is a friendly, humble, and gracious champion in all senses of the word.

4. Becoming close friends with our new participants, including Misrak, the charismatic new team leader for the South Ethiopia Synod, and Solomon, Feyisa, and Kasim, the Three Stooges of Wabe Batu.

3. Witnessing our community "teach-backs", in which our participants taught the lessons that we had taught to them, and realizing once again that we were leaving this work in the best of hands.

2. Hearing Arima, one of the community women in those teach-backs, describe how the knowledge that the participants had brought them was "worth more than a busload of money" because it would last forever as it was passed on to their children and their grandchildren.

And the number one experience for this amazing trip...

1. Being blessed with the unique opportunity to share in the entire scope of this project, by seeing our training come alive in the project communities, witnessing the holistic transformation of lives and communities that this ministry brings, and being forever transformed myself by the experience.

Home

What a joy to be home - to be with Cindy again, to sleep in a comfortable bed (of adequate length), to have an unlimited choice of foods...  But it does feel a little strange at times, like there is some color missing from the picture.  I think I miss the sheer joy we experience every day on these trips.  Life in the US has lost a bit of its wonder, and cynicism and complaint seem rampant.  We can learn a lot from a culture that is as loving and hopeful as what I've seen in Ethiopia.  We have so much to be joyful and thankful for, and so little worth complaining and worrying about.  I vow to try to learn to celebrate more and gripe less, to seek common ground rather than focusing on differences, and to thank God for His blessings instead of asking Him why He isn't doing things my way.  With those attitudes, I think I'll feel at home wherever God leads me.  And right now, He's led me back to Cincinnati.  So, it's time to use what I've learned and experienced overseas in my life and ministry here, beginning tonight as I lead our Bible study with Chinese students.  I truly do have hope for the world, and I'll try to bring that message of hope to everyone I meet.

Transitions

We arrived back in Addis on Friday afternoon.  Bob and Cindy flew on to Oman for a few days, so it’s back to just Judy and me again.  I always find this last couple of days to be the most challenging of the trip.  Home is now so close that I can taste it – and there are a LOT of tastes that I’m looking forward to again, like salad and ice cream (not necessarily together, but  right now I wouldn’t be picky!)  Tomorrow will mark 4 weeks since I left Cincinnati, so it’s time to go home.  Yet I’m not ready to let go of this place yet.  I know that it may be hard for many of you to understand, but this is truly home for me.  Because we’ve moved so many times in the US, I have not put down deep roots in any one community.  But here my heart is truly invested, and pulling out those roots always leaves something precious behind.  We had dinner last night with Getu’s family, including Samy (17-yr-old son) and Beza (15-yr-old daughter).   I refer to them as my niece and nephew, and that is not just to be cute – I really do feel that close to them.  When we said goodbye last night, Beza squeezed me so hard for so long that I was struggling to hold back the tears.  No matter what MY plans and dreams might be, there is never a guarantee that I will return here again.  Every goodbye could be the last.  And with extremely limited communication, that goodbye is more final than most Americans with cell phones, email, and Facebook can ever imagine.  So today, as we experience the joy and sorrow of meeting Mesfin’s new baby and saying goodbye shortly after, we will experience an emotional tug-of-war.  It’s the price we pay for the opportunity to have the incredible experiences that these Lifewater trips afford.  It’s worth every emotional penny, but it strains the wallet nonetheless.

Goodbye?

The final day of training is always bittersweet, but the flavors are even stronger when you have been with the many of the same participants three times, as Judy and I have on this project.  To make it even tougher, this is the last training of the current phase of this project.  While there is a chance that there will be one more training later during a second phase (for which approval is pending), there is no guarantee even then that the same participants – or trainers – would return.  So as we conducted our “graduation” ceremony this morning, there were many, many tears.  Three of us choked up completely while reading a scripture passage and sharing a personal message, and there were piles of used tissues under the participants’ chairs.  Even so, no one would address the “elephant in the room” – that we may never see each other again.  It’s just too painful to consider right now.  I have more close emotional ties to people in that group, including some with poor to negligible English, than I do in Cincinnati!  Because no matter the ethnic, cultural, or socio-economic differences between us, our hearts beat as one.  We are passionate about the same things.  We have learned, worked, laughed, cried, and, most of all, loved together for over a year now.  We have mourned together over the loss of a dear colleague, and we have rejoiced together over the birth of Mesfin’s baby daughter.  We have experienced the presence and power of God in astonishing and marvelous ways.  As I told them this morning, nothing – not time, not distance – will ever separate our hearts.  I will love each of them forever.

A Busload of Money

We had a wildly successful second community visit today.  At the end of the lessons with the women community members, Misrak asked if they had any questions.  One woman asked if we had brought anything for them.  While Misrak was considering how to answer, an older woman named Arima said, “Today we have learned that water is life.   We will pass on the knowledge you have given us to our children and our grandchildren.”  She then pointed to our bus parked nearby, in the midst of the goats and donkeys.  “This knowledge is worth more than if you filled that whole bus with money.  The money would soon disappear, but the knowledge will last forever.” 

Would you trade a whole busload of money for the knowledge of how to make and keep your water safe, or how to properly dispose of your own waste to prevent illness in your family and community?  Please consider Arima’s words the next time you get a glass of pure, safe water from your tap or flush your toilet or think your water bill is too expensive.  As for me, I learned a valuable lesson from Arima today – about what is truly priceless.

I Love it When a Plan Comes Together!

We just got back from our first day of community visits, where our participants trained groups of men, women, and primary school students on the sanitation and hygiene lessons that we presented to them this week.  The day was a spectacular success!  There is no greater experience for a volunteer field trainer than to watch the people that you have trained use the tools that you have given them to bring about change in a community.  Bob and I sat in on the session with the students, and it was so cool to see how these grown men engaged and entertained the children, learning from them as they taught to them.  From the very start of this project a year ago, we emphasized (and hopefully modeled) that it was important to have “big ears and small mouth” when you work in a community.  And we all definitely learned a lot from these children today!  The trip home on the bus was like a soccer team returning home from a victorious road game – laughing, singing, high-fives and fist-bumps – and praise to God.  The only glitch was when the bus was waved over by a policeman, and it turned out that the driver had no license!  But with 24 negotiators climbing off the bus, we were finally waved on.  We’ll definitely ask for documentation before we leave again Monday morning!  Tomorrow they will practice their second set of lessons in teach-backs, and then everyone (including US) will get a well-deserved day off on Sunday!  As team leader, I’ve “ordered” the team that there will be no lesson preparation that day – only fun, good food, and rest are allowed!

Cross-Cultural Chain Yanking

The purpose of our training this time is to demonstrate hygiene lessons that our participants can use in the communities that they serve.   The challenge is that these are very smart and experienced professionals, and the lessons are designed for community members with no training at all.  Yesterday, I asked them all to close their eyes and imagine the first time they visited one of their communities, and to pick out a face in the crowd.  Then I asked them to play the role of that person for the remainder of the lessons.  I also used the metaphor of “switching hats”, taking off my Lifewater hat and putting on my friend Mahammad’s hat.  Thus I became a community worker and Mahammed became a community member.  Well, they got the message – maybe a little too well!  In the afternoon, I was facilitating a lesson on the water cycle (rain, surface water, evaporation, etc.).  I was getting totally blank stares and strange questions that really flustered me.  Finally, I asked for a volunteer to tape a label of “rain” onto the diagram Tiffany had drawn for me.  Wako volunteered, walked up to the drawing, and looked very puzzled.  Eventually he taped it underground.  Next he moved it to the middle of a lake.  At that point I finally got suspicious and looked at the rest of the people in the circle and saw that they were trying to hide their grins.  As it turns out, they had decided together that they would show me how great their acting ability was and would portray the dimmest community members ever!   After we all had a great laugh, they agreed to cut me a break and let the lesson continue.  Now do you see why I love working here so much?

Awassa

March 5

Arrived safe and sound about 6:30 AM your time.  We have 3 rooms on 3 different floors.  I'm up on 5 (6 by US definition) with a spectacular view of the lake and on the back side away from the night club across the street.  Should be nice digs for the next 13 nights!

Internet is slow but ok.  Going out to look for monkeys with Getu in a few minutes.  We get down to work after devotions and breakfast tomorrow.  Everyone is excited and eager to get started. 

Go to Lifewater's facebook page for more pictures!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150105031780843&set=pu.9835380842&theater

Jim

Awassa Bound

March 4

Our team is complete!  Judy arrived Tuesday night, and Bob and Cindy arrived about an hour ago.  We’ll leave tomorrow morning for Awassa, where our training will begin first thing Monday morning.  It’s the first trip for Bob and Cindy, and it’s always fun to see this great country through the eyes of a new observer.  Everything seems even more beautiful and interesting.  We have our list of participants, and Judy and I are disappointed by a few names that are missing – good friends whose jobs have changed so that their responsibilities would no longer bring them to this training.  We’re hoping that a couple of them might show up at the last minute, since that tends to be a flexible arrangement (like so many things here.)  Everyone is healthy, happy, and eager to get started!  Please be praying for us as we travel tomorrow, and as we prepare to start the training.  If you want to pray in “real time”, remember that we’re 8 hours ahead of the US east coast.  Ciao!  (yes, many people say that here because of the Italian influence from the occupation during World War II!)

A Journey to Hope

After a 5-day trip of almost 2,000 km (many of which were over poor – or no – roads), we are safely back in Addis (after several near misses with cars, donkey carts, and livestock – we only nudged one donkey, and that was to get his attention)!  What an incredible experience!  We visited about 15 rural communities, seeing new wells, capped springs, latrines, and other physical evidence of the changes that this project is making. 

More exciting was the opportunity to meet the people in the communities and the children in the schools and hear how their lives had changed. We also saw their pride as they described their own hard work and their ownership of the projects.   I hope to share a couple of particularly touching stories when I can upload a couple of pictures, but I can summarize by telling you how profoundly grateful they were to Lifewater, our partners at the Mekane Yesus Church, and to God.  Most of the communities were almost exclusively Muslim, and we saw no difference in the reception we received or their relationship with our partners from what we saw in the more Christian areas.  From a personal perspective, this was a dream come true – catching nine of my friends from our trainings in the act of doing their jobs!  Even better, I got to surprise all of them because they had no idea I was coming on this field trip!  You should have seen the people in the town of Bule Hora when Zeleke (see that photo from my first post) and I greeted each other in the street, hugging, laughing, and shouting!  I also got to see how GREAT they are at their jobs, and what great relationships and respect they have among the people in the communities.  And of course it was personally gratifying to see our training come to life, and to feel that, in some small way, we contributed to the successes that we observed.  Zeleke told me, “All of this is because of you and your training.”  But he agreed when I responded, “No, it’s because of what GOD is doing among us and in the communities.”  I’m just incredibly blessed to be here and be part of it.

Now I’m recharging my batteries, working on my report on our field visits, and preparing for the arrival of our training team.  Judy arrives Tuesday night, and Bob & Cindy (not my Cindy, alas) on Friday.  Keep checking the blog, because I hope to post a couple of more times before we leave for training in Awassa.

T-Minus 6 Hours and Counting!

After wrestling with packing two suitcases (the "can't live without for a week" carry-on and the "hope this arrives before I head home" checked bag), I'm finally about ready to go.  Cindy changed her plans to be here with me this morning, and John will drive me to the airport.  I feel calm yet eager to experience once again the exhilarating sensation of sitting back and enjoying the ride as God drives the roller coaster!  I've learned to begin these trips with no expectations, just an open mind and an open heart.  A great send off from our new church yesterday reaffirmed that God has great plans for this next few weeks.  I'll post an update when I'm able.  Until then, prayers are much appreciated!

Return to Ethiopia!

After 3 months of "R&R" in the US, it's time to go back to work!  On Monday, February 21 I fly back to Ethiopia.  This will be my fourth trip there with Lifewater International since 2008, and my third on the current project since February 2010.  During the first week, I'll be visiting project communities with Lifewater's project manager, Kiera, and East Africa director, Zerihun.  We'll be assessing the progress made on the project objectives.  I've been longing to make this trip, because I finally get to visit the communities where my friends from this project work, and to see first hand the impact they've already made in the lives of the people there.  The remainder of the trip will be preparation for and conducting the fifth round of training for this group of participants.  The topics will be Safe Fecal Disposal and Keeping Water Safe.  The cool thing about these trainings is that we're modeling training techniques, and the participants will all get the chance to be the trainers in a nearby community, perhaps the same one where they built model latrines on our last trip.  Of course, it will also be a chance to deepen the already strong bonds of friendship I have with so many of these people, and to continue to share the love of Jesus with all of them. 

I'll be team leader for this training, and the rest of the team will be Judy Wood (my dear friend from my February 2010 trip) as lead trainer, and Bob and Cindy Zahner as the "designated rookies".  Please pray for us as and the participants as we all prepare for this adventure.  This will be my longest trip yet (29 days), so please pray for Cindy, too, as she has to add household management, dog care, etc. to her already full plate.  Besides, who knows, she might miss me, too!

I'll post again before I leave, and will post updates from the field when I have the chance (not very likely during the first week, as we'll be in the most remote areas I've ever visited.)  God bless you all, and thanks so much for your prayers, support, and love.

Welcome to my World!

I was (re)born in Yirgalem, Ethiopia on March 5, 2010.  I was serving on a team for Lifewater International, conducting training in Transformational Community Development and WASH (water, sanitation & hygiene) Promotion.  During those two weeks, I developed incredibly close relationships with many of the participants.  Names are very significant in Ethiopian culture, and my new friends proudly told me the meanings of their names and the family stories behind them.   At the end of the training, the participants honored us by giving us new names in Amharic, the national language.  My new name is Tesfalem, which means "hope for the world".  My good friend Zeleke (see photo) told me that they chose that name because I had hope for the world and brought hope to the world.

That name is precious to me, because it speaks so much about what I believe and what I aspire to.  No, I don't believe that I am the "hope of the world".  That title is reserved for Jesus Christ.  I'm just a messenger who wants to share his love with all the people that God puts in my path.  I am so thankful that he blazed that path all the way to Ethiopia!  I also have the opportunity to share the hope for a better life that comes through clean water, improved sanitation, and effective hygiene.  I pray that God will provide more opportunities and locations for me to live up to my name!

Many of you have followed my travels over the past few years and have faithfully supported me through prayer and finances.  I've decided to simplify my communications with you by creating this blog.  Please bookmark this site and check back for updates.  You never know where I might end up next!