Little Successes

It has been another busy week for us in Burayu. Sandy and I have been working on final exams for our Spoken English classes. I am so thankful for the computer and the printer. Praise God for both of these wondrous tools of technology.  We have just 3 teaching days, left then we will take a week away from Burayu and return to Nedjo and Dungora Buna.

This week has seen a few little victories for our ministry. First is how our attempt at setting one of the older kids in the program up in a small business . We had initially tried to start a peanut vending business for Shaweye but her lack of enthusiasm caused us to give the business to Dinqa Chawaqa instead. He grabbed the ball and ran with it! Score! Touchdown!

Not only did he immediately go to work selling he returned a small profit on the nuts and made a suggestion of his own to sell Kolo mix instead. Ok How much? We sent him off to make the necessary purchases and those he also sold at a small profit.Then he suggested selling Shumbra and Suf mix. Ok Which after using our kitchen for the washing , boiling and roasting he was out the door to sell them . Once again at the end of the day he showed up with pockets full of birr, a huge smile and an empty Shumbra bowl.

Dinqa’s U. S. sponsor has generously offered to pay for a stove and bowls so that he can prepare the Shumbra at his own home. For which Sandy and I are very grateful, I love Dinqa but the 2 to 3 hours several times  a week roasting Shumbra in our kitchen is a bit of a strain on our time. And very messy Too. I have to think of the story of the 10 talents. This young man has shown himself faithful with a few and is now trusted with more. Although that was meant as a spiritual lesson I believe it also has a very practical application.  These are the little ways such a small investment can improve the quality of a families life here. Dinqa has shared with me that he would like to be a shopkeeper one day and I know he is developing the skills now at 15 that he will need to make that dream a reality.

Another little success is our friend Hunde. He is back in his father’s house, which is better than being on the streets , but not a whole  lot better. The success is actually his incredible efforts to learn English and apply it to improving his life. This is just a very little boy  yet  he is showing so much potential to Sandy and I. Today he sat with us during part of the conference at the church. We had an exceptionally gifted interpreter today which was such a blessing. Edosa was giving me the Book, Chapter and Verse for us to follow the message and Hunde was using Sandy’s bible to look them up and read them too. I think he was almost as quick as me at finding them. I don’t know for sure how much he comprehended of the message but it was pure joy to watch him searching out the scriptures. He had a friend sitting with us and the 2 of them spent the better part of an hour following the message. They had the distinct advantage of understanding  the Oromo speaking Evangelist.

The message today for this congregation was on the selection of leaders and the need for all of us to mature in the Word , to know the Word of God for ourselves. To live out the Word in our daily walk. That’s one we all need to follow.  As always the worship music was energizing and uplifting. I will miss the enthusiastic form worship takes here in Ethiopia. I pray I can bring it home with me and not become cool again.  It is just so easy to lift up ones arms to the Lord and to clap our hands with praise, to get caught up in the Spirit  here. I find myself swept away by our worship every time. Even though I get very little from the preaching due to the language barrier I still feel my spirit being fed because of the power of  the worship.

On another topic our week began with a heart rending visit form our friend Ababa. She came to our door early on Monday morning wrapped up like a muumy in her shawl. When  we got her in the house and unwrapped we saw her face was horribly swollen and it looked like she had been hit by a truck. It took a while and thankfully Sembeta was here to help translate . It seems she had some sort of seizure or attack during the night and went outside  into the street where she fell down and thrashed against the ground until she passed out. She woke up dirty, bloody, bruised and battered  a few hours later. I don’t know why she came to us, it may be for help paying the doctor ? I do know that she came to our door, the door of Christian friends.

Sandy and I took her to Dr. Feyissa’s clinic where she got very good care. They called in a dentist also. Dr. Mengistu had to remove one of her front teeth then and there ; then we took her  to her house and we ministered to her for 2 days with food and comfort and prayer. We took her back to the dentist on Wednesday and he had to remove 2 more front teeth.  Sandy and I will pay for acrylic front teeth for her, she is young and pretty and we cant bear the thought of her pretty smile with no teeth. We have payed for all her expenses so far. She makes the most beautiful hand woven baskets so it is our hope she can produce enough  to sell . We are hopeful to find a market for them.

What is the most troubling about this experience is that she believes that satan caused her attack. Sandy and I are skeptical about possession but know it does occur. We got her the medical care we could afford and we have been covering her with prayer. If she is truly possessed then she needs Salvation in Christ first, then it can be cast out. Either way she needs salvation. We have chosen to love on her and to continue to minister to her with prayer. Today, Sunday she is finally up and out of her house. She came over to visit us this afternoon, she was smiling . That brought me so much happiness . Her countenance for several days was that of a person in deep grief or shock.  I was very reluctant to blog about this all week, I just have been at a real loss as to how to proceed. I was not even sure how much of the story I should write.  In the west we treat seizures as a purely medical condition but here they are seen more often than not as demonic possessions. If that is what an individual believes is happening to them then their spiritual needs have to be met where they are.

Ababa has yet to accept Jesus as her personal Savior and until she does she will have to remain in her current condition. I know enough to know if it is cast out with out her receiving Christ then she will be worse off than at the start.  This is a matter for prayer. Prayer for discernment for how to help her best. Prayer for her healing physically and prayers for her Salvation.

I have another story to tell on a personal topic so look for the Title next to the’ Be careful what you pray for story’ at the top of our blog home page. I think that covers this week.

Please keep Hunde and Ababa in you prayers.  In Christ’s love, Carole

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