Today was amazing!
We began our day with breakfast, chocolate chip banana bread, and then left for church at St. Matthews Anglican Church. Unlike church in America, this church was extremely casual. We wore workout pants, t-shirts, and jeans. When we walked into the gates of the church, there was a beautiful garden greeting us. Before the service began, the congregation just talked and welcomed us outside. There were great big trees above us which provided shade. After a good 15 minutes or so, we made our way inside the church. The sermon covered the topic "Is Jesus too small in your life?". Before we listened to the minister, we sang a couple very long hymns. The notes/tune of the songs were not listed, so we were all wingin' it and trying to follow along. Some of us were not very good at guessing the notes. :) After we sang, all the children went to the front and were taught about Jesus always being their friend. It was hard not to laugh as one child kept walking around waving paper in his hand. Then, the minster talked to us. He focused on the fact that we live a life that may not involve Jesus. The life that Jesus gave us and died for, we do not always include him in it, and it got me thinking. "How much do I really let The Lord in to my life? Is he a big factor? Or a small one?" Personally, I haven't recently thought about that until we went to the orphanage.
After we ate an American lunch, consisting of Cheeseburgers, fries, and pizza, we went to the orphanage, AHOPE. The orphanage was within a compound with a playground inside. When we arrived, the children were sleeping, but we were able to take a very quiet tour. The kids were separated into rooms by gender and by age. The boys who were about 4-8 were in one room and then the same with the girls, then there was a room for 0-2 year olds as well. We arrived at 2:30, but their nap didn't not end until 3:00. We began to kick the soccer ball around and, to our surprise, the boys walked outside before their nap was scheduled to be over. They jumped right in!! The soccer game was no longer two people passing the ball, but 20 kicking three balls all around. Some boys instantly became attached to some girls in the group. If it meant copying their every move, or holding their hand until dinner time, they stood by our sides. After about 10 minutes the girls came out. There were definitely more boys than girls but that did not stop the girls from jumping into the game. We asked some if they wanted to play soccer, forgetting that they call it football. After an hour of playing, we learned a little more about the orphanage. The saddest information I heard was the fact that the kids we were laughing and playing with were not only abandoned but they also have HIV. The kids were some of the happiest people I have ever seen. When we went back outside after our information group, we sat in a circle and sang some songs and dances like the hokey pokey, duck duck goose, rise and shine, and more.
After we played soccer, sang, blew bubbles, and danced, it was time for the kids to go inside and eat. The two hours we were there most definitely got to all of us. It seemed like as soon as we went back to the house the majority of the people were either journaling or talking to each other about the child that followed them everywhere. We were only at the house for about an hour until we left to eat dinner.
Dinner was not just sitting down and eating meal, but it included Carson and me being pulled up on stage having a dance off with the Ethiopian dancers. Carson broke down and showed them up on stage; I, on the other hand, am not a dancer. It was an experience none of us will forget. As we sat and ate traditional Ethiopian food, they sang and danced up on stage. After about a three hour dinner, we went back to the house. Everyone is now ready for bed and either journaling or asleep. Today was an amazing day, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I am so excited for what adventures come tomorrow.
We began our day with breakfast, chocolate chip banana bread, and then left for church at St. Matthews Anglican Church. Unlike church in America, this church was extremely casual. We wore workout pants, t-shirts, and jeans. When we walked into the gates of the church, there was a beautiful garden greeting us. Before the service began, the congregation just talked and welcomed us outside. There were great big trees above us which provided shade. After a good 15 minutes or so, we made our way inside the church. The sermon covered the topic "Is Jesus too small in your life?". Before we listened to the minister, we sang a couple very long hymns. The notes/tune of the songs were not listed, so we were all wingin' it and trying to follow along. Some of us were not very good at guessing the notes. :) After we sang, all the children went to the front and were taught about Jesus always being their friend. It was hard not to laugh as one child kept walking around waving paper in his hand. Then, the minster talked to us. He focused on the fact that we live a life that may not involve Jesus. The life that Jesus gave us and died for, we do not always include him in it, and it got me thinking. "How much do I really let The Lord in to my life? Is he a big factor? Or a small one?" Personally, I haven't recently thought about that until we went to the orphanage.
After we ate an American lunch, consisting of Cheeseburgers, fries, and pizza, we went to the orphanage, AHOPE. The orphanage was within a compound with a playground inside. When we arrived, the children were sleeping, but we were able to take a very quiet tour. The kids were separated into rooms by gender and by age. The boys who were about 4-8 were in one room and then the same with the girls, then there was a room for 0-2 year olds as well. We arrived at 2:30, but their nap didn't not end until 3:00. We began to kick the soccer ball around and, to our surprise, the boys walked outside before their nap was scheduled to be over. They jumped right in!! The soccer game was no longer two people passing the ball, but 20 kicking three balls all around. Some boys instantly became attached to some girls in the group. If it meant copying their every move, or holding their hand until dinner time, they stood by our sides. After about 10 minutes the girls came out. There were definitely more boys than girls but that did not stop the girls from jumping into the game. We asked some if they wanted to play soccer, forgetting that they call it football. After an hour of playing, we learned a little more about the orphanage. The saddest information I heard was the fact that the kids we were laughing and playing with were not only abandoned but they also have HIV. The kids were some of the happiest people I have ever seen. When we went back outside after our information group, we sat in a circle and sang some songs and dances like the hokey pokey, duck duck goose, rise and shine, and more.
After we played soccer, sang, blew bubbles, and danced, it was time for the kids to go inside and eat. The two hours we were there most definitely got to all of us. It seemed like as soon as we went back to the house the majority of the people were either journaling or talking to each other about the child that followed them everywhere. We were only at the house for about an hour until we left to eat dinner.
Dinner was not just sitting down and eating meal, but it included Carson and me being pulled up on stage having a dance off with the Ethiopian dancers. Carson broke down and showed them up on stage; I, on the other hand, am not a dancer. It was an experience none of us will forget. As we sat and ate traditional Ethiopian food, they sang and danced up on stage. After about a three hour dinner, we went back to the house. Everyone is now ready for bed and either journaling or asleep. Today was an amazing day, and I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that I am so excited for what adventures come tomorrow.
- Hannah Thompson, '14
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