Time

For interest sake, the interspersed pictures our of a party we attended yesterday, the poses were cracking me up. Culturally, people try not to smile for photos unless they get too nervous and smile anyways...

Two years draw to a close, our first term as SIM overseas workers in Ethiopia nears completion. A relatively short time, in which we have aged at least seven years, it’s been sweet, stretching and revealing. At times we’ve intimately felt the nearness, comfort and affirmation of God and other times, we wonder what in the world we’ve done. But it’s been good. So (in a completely non-cliche way) good. To leave home and learn how to live all over again. I think you would laugh if you saw us in a myriad of new situations, us trying to act nonchalant like we’ve been doing this all our lives, when inside our thoughts resound, “What?!?"

The mother and father are flanking the women in the middle, who insisted on holding the baby in pictures. 

As we look to our first home assignment, we’ve taken cues from many fellow colleagues to hear about this time of amazing, this time of transition, this time of travel, this time of chaos, this time of the USA’s food abundance and our major goal for it is for Jon and I not to kill each other. Err.

Just kidding, but we have heard horror stories of how if not managed well, we may very well go crazy. Add on top of this, my weak gift in organization and you know, we’ll need lots of grace. We’re overwhelmed (in the best way) with love and thankfulness, for you, our people. Those who have stood in the gap for us and the Awi people. The many who pray, give, laugh and cry with our stories. Our main goals are truly to refresh and connect with as many people as possible, while staying connected ourselves!

Would you let us know if you want to catch up? If you are a quiet reader or if we don’t know you, we still love you and would be thrilled to hear from you, too. :) We are going to try to do get-togethers in different regions and we would love to have you join in the fun, because it will be fun (if I am not too impossibly awkward) and if we can swing it, this will involve much Ethiopian coffee. 

Now, heads down, we press forward, there’s so much we want to do before our departure in June!

 

 

And just because this woman needs her own side story:

Inside the mud houses are really dark as usually the only light is coming in through the door. She wanted her picture taken but when the red light flashed at her, pre-flash, she had such a shock that the whole room erupted into laughter and she didn’t calm down for a few minutes.