Well, Ethiopia 2008 is now part of my past. Part of my pilgrimage. My journey. And it has forever changed my walk.
I haven’t really felt like writing about it until now, due to all the changes my body is dealing with physically, mentally, and spiritually. The big question I always ask after trips such as these is “why am I still here in America”? Gods word says to be willing to go, and I am willing, so whats the problem? God whispered something to me yesterday that gave me rest in this question and I want to share it with you. He told me that there is no problem.
My day began at 4:30am (gotta love jet lag) with a bowl of cereal and several unanswerd emails. At about 5:15 I realized that I hadn’t seen the sunrise over the gulf in a very long time, and that it would be the perfect place to spend my quiet time with God. I was right.
God actually began speaking before I even reached the island. He told me to pay close attention to the color and majesty of what I was about to see. I realized as I watched, that even though the sun rises at different times in Ethiopia and here, its still the same sun. If I find a body of water in Ethiopia, Lake Awassa for example, and watch a sunrise on any given cloudy day, I am likely to see the same colors and setting as I saw before my eyes. Hence, He is the same God here and there. He had a task for me there and He has one for me here. This thinking led me to ponder the needs that I saw over the last 5 weeks compared to the needs here in America….I came to the conclusion that they were basically the same.
Love. Thats it. People need love. They need to know they are loved. They need to know that someone (who doesn’t have to) cares. They need to be shown that love in practical ways. When we love, people see Jesus Christ in action.
As I traveled down the roads of Ethiopia, I found myself wondering how the people would respond if we took them to America. Just packed them all up and brought them here. How would they respond to what they saw? I came to the conclusion that they don’t need what I have to be happy. They don’t need the comforts that we have because quite frankly, I didn’t have those comforts for a few weeks and I was just fine. Do they know that they are living in poverty? Of course they do. Do they wish to change this? Of course, we all want things we can’t or don’t have because thats our nature…but my point is this: What they really want is what all of us want…to know that they are loved, regardless. They want to know that they matter. When we show people that they matter to us, they are more likely to see that they matter to the God who sends us. Thats what I attempted to show these past five weeks, and God showed me that is what I must continue to do here in my country.
God puts a lot of people in my path, daily. Some are more challenging as I figure out how to love them as Jesus does, but I am learning. Others, are a true joy to be around and I can’t believe how lucky I am to be able to invest in them and them in me. Regardless, God called me to love. And I want to do that well.
I’ve heard it said that wherever you are, be all there. Well Houston, I am back, all back, and ready to love.
Thanks God for your big ocean, the bright sun, and the opportunity to see them collide.
Peace.
5 Comments
July 17, 2008 at 10:20 am
great post
if we can reach houston, we will reach the world
that is why I stay…for now.
July 17, 2008 at 10:40 am
This is beautifully written =)That picture is pretty amazing! I’m glad God showed you the reason you need to be here now, because i guarantee you there are a lot of college students looking for some one to love them 100% =)
July 17, 2008 at 11:20 am
This post is great. And so true. Thanks for the thoughts!
July 18, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Tammi,
Absolutely beautiful. I went to your page to see if I could find updates on what happened for the rest of your trip, because daily I think of those people and it was cool because I knew what time it was back there, that I would be praying for you and the team – even during lunch time! It was funny and real at the same time. If you end up sharing stories online or in person, would you let me know. I love your passion and committment to our Lord and people in other countries.
May each of us give that love no matter what shore we sit on. Thank you for the light of Christ you allow to be reflected in your walk. Your story and life are inspiring. Keep me in the loop with your babies!
Love,
Nejwa
July 26, 2008 at 1:07 am
It took me a while to get here and read this but it came at just the right time. Thank you.