What does respect have to do with sanitation?

Sunday afternoon, we had a few hours to do some sight-seeing around downtown Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We were accompanied by a few staff from Life In Abundance (LIA): Mekdes, Teddi, and Musfut. As we tooled around the city, we had conversations with the various LIA staff and got to hear about the banks, the micro-lending initiatives and institutions, the university and education, we passed the US Embassy (NO PICTURES, of course), and the Palace of the Prime Minister.

As we heard the staff speak very respectfully of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, about their prayers for he and his family, about his current health which serious, and about the encouragement and support they received from him. Prime Minister Meles had been in office for 21 years and, from what I've read and heard from their staff, had done some wonderful things for and in the country to help move them from oppression and poverty. Sadly, he passed away just a few days after our return to the US.  As of this writing, the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition council has not yet appointed a new leader, but suspect that the interim, whom Prime Minister Meles had been preparing may be appointed.

Once we made our way through the city, we arrived at "Top View" which was, as its name indicates, delightful restaurant providing a breath-taking view from the top in which we could see the city. As I stood there looking out over the city, I imagined how God's heart aches for the millions of people in this city who don't yet know Him. And then, I imagined how He must also be smiling at the work, impact and prayers of those with whom LIA is working. The work that is being done to build relationships with so many people in so many positions to point people to Jesus and to be a reflection of Him!

From the frail elderly woman who is being helped and ministered to by the pastor of the small church of only a couple dozen; to the staff who work tirelessly with the HIV+ mothers and their children; to the mentors who are re-teaching boys currently living on the streets to be respected and become respecting men and future leaders of these communities; all the way to this now deceased Prime Minister and many others working in governmental offices holding power and prestige.

The one common thread woven through everyone we met was respect. Respect of staff to one another. Respect to every single person with whom they came in contact. Respect from individuals in the community who know the work their church and LIA were doing and from those many governmental officials, including the late Prime Minister.

As we settled into our seats at a long table in a large gazebo on the top of this "hill," I had the fortunate pleasure to sit next to Musfut. As we sat and enjoyed a bit of ice cream, watching the storm roll in, I began to inquire of him and his roll at LIA. Listening, I became so engrossed in his work with the Sanitation project that he ended up having to "drink" his ice cream because it had melted as he graciously answered my many questions.

As I understand it, LIA has been able to work with the government to bring sanitation to areas in seven districts by running pipes for sanitation. Water-borne illnesses are still a concern in Ethiopia and they are working in conjunction with the government to solve the problem. The ONLY way they are able to work together with the government at this level is through mutual respect.

Respect is one of those top leadership qualities in my book. Mutual respect fosters such an integral level of understanding and opportunity. Respect for others provides value back to individuals and allows the re-gaining of traction that may have previously been lost in a situation. Respect focuses on the mutual goal of the good of the situation, individual, community, or society. Respect fosters action - successful action!

The strongest team

Today, I had the tiniest glimpse of an effective team...God's team...I love to worship, but this morning, I felt myself just being still, soaking in worship, and allowing myself to imagine what worship might be like one day. This morning of worship at the small FBI Church in Ethiopia was beautiful worship of just a few tribes and nations. While there was access to and availability of "tech creature comforts" such as speakers, a microphone, and an electric keyboard...they were so not necessary!

This army of worshipers worked as much like a well-oiled machine as any I've seen. And, the fact that THIS army was diverse, of different cultures, different languages, and was not at all concerned about technology issues. Whether the electric was on or off...keyboard worked or didn't...they did not miss a beat in their worship.

Their focus as a team was single-minded: worship the King of Kings! 

What can we learn from this team to build more effective teams in our world?

1. A common, focused goal
2. A goal that everyone was aware of and working towards
3. Support from one another to reach the common goal
4. Shared leadership in reaching the goal
5. Encouragement of and between one another to stay the course

What are you expecting today?

Several weeks before our trip, as I was reading my devotional, the same verse continued to come to my attention. Perhaps God was trying to tell me something and I wasn't listening. I am so excited to share the "rest of the story." I love how God only gives us a small bit of the big picture. How else can He teach us expectation? I suspect that if He shared with us the whole picture, our heads would ex- or im-plode with the magnitude!

The verse...

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." 

Pastor Tadi

That week, I was convicted...I seem to have become pretty proficient at laying my requests before God...in the morning...in the afternoon...in the evening...all throughout the day, but I believe I had come to a place where I felt like all I did was ask, ask, ask. I know that's what we are supposed to do - to ask our Father for the desires of our heart. But, what I was convicted of that week was that I totally missed the last part of that verse. Perhaps the key to that verse.

"...and WAIT IN EXPECTATION."

This last part is a "one-two punch"...I was not at all good at waiting and for sure not waiting in expectation. Why not? When in the world did I forget that when I ask my Heavenly Father, the God of the Universe, the Creator of all things in Heaven and on Earth, the King of Kings...why would I not be willing to wait on His perfect timing and answer?  And, for goodness sake, with all the resources that God has available, that "waiting" screams expectation. How would my life change if every morning before my feet hit the ground, I expected great things to come from God.

Fast forward a couple of week and on the other side of the world, in a Guest house in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sunday morning, it was my day to lead our team in our Devotion as we started our day. I shared this same verse with my team and what God had been teaching me through it. As I finished up, I asked each of them what they were expecting from God for that day.

As the day unfolded, I was blessed again by the experience of something even more beautiful, something that my expectation was too small for...Sarah, our team leader shared a word of encouragement in the worship service at the FBI Church. Her word of encouragement came from a few verses: from Romans 4:20 (& 21) that says, "yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." and from Jeremiah 33:2 & 3 where we read about Jeremiah teaching while still confined by the court guard, "Thus says the Lord...‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'"

How beautiful that the God of the Universe who knows all things would weave together the prompting I was feeling weeks before our departure and the encouragement He wanted Sarah to share into a breath-taking design surrounding the same concept - at least in my heart they all fit together perfectly!


I thank you for stopping long enough with me to expect of God in your waiting!

 

The school that enthusiasm built

We do not know the details of what had taken place for months prior to our arrival in this community. Were their children in any school? Did the families not have the money to send their little ones to school? What was on their minds at the start of each day?

We do not know, but the leaders of the local church did! They had spent months of work to lay the foundation, not in concrete, but in relationships, a foundation far more solid that simply concrete. Based on the smiles of the staff with whom we briefly met, I can only imagine their excitement as they identified the needs in their community - the need for a school for the many children who lived there. And, as they met and talked with each new family, their excitement grew. They continued to pray and seek God's perfect leading for the place and the details.

At some point, as this group of leaders' excitement grew and crossed into enthusiasm, they knew they would be able to realize their vision with the help and partnership of Life In Abundance. An entire community of children who may not otherwise have been able to get an education will now have that opportunity afforded them. It takes passion, direction, enthusiasm, and all bathed regularly with prayers.

As we stepped through their gate, we were greeted with warm smiles and rich hugs from women and children in this community. They too, I imagine from their smiles, had become infected with the same enthusiasm that had begun to provide a glimpse of hope for them and their children's future. What could their children accomplish if they had an education? Their children would be given opportunity...opportunity to achieve greater things than they had. Opportunity that would lead to further education, if desired. Education that would lead to better jobs. Jobs that would mean a better life. A life that perhaps these sweet parents could not allow themselves to even dare to dream. Now, that future could become a reality for their sweet children.

This possible future becoming a reality because one or perhaps two leaders from this small Presbyterian church became enthusiastic about what they might dare to dream for their community, God's children. To dream a dream that was just an ember in their hearts. A huge dream that God is just waiting to fulfill and use to reach these people for Him. I can't wait to see how He will blow their socks off!

Trustworthy - what does it take?

Our first introduction into the work of Life In Abundance (LIA) was Saturday afternoon when we went to visit a brand new partnership between LIA and Burayu Presbyterian Church. The bus dropped us off on the last paved road. We exited the bus and began to walk through the dirt streets which had become mud due to the rain during this rainy season. Across tiny creeks and streams, stepping stone by stone down one street, turning onto another, and journeying deeper and deeper into this community.

Not very far on our journey, I felt a tiny hand grab a hold of mine. Looking down, I peered into precious brown warm eyes of this little boy who may have been about five or six (we later learned his brother was a student in the LIA school.)  Every few steps, I would look down and with a huge smile, he too gazed up at me.  This young man journeyed with us through the mud streets, across streams, and joyfully abounding from rock to rock and grasping tightly onto my hand.

After several minutes, I questioned Sarah (our team leader)..."will his mother be OK with this?" She simply smiled and said, "it's OK." You see, although we may see the way the people in this community lives as poverty and feel sorry for them...I am a bit jealous of the trust and community that I saw still alive and well. A community where parents don't fear the safety of their children. A community where the children can run and play freely in the streets without worrying about abduction. They still live in community here and expect their children are simply out playing. Oh, to have that simple way of life again!

Trustworthy - I am not sure why I would consider myself trustworthy to this little boy, especially from his perspective, he did not know me, but he knew my hosts. Life In Abundance, as we would see demonstrated over and over again, has developed a reputation...one of trustworthiness. They, not I... their Jesus, not me is indeed worthy of their trust. While I was a white stranger in this community, LIA was definitely not!

A trust that has provided the opportunity for a partnership to be forged with this Presbyterian church who is currently in the process of building a school (background in above picture.)  A trust that has cast the vision of what education will do in and for this community. This school will provide the hand UP out of poverty to so many children through education and opportunity. I look forward to seeing this young boy in 3 year, in 5 year, in 10 years as he become a young adult who will pursue his dreams and he too sustaining himself and his family while pursuing his dreams for his future. This little boy who trusted me enough to walk down that muddy street hand in hand with me, his Jesus has great plans for him...plans to prosper and not to harm! Tank you Lord for allowing me to be trustworthy through you and your reputation.

Who inspires you?

On Saturday morning, when we arrived at the LIA-Ethiopia office, we were greeted by the staff, led by Dr. Yared (Yared Mekonen Mekuria, MD.) Dr. Yared has been the Director of the Ethiopia office for many years and also served as the medical director and physician at Debre Berhan Zonal Hospital. During our time there, he was transitioning out of his responsibilities with the Ethiopia office and into new responsibilities as the Regional Director, Established Countries with the Life In Abundance International Office in Kenya.  Dr. Yared now oversees program implementation in the countries where LIA is well-established and replicating programs in new communities. While in Ethiopia, he helped pioneer some of LIA’s most successful initiatives. 

As we had some time to spend with Dr. Yared on Saturday, it was very easy to see that he is indeed gifted at inspiring others. As we spoke with various staff throughout the week, everyone spoke very highly of Dr. Yared and his leadership. Inspiring others is one of the greatest gifts and qualities a leader possesses. The inspiration that a leader bestows on his or her staff allows that individual to go far beyond their own visions and abilities to create new opportunities and solutions to benefit the entire organization as well as the individuals who benefit from the services provided by the organization.

Dr. Yared is no different. He has inspired great people to do incredible things to achieve unfathomable results and impact individuals' lives and the Kingdom of Jesus...reaching the unlovely and often forgotten people in the poorest of poor communities reminding them that God sees them and God indeed has a purpose for them! I look forward to seeing how he will be used in a mighty way replicating the successful programs from Ethiopia as new programs are begun in new communities and countries to share the love of Jesus by meeting their needs, one person at a time.  

People first

After a good night's rest, our first stop was to the Life In Abundance (LIA) office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There we got an overview of how LIA works in partnership with communities through the local church and always in a programmatic method. A method adopted from another urban outreach ministry called the CHE (Community Health Evangelism) model. The more I learn about this model and as we had the privilege to meet and pray with many of the beneficiaries of LIA's programs, the more I get excited about its success.  And...this, in essence, was the same model used by Jesus as he was with his disciples for three years, teaching them all he could and seeking the same goal - that they too would be self-sufficient and yet connected and dependent on the Holy Spirit's leading and guiding.

Every program that LIA deploys is done at the request of the community and local church, but the more intriguing part about these programs is that every one of them has a goal to achieve their objective in three years. And, that objective...for the beneficiaries of each program to be self-sufficient at the end of those three years. John 10:10 says once again, "I have come that you may  have life, and have it more abundantly."  The key component of that abundant life if Jesus; however, LIA is very careful to not use their assistance and Jesus as a "bribe." They do not ever want it to be thought by those in the community that IF they will accept Jesus, THEN they will help. No...scripture tells us we help first, build relationship which then provides the opportunity to share Jesus:

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ [Matthew 25:35-40]

Everything LIA does is focused on people, just like a good leader is focused on people. Developing people and moving them to be self-sufficient and empowered. Ultimately, to know that more abundant life through Jesus, but one step at a time. I was completely flabbergasted to see that this three-year plan is working and look forward to sharing with you some of the amazing stories and people we met during our 10 days of hope in Ethiopia!