Practicing Faith Over Fear

I've rarely had a time when I get to practice my faith in God this much. 

My temptation is to turn inward. To throw together a suitcase and take the four kids and get out of here, far from this amazing, beautiful country full of beautiful people and such limited access to medical care. All schools are cancelled, public broadcasts have started about the importance of handwashing and talking of stopping physical touch in our greetings. Price gouging has started in the local markets. 

Our reality is Jon is in another country and we don’t know when we will be reunited. (Though by all human plans, it could be Wednesday morning!). All of us have recently experienced our best-laid plans recently thwarted. He still has no visa to re-enter Ethiopia and just heard from the office that the wrong document was submitted. If he can fly (Kenya travel ban is in affect today), when he arrives in Ethiopia, he will not be able to enter the country without a visa. If/when he gets a visa at the airport, he needs to self-isolate (if not quarantined in the rumored government center). Pray with us that we see him soon. Like, really soon. 

Of our SIM team in the near area, 3 of the 5 units need to return to their home countries for various, valid reasons.

Yesterday we farewelled our New Zealand family.

This morning, after a night of Tiger popping out of bed like popcorn, I cling to God, to faith over fear.  I begged God for an outward focus on others. But my mind struggles to go there. Directly outside of our gate, there are people in one-room tin houses. Our neighbors are day laborers. No work, no money for food, no back up resources.

I bought soap in large quantity to give out and I planted a garden with Tiger and Miss T, because I DON’T KNOW. Sweet A has said I am not showing motivation for them to finish 4^th grade. I want to be normal and follow the same schedule for their sakes, but currently, life is not normal. 

And it's not all bad. The Bibles we have to give out for Easter distribution are now being gratefully received as a place of hope in light of a hopeless situation. God is working and we all know it. 

As I pushed seeds into the dirt in the tiny garden in an act of hope, an act of expectation, an act of acknowledging God as the bringer of all growth, my heart calmed. My thoughts went from, “Will there really be fuel shortages, food shortages, all flights at a halt? What will happen when one of us needs a hospital for any reason? How long before we can be with Jon again?” to beginning to think how we could be a legitimate help to the some of the most vulnerable in the population.  

I contacted a friend at the Grace Center, an amazing organization striving to keep families together, where many of the children who attend are at significant risk of food shortages. They would love donations to be able to supplement food to the single mothers who will not be able to work at their day laborer jobs. You can give here. 

This is a place, that as we are there on a weekly basis, we have met a father with a baby on his back, his wife had just died and he was looking for food. The very place I send the beggar children, the begging mothers because I know there, they will find food and sustainable solutions.

I just got the following text from a friend who works there...

“We have to close the daycare. It will cost $4,000 usd to cover families expenses they will not be able to cover due to not working. If it goes beyond two weeks, we will need outside assistance or will have to get permission from the ministry of health to keep the daycare open to prevent starvation and homelessness...they say to stock up for two weeks of food, most of our families cannot even afford soap.”

Another friend from Hidden Abilities is heartbroken over the necessary decision to close down very soon as the children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to being exposed. She also expressed they would so appreciate money to give to desperate families. You can give to this organization through the SIM USA website, project number #092936 or send donations to us and let us know how to designate it. 

Will you join me in fighting our fear and practicing our faith by giving generously during this time? How can we engage our kids in this work? Please brainstorm with me in the comments, can they do big jobs around the house for money for vulnerable peoples? Can they make something to sell to raise funds? What ideas have you already implemented or thought about to help the needy around you, wherever that may be?

With ❤️  From Ethiopia 🇪🇹 ,

Team Gerst