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Tight Braids and Unknotted Prayers: Who, Whats, & Why’s.

6/30/2015

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“Lord Whhhhhhhy are my braids so tight”

​…I woke up around 3 or 4 something this morning with this thought. I just got my hair braided last night, and started waking up complaining. Then I thought, maybe there is a reason for me to be up besides my over sensitive scalp being stretched in every direction.
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*Eyebrows on fleek, Edges laid!* *Home girl in the background yes YAAAAS YOU BET-TA. SHE FINNA, SHE FINNA!*

​*Gets back to serious accordance*

This reminded me of my last year’s trip, when I was awaken by the mosque’s call to prayer at like 5am and I was like “Lord what is he even saying, hitting not one note or pitch this early in the morning.” Then God said pray. So I began pray, “just words escaping his mouth, and the sound waves fill this area Lord flood Your Holy Spirit in this place! Let ever ear hear sound of sweet Word and let not the praises of men or the things of this world be pleasing anymore! During this time of Ramadan, of their praying & fasting, let this be an undeniable encounter with you Jesus! Please let there be visions of Your ways and revelations of who You are! Holy Spirit fall down like fire and consume and baptize this land, and everyone who posses it.”….etc And every time I was awaken by the mosque (or the dumb little birds who would fly into my window scaring me half the death) I would do so.

Then I decided to listen to Pastor Brian’s message of “Leading like Jesus” for the Umpteenth time… This is another timely message and I invite you all to listen or download by clicking HERE.
While I was listening to it I couldn’t help but think of my little baby!
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As of lately there has been a lil trouble being stirred up (by little I mean a lot). The program that I was in last year (and she is still under) doesn’t like the new program I am in now, and is really upset with me spending time with people in their program including her. So I can see that they are really going to try to cut off all of our contact..its already been really difficult sneaking around, I haven’t seen her in well over a week. They found out through a Video that I posted (I think it was the one where we went to Go-Karting :P ). So from now on I have to be reeeeeeally discrete and I’m thinking about putting a password on my blog for access (which will be simple and free to give out, just message me if I do!).
So I began to really worry about what the future would look like. Like how am I going to spend time with her? Our time is already limited, they have a lot of power, what if they manipulate it and do something crazy..like take away all their support? What does this mean? Why are they even tripping…they know my heart, and at the end of the day aren’t we supposed to be serving the same God! 
Then I started thinking about the whhhyyys. Not the cool curious ones, but the condescending ones. Like the questions people would would ask. Like why was I so invested in her and her mom. How and why did I started this relationship. lol and the only response as a cop-out I could say was “The Holy Spirit”, because thats the only thing that makes sense. Even while I’m here, same questions just different accents. Sometimes I get stares and hard looks when we are out. I wonder if people know about her past lifestyle of prostitution, or if it because of the difference of our socioeconomic status. Or they think that I should just give up on her. Like for what? Let us live! lol Just one of the annoying prices. 
Dont get me wrong, Emabet can be very stubborn and Bereket is a cry baby and acts up when she is sleepy. So its not all rainbows and butterflies
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​I can’t answer WHY God put this in my heart, but I cannot deny that He did. And what little information I have, with little room I have to move, day by day God opens my heart and reveals Himself through our bonding time. One thing I am being taught is unconditional love (which is a never ending subject). Some of those close to me know, that on my birthday I found out that Emabet was kicked out of her rental place because of lack of payment by the org and went back into prostitution. I tried not to, but I cried. Not because of “the sin” necessarily, but what this really meant. 1) an organization whom I greatly sowed into was manipulating funds without concern for them (and probably others in the program). 2) that after being in the program for this long her heart truly has not changed. She is still the same. That this $$ support is greatly needed and beautiful, when its there, but that cannot be the final step. She needs counseling, and most important a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. Not the old anointing from her childhood. I am looking for a Christian counselor that is from Hadiya, and speaks the language because Emabet’s Amharic is horrible. So if anyone knows any please contact me. But I love them and I love to give to these two who can never “repay” me in the world’s sense. Honestly, truth is I get so much reward in those smiles, and uncontainable laughter. And all things come together for His goodness…right? Not for the sake of gaining “cool points” in heaven another or rubies in my crown or so…or even for my "christian social circle". But for the sake of love in His name sake! 

Well… by the time I finished these thoughts and hearing pastor Brian say “I’m almost finished” another time HA. There it was. Islamic/Arabic reading of the Qu’ran filling the the city… and I began again to pray for our community “…just words escaping his mouth, and the sound waves fill this area Lord flood Your Holy Spirit in this place! Let ever ear hear sound of sweet Word and let not the praises of men or the things of this world be pleasing anymore!….

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Welp I dont know how this is all going to play out. Especially with the org not to happy with me right now. Ha maybe we will reach some type of agreement, maybe God will move on their hearts, or maybe it will be difficult. God only knows. But what I do know, the last time wasn’t the last time I am going to see them. Because God isn’t finished with the work He is doing in them, and in the work He is completing in me. And I don’t serve a God of incomplete. Amen. 

Here are some more photos of my lil baby. :D

^ YUP THAT MY BEST FRIEND, THAT MY BEST FRIEND! SHE FINNA!
​​

Please keep us in prayer, every little word counts! Thanks, we Love you!!!

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little leaven & little foxes:

6/22/2015

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Over these past few days, maybe even a week, the Lord brought me to the Song of Solomon. And I am not talking about the cute lovey dovey parts, but the reminder of the warnings of the little foxes.
“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”- Song of Solomon 2:15

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This scripture seems to make a lot of sense, when you’re in a relationship rather is dating, familial, or whatever… it the little things they do that we love and cherish. The special attention to detail to even the most teensy weensy things. Or in this case can cause great harm.


For example, if you’re here and let’s say your job is washing clothes. One day you are washing clothes and for a client and you forgot the detergent at home so you decide to use a bar of soap. You know your client prefers detergent, but what ever who would know the difference? Then one day all over the city the water goes out due to a storm and you loose business for three days. Are you to blame God for the storm and your lost wages? The government for not warning you? Or when you did have clean water and didn’t use it properly could this be the result of that?


Or in relative terms, you are having to wake up early for work. You set your alarm for 6:45, and BAM it’s time to get up! Feeling tired after last night’s movie, you hit the snooze button. I mean, that why you set it for 6:45 and not 7 right? Then 15 minutes go by, and you’re still tired. Snooze again. then 7 minutes and then another 5. Before you know it’s 7:30! You wake up in a panic having to quickly get dress, wash your face & brush your teeth, sprinting out the door the car. As you switch on your favorite gospel station, you soon realized you forgot to pray, and the night before the movie you planned on starting the Gospels.
Now I’m not saying that God is hovering over us and is inspecting every inch & every detail and right when we slip up BAM we are slapped with misfortunes. What I am saying is that although the little things sometimes feel sooooo good in that moment (like sleep…YAS SLEEP), they may come with a great cost. Or even the little things we don’t even notice….almost subconsciously. Be careful and get rid of the little foxes. A little leaven goes a long way.
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Here is a little angel Berhane, and her mom’s friend Tsiga
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Sunday's Message

6/8/2015

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​As much as I LOVE Ethiopia, its great to take a break from all this Amharic! Well Sundays, if I’m not in a service here I try to go to the Cafe and listen to my home church Hope City House Of Pray, and Pastor Brian preached in awesome message “Why God Chose Me”. 
​

I loved it, and I invite you all to listen by clicking here. I will be sharing with the women soon!
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Start Over

6/3/2015

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You can carry your past on your shoulders, or you can start over,
Regrets no matter what you’re going through…Jesus!
He gave it all to save you, He carried the cross on His shoulders,
So you can start over!”
 
​Start Over by Flame is my favorite song it preaches to everyone.
As I am spending time with the five women who remain in the house I can only think, that just a few months ago their personalities were completely different. How much they’ve allowed Christ to come in and open their hearts and heal their wounds. How hard it must have been to accept their reality and turn over a new life with the Help of Christ.
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I will praise you, Lord!
   You saved me from the grave
   and kept my enemies
   from celebrating my death.
 I prayed to you, Lord God,
   and you healed me,
  saving me from death
   and the grave.
​

Your faithful people, Lord,
will praise you with songs
   and honor your holy name.
Your anger lasts a little while,
   but your kindness lasts
   for a lifetime.

At night we may cry,
   but when morning comes
   we will celebrate.

I was carefree and thought,
   “I’ll never be shaken!”
 You, Lord, were my friend,
   and you made me strong
   as a mighty mountain.
But when you hid your face,
   I was crushed.

 I prayed to you, Lord,
   and in my prayer I said,
    “What good will it do you
   if I am in the grave?
Once I have turned to dust,
   how can I praise you
or tell how loyal you are?
    Have pity, Lord! Help!”

 You have turned my sorrow
   into joyful dancing.
   No longer am I sad
   and wearing sackcloth.
 I thank you from my heart,
   and I will never stop
   singing your praises,
   my Lord and my God.- Psalm 30
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These 12 verses in Psalm 30 is an accurate picture of what goes on in my mind when I look at each one of their faces. My mind attempts to paint some of their stories, some nights that were endured, the pain that was inflicted and yet today they laugh, smile and joke around. We are always running around hitting each other like young sisters in a game of tag. ​
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I am amazed at their strength and the ability to look forward to the future. I am amazed at God and and how far is gone to qualify the called! Teach me Lord.
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    Author

    Hey beauties, its Camille(: 26, The Ohio State Alumna. 
    I LOVE coffee, and chocolate (esp when they are together). I you liked to know more about me simply click here.

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  • Home
  • About
  • Projects
    • After School Program
    • #CareFreeBlackGirls
    • The Birhanus
    • Past Projects >
      • Reverse Raffle
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      • Project ME >
        • Overview
        • Mekdes & Selam
        • Emabet & Bereket
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    • #CareFreeBlackGirls
  • Blog
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