Ministry in Wondo Genet

Sunday, March 17, 2019

(Post by Nick Roen)

Today I learned a few things about myself.

Number one, I learned why all the Ethiopians laugh when they hear my name. Apparently, in Amharic, Nick means “one who is nervous”. And when spoken as a question within the phrase “Nick neh?”, it means, “Are you crazy?” I think I might go by Nicholas from here on out. ;)

Number two, I learned that I apparently don’t get carsick anymore. Today, we traveled to Wondo Genet. It was a beautiful drive through mountain valleys and lush farm country. All 7 of our team piled into a Land Rover and began the 35-minute journey with high hopes of a peaceful drive seeing the Ethiopian countryside. These hopes were quickly dashed as we learned that we were late for church service. Since our team leader, Jason DeRouchie, was preaching this morning, we needed to make up some time, so our driver gunned it through the twists, turns, potholes, and bumps on the rough Ethiopian roads. He dodged oxen, narrowly missed donkeys, swerved around motorbikes, and passed pedestrians, all while going what I can only assume was the speed of sound. Normally, I would be leaning out the window losing my breakfast in the backseat of a drive like this. But today, friends, I had a stomach of steal. I credit my malaria pills for new super powers, the extent of which have yet to be discovered.

In addition to Jason preaching this morning, the reason we traveled to Wondo Genet today was to visit Cherinet, Jason’s adopted Ethiopian son. Because of changes in government policy, the DeRouchie family was never able to bring him home to America. Cherinet lives at Manna orphanage in Wondo Genet, so every time Jason is in-country, he goes to visit him. This trip was special because Jason’s son, Isaac, is along and this is the first time that he and Cherinet have been able to meet. Cherinet was waiting for us at church, and seeing he and Isaac embrace was so sweet to witness. Cherinet’s mother, Ababetch, is still living, though she can no longer care for Cherinet. (Cherinet is a single orphan, which in Ehtiopia means the child only has one living parent. A double orphan is a child that has lost both parents). So she was able to join us on our journey to Manna and spend the day with us. God is making much beauty out of an unbelievably broken situation.

Jason preached a wonderful sermon, and I got my first exposure to a charismatic evangelical Ethiopian church service. They put us stodgy Americans to shame in their exuberant praise and animated worship. I even had a horn blown in my face. It was beautiful. After church we headed to Manna for the day to spend time loving and playing with the children. We delivered supplies, played soccer, climbed trees, picked fresh mango and guava, attempted horrible magic tricks for the kids, sang songs; we gave hugs, piggy-back rides, and ourselves to these orphans. They have so little, and life has been exceedingly difficult.

Which leads to the third thing I learned about myself today. I learned that I am so prone to become numb to the suffering around the world. It isn’t that I don’t care. It’s just that we have so much in America, and when I am not daily confronted with the realities these children live in, it is easy for me to forget. So I pray that this might serve as a reminder to any who might be reading. We live in a Genesis 3 world, where sin and suffering abound. But God has a plan to exterminate the curse through his son Jesus, and in this age he is advancing his kingdom through the hands and feet of his church. So as Christians, we aim to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before our God (Micah 6:8). I got a small taste of that today, for which I am so grateful to God.

As we made the return trip to our hotel in Awasa, our team laughed at some jokes together. It was a sweet ride, but it made me realize how easy it is for me to simply leave behind the kind of poverty I’ve been immersed in over the past couple days. Cherinet doesn’t have that gift. But he does have Jesus. And in Christ, every tear will be wiped away and all injustice will one day be made right.

And so, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17). 

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.