This is a note to you to encourage you.
I am not that old, I have virtually no income, do not live a fairy tale life.
I was a giant mess when God called me. I mean giant mess!
12 years ago Jesus called me quite plainly. "Go" he said.
Many jounies and years later God once again called me to go to Ethiopia. This time after life crushing events and with a small son.
God called. He said "go"... yes, with no church family behind me, no husband to lead me, and no money to provide for me... even with no clear plan of why I was going, I was told to go.
The pasport for my son miraculously was granted, the money for plane tickets miraculously showed up. My son amazingly handled the 30 hour jouney quite well.
"Be my wittness, I will send them to you" was the only plan/mission I was given.
Jesus had to be my focus, after all it is He who is the way the truth and life, nothing else.
I guess I should not be surprisd as I am prone to pride that I did not begin some huge earth shattering ministry full of bling, videos, fund raising propaganda and all that jazz, but what God did do was amazing, at least to me.
I went with nothing. I arived, and I was told immediately that I would face many trials, but "I will be with you and will use you"
I cannot recount the endless trials from harassing messages threatning to kidnap my son to body lice, fleas, sickness, bedbugs, blood sugar sickness, hunger, malnutrition, and heart problems... not to mention social stresses and having little money.
We spent days wanderingnthe streets. Street boys would follow us. I wasn't sure what we were doing. We got them a ball and watched them play.
They fought a lot. They were more than a little rough. I saw them steal, lie, and run around without clothes.
In the beginning they would ask me for things. I told them no. We tried to communicate, they played with Zeru. He did not appreciate the way they picked on him.
We began to recognize the true street boys from the regular boys. It was not always easy to distinguish by looks alone in this country with different social standards.
Day after day we would spend watching the boys play ball. Week after week. Month after month.
We got to know their names, their characters, their traits: good and bad. We got to know them.
In 5 months they went from physical fights every day to verbal resolution and organizing themselves fairly and peaceably.
They started caring more fir those around them. They started to have respect for each other, others, and themselves.
What is amazing is that they became ours, and we became theirs. They would protect us, get ofended when people treated us as foreigners, and even fed us when we were hungry. Yes the homeless street boys fed us, and bought us things. We cried when we finally left.
We spent holidays with them and instructed them and most important,
I was a witness of Jesus, and he sent them to me.
When we left for America we did not leave them, we were not finished, during that time we made a club. There are 2 homes being rented, character changes, love, business start ups, school enrollment.
I love those boys, Club Anbesa. They love us.
I am just a girl with a son who was called to go, and I went. God did all the rest. He still does. Somehow the boys are still growing and meeting. Somehow God provides enough for me to send each month for them to keep their homes, replace poped balls, and stay in school.
Are you called? Pray, trust, obey. It's God's job to donthe real work, it's our job to be there so he can do it. If God used me, he will use you, but not if you don't obey the call.
Thank you for reading a small part of my testimony.
