Thank you for taking the time to read about my trip! I know many of you are anxious to hear about my journey to Ethiopia, so without much further ado, let's get started . . .
Discovery Project to NAME
During the first two weeks of June, I had the incredible privilege of participating with a group of collegiate ministers on a discovery project to the NAME region, located in the western half of the 10/40 Window. So what exactly is �NAME� and the �10/40 Window� you ask? Good question! NAME is an acronym, with the four letters standing for North Africa and the Middle East. The 10/40 Window is that area where most of the world's unreached people groups live. Bound on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by the Pacific Ocean, the 10/40 Window is located between ten degrees and forty degrees latitude north. Within NAME there are over 150 different people groups (defined as a group of people bound together by language, culture, and ethno-linguistic and socio-economic ties), 26 gateway cities, and a population of over 350 million people . . . most of which have probably never heard the Gospel. Each of us were assigned to smaller teams and had the opportunity to travel to a specific country within the NAME region to learn about the land, the culture, and the people groups . . . and also to discover what opportunities there might be to return with a group of college students next year.
Ethiopia
�Ethiopia? Why would you ever want to travel to Ethiopia???� Believe me . . . I heard that question from several people before I left! Honestly, my primary reason for traveling to Ethiopia was that I was assigned to that specific team. However, I soon discovered that the land, the culture, and the people groups were very different than what I expected. Once described as the �land of enchantment,� Ethiopia is a country filled with mountains, plateaus, and valleys and the landscape is absolutely beautiful. Because of the dry air and the high altitudes, the climate is generally mild (the average temperature stays near 60-70 degrees year around). After several years under a communist regime, Ethiopia established itself as a federal republic (made up of 14 different regions) in 1995. Of course, as many of you have probably read in the newspapers, an on-going border dispute with Eritrea has developed into a civil war within the past few years, thus wreaking havoc across the countryside (in fact, the fighting resumed during our short time there). Ethiopia boasts a population of over 64 million people (depending on your source of information), and the majority of people are either members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church or part of the Muslim community. Although Ethiopia is considered one of the oldest Christian nations in the world, there are actually very few true believers who reside there.
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital of Ethiopia and was considered our �base of operations� during our time there. Addis contains between 4 and 6 million people (again, depending on your source of information) and the population is very diverse, representative of nearly all the people groups within the country. Because of this, Addis is considered a �gateway city.� While Addis is considered a modern city filled with the typical tall buildings, traffic, and pollution . . . it is also not uncommon to wake up to the sound of a rooster crowing or to see animals (i.e. goats, donkeys, and sheep) throughout the city as people wander the streets or go to the market. Poverty and famine are very evident throughout the land, but even more so within the city of Addis, where the streets are filled with beggars, street vendors, and homeless people. The average day's wage in Ethiopia is roughly 6 to 8 birr a day (8 birr is the equivalent of 1 American dollar) and foreigners are generally considered very wealthy by their standards. We stayed in a hotel during our time there, and while our accommodations where very modest, we at least had modern facilities (read: indoor plumbing), a telephone, and even a TV which actually received CNN!
Gina Ager
On our second day in the Ethiopia, we journeyed to a small village in the countryside called Gina Ager. Because many of the villages are remote and the road conditions are less than ideal, traveling by car can often be very arduous and time-consuming. However, the six-hour round-trip did allow us time to see many spectacular views of the mountains, valleys, and the rugged-terrain. In most of the villages, the living conditions were very characteristic of a third-world country. The houses are often made out of mud with thatch or tin roofs, and usually they contain no electricity, phones, or running water. Further, it is not uncommon for people to walk several miles just to get water or go to the market (and given the altitude and terrain, simply walking a few miles can be very physically demanding!). Because Gina Ager is located near the peak of a mountain, we had an opportunity to do some hiking outside of the village. We also ate our first authentic Ethiopian meal . . . Injera b'Wot (�wot� is a spicy stew containing meat, poultry, or vegetables and is eaten by hand using the �injera� which is a large, thin pancake made from local wheat).
Bahir Dar
We also had the opportunity to spend two days in Bahir Dar, a small tourist town adjacent to Lake Tana and Tississat Falls in Northern Ethiopia. During our time there, we encountered a sixteen year-old girl outside the St. George Cathedral, who quickly befriended us and invited us back to her home for a visit. We met her family, took many pictures, learned how to spin cotton thread, and experienced a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony (I drank two cups . . . a major accomplishment for someone who doesn't even drink coffee! I just kept reminding myself of Philippians 4:13!). It was an incredible experience and our hosts were very gracious. The next day, we journeyed by boat across Lake Tana to the Zege peninsula to visit the Ura Kidenmhiret (meaning �Covenant of Mercy�) monastery. There are in fact several islands and peninsulas on the lake that contain over 30 different churches and monasteries. Later in the day, the young man who acted as our guide at the monastery accompanied us to the open market, providing us with a great opportunity to visit with him.
The People, the Culture, and a Few Other Random Thoughts
The people of Ethiopia are generally friendly, although somewhat reserved. The children we encountered seemed to be more out-going and inquisitive . . . and often they would talk to us and ask many questions, wave to us, or even hold our hands while we walked through the cities and villages. Because of the on-going civil war, tourism is way down in Ethiopia and thus, there were very few �ferengi� (or foreigners) around. As such, we were a big attraction and often drew large crowds wherever we went. Many of the people wanted to sell us something or offer their help (for a small fee, of course) . . . but some were just curious and wanted to talk to us. A few times, the crowd was just �double o-c . . . out of control� and it felt a little overwhelming (now I understand what it must feel like to be a celebrity!). Also, driving in Ethiopia is an experience that I would not wish on anybody (it is absolutely insane!). Shopping at the local �suk� (or market) is also different . . . everything it seems is negotiable. The needs of the people (especially the physical needs) are tremendous and we felt great compassion for the people. However, we quickly learned that the solution was NOT to give them food or money . . . for they would only be asking for a handout again the next day. Instead, a friend reminded me of this thought . . . �give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.� A few of the volunteer opportunities we learned about included teaching English and helping tutor students in both math and science, leading sports clinics and teaching about first aid and health issues, and prayer walking or prayer trekking around the cities and across the countryside.
If you have actually decided to read this far . . .
I have so much more to share about my trip, but I realize that I have already taken up a great deal of time. One last note . . . I also had an opportunity to spend a few days in London at the end of my trip which was fantastic (if you are interested in hearing some details, just ask!). Anyway, thank you again for reading about my journey. Take care and may God bless you abundantly!