Right now it’s hard for me to talk about the next member of
our tribe because I miss him so much! He
performed in a talent quest just two nights ago and I am reminded of all the
small things in his life we will get to miss out on. Like his first steps as an independent adult. He’s sixteen now and not quite as adult as he
needs to be, but adult enough to be a part from us and know the importance of
still staying connected to us.
We came here unsure of how we would educate our children (a
seemingly foolish life aspect to be ignored) but we were assured that it would
all be sorted when we arrived. So we
forced Jamal into a school and a grade that he didn’t belong so that at least
he would get some education and social interaction. Fairly soon Jamal was asking out. He had discovered how far advanced the
students were here in their academics and how far behind in their English. At last, I was called into school because
Jamal was disturbing the class. “We
don’t have time in our 45 minute classes for students to ask questions”, the
vice principal told me. “Either he
learns to be quiet, or he needs to leave.”
I understood Jamal’s predicament as I was the same in a school I was accustomed
to. To get full understanding, I would
always ask questions. We had given him
three months and it didn’t seem to work so we decided as a family to pull him
out and home school him and join the Bingham home school program so we could
access some materials.
Some people called Jamal my shadow for that first year. Not really out of choice for this handsome 14
year old, but more out of lack of other cool people to hang around with. This for me was a catching up for all the
times I neglected to spend time with him in New Zealand. All those times he had come home and gone out
again to hang out with his friend Johnny and we authorized it because it suited
our lifestyle. And all those times I had
come home and gone out again to be with friends, or at church. Now there was no Johnny. Now there were no church commitments. There were very few kids in town his age who
even spoke English, let alone understood his culture.
The place, therefore, where Jamal was able to shine was when
he joined forces with visiting short term teams who did small projects around
the city. From laying the foundation of
concrete at the school, to assisting with activity days in the sports to
helping buy souveneirs at the markets for decent prices. Jamal is such a social being who loves to
lead. He became involved in our English
service by playing guitar which he improved in so much over his time here. He often entertained visitors with his
dancing skills and helped us curb the chocolate cravings by baking some good
chocolate brownies.
Eventually Jamal was able to go to school at an
International school in Addis Ababa that we were introduced to through friends
of our pastor. It was a Greek school
that was started by the Greek community in Ethiopia. I am half Greek so that was good for me. They also taught from the Cambridge
curriculum so that was a big bonus. As
it fit into our budget at that time we enrolled him and we had friends who were
able to transport him to the school every day, an offer that ended up changing
when Jamal decided he was confident enough to catch public transport. He loved it so much he said to me one day
that when he was in New Zealand he couldn’t wait for the weekend but now he
didn’t even want the weekend to come. He made good friends, caught up with his academics and got to show off his dancing skills (something he missed doing on a regular basis.
Although Jamal never gave up his desire to go back to New
Zealand, he definitely made his own mark while he was here. He came here having never had read a whole
book, and left reading many just in one year.
He came to Ethiopia a disconnected son and left a part of our family and
our mission. He left New Zealand
spiritually dependant and left with his own personal convictions. In New Zealand he always wanted to be paid
for any work that he did, and yet he returns with a collection of service
duties performed for free and a servant heart.
Now he continues his
journey in New Zealand with his grandparents and Aunty and Uncle where he is
able to go to school in the system that will hopefully take him into a good
tertiary education. His residency there
will force some more frequent trips back or trips for him to come back and help
in some way.
Asaua is the head of this family. We met when I was 16 and little did he know
then that 10 years prior, I had committed to going to Ethiopia. We were young and stupid and drank and
partied and fought and then, we got pregnant and decided to wake up and get
married. Our lives changed dramatically when we decided to invite Jesus into the mix as not just a religious event, but as a major part of our lives. Even before that though, Asaua volunteered at an after school club at his church for 7-9 year olds. And he loved it and the kids loved him. He had done this for a couple of years I
think by the time I met him at the age of 17.
Soon I was to find out how good he was with kids as my little brother
and sister and then nephew hung on to him like a big brother. Almost like a dad.
So in this young couple both from dysfunctional families, (he with a father who was an alcoholic and I with a father was bipolar) was this common love of children divided between a visionary (me) and a vision builder
(Asaua). Asaua has been just that
here. I see the big picture, he works on the minute details and makes them happen. He has been helping to build not
only the vision that WE came with, but the vision that others here have. And he does it by connecting with kids that
extends beyond the boundaries of language.
Before we came to Ethiopia, Asaua had two dreams of him on a field
surrounded by Ethiopian kids but he came here under a Social Work internship. As interns we really just came to fill gaps
where we and the organization recognized as suitable for our giftings. Asaua had been teaching Alternative Education
for ten years and within that had taught Literacy and Numeracy but mostly
enjoyed connecting with the kids on a relational level through sports and
activities. So the gap was identified in
the school for a sports teacher and it was a gap that he could fill. As newbies to this country, this school and
this community, we took plenty of photos.
While going through the photos one day, he realized the work he was
doing was a fulfillment of those dreams.
My dreams also existed but started a long time before. I had images of me standing at a table with a
pot full of food serving people lined up for miles. This was after I saw the graphic images of
starving children in the famine of 1984 and wondered how such an injustice
could occur in a world full of food.
What was planted in my heart at that tender age of six stuck and has
still never left me. I heard it said “Let
what you love, be how you love” and I love to cook and so I love to feed
people. That is my expression of
love. And so here now almost two years
into our trip I am thankful for the opportunity God has given for us to fulfil this
dream as a family unit. I have had some
opportunities to feed and to cook for people but I have also had many
opportunities to feed people spiritually by sharing the word of God, to
discouraged mums, hungry Christians needing to hear the message of grace and to
rural churches set on hills. I love it.
Right now, we are in a phase of transition where we are making way, building capacity for the next phase of our journey. We are now officially missionaries under Ethiopian Evangelical Mekane Yesus Church, which translates into the Camp of Jesus church. It is based on Lutheran foundations but exudes the faith filled and Holy Spirit filled beliefs of the New Testament church. Here we are looking to start a development project working to rehabilitate prostitutes and help orphaned children. We are also working alongside a school who's new owners have a common vision to ours. One thing we have learnt over the years, is that if it's a God vision, it's a shared vision and if it's a God vision, it's a resurrected vision. The school owners and the leaders of the church share visions that we have to help develop the city of Debre Zeit and the children and families who reside within. To give you more information on what the future will unfold, you will just have to keep following!
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
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