Living Sent, Ethiopia: In Which Life Change is Real

 Monday, June 23rd

Today we saw life change. Today, we experienced life change in the depths of our own hearts. We saw God's sovereignty and perfect plan at work. As we built up a wall, we participated in building His Kingdom in the hearts of our Ethiopian brothers and sisters.

 We echoed cries of "Hallelujah, Jesus," as we got to be the hope in this woman's life. Participating in her joy, we also shared in her hurts, in her prayers for her spiritually lost son to find rest in the Father. We got to be the hands and feet and heart of Jesus.

 We saw His spirit strengthen hearts as we strengthened walls. And as the faith of this precious mother of five encouraged and humbled us, God's spirit moved among us and brought her son to faith in our Lord. We witnessed this boy walk from a path of destruction to a new, full life of lasting hope.

 While joining His mother in obeying this, these words came alive:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 And we danced. We clapped. We cried and laughed. We submerged ourselves in His joy because although the poverty seemed deafening and joy seemed lost in defeat, our God will not be moved. He is Lord of all; He is sovereign over all. And as this beautiful woman reminded us with such a smile on her face, God will never leave us. Hope and joy are never quite lost because the God of all hope and joy is with us always.

 Today, His hope strengthened our hearts and was manifested in a seemingly hopeless place. As we showed this woman and her family Christ's love, she showed us His power. His power that enables her to dance and sing, praising her God.

 She thanked us today, but more so than that she thanked the Lord. To her we weren't just people coming to fix her home, we were a demonstration of the heart of God.

 And as we say goodbye to our new brother in Christ and to his mother whom I will never forget, she says so humbly to us, "Today is the first time white people have ever come here. But today, I don't see white people. I see God."