Frustrated by Babel, Sustained by Pentecost

I began my first day of teaching with optimism. I had prepared my lessons and prayed for God’s grace. I thought I was ready.

The day began with a frightening talk from pastor Gill about cell phone usage in class—the Ethiopians soon learned what “airplane mode” was. Then he introduced us as the teachers, assigned trainees to our groups, and sent us to the room or mango tree where we would teach.

I have never taught with an interpreter before, and it did not take long to realize how difficult it was. I felt like a carpenter who had lost his hammer and had to resort to using a rock in order to pound nails and build a house. Any teaching abilities or skills I had seemed to be gone. I did my best to communicate clearly and concisely, I finished my lesson for the day, but I returned to the hotel looking like Quasimodo. I was discouraged and frustrated. The day had not gone as I planned or hoped. The language barrier felt insurmountable.

In Genesis 11, God judged the people of Babel for their pride by confusing their language and dispersing them over the face of all the earth (Gen 11:8). I tasted this curse like never before, and it was bitter. I desired to know the students beyond just their names. I longed to be able to teach these brothers and sisters directly. I wanted to communicate my emotions as well as my thoughts. I wanted to know that they understood me fully and grasped what I was teaching. But I could not.

After an encouraging talk with Jason, some prayer, and a semi-good night’s sleep, I returned to the school to teach again. Slowly, I learned how to teach through an interpreter and the students began to understand me and interact more with my teaching. Slowly, I got to know the students better.  And slowly, God showed me that we are more similar than different. He showed me that although we speak a different language, we speak to the same God. And although it may sound different, we have the same confession of faith. The same Spirit that filled the first Christians at Pentecost was dwelling in us. And although he was not causing us to speak in the same language, he was causing us to praise the same God. And our language differences did not stop the Spirit from using me to teach them and using them to teach me.

Ethiopians are amazing singers. And although I do not understand a word they are singing, I am still worshipping God with them. And as I do, I am looking forward to the day when I will stand with Ethiopians and every other nation, tribe, and people and cry out, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:10).

-Nate Weller

A Second Home

3/18/19

A Second Home

Hello from Ethiopia! A lot has happened over the last five days. I am amazed how God would allow me to come to this country after longing to do so for nearly a decade since we began adopting. I have already learned, experienced, seen, and done so much! I had always thought that being on the water in Canada while fishing for northern pike was my second home, but something hit me when I walked out of the airport. Ethiopia is my second home. After being connected to a country so many times through pictures and stories and other things, I still cannot believe that God would let me come to Ethiopia and give me all the opportunity’s I have already had here. It would take a long time to cover everything that I have done on this trip, so I will just overview a few things that God has gifted me with.

Ethiopia would be a very different place to learn how to drive! The only rule of thumb is that there are no rules. People speed, honk, swerve, and slam on their breaks all in a matter of five seconds. My Mom knows this, so when I told her that one of my goals for the week was to ride a motorcycle, she said that I shouldn’t. But Friday afternoon I had my chance: a pastor drove me, and another drove my youth pastor, Josh Bremerman, on their motorcycles through the Ethiopian streets to the restaurant at which we were eating lunch. The whole experience was something I will probably never forget! Then later that night we saw some monkeys with the most interesting personalities. They where running, climbing, fighting, and just being out right ridiculous.

On Sunday I was able to meet Chernet for the first time since God brought him into our lives nine years ago. I have prayed countless times for him, and to finally experience an answer was just amazing. As I write this, thoughts are flooding back from the last 9 years I have known about Chernet. Thoughts of joy, then tears, then healing, then the experience of when God worked a miracle by letting my Dad find him. As I walked into the church building on Sunday and gave him my first hug I was in awe that God would let me see him. While my Dad was preaching, Chernet would smile at me and want me to show him in my English Bible where we were reading from. It was one of the most special church services I have ever been to. After church, we changed our clothes and played with all the kids at the orphanage for the rest of the day. We played a lot of soccer and some basketball, picked fresh mangos out of the tops of the trees, and made kids laugh. It was so special, definitely the highlight of my time in Ethiopia so far. There is absolutely no way a writer at my level could explain how special it was to see my brother for the first time.

Monday was our first day at the teaching compound, training sixty church leaders. It was nice getting to know the trainees; it was fun to see their faces light up when I would remember their names. I picked Nate Weller’s group to follow around for the rest of the week. It was fun watching him teach. Mr. Nate did a very good job staying on schedule and yet teaching his guys how to know God and make Him known. I am exited to learn from him the rest of the week.

Though there is still a lot more that I could cover, I’ll just mention a few notes about the food. I have eaten doughnuts fried over an open fire, fresh mangos and bananas, charcoal grilled corn on the cob, and all kinds of Ethiopian food. I will let the future guys cover the rest. Thanks for all your prayers!

Isaac DeRouchie, age 15

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.

Poverty and Hope in Addis Ketema

               “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the    

               needy honors God. He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD and he will reward him 

               for what he has done.” Proverbs 14:31; 19:17

               “’Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to 

               drink?’ And the King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least

               of these brothers of mine, you did for me’” Matthew 25:37, 40

I have a confession to make.  

The last time I visited and served in an area of extreme poverty was in 2014 in Nicaragua. I confess that I’ve been away from the poorest of the poor for far too long. Busyness ruled and memories faded as I settled back into my way of life. This cannot continue because God identifies with the poor; their cries express divine pain. The Bible teaches us that our treatment of those who suffer poverty equals our treatment of God and I need a re-alignment.

One of my favorite John Piper quotes is, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” Today we had the opportunity to serve and encourage Milkias, Danieal, Mesfen, Yifrut, Fikru, and Yordanos on the front line of severe/extreme poverty with Children’s HopeChest (CHC) in Addis Ketema, Awassa, Ethiopia. These five amazingpeople love God and strive to help others see God’s greatness and goodness through the gospel, providing basic necessities, and fostering self-sustainability with accountability. They are new friends to us but father, big brother, and big sister figures to approximately 80 kids. Every day, they come to work to help children and their families survive, thrive, and succeed when all hope seems to be lost. They need our support and encouragement lest they become discouraged as they face conditions of biblical proportions. 

Most of the kids here are single orphans(one parent deceased) making the children most vulnerable to the dark effects of poverty (including HIV). The CHC team works with local churches to identify who is at highest risk and provides supplies to make and sell injeralocally to provide food and an opportunity to earn much-needed money. The parent is also connected with a church community group so that they can encourage each other and bank their earnings together. Once earnings reach a certain level, a portion of the funds are deposited in a bank while the remainder is used locally for immediate needs and enterprises. For example, after one woman’s basic needs were met, she was educated in animal husbandry and given two oxen to multiply the animals. Within a short period of time, she had a fair-sized herd of cattle and sold some of them at market and gained some independence. She said her dignity was restored when she realized that Jesus suffered in her place and being productive in her community so that she wasn’t simply relying on continuous relief. In another case, a man was provided with a donkey cart so that he could begin earning a living hauling items. He paid off his cart soon after and bought a sewing machine so that he could earn a living mending worn clothing. Similar accounts abound in and around Addis Ketema.

Right now, there are millions suffering the affects of poverty. They need the hope that only Christ can give while having their most-basic needs met. As part of the global Church and as one with means (like most who live in the U.S.), part of my responsibility is to not only be aware of poverty but to actively engage it through prayer, resourcing, and personally encouraging those who fight the darkness each day. 

If we are really serious about our faith and the sacrifice of Christ, we have to face the darkness of poverty and its affects head-on. 

I’ll be reassessing my priorities. Will you assess yours?

Ethiopia Update 11Mar19

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR ETHIOPIA TEAM, March 12–23, 2019 

Team Members: Josh, Isaac, Jason, Jon, Nick, Nate, Gil

As we journey to train church leaders and to care for the poor, please pray that God in Christ would …

1. Protect us in travel and give us wisdom in a country that is increasingly volatile.
• Isaiah 41:10. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• James 1:5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
2. Manifest his Spirit in power through our teaching and in the lives of our students.
• 1 Corinthians 12:7. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
• 2 Timothy 2:2. What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
3. Open unexpected doors for ministry of the Word and prayer that would glorify him.
• Ephesians 6:17–18. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸ praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
• 1 Peter 4:11. Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
4. Use us to image and share his love with the poor and needy, especially orphans.
• Deuteronomy 10:17–18. The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. ¹⁸ He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
• James 1:27. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
5. Grant us unity, joy, prayerfulness, thanksgiving, and a health-level that would let us stay focused on mission.
• Ephesians 4:1–3. I … urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18. Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances.
• 3 John 2. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
6. Grant you, our loved ones, trust in God, peace, and joy in serving as senders.
• Philippians 4:6–7. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
• 1 Peter 5:6–7. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
• 2 Corinthians 9:11–13. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. ¹² For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. ¹³ By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others.