Reviving the spirit

In Exodus chapter 3 verse 5, God commands Moses to “take off your sandals, for the place that you are standing is holy ground”.  Day 4 here in Mekele was another incredible experience that led us to unexpected places and literally had us standing on ‘holy ground’.  

Our day began with Gabe arriving at our hotel and explaining that he would take us to see one of the many rock churches in northern Ethiopia - a 2 hour trip by car to the rugged and remote regions far from our hotel in Mekele.  We grabbed our bags and headed for the car and we were greeted by our sweet Joseph, who was smiling and waiting for us in the back seat.  All of us were so excited at the opportunity to have the day with Joseph, as we weren’t sure if he would be joining the group on this excursion.  Sasha, Jonah, Cara, and I had talked at breakfast with a hint of disappointment that our time with Joseph at the orphanage could be limited with such a long journey to the rock churches.  It was an unexpected gift that he was joining us and provided another wonderful opportunity to see more of his life-giving personality and for our family to further bond with one another outside the walls of the orphanage.  

The journey by car took us over breathtaking mountain tops and beautiful African countryside.  We traveled through the town of Wukro ... which is actually where our adopted daughter Ela is from.  What a blessing to be given a glimpse into this important chapter of her young life.  We took video and photographs and will share these precious memoirs with Ela for many years to come.  As we moved through Wukro, we found ourselves traversing rugged and rocky dirt roads for the remaining 45 minutes of our journey.  The ride was not for the faint of heart (or weak of stomach) - but the children laughed and played remarkably well as they literally bounced around in the back of our SUV.  

The switch back roads & stunning views during our journey through Wukro

We arrived at the rock church and were blessed by an unforgettable experience.  We climbed the large brick stairs leading up to the rock church and were greeted by an elderly Orthodox Priest.  Catching our breath (the altitude is nearly 6,000 feet above sea level), we were instructed by the priest to remove our shoes and socks before entering the church.  We were standing on holy ground.  This ancient church, constructed centuries ago - was literally carved out of the rock along the steep incline of the mountain.  We toured the interior of the church and spent time praying as a group for the people of Ethiopia.  It was another moving and powerful experience.  After visiting & praying with another elderly orthodox priest in his tiny stone home, we began the long journey back to the orphanage in Mekele.  

The remarkable rock church in northern Ethiopia

Our final night at the orphanage was so special.  It is a place you simply long to be ... and never want to leave!  We laughed and played with children before gathering inside for an unforgettable time of prayer and fellowship.  The children circled around our family and another family who is also adopting.   Standing hand in hand and surrounding our families, the children prayed fervently for God’s blessings upon us.  The children then sang us beautiful praise songs in their native Tigrinya language before the time came for our emotional goodbyes.  We hugged and held one another.  Many of their tiny voices whispering ... “Thank you ... God bless you” with each embrace.  The sweetness of it all is impossible to articulate.  Such precious souls ... dear precious souls!  We hugged and prayed for our sweet Joseph, before swallowing hard and telling him that we would be back quickly to bring him home ... for good!  Wiping away the tears ... we climbed in the car to return to our hotel for our final night in Mekele.

We said our final goodbyes to Mekele and flew back to Addis early this morning (Thursday).  We will prepare for our court date tomorrow and fly back to Chicago late Friday night.  

This has been a remarkable journey - filled with unspeakable emotions.  We are still praying through and processing all that we have experienced.  In reflecting on this journey, Sasha shared a powerful verse that captures much of this experience.  Isaiah 57:15 reads, “For thus say the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with the him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit; to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”  The children of the orphanage and our dear Joseph have taught us much during our four days in Mekele.  They are indeed, ‘lowly in spirit and contrite in heart’.  It is within these humble hearts - that you see such fervent ground for God to work in amazing ways.  They are filled with a pureness of faith and reverence of God and His promises ... that is both humbling and beautiful.  They bear the light of the gospel and have touched our lives deeply ... and forever.