Text Updates from Team Ethiopia

Dear friends, as you may have noticed, there are not yet any updates from Ethiopia on http://lccethiopia2011.blogspot.com and my guess is that they just haven't been able to get to it.  Josh's Aunt Peggy has a world phone, so I have been getting a few updates from them that I wanted to pass along in case you are wondering how things are going.  Keep up the prayers!  And let's be praying together for the people of Ethiopia....God bless them!

Fri, August 19 -  9:50 p.m. (9:50 p.m. WA time = 7:50 a.m. Sat Aug 20 in Ethiopia  - they are 10 hours ahead of us here on the west coast)
"On the ground in Addis Ababa. Never imagined I would text that!"

Sun, Aug 21 - 2:19 a.m. here = 12:19 p.m. there
"With little sleep since Wed. night, we were picked up at the airport and went directly to Korah.  Packed 75 bags with 15 K flour, salt, sugar."

Sun, Aug 21 - 10:17 a.m. here = 8:17 p.m. there.  Message Josh tried to send to the church service here today: "Greetings from Ethiopia! We have seen amazing works of God in the face of astounding poverty.  In keeping with the topic of the sermon we see a definite blessing in family ministry even here in Ethiopia. Blessings! Team Ethiopia"

Sun, Aug 21 - 11:50 a.m. = 9:50 p.m. there "Heading for Gutumuma tomorrow. May not have any cell coverage. Have seen unbelievable living conditions today and I thought I'd seen some pretty bad.  It was a good thing for this team to come."

Monday, Aug22 - 12:26 a.m. (10:26 p.m. in Ethiopia)  "Loading for Gutumuma. This place has quite a story. Love you."
 (Today they are traveling 3+ hours from Addis Ababa to the small rural village of Gutumuma, which is 99% Muslim. They had planned to run a VBS there, but plans may have changed to due a tornado that hit there about 2 weeks ago.  They will remain in Gutumuma for VBS and/or whatever projects need help until Thursday, when they will travel to Adama, south of Addis Ababa, where they will serve at the Widows and Orphans home. Thank you for your prayers!)

Tuesday, August 23 - 7:35 a.m. = 5:35 p.m. there -  From Peggy: "Having such an extraordinary experience. Nothing I would have imagined. Feel like we've been here a couple of weeks. Games, silly and fun songs, clapping games, helping the cooks prepare the wat (stew) over a small fire outside, Josh and I teaming to provide a little medical care. Miss you and home."   (Thank the Lord Josh threw in his stethoscope just in case!)

Wednesday, August 24 - 10:29 a.m. = 8:29 p.m. in Ethiopia - "End of another full day. Off to Adama tomorrow morning. We will be visiting the orphan and widow home. We're supposed to stay in a pretty nice hotel.  I won't miss my little cockroach friends! :)"

Thursday, August 25 - 11:43 a.m.  = 9:43 p.m. there From Peg "In Adama at nice hotel so will sleep better I'm sure.  Widows/orphan home is SO nice. Talk about a place to bless some of those with the least.  Can't wait to share the truly amazing stories. They're real to life Bible stories with remarkable answers to earnest prayer. Tomorrow at the home doing some small projects and holding babies. Some projects for widows who live nearby. One will be getting a mattress (she sleeps on a concrete slab) and the hinge to her door has come loose."

What joy to know the team is having great experiences seeing God at work and being a part of doing His work for His people!  Hurray God! Hurray Team! :-)

Friday, Aug 26 - 9:19 a.m. = 7:19 p.m. there From Peggy: "Last night here. Spent 2nd day at widow/orphan home working on miscellaneous projects... Heading for Addis in the a.m.  Will fly out about noon your time tomorrow. Pray for us. Safety and no hurricane trouble."

The team is scheduled to arrive in Washington D.C. at 8:40 a.m. Sunday, then to depart at 12:33 p.m.  So please keep them in your prayers, as well as the entire east coast, with the threat of Hurricane Irene.  Blessings!

Saturday, Aug 27 - 8:53 a.m. = 6:53 p.m. in Ethiopia "Made it back to Addis and lunch at the Hilton no less. On the way to the airport. Take off in about 3 1/2 hours. So happy to be coming home."

Saturday, Aug 27 - 11 a.m. = 9 p.m. there "Delayed in Ethiopia because of Hurricane Irene. Don't know when we will be leaving."

Saturday Aug 27 3:59 p.m. = Aug 28 1:59 a.m. in Ethiopia "It's 2 am and we are boarding - good news. We will miss our Seattle connection in DC. Bad news. Oh well."

Saturday 10:11 p.m. our time - "On the ground in Rome supposedly for one hour. We'll see."

Sat, Aug 27 11:27 p.m. = (8:27 a.m. in Rome) - "Leaving Rome."

According to flight info I found online, this means they will arrive at Dulles airport at 1:18 p.m., which means they will miss their connecting flight as long as it remains "on time" - it is due to leave D.C. at 12:33 p.m.  So, we'll have to wait a few more hours before we know when they are expected back in Seattle. Praise the Lord, hurricane Irene has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

Sun, Aug 28 9:42 a.m. "On the ground in DC"

Hurray! Team Ethiopia is coming home tonight!

Sun, Aug 28 - 1:55 p.m. "Boarding now. See you in Seattle!"