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Pray for our Ethiopia team today! The last medical trip served hundreds and hundreds of orphaned children, and laid the foundation for critical long term relationships with them.
I met Mike about a dozen years ago - we had a short stint as band mates in a Poor Old Lu and Delirious influenced worship rock band called Ethan's Worthy Project. Since then, he's gone on to bigger and better things. If, like me, you like the roots music of Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan, and the way that modern artists like Wilco and Ryan Adams are keeping us connected to the dusty soul of America, then you'll love Mike Reeb. You've got to check out his cover of The Man in Black's 'What Do I Care?' (it's being played on Johnny Cash Radio. You can also hear my favorite song of his, 'It's Been A Hard Year' at his myspace. It gets better... he's giving away free digital downloads of some of his records. Join the looting party. I love Mike and I love his music. I hope you do too.
Prayer. I don’t want to withhold info because it sounds daunting, so I’ll dish it out in the form of prayer requests….things you guys can pray about now, and then it won’t be a problem later. Road safety is a big one here that could use some prayer…there are, indeed, more accidents per vehicle in Ethiopia than any other country, mostly because nothing is ever enforced, so people drive like maniacs. I’ve seen accidents here, and been a de facto EMT for road victims, but have never been in one myself. Also, the altitude can affect people, usually in terms of shortage of breath or some dizziness the first couple days, usually compounded by jet lag. If you take it easy, rest when you can, and intentionally do some deep breathing to keep the oxygen going, it goes much better. Just wanted you to be prepared. As far as crime, this country is extremely safe. There’s some petty crime in the cities to be watchful for, but violent crime is extremely rare and generally motivated by personal issues….but, prayers for safety are still useful. And, prayers for smooth government relations are important, for a smooth (and tax-free) check in at the airport, for good relationships in the villages, and for trust in the different communities. There’s still a lot of mistrust and confusion about foreigners that manifests itself in bureaucracy and “show me your papers” syndrome. But, if the Spirit goes before you, you’ll be just fine.
Please pray with us for this team. And please keep on praying. We ust found out today that a team member has a herniated disc. She and her partner will not be meeting up with the team in Ethiopia. Pray for her healing, but also pray for the team as they try to navigate without these two important team members.
Another great blog post from my wife about our trip to Ukraine and our return home: We're Home.
Father Damien, the Catholic priest who volunteered to live in a leper colony in Hawaii in the 19th century, was canonized by Pope Benedict on Sunday. His is an inspiring story of sacrifice and service to those on the fringes of society.
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