Hi there, dear loved ones! August 30, 2011

As the summer drains into autumn, fresh schedules and frosty mornings have arrived before I am

quite ready. Some of you are receiving this message as our first correspondence related to a

ministry opportunity the LORD provided for our family and other team members, in partnership

with a Bible church in Ethiopia last spring. Others have received a few messages already. For

those who received the snapshot post card, I had hoped to follow up with a more complete

summary

long before now, and am sorry to be slow.

Speaking of

long, though, the letter I began in May—starting with the flowering trees, pungent

smells, and crowing roosters we encountered that first night in Addis—rapidly grew into 4,000

words and more than 7 pages. Yikes! No matter how I tried to whittle new drafts in the weeks

that followed, each only swelled further. Throughout our stay, we were humbled by the love we

received, and awed by the faithfulness and power our Father showed. Sandwiched within the

warm embrace of the precious children, we felt like the vanilla centers of Oreo cookies. So I’ll

try–again–to

briefly summarize the trip, and will include a separate photo/detail page for any who

might be interested.

APRIL TRIP SUMMARY

: We praise the LORD that our 8-member team was able, by His grace, to

assist and encourage the Bible church in Wonji, Ethiopia, whose congregation includes about 1000

members. Construction projects included: repairing the gate and ladder, building a new ladder,

installing a new water tank, toilet and showerhead and evaluating other needs of the church

compound (mainly drinking water and electrical issues.) Teaching projects included: instructing

pastors, evangelists and children’s workers, along with outreach to local children—through vbs and

puppet night . . . Meanwhile, relationships were initiated with both believers and some nonbelievers

there. The LORD enabled us to encourage local orphans, widows and handicapped

individuals. (They, in turn, encouraged us!) We had a chance to walk along the dusty streets

scattered with litter, watch the soupy sewage ditch flowing by the deteriorating hospital, and visit

the building where Misiker had been imprisoned/tortured for his faith as a teen. (Misiker is our

missionary friend who was born and raised in Wonji, the city to which we traveled. He coordinated

the trip to his brother’s church there.) After our time in Ethiopia was finished, we were excited to

return to loved ones, but found it very difficult to say good-bye to the grateful people

there—whose outspoken worship, broad smiles and warm generosity had deeply touched our

hearts.

Meanwhile, the OCTOBER TRIP INVITATION:

As part of the Antioch teaching program, GBC

(Grace Bible Church) pastors return about every six months to provide the next phase of intensive

Bible training for national pastors and leaders. Pastor Kelly is planning to bring Part 2 of the

Antioch instruction to the church in Wonji during a team trip planned for the middle of October

2011. Misiker, who is organizing this follow-up trip, plans to join the team once more.

Dr. Dave McLaughlin plans to lead the GBC October team, bringing medicines and providing

medical clinics for the needy people there. (This is one of main goals for this trip.) An

ophthalmologist friend of Misiker plans to join the team to provide an eye clinic there as well.

We (Bruce, Luke and I) with the addition of Eryn, have been encouraged to return, and have been

much in prayer about this opportunity. We believe that the LORD is leading us to go back again as

part of the six-month follow-up team. So we cautiously, but with anticipation, too, are sending out

a

“plea for prayer support” once more. We are convinced that His Spirit alone working

powerfully in His people, accomplishes His will, and without Him, we can do nothing. Nothing at

all. So your prayers for His strength, and for His will to unfold mean . . .

everything . . . to us.

WHAT WOULD WE DO THIS TIME?

Our goal, by His grace, for our family’s role in this follow-up trip would mainly be to:

Continue to work with the Sunday school teachers, further equipping them for,

and encouraging them in, their ministry to children. We are especially excited

about helping them begin an Awana program.

This trip we are bringing along Awana

game supplies and Amharic memory verse coloring sheets that we have been making.

Awana International plans to provide Amharic materials beginning in 2012. We also

purchased a large set of colorful, WASHABLE, felt figures which can be used to illustrate

children’s Bible lessons. We plan to bring, demonstrate and then leave these felts with

them.

Assist Dr. Dave with the clinic

: Helpers within the clinic are needed, along with folks who

might “redeem the time” as patients wait in line for medical attention. We are praying about

ways to share the Gospel during this time—perhaps through drawing/sketching, Gospel

booklets or children’s coloring pages with Amharic text, etc.

Continue to build relationships with people there:

For example, we are hoping to

continue helping the young, handicapped schoolteacher, who scoots across the ground, or is

carried in a wheelbarrow, and yet maintains a radiant testimony for the LORD. Belettu’s

customized wheelchair may be finished in time to deliver on this next trip. (We are so

grateful to our lovely GBC friend for providing it.) We hope to demonstrate our continued

commitment to come alongside believers there, such as Dereje’, Misiker’s brother who

pastors the church in Wonji, and has been battling both malaria and other illness.

(Prayerfully, we may also be able to have the same driver on this trip, who began to show

an interest in the LORD by the end of our first visit, etc.)

Kelly and Tammy Hall, along with Hannah Jennaway, (Pastor Kelly’s daughter) also plan to

continue welding/plumbing/construction work, and/or to assist with the medical clinics, child

evangelism, and the children’s outreach/teacher training as needed.

WRAP UP:

This next trip is tentatively scheduled for October 14 – 27, 2011. Each team

member/family has been asked to request prayer for this trip, and to let others know of the

financial needs. Room and board for the approximately two-week period is expected to be $500

each. Immunizations and medications run around $500-600 per person. Thankfully, those who

went on the first trip have significantly less cost here! And round-trip airline tickets for each

person are expected to be somewhere around $1,900.

We praise the LORD that His thoughts and ways are high above ours, and are asking Him to work

in whatever way He chooses to achieve His plans. We are

especially asking for His wisdom to be

very careful stewards of His resources. We pray we’d be swift to hear His voice in all things . . .

and quick to follow. We treasure your prayers for these things as well, if we come to mind.

Thanks

so very much.

If you feel directed to be involved with this opportunity, a coupon is included for your participation.

Though the LORD hears our prayers without paperwork,

J it is helpful for the church to have a

record of those who are offering this invaluable—and

cherished--intercessory support. If you

believe that the LORD is leading you to contribute to this team financially, we and the people of

Wonji would be very grateful.

We are very humbled to have a little part in what the Father is doing in His far-off harvest fields,

and thank Him for the privilege of representing GBC to our brothers and sisters laboring in the

“Land of 13 Months of Sunshine.” Since their calendar system includes an extra month, it is still

2003 there; it feels like I’m only 40 when we arrive. (But, then again, I age pretty quickly when

we come home.)

During this accelerating season of the year, we especially thank you for giving of your

time

to consider Ethiopia. (Sadly, “condensing” the information has been only marginally

successful! Thanks for wading through these pages.)

Meanwhile, we thank Him for each of you, and pray for

His continued blessing upon your lives as He grants us

opportunities to be molded into His image . . . and

faithfully demonstrates His new mercies every morning.

(Believers there send their loving greetings and heartfelt

appreciation to you.)

Until His work is done, may our strength be in the LORD

and in the power of His might . . . alone. Much love and

thanks to you, dear friends!

Bruce, Alora, Luke and Eryn

(Ben continues in his second year at MSU)

You can follow the team on our Blog Spot:

http://wonjiproject.blogspot.com/