My week in Ethiopia has given me much to be thankful about, namely
1. Tap water with pressure. Every day in America—and sometimes twice a day—I am relieved to step in to a steaming shower with water so pressurized that it feels like a massage. We don't recognize that many of the world's people lack clean drinking water, and I saw countless people hauling water who didn't have running water in the house. That's a daily chore in the rural areas of Ethiopia.
2. Toilet paper and sewer systems. Enough said.
3. Clothes that fit. While the people of Ethiopia were fully clothed, those in the orphanage wore only what was generally their size. In the rural orphanage I visited, all eight children had a clothing closet that contained fewer clothes than Elijah has in his. Quality, barely worn clothes are needed in Ethiopian orphanages. They request used because they have to pay no customs charges on these.
Before you think that I missed home too much, let me fill you in a little more. In Ethiopia I was thankful for
4. A non-materialistic society. In America we want and want more. Ethiopians radiate joy constantly. Interestingly enough, I noticed the same thing in Haiti 13 years ago. Is it possible that in our quest for stuff, we miss the real point of being alive?
5. A faith that permeates. Rather than a society that squelches religious expression in the public arena, Ethiopians embrace and are proud of their Christian history as one of the earliest nations to convert to Christianity, with a history going back to the Queen of Sheba and her visit to King Solomon. Why can't we be like that here? Why do we hide our prayers and hide our God?
6. A spirit of hospitality. I like my privacy and don't always appreciate drop-in visitors. What do the people of Ethiopia do? They greet visitors with kisses and hugs. They invite them to coffee ceremonies to bless them.
The journey to Ethiopia isn't easy. It takes roughly 24 - 30 hours to get from here to there, and it's certainly not comfortable. But really—this means we could be in Ethiopia or another third world country tomorrow or the next day. Is that really so far, and are our schedules really too busy?
I believe everyone should visit a third world country at least once in their lives. Yes, you can and should load down your suitcases with your means to help them, but more than that even, you should go to learn from them about what is truly important. In the process of being a blessing, you will be blessed. I promise.
