really BIG news

A few weeks ago I was reading one of my favorite blogs. I read http://www.thevoiceofadventure.blogspot.com/ written by Angel almost daily. She writes a very encouraging and challenging blog (You should read it-really). In her blog, Angel announced she was going on a mission trip and asked if anyone wanted to go with her. I left a comment (for the very first time-it really was painless) and said I was interested in going. Angel emailed me and gave me contact information for the woman organizing the trip. I contacted her and I am very excited to tell you that

I am going to Ethiopia,March 29-April 5, on a mission trip!

I have been wanting to do "something" for a long time. This trip was the "something" I was looking for. We are going to be going to two different orphanages in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. One of the orphanages is called Layla House and is for kids waiting to be adopted. The other is for children that are HIV positive and is sponsored by AHOPE. The website for AHOPE is http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/ if you want to read more about it. On the mission trip we will be loving and encouraging the children and workers. We are taking supplies to make life a little easier for them. We are doing some painting, decorating, making smocks for the workers and taking the kids on a field trip. I am sure we will just be available for whatever they need us to do.

Amazingly, after God opened the door for me to go on this trip, he brought Mekedas, our Ethiopian housemaid, to us. I feel even more invested knowing I will be traveling to not only her country, but to Addis Ababa, her home city.