When we returned to our home in Arba Minch, we were overwhelmed by the faithfulness of some of our friends in our absence.
One of them is a young man named Kibru. We had asked Kibru to kind of keep an eye out and watch our house and property while we were gone. But we did not know the extent to which he did this job. Every night he slept on a mattress on our front porch so he could hear if anyone was trying to steal anything. During the daytime, he carried that mattress out to the back yard along the thorn hedge so he could keep watch during the heat of the day. This he did for over three months. He also kept everything in the garden watered-even though it was the dry season. He hand carried buckets of water to all the mango trees and my flower beds. He planted half of the garden in sweet potatoes. He also walked several miles out of town to pick ripe mangos from our trees on Mello Farms and then sold them in the market. He gave us all the money he earned.(196 birr) He proudly told us not one person came on our property-all was safe because he watched over it.
Rebekah is our housekeeper. She is a quiet woman, but has a great faith in God. While we were gone for three months, she faithfully came and kept our house clean. She was harassed at the entrance to our compound by the guards who were trying to prevent her from coming in and doing her job. They expected her to cower down and go back to her house- leaving our house uncared for. But Rebekah drew herself up to her full height of 5'2" and marched down to the local police station and lodged a complaint. The police came out to the compound and reprimanded the guards and told them NOT to prevent her any longer!
She beamed when she told me all this--and said "Teresa, you know I am not a bold woman" And I said, "yes- but with Gods help you are a very brave and bold woman!" She also had a wonderful welcome home gift for us: 2 cokes, 2 bottles of water, 4 fresh eggs and some bread. Also she and Kibru had made some stew for us to eat. It maybe doesnt sound like a lot to some of you back home, but for them this was an amazing sacrifice of their precious and few birr. We were humbled by their kindness.
Another amazing friend is named Melkias. He had heard we were back in Arba Minch, and so he tried calling us several times. Finally, we talked with him on the phone and made plans to go to his house the following day to meet his new baby son who had been born while we were in America. A few hours later there was a knock on our front door. We had just settled down to eat popcorn and watch a DVD.
We both were a little annoyed that someone was knocking on our door at that late hour-it was already dark. There stood Melkias. We asked him why he was here when we were going to see him tomorrow. He said "once I hear your voice I cannot wait." He was covered in dirt, tired and sweaty from working all day. He must have walked several miles from across town, past his own house to come see us. How is it we can have such friends?
Our first day back home and already I am 'pressed into service'. I went to check on a friend who lives down the street from us. He has tongue cancer and is dying. There is no treatment available for him, and so he is slowly starving to death while the cancer eats away at his tongue and jaw. We give him medicine to try and ease the pain somewhat. He has 5 children under the age of 10. They live in a one room mud house. I had left money in an envelope for the family in case he died while we were in America. It was to pay his burial costs. But- he was still alive. However, his wife was in great pain from an infected leg! Apparently a piece of wood got jammed into her leg several weeks ago. Now it was so swollen she could not walk. She had no money to go see a doctor, and as is the case for many of these poor families-she simply suffered with it. I immediately took her to a clinic where she now has to go twice a day to receive injections to combat the infection. Of course, I will be the one to take her each time. This is my privilege- its not a burden. To share the pain of another human being and then to receive their heartfelt thanks- for them to look me in the eye and know there is absolutely NOTHING they can give me in return other than their prayers of thanks- what more could I want? I go to bed at night tired but happy. What I did today mattered. My Savior is pleased and that is enough.
One of them is a young man named Kibru. We had asked Kibru to kind of keep an eye out and watch our house and property while we were gone. But we did not know the extent to which he did this job. Every night he slept on a mattress on our front porch so he could hear if anyone was trying to steal anything. During the daytime, he carried that mattress out to the back yard along the thorn hedge so he could keep watch during the heat of the day. This he did for over three months. He also kept everything in the garden watered-even though it was the dry season. He hand carried buckets of water to all the mango trees and my flower beds. He planted half of the garden in sweet potatoes. He also walked several miles out of town to pick ripe mangos from our trees on Mello Farms and then sold them in the market. He gave us all the money he earned.(196 birr) He proudly told us not one person came on our property-all was safe because he watched over it.
Rebekah is our housekeeper. She is a quiet woman, but has a great faith in God. While we were gone for three months, she faithfully came and kept our house clean. She was harassed at the entrance to our compound by the guards who were trying to prevent her from coming in and doing her job. They expected her to cower down and go back to her house- leaving our house uncared for. But Rebekah drew herself up to her full height of 5'2" and marched down to the local police station and lodged a complaint. The police came out to the compound and reprimanded the guards and told them NOT to prevent her any longer!
She beamed when she told me all this--and said "Teresa, you know I am not a bold woman" And I said, "yes- but with Gods help you are a very brave and bold woman!" She also had a wonderful welcome home gift for us: 2 cokes, 2 bottles of water, 4 fresh eggs and some bread. Also she and Kibru had made some stew for us to eat. It maybe doesnt sound like a lot to some of you back home, but for them this was an amazing sacrifice of their precious and few birr. We were humbled by their kindness.
Another amazing friend is named Melkias. He had heard we were back in Arba Minch, and so he tried calling us several times. Finally, we talked with him on the phone and made plans to go to his house the following day to meet his new baby son who had been born while we were in America. A few hours later there was a knock on our front door. We had just settled down to eat popcorn and watch a DVD.
We both were a little annoyed that someone was knocking on our door at that late hour-it was already dark. There stood Melkias. We asked him why he was here when we were going to see him tomorrow. He said "once I hear your voice I cannot wait." He was covered in dirt, tired and sweaty from working all day. He must have walked several miles from across town, past his own house to come see us. How is it we can have such friends?
Our first day back home and already I am 'pressed into service'. I went to check on a friend who lives down the street from us. He has tongue cancer and is dying. There is no treatment available for him, and so he is slowly starving to death while the cancer eats away at his tongue and jaw. We give him medicine to try and ease the pain somewhat. He has 5 children under the age of 10. They live in a one room mud house. I had left money in an envelope for the family in case he died while we were in America. It was to pay his burial costs. But- he was still alive. However, his wife was in great pain from an infected leg! Apparently a piece of wood got jammed into her leg several weeks ago. Now it was so swollen she could not walk. She had no money to go see a doctor, and as is the case for many of these poor families-she simply suffered with it. I immediately took her to a clinic where she now has to go twice a day to receive injections to combat the infection. Of course, I will be the one to take her each time. This is my privilege- its not a burden. To share the pain of another human being and then to receive their heartfelt thanks- for them to look me in the eye and know there is absolutely NOTHING they can give me in return other than their prayers of thanks- what more could I want? I go to bed at night tired but happy. What I did today mattered. My Savior is pleased and that is enough.
