Ben is in the middle of a 4-week trip to Ethiopia, where he is visiting the orphanages and meeting with people involved in the adoption processes. Ken Thompson, a missionary friend of mine, said "The trip will change him." I'm seeing it -- from the emails that coming from Ben -- God is changing Ben before my eyes. He's always been passionate about serving others and he loves God with a depth that is rare. Here are some of his words from communication with his wife, Brooke:
One by one (sometimes with a sibling) the children would come in and answer the cute kid questions first, then share about their background and experiences. Each had a story of how their innocence had been stolen in some way; through rape, abuse, lies, etc. They are just children, but have already been beaten up by this broken world. Most of them would barely speak in an audible voice. They were all scared and love impoverished. I somehow kept myself from being drawn in too much to the stories at the moment. I preoccupied my mind with the busy-ness of accomplishing the task at hand. It wasn’t until hours later, after the sun set while we were driving home, that the weight of it all fell on
me.
Zewdu loves Johnny Cash! In particular, the cd he made called ‘Songs from My Mother’s Hymnbook’, or something like that. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan but it was nice to hear a familiar voice singing songs I grew up with in English. It struck me how almost all of the songs seemed to be focused on when we get to leave this earth; ‘I’ll Fly Away’, ‘Never Grow Old’, ‘I Am Bound’. My American self was being critical of the lack of depth in these old songs and the lack of focus on what God wants to do right now, today. Immediately, the depth of the fall of humanity crashed down on me. I started to think through the stories I had heard earlier in the day. It was devastating. I did my best to keep from sobbing aloud. Why would those kids believe that there is anything better here on earth? Most of the songs were written by American slaves or those walking through the depression; times when there seemed to be little hope for this world. We want these kids to sing a cute song like “Jesus Loves Me”, but how can they sing that song when their parents have died and the next people in line to care for them have just lied, abused or raped them. If there is any hope left, it is only that there may be something better than this world. Maybe one day we’ll fly away from here. Maybe there’s a place where mom and dad will never grow old and leave me alone. I wanted to hug each of these kids and tell them that God loves them, but why should they believe me? If God loves them so much, why has their innocence been stolen? They’re children! I believe that God has an answer, I’m just not sure that I have it right now.
There are those that are breaking into these desperate situations and shining light where there is darkness. Yehualeshet and the Tikuret staff, for example, make sacrifices to provide good care for these children. Rather than just moaning about how awful this world is, they’ve decided to do something about it. They’ve taken the love that God has shown them and have poured it right back out on these kids. Rather than dwelling on “Why has this happened?”, they are constantly asking “What can we do about it?” “How is this an opportunity for the light of Christ to shine?” Stephne, Henok and the CCCE staff are other examples of those who are not satisfied with remaining in their gated compound and pretending that the desperation does not exist. They both have plenty of opportunities if they wanted to take them. They could leave Ethiopia, or at least the current situation in the south, and live a very comfortable life anywhere in the world…but they won’t. God has called them into the mess, and they have answered. He’s asked them to get dirty and to deal with problems that don’t have answers that can be placed on coffee mugs and sold in Christian book stores. Others I’ve met in this guest house have been called to the same thing. A family that has left a pretty comfortable life in rural Pennsylvania to engage in the brokenness and dirtiness of Addis Ababa to plant an international church with some Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Even here in Ethiopia, they’ve chosen not to seclude themselves in one of the nice ex-pat communities in order to be accessible to those they are here to love and serve. They’ve chosen to walk or ride the minibuses for transportation; 16 humans and a goat in a 12 person vehicle.
Another man who leaves the UK to live in Ethiopia; for 1/3 of the year trains local believers to run self-supporting businesses that can not only provide for their families, but relieve their local ministries from foreign support. He’s full of stories from these brothers and sisters; 300 former prostitutes now off of the streets and serving the Lord. Again, in the UK he has been and could still be a successful business man, but God has called him to the slums of Addis. Another woman from Switzerland has totally given up her life as a music teacher, to work among the poorest of the poor. She helps children, most of whom are infected with HIV, to see that there is light and beauty in such a dark place. Dr. Kelemu and his wife, Mekdes, are doing it too. They are draining their own resources in order to build a hospital in Shashemene. We had an opportunity to walk through the building that is currently under construction. I commented on how big the building is and Mekdes said, “Yes, it’s too big. Sometimes I don’t even have 100 birr for gas because everything goes to this hospital.” Then, she went on with excitement in her voice to tell me what each room will be used for. The most exciting part for me and for them, was the top floor. Their dream is to begin a school to train doctors and nurses out of the hospital. They showed me each classroom and the library and chapel. Dr. Kelemu said, “This is just a dream but, with God, dreams turn into reality!”
These are all people I’ve met in one week. So, in the midst of such deep poverty and need, there is a deeper commitment to sharing the love of Christ and meeting those needs. Obviously, the answer is not to simply bring the country out of poverty. The needs are much deeper than money, but through meeting those real felt needs of clean water, food, protection from diseases, the deeper needs can also be met; healing from abuse, a realization of the love of God, redemption. I can’t explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and the stories I’ve heard, but I have known Him long enough to trust Him, regardless of what I see. I trust that He is working and I trust that there is a place for me to join Him. I trust that He’s not allowed me to experience this depravity without a purpose and even more, that He’s not allowed these children to experience such depravity without a purpose. He will redeem this land and He will redeem these kids and I want to be a part of it. I miss you and the boys desperately, but all I could think while driving past the half naked children walking miles without shoes to carry water back to their families in mud huts was “How can I leave this place?” Until today, Ethiopia has felt like home. I’ve been encouraged that it did not feel like such a foreign place. After this weekend, I don’t know that I will ever find a home here on earth. This certainly is not my home, but neither is America. In fact, Hendersonville, NC may be the most foreign place on earth to me now.
My son is teaching me. Teaching me to care more deeply about the broken people around me, to see a world that is bigger than my county or state, to see God's hand at work, even in the tragedies of life, and to see that what I consider sacrifice for the sake of God is nothing compared to what millions of God's servants are doing every day. Thank you, Ben.
Zewdu loves Johnny Cash! In particular, the cd he made called ‘Songs from My Mother’s Hymnbook’, or something like that. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan but it was nice to hear a familiar voice singing songs I grew up with in English. It struck me how almost all of the songs seemed to be focused on when we get to leave this earth; ‘I’ll Fly Away’, ‘Never Grow Old’, ‘I Am Bound’. My American self was being critical of the lack of depth in these old songs and the lack of focus on what God wants to do right now, today. Immediately, the depth of the fall of humanity crashed down on me. I started to think through the stories I had heard earlier in the day. It was devastating. I did my best to keep from sobbing aloud. Why would those kids believe that there is anything better here on earth? Most of the songs were written by American slaves or those walking through the depression; times when there seemed to be little hope for this world. We want these kids to sing a cute song like “Jesus Loves Me”, but how can they sing that song when their parents have died and the next people in line to care for them have just lied, abused or raped them. If there is any hope left, it is only that there may be something better than this world. Maybe one day we’ll fly away from here. Maybe there’s a place where mom and dad will never grow old and leave me alone. I wanted to hug each of these kids and tell them that God loves them, but why should they believe me? If God loves them so much, why has their innocence been stolen? They’re children! I believe that God has an answer, I’m just not sure that I have it right now.
There are those that are breaking into these desperate situations and shining light where there is darkness. Yehualeshet and the Tikuret staff, for example, make sacrifices to provide good care for these children. Rather than just moaning about how awful this world is, they’ve decided to do something about it. They’ve taken the love that God has shown them and have poured it right back out on these kids. Rather than dwelling on “Why has this happened?”, they are constantly asking “What can we do about it?” “How is this an opportunity for the light of Christ to shine?” Stephne, Henok and the CCCE staff are other examples of those who are not satisfied with remaining in their gated compound and pretending that the desperation does not exist. They both have plenty of opportunities if they wanted to take them. They could leave Ethiopia, or at least the current situation in the south, and live a very comfortable life anywhere in the world…but they won’t. God has called them into the mess, and they have answered. He’s asked them to get dirty and to deal with problems that don’t have answers that can be placed on coffee mugs and sold in Christian book stores. Others I’ve met in this guest house have been called to the same thing. A family that has left a pretty comfortable life in rural Pennsylvania to engage in the brokenness and dirtiness of Addis Ababa to plant an international church with some Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Even here in Ethiopia, they’ve chosen not to seclude themselves in one of the nice ex-pat communities in order to be accessible to those they are here to love and serve. They’ve chosen to walk or ride the minibuses for transportation; 16 humans and a goat in a 12 person vehicle.
Another man who leaves the UK to live in Ethiopia; for 1/3 of the year trains local believers to run self-supporting businesses that can not only provide for their families, but relieve their local ministries from foreign support. He’s full of stories from these brothers and sisters; 300 former prostitutes now off of the streets and serving the Lord. Again, in the UK he has been and could still be a successful business man, but God has called him to the slums of Addis. Another woman from Switzerland has totally given up her life as a music teacher, to work among the poorest of the poor. She helps children, most of whom are infected with HIV, to see that there is light and beauty in such a dark place. Dr. Kelemu and his wife, Mekdes, are doing it too. They are draining their own resources in order to build a hospital in Shashemene. We had an opportunity to walk through the building that is currently under construction. I commented on how big the building is and Mekdes said, “Yes, it’s too big. Sometimes I don’t even have 100 birr for gas because everything goes to this hospital.” Then, she went on with excitement in her voice to tell me what each room will be used for. The most exciting part for me and for them, was the top floor. Their dream is to begin a school to train doctors and nurses out of the hospital. They showed me each classroom and the library and chapel. Dr. Kelemu said, “This is just a dream but, with God, dreams turn into reality!”
These are all people I’ve met in one week. So, in the midst of such deep poverty and need, there is a deeper commitment to sharing the love of Christ and meeting those needs. Obviously, the answer is not to simply bring the country out of poverty. The needs are much deeper than money, but through meeting those real felt needs of clean water, food, protection from diseases, the deeper needs can also be met; healing from abuse, a realization of the love of God, redemption. I can’t explain the relationship between God’s sovereignty and the stories I’ve heard, but I have known Him long enough to trust Him, regardless of what I see. I trust that He is working and I trust that there is a place for me to join Him. I trust that He’s not allowed me to experience this depravity without a purpose and even more, that He’s not allowed these children to experience such depravity without a purpose. He will redeem this land and He will redeem these kids and I want to be a part of it. I miss you and the boys desperately, but all I could think while driving past the half naked children walking miles without shoes to carry water back to their families in mud huts was “How can I leave this place?” Until today, Ethiopia has felt like home. I’ve been encouraged that it did not feel like such a foreign place. After this weekend, I don’t know that I will ever find a home here on earth. This certainly is not my home, but neither is America. In fact, Hendersonville, NC may be the most foreign place on earth to me now.
My son is teaching me. Teaching me to care more deeply about the broken people around me, to see a world that is bigger than my county or state, to see God's hand at work, even in the tragedies of life, and to see that what I consider sacrifice for the sake of God is nothing compared to what millions of God's servants are doing every day. Thank you, Ben.
1 comment:
I stumbled across this post while researching where our kids came from. It turns out you are the Father of Ben who was our case worker during the adoption. I love the story you posted from the letter to his wife and thank the Lord for people willing to do what he is doing.
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