1 December 2007

Dear Friends,

It has been a little less than three months since our last letter. At that time Ethiopia had just celebrated the New Year and the start of her new millennium, and we were approaching one of the major Orthodox holidays, Meskel. Now we are gearing up for Advent and Christmas, which in Ethiopia will then be followed by the second major Orthodox holiday of Timket. Ethiopia seems to live in the cycle of holidays and Orthodox saints days that punctuate the calendar and fill the air with church broadcasts day and night. Much of religion here is not a quiet reflective affair by any means. Muslims call people to prayer many times a day. The Orthodox seem to invite people to pray from home as they broadcast their services each day and frequent nights far and wide.

In the midst of this, people go about their daily lives. People walk to work or queue for the few taxis. Students pour into the streets morning, noon, and night, going to one of the three sessions of classes held in government schools. And most everyone is coughing these days from the dust, which in a sense is a good sign. There is a lot dust because there is so much work being done on our road and many others around the city. The project, begun a year ago October, ostensibly to be done by the millennium celebrations three months ago, has been taken over by a Chinese firm (as has most of the road work being done in Addis these days) and as of three days ago the entrance to the seminary (where we live) has been closed. Ordinarily that would be a frustration, but this time it is a hopeful sign because that section of the road is being prepared for paving. Our hope is that it only takes one week, as the other side of the road took. That is also our hope because three days ago two telephone poles fell down, the wires were severed, and over 200 phones knocked out of service, including ours. The repair trucks won’t be able to get in to make the extensive repairs until the road is paved and reopened.

Last night, we had a Thanksgiving feast with a number of our Reformed missionary family who are here working with Mekane Yesus Church in various capacities. Fifteen people gathered at our house, having to park outside the compound and across the road, carrying their dinner offerings to be greeted by candlelight. Electricity here and in other parts of the city had gone off at 4:00 p.m. Chickens partially cooked, pies partially baked, but we gathered and enjoyed a candlelit dinner and gave thanks for people who have blessed us this past year and for God’s faithfulness in all things. The electricity returned in time for dessert.

Our expression of gratitude includes thanks for:

• A gathering last month in Kenya of about 60 PC(USA) mission colleagues and families working in east and southern Africa together with a few of our Louisville staff. Both in the work being done and the lives being lived by our colleagues, we feel blessed to be a part of this group who is serving God here on this continent.
• All the approvals given for the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology to finally begin the building for our facility development.

Dr. Desta Heliso will be director of the Ethiopia Graduate School of Theology on January 1, 2008.
• The seven years of service our director, Dr. Debela Birri, has given to EGST. He retires at the end of December and is looking forward to a much deserved sabbatical from administration and teaching for a time. Just this past week EGST’s Council of Owners named our acting dean, Dr. Desta Heliso, to succeed Dr. Debela as EGST’s third director.
• John’s completion of his doctor of ministry final project. Now we just await the confirmation of the paperwork to acknowledge “Dr. John.” But more than that, before it was even off the press, requests to use part of his work had been received.
• Your encouragement, support, prayers, and letters, and for the ways that you are seeking to live faithful lives, serving others, sharing life.

At this time of year as we remember the coming of Jesus Christ and hope in his return to make all things new and all things right, may you find renewed strength and vision to be part of preparing his way in this day and in your place.

Blessings,

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 329