Trusting, Waiting and Using the Time Well

Feb 2, 2009

Seppo woke us up at the crack of dawn with a cup of coffee. He was still adjusting to jet lag and woke Erik at 4:30 to tell him about his crazy dream...good thing Erik is very patient. That kicked off a busy day to get ready, devotions, breakfast and much needed sunscreen. Devotions today was appropriately about taking our lives and letting them be used, however, God wishes.

Satu (The director of fun) had booked two appointments one was with Silva a missionary from Finland and the other was with Regula a missionary from Switzerland. In the morning We met Silva standing on the side of the road in the Mekannisa region fairly near the Lutheran Seminary called "Mekane Yesus Seminary" that is busily training nationals to reach their own people. To get to her we had to risk our lives and cross a busy street with taxis and trucks travelling at break neck speeds. The rule here is pedestrians yield to taxis and trucks. These drivers mean business. Silva introduced us to Tilaye Kebede the Dean of the Music program that specializes in Jazz, after encouraging Erik and Seppo to come and participate in giving and learning from his professors and students for whatever time possible while here. Than he called Markku Keskimaenpaa, a finnish music professor to meet us and tour the facilities with all of our family. We found the piano's that need minor tuning and repairs and met some students and firmed up schedules for the rest of our visit.

We sat down in the school's beautiful courtyard patio cafe to brainstorm and address the problems associated with running a music program without enough instruments to go around. After some discussion Satu had a brainwave to get an exchange program going with a band in Canada that would bring the instruments over as carry on baggage and then leave them behind. This would be an exciting opportunity for many to connect through music. What do you think Auntie Laura wouldn't this be something new and interesting? Most of the young people coming to this school are sponsored by their local churches and have little other resources. They have many hopes and aspirations to go back to their communities and make long term differences.

Time for lunch so Seppo and David had their first daring Ethiopian food coached by Satu, Erik and Silva. We loved it and decided we would have some again on Thursday night with Markku along with traditional music and dance at the Yod Abyssinia a local meeting spot. After lunch we had to say goodbye to Silva who is returning to Northern Ethiopia where she serves full time in foster homes.

We began a major journey across the city via three line taxis and several hikes to the Bright Future Compund in Ketchene. Some of these line taxi rides seem life threatening but after awhile you realize that these drivers and assistants (kind of like a conducter) have a very well defined system that works very well. We met Regula halfway and she made sure we found our way their. Here 65 kids are involved in an after school program that helps to nourish, stimulate, and meet the spiritual, mental & physical needs of these often neglected children. We cannot say enough about what is going on here it was an incredible experience to share with these young people from 5 years to teens. The program is committed to work with a young person until they are self sufficient(post secondary education). We played games, sang and talked with the children. They love to have their photo taken and then quickly look at it it on the digital screen. They make wonderful models. So many pictures we will have to choose just a few to send through. Many of the multi-vitamins will arrive here so that every child can have one a day. This is something to continue working on so that the multi-vitamin program could continue at a cost of about $2,000 per year. Maybe our King's Kids could help out these Bright Future Kings Kids by fundraising money to get these multivitamines for them...I think Our King would love to see kids caring for one another.

Erik is so happy to see Seppo again and 'show the ropes' to him about getting around in Addis. It was a joy to watch Seppo and Erik today with the kids at the Bright Future...they were just surrounded by kids. Seppo and Erik spent time just talking with the kids and letting them poke at their skin and laughing about silly things. An other group of kids just loved to play 'a name memorizing game' with David...I think kids would like to keep David there as their adopted father (most of these kids don't have a father). Satu ended up jumping rope with the girls and thus almost ended up having a heart attack (she must be getting too old for such a sport) We had brought some candy for the kids and got them all lined up for distribution. How much joy a little candy can bring!!! The ring pops were a great hit! Tomorrow will go back and teach the kids to make a braiding with hemp and beads (Erik's specialty). We are really looking forward to that! Next time we'll go and teach them some songs that Kings Kids have learnt back in CB.

We are still waiting on Maija-Sitota's visa to Canada. It's somewhere in Canadian Embassy in Nairobi...or maybe it's even on route to Addis..only our God knows all the details...may we be able to trust in Him and use the time of waiting well.

Talk to you later,
David and Satu

Feb 3rd AM
A new day has begun. No new news other than to say it is good to be alive and have another day to enjoy. Good to hear the messages of the little boy's comings and goings. They have been excellent through this whole process. We thank all of you for your special contributions to their lives. If you get a chance sit them down and read the blog to them for bedtime. They like doing that (assuming there is something new)

We will update you later on today's goings on assuming we aren't dead tired.