Ethiopia post 1

HELLO DOWNLINE HOMIES!! Team member Molly is writing this post from our guest house in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! It is currently 9:30pm (probably will be way later by the time I post it) on Tuesday evening, March 7, 2017.  We have had 4 full days here in Addis Ababa so far and we are loving it! It has been an incredible opportunity getting to meet the people, learn about the culture, and teach (as well as learn from) Ethiopians about what it means to be a disciple of our great God.  Here are some team updates...

Here is our team during our layover in Washington, DC!  We got to see Downline alum Susan O. (not pictured), tour the Capitol, and have some great food. Our team consists of 8 members: (top L to R) Matt, Maggie, Shad, Tim, (bottom L to R) Sarah, Molly, Anna, and Ainslee.  We enjoyed the team bonding and were excited to get to Ethiopia.

This was our team right when we landed in Addis Ababa.  We were greeted by a few staff members  and students of Onesimus Ministry who let us partner with them to hold the discipleship conference.  We were glad to see them!  Onesimus works to rehabilitate street children and reintegrate them with their families.

On Saturday we arrived at about 7:00am and although we were exhausted we got to do some sight seeing!  This view is a few of the team members and Addis Ababa natives with the city behind us.  So great to see!

On Sunday we got to go to some churches where Tim and Shad preached. It was awesome getting to hear the people of Addis praise The Lord in Amharic, their national language.  It was a great reminder of how omniscient God is, and that He is not limited by language!  Sunday afternoon we got to go visit some lakes in a nearby town, Debre Zeyit. This picture of the sunset on the lake is at Asham Africa Resort.  We got to eat dinner there, had some good and challenging conversation, and watched the sunset.  It was beautiful! 

I can only speak for myself, but I have LOVED getting to spend great time with these girls!!  Ainslee is sweet and laughs at everything, which makes time with her so joyful.  Sarah is full of wisdom and always knows what to say when you need it.  Anna is a HOOT and completely makes you feel right at home.  And Maggie is the most refreshing soul, who has a perfect combination of silliness and maturity (sometimes (JK)).  I could not think of better girls to travel across the world with! The sweet girl in the front is a past Onesimus student who loves the Lord with more fervor than you would believe! 

Just a pic of some cute kids riding a bike! Their smiles are priceless. 

Here is Sarah teaching the story of Creation and how sin entered the world to some elementary age boys at Onesimus Ministry!  One of the men who works for Onesimus that was able to interpret for her.  The kids learned about how much God loved Adam and Eve, and how He always had the best for them, even when Satan told them otherwise.  Sarah also clearly communicated how much God STILL loved them after they sinned, just like He still loves us so much, even when we sin and we think we are so far from God.  He wants to be in relationship with us!  It is always such a beautiful reminder. 

This is Anna teaching to the women at the discipleship conference about what it means to live a Great-Commission lifestyle.  Anna did a wonderful job! I was reminded it all has to always come back to the gospel.  Isaiah 6:1-8 was a sweet passage she used to introduce her talk.  "Isaiah was ruined in his sinfulness seeing God in His holiness." 

Onesimus Ministry works with a stateside ministry called The Forsaken Children Ministry, and together they are seeking to rescue Ethiopia's children who are on the street or at-risk, ensuring they remain in or return to a loving family.  They can only do this by keeping the gospel of Jesus Christ the center of their program. 

The Lord has been working in the lives of Ethiopians and it is so evident when I get to hear from them about how they came to know Him or why they are passionate about being a disciple and making disciples.  I can't help but feel so privileged to be on this trip with a team who loves Christ with every ounce of them and meet the Ethiopians who do also.  The world is going to be changed because of what God is doing here! PRAISE HIM!

I can't wait to send more updates. 

In Christ,

Molly 

Ethiopia Day 3

I LOVE ETHIOPIA! We have been welcomed and loved so well since we arrived. I can speak for the team when I say we all wish we could be here longer.

Yesterday was probably my favorite day since we have been in Ethiopia. We got to celebrate Easter for the second time this year. Early yesterday morning we packed into the van and drove to the Ethiopian Olympic Stadium. The stadium holds 30,000 people. It was completely packed an hour before the service started. While people waited for the service to start they danced and sang worship songs. It was beautiful. I sat back and watched my brothers and sister praising The Lord with huge smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts. The service was four hours long… and we really couldn’t understand much of it, but it was evident that The Spirit was moving. Three hundred people accepted Christ. What was cool was that they ran on the track towards the altar. I was reminded of the way I should run to Christ every day. I was also encouraged by their desire to just stay and worship… They weren’t worried about their schedule or to-do list. They just wanted to be in God’s presence. I hope and pray to take that home with me.

As we left church, there were people crowding the streets, jumping and singing. Their words translated to “We aren’t ashamed of the gospel. We are going to praise Jesus!” I was so encouraged and also convicted. I have never been so bold to loudly proclaim the gospel just walking down the street.

Today was the first day of the conference! Another day of being with our Ethiopian brothers and sisters! I am so encouraged by their desire to be Jesus’ disciple and to make disciples. God moved during both Shad and Devin’s lessons today. Both the men and women of our team were able to build relationships during the tea breaks. I’m excited to continue to know the women throughout the rest of the week. Tomorrow we continue with the conference as well as send some of our team members to minister to the kids at Forsaken Children, a ministry that works with street children.

On an off topic note: I love this team. Their hearts are so genuine and I have been sharpened just by being around them. We also laugh non-stop… Usually about Shad’s bed head, Maggie’s snorting, or the way the Ethiopians admire Steve’s red hair and height and muscles.  

Please continue to pray that disciples would be made and a passion for disciple making would continue to grow!

Kasey Kay

Ethiopia Day 1 – Eucalyptus Trees

There’s a story in Ethiopia that the first king, King Milinik, once visited Australia. When he returned, he discovered a eucalyptus seed caught in his hair. He then planted it outside his palace on Entoto Mountain on the edge of Addis Ababa. At the time, there were no eucalyptus trees in all of Ethiopia. But today, eucalyptus trees are the most common tree in Addis Ababa and can be found in every corner of Ethiopia.

It’s a pretty cool picture of the gospel and the principle of multiplication. And we hope this is the story of the church. The majority denomination in Ethiopia is called Ethiopian Orthodox, and to be Ethiopian is to be Orthodox. Unfortunately, the religion is severely performance-oriented and the people seem to be devoted to behaviors and traditions more than Christ and his gospel. But the church is rising here; tomorrow is Ethiopia’s Easter celebration, and all the Protestant churches will come together for a single worship service – 50,000 believers united in Christ! The Spirit is at work here, and we pray the gospel continues to multiply like the eucalyptus tree.

We’re all fairly tired, but healthy. It took two days to arrive in Ethiopia, ending with a 13-hour flight. But we have ideal living conditions, provided by a ministry we’ve partnered with here. Pray for us, that we would be energetic, full of joy and humility, and united as a team. And pray for the Ethiopians, that their hearts would be soft and open to the truth of Scripture. And pray that as we teach, we would become less, Christ would become greater, and the Spirit would speak for and through us to the glory of God the Father.

Today’s Author: Sam Meeks

Mekele Day 4!

When most Americans think of Africa, they think of a place that is in desperate need of help. A place full of sadness, sickness, and starvation. While there are definitely some serious physical needs here, I have learned that these perceptions are not true of all areas and all people. The people we have had the privilege of teaching, learning, and worshipping with are beautiful, generous, gracious, and eager to learn how to better serve God in their country. Their love for Christ is so pure and has tremendously encouraged my personal relationship with The Lord.  There are workers from different careers, moms, and college students all coming faithfully to each session, listening carefully and taking notes.  They have been incredibly welcoming and wonderful hosts.

We have officially been in Mekele, Ethiopia for 4 days and we are all exhausted. The time change has had a huge effect on our bodies, and I don't think we were prepared for it. Despite our lack of rest at times, The Lord has been gracious to provide us comfortable beds to sleep in. We are so thankful.

Today, was our second to last day of the conference. We arrived at the church tired, but ready to see The Lord do work. Matt and Felipe led the men's morning time, while Mary Holland and Lachelle led the women's morning sessions. In the afternoon both Shad and Matt led lessons on the Theology of Work  and the 4 Missing Ingredients of Discipleship. Both the men and women have been asking questions of us, eager to clarify what we are teaching and apply it in their lives.  I know without a doubt The Lord was glorified today.

Finally,
I wanted to apologize for not posting a blog day by day. We have had some issue being able to log on.  I am excited about the next few posts we have planned as we wrap up our time here.  I have asked a few of my teammates to share their experiences of teaching or their perspective on our trip so far! I will also try to update the blog with what we are doing during the day! Please continue to pray for our team as we share the gospel and teach about discipleship. Our God is so good and we are so thankful. My prayer today is Psalm 25. It's honestly been my prayer all week. Pray that each and every attendee at our conference allows The Lord to Shepherd their life.

Morgan Masterson

Mekele Team: Mike O'Donnell Perspective

The Mekele team is having a great experience with the loving people of this city! There are unique challenges facing His people here, which include lack of teaching resources, bible teaching Churches, and persecution from other religions. Perseverance has taken on a new meaning for our team, it's amazing God would use us for this work of teaching and encouragement.

During Sunday's local Church service, I was given the special opportunity to share the Word of God with His people in Mekele, Ethiopia. It was one of the highest privileges I've had in my life. The hope was to provide encouragement to the local Church through Paul's letter to the Ephesians. The four truths from Ephesians we discussed included our Identity in Christ, Unity with God and fellow believers, Maturity, and Spiritual Warfare. This was based off of Dave Newman's teaching at the DL Institute. It was also important for me to share my own testimony, the gospel, and how sin defined my life before Christ initiated a relationship and gave me a new identity through Himself. This experience is helping me further understand the grace and love of God.

If there are seeds being planted in God's people here from our presence, then praise Him. Also pray that both our team and the Mekele people would be encouraged by one another, would know Christ more, and would help others know Him.


By His Grace,
Mike O'Donnell

Pictures from Mekele, Ethiopia

Marta & Deme

Greetings from Mekele, Ethiopia!

What a privilege and joy it is to be here. I was reminded almost as soon as we landed of all the things I love about this country...the people, the places, the work the Lord is doing in the hearts and lives of so many, and the beautiful evidences of the Gospel here in this rich culture, where false religion far too often disguises itself as appealing truth.

Our team is doing well, but we are tired! I'm thankful for the mercies of God that are new every morning...even every moment! We seem to have been traveling for days, and it is so good to finally be settled for the week. After 2 plane rides, an overnight stop in DC, an early morning to catch the l-o-n-g plane ride over the ocean and across the continent of Africa, a day in Addis (the Capitol city), another very early morning to catch our flight to Mekele (and for the other half of the team to head to Bahir Dar), we are excited to have begun our conference today with a group of over 35 men and women who are leaders in their churches across this city and region.

Over the next 4 days, we will have the joy of wrestling well with them over the Truths of Scripture, namely the strategy and command of Jesus to "make disciples" as we are going. We are drinking deeply of the Word with them as we dive into what a disciple of Jesus looks like, why we make disciples, and how to live transparent and Gospel-centered lives by inviting others to do life with us. What a joy and challenge it is to our own souls, both to be teaching and to see the excitement and hunger of these people as they soak in every word.

Be praying for us ... That the Lord would be gracious to multiply our rest and that we would "make the best use of the time" we have here. Pray we will speak with clarity and wisdom as we teach (each of us gives one lesson and our team leaders give several lessons) and that only what is Truth will stand in the hearts and minds of these brothers and sisters.

Pray for the attendees of the conference ... That their hearts would be eager and ready to take these lessons and resources and to pass them along to the next generations of believers. Pray that the language barriers (praise God for our wonderful translators Nega and Nati!!) would not hinder them from receiving Truth, for God is the author of every tongue!

Pray for the children ... There are not so many street children in Mekele, as there are in Addis, but, there are tender little hearts coming from the community, both with parents who are attending the conference and because the church (where the conference is held) has a playground that is open for little ones from the neighborhood. Pray that as we enjoy these sweet ones this week, we will share Truth with them through our love! This, of course, is my very favorite part of the trip :)

***Pray for Onessimus/The Forsaken Children ... As our primary partnership organization in this country, we continue to ask of The Lord for the street children of Ethiopia to receive the fruit of our labor, even if in the many years to come, that by the restoration of biblical discipleship in the church, families will be strengthened, which will provide loving homes for the millions of children currently living on the streets.

Specifics for the days to come (we are 8 hours ahead of you):
Sunday - Three men from our team will be preaching in area churches. Pray as they cast the vision for biblical discipleship that the men and women of these churches will catch it! We will do some sightseeing and resting in the afternoon.
Monday-Wednesday - Conference days (Saturday was also a conference day). Pray as mentioned above!
Thursday - In the morning, we will fly back to Addis very early. We will spend the day there, hopefully catching a bit of time with the children at Onessimus/The Forsaken Children and having a closing ceremony, where the staff of Onessimus and others we have come to know and love here will join us to celebrate the sweetness of God in this place. We will board a plane late Thursday night for the l-o-n-g flight back to DC, then to Charlotte, then finally home Friday afternoon.

Mary Holland

Mekele, Ethiopia: Day 1

Day 1:

Downline Ethiopia Team

So far so good! The Downline Ethiopia team of 23 has successfully managed to make it to Dulles airport in DC where we are about to embark on an amazing and memorable journey. 

We left Memphis then connected in Charlotte and caught up with four Downline friends from Northwest Arkansas. We had 30 minutes to spare and made it to the gate just as they were making the last call for our team. From there we made it to DC and were presented with an unplanned opportunity to visit Capitol Hill Baptist church. The oldest church of any denomination in the Northeast Quarter of Washington, DC. Capitol Hill Baptist is pastored by our friend Mark Dever. Mark is one of the most influential leaders today in regards to the practice of church governance, membership, discipline, and shepherding and has written volumes of material through the 9Marks association.  

CHB hosts a Wednesday night Bible Study that starts at 7pm. We landed at 5:30 and had to get our luggage, drop it off at the hotel, and get in our rental vans and to the church which was about 40 minutes away in DC. We managed to make the turn at the hotel and got back on the road and to the church by 7:30 which was pretty impressive. While checking in at the hotel we were also informed that pipes had burst and they had to move 8 of our 11 rooms to another nearby hotel!  

We made our way through downtown DC to the church and took in some of the sights. There were roughly 80-100 people at the Bible study, closely examining God's word and interacting together. It was a really rich time in the word even though we only caught the last 30 minutes. Afterward, Mark met with our team and shared the history of the church and his call to lead it over 20 years ago. Ken, who is one of the interns at the church from Kenya, prayed for our team and our mission to Ethiopia. He also helped us find our way to one of the most amazing burger joints I have ever been in, Good Stuff Burger. If you are ever in DC, you must eat there. The team devoured an assortment of hamburgers with a variety of toppings including fried egg, bacon, cheese of all kinds, special sauces, and traditional veggies. In my case, I ate it all. They also happen to be very well known for their milkshakes. I couldn't look beyond the first option - Toasted Marshmallow. Everything else was blurred out as if that were the only option. I almost ordered two in my excitement.  

We finished the night back at our respective hotels around 11:00 PM. Well fed spiritually and physically. It was a full day of travel and fun. I can already tell this is an amazing team. Spirit led, flexible, patient, and faithful.  

I'm excited to see and hear about all the Lord plans to do in the days to come. 

The next step is boarding our plane for our 14 hour flight to Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia. 

Some other highlights include:

Shad learning the "Nae-Nae" dance.

Felipe's "I almost forgot my bag" count = 4

World famous Toasted Marshmallow shakes consumed = 16

Number of vehicles used to get us to the airport this morning = 2 vans, 2 shuttle busses, and 1 SUV

In the DC airport this morning we met some old friends, Marta and Deme who have an amazing story of God's faithfulness in their life. Do yourself a favor and read - Day 4 from Ethiopia 2011 & Sheltered by the King.  &

Ethiopia - Post 3

My body is exhausted and my heart is full after spending seven amazing days in Ethiopia with our partners in ministry from The Forsaken Children and Onesimus Child Development Association. Nega, Taye, Engeda and Ephraim served as our hosts, translators, guides, consultants and partners in training as we endeavored to serve them in their vision for stronger churches, stronger families, and fewer orphans and street children.

If you aren't familiar with these two partner organizations you can learn more by visiting their websites, http://theforsakenchildren.org and http://onesimuscda.webs.com

Downline's partnership with these organizations has always seemed to be a perfect fit since our first joint conference last year. After three visits to Ethiopia and three conferences in two cities accompanied by hours of prayer and conversation about the Ethiopian church and her needs it has been officially confirmed on multiple levels. My heart is bursting with hope for the people of Ethiopia because of the faithfulness of Christ through the servants He has positioned to meet the needs of the Ethiopian church and the homeless orphans of Africa. Their vision is a God sized one and their commitment is eternal. Their work is heart wrenching and slow going. Their God is sovereign and full of grace. When you are with the children at the drop-in-center where they come to play and experience the love of Christ for possibly the first time, you can sense the presence of the Lord and the purity of the mission to seek and to save the lost. Every single one of them, especially these innocent children, are precious in His sight but have tasted more than their share of the dark and evil brokenness of this lost and dying world. 

The Forsaken Children and Onesimus know that the long term solution and ultimate answer to the epidemic of the street children of Ethiopia is Jesus Christ. Their vision is to simultaneously seek out and serve the children of Ethiopia, introduce them to the love of Christ, and equip and prepare them to be integrated into society where they can flourish, while also seeking a restoration of biblical discipleship in and through the church and families of Ethiopia. Downline is honored to play a small role in those efforts as their vision aligns perfectly with ours.

The discipleship conferences were taught by members of the Downline team and Onesimus leadership. It was particularly exciting to hear some of Downline's discipleship lessons and biblical discipleship principles being communicated by the leaders of Ethiopia's present and future! The Downline team was well prepared both in practical terms and in prayer as they humbly and clearly shared the vision and strategy of Jesus Christ for discipleship. At the end of each conference attendees were asking what we could do to continue the partnership and keep the training going. Additionally, many publicly and humbly offered their repentance for their desire to grow church members but not disciples of Christ. God is gracious and faithful and is on the move. These pastors were responsible for congregations ranging from 500 to 4,000. Some overseeing as many as 40 churches within their denomination! The potential for the healthy growth and maturity of the Church of Ethiopia is exponential. What a joy to be a part!

Thank you for your prayers for this team and all of Downline's efforts, locally and globally.

Ethiopia - Post 2

Surely, we are tasting and seeing that the Lord is good! We have made such precious friendships in Ethiopia and have loved getting to know the stories and hearts of the men and women here. We pray they will continue to be encouraged in heart as these conferences come to an end.

We moved yesterday from Addis Ababa to Hawassa. The drive was 4 beautiful hours of Ethiopian countrside, with small villages scattered along the way. Our team of 11 jumped straight into the second discipleship conference upon arrival in Hawassa, and we have been moving non-stop since then! We are eager to continue sharing with these men and women throughout the day tomorrow, with the hope and prayer that they will leave the conference to re-teach others. Discipleship is the transference of Truth and life in the context of relationship. Our prayer is that this, the model and command of Jesus as He invested in his disciples, would consume the church in Ethiopia. These people have such a hunger for the Word of God! This harvest is plentiful, and it is ready! 

The girls (and guys!) have been LOVING (there is no other way to put it!) our time with the children. Today, we met with three different classrooms at the church/school where the conference is held, then again with a new group of 50 this afternoon. Today's lesson was about the 7 days of creation, and they learned so quickly! The last group shared a song with us in Amharic about creation. They hug our necks and kiss our cheeks and giggle when we try to speak in Amharic, and we just can't get enough! 

Each morning and afternoon, we stop for a tea/coffee break. This is a sweet time to talk to the men and women and to get to know them a little better, in a more relaxed setting. Our time with them both as a whole group and as the men's and women's groups, divided for certain sessions, has been rich and filled with edifying and challenging conversation. 

One last note, the day before we left Addis, we hiked Entoto, a mountain from which you can see almost all of Addis. It was beautiful!! (see picture!) A fun time to be together as a team! We are thankful for everyone's health and safety. We are thankful to be here!!  

Ethiopia - Post 1

Our first day in Ethiopia started with a challenge but all turned out well and quite an adventure with Shad as our leader! We were greeted at the airport by several of the children with whom we are working this week and two of our wonderful hosts. They had the warmest smiles and sweetest hugs to share! Our luggage decided an extra day of sightseeing in D.C. would be fun, so we did not welcome its arrival until this afternoon.  Though the sun was shining brightly in the African sky, the power at the guest house was out, which includes the water (run on electric pumps), so needless to say, the interruption of the ceiling lights during tonight's candle-lit dinner (2 full days after arrival) was well-received! Cold showers followed quickly. 

We are staying in a beautiful guest house, Bethel, with two great cooks, (Busa and Marta) and Tete, who has been serving us well.  Teya and Ingida are our hosts. Teya's name means visible, and his love for Ethiopia is very visible. He showed us around on Friday, we visited Onesimus ,and the MYS seminary where the conference is held. Both are wonderful!

Onesimus is the Foresaken Children's ministry. Foresakenchildren.org They welcomed us with cake, coffee, and popcorn!   The ministry brings in street kids, and provides education classes; english, math, reading, drawing, and computer class. The kids also have the opportunity to shower there 3 times a week and  uniforms are provided for school. We have two board members with us, Randall Johnson and Susan Vrbas. We are so thankful for their presence on our team as such strategic partners in this ministry. 

We were wakened this morning around 5:00 am by the first of five daily Muslim calls to prayer, which resonate throughout the city from a Mosque nearby. The irony is that their calls to prayer serve as such a tangible reminder to us to pray for them...that they may come to know the One True and living God! We enjoyed time at the seminary for the conference and Onesimus for children's ministry today. We are excited to continue loving on and learning with and from these people! 

Ethiopia Day 7

Our prayer has been that our hearts would be changed. That we would not allow them to become calloused by what we are seeing and experiencing in Ethiopia (even for those of us who have been here before).  That we will allow our hearts to feel exactly how God wanted them to feel- just like His.

I would say it has been a success. God has been a success! AGAIN!

 Our hearts were changed this week. Our hearts were changed by the lentils and injera we shared around a large table in the middle of the drop-in center. Our hearts were changed with every handclap routine with a brown-eyed little girl so eager to share her favorite song. Our hearts were changed with every tough patient getting a tooth extracted in the crowded confines of a small, windowless room. Our hearts were changed by the mother of 4 small children infected with HIV. Our hearts were changed by the 862 Ethiopians who came through the clinic for medical treatment.  Our hearts were changed by the smiles of each child who was so content in where they were that it didn’t matter where they would find their next meal or their next place to sleep. Our hearts were changed by tear rolling down a 15 year old boy’s face as he described the hope he had found at Onesimus and in his personal relationship with our God.

This week, God has continued introducing us to a new normal. He has continued to show us life through His lens. He has given us grace in our darkest hours. He has given us dependence on Him because we could not endure this without Him. He has given us the opportunity to love His children they way he does- with no judgment. In short, He has changed our hearts. Amen. 

Posted by Nicci Feathers

Ethiopia Day 6

We had another amazing day at Onesimus! The medical team saw over 270 patients today! The pace seems to get a little quicker every day.  Tomorrow is the last official day for medical care and I can only imagine that God is going to continue doing BIG things. Several members of our team are going to share how being here is touching them and how they feel about what they have seen thus far. Enjoy! 

“How would I describe the week? Physically exhausting, emotionally draining, and spiritually exhilarating! What a blessing to see God at work in the hearts of His people and to be put in a place where we can more clearly appreciate our dependence
on Him.”
– Dr. Ed Cattau

“Words cannot describe how much joy this trip to Ethiopia has been to me. Praise the Lord for His many blessings.”
– Dr. Steve Rice

“The Ethiopians are a beautiful people. It has been a true pleasure to teach them about our Lord’s strategy of disciple making. They will forever have a place in my heart.”
– Karly Hines

“I love seeing my kids again and meeting new and wonderful people. I have loved the experience of working alongside the medical team- both the Americans and the Ethiopians.”
– Kelly Dawson

“I’m loving it here in Addis. Great team! The drop-in center staff has been gracious hosts. Hope to come back and do this all over again!”
– Aileen Bearden

“It is a privilege to be here in Addis serving the sick. They are some of the sweetest people I have ever cared for. I can’t wait to come back to Ethiopia on another medical team.”
– Dr. Gene Scobey

“Impossible to sum up the week in a sentence. The believers of Ethiopia have served and blessed me far more than I could have ever had hoped to serve them. What a privilege it has been to see the spirit of God at work on the other side of the globe. “
-Shad Berry

“God has a heart for widows and orphans. Joining in with what He deems valuable, loving and serving these precious children, is an investment we will never see the true value of. Pray God will continue His work in us and in the children we serve to
accomplish what we
never can.” 
– Jason Collier

“Today, I learned a hard lesson. God’s timing is not our timing. My son, Jonathan, had to have an emergency appendectomy and I was away. I really had to lean on my God and your prayers carried me. Thanks for continuing to pray for his continued healing
while I am away.”
– Sylvia Hawkins

“Although, I said, “yes!” to this trip, I could never grasp the purpose for God wanting me back here so soon! However, this week, God has continued to change my world and He has really put some questions in my head about the next step in my life as His servant.
God only knows what He is
up to and I sure can’t wait to
find out!”
– Nicci Feathers

Please continue praying for our entire team! We only have a few days left and we want to make them count!!! You truly have no idea how your support has carried us throughout this week! There may be 14 of us in Ethiopia but our team is much larger! Thank you for taking this journey with us!

Posted by Nicci Feathers

Ethiopia Day 5

We have successfully finished another day here in Addis Ababa and we are all back at the guesthouse reflecting on another great yet heart-wrenching day! We are each being affected greatly by what our eyes have seen here and how our hearts are aching. Being here gives such insight on the pain God endures daily and how his heart breaks by the second from the evil and sin that exists in this world. Fortunately, we can find our hope and comfort in that this world is not forever and, one day, we will all be rejoicing in heaven together. Praise God!  So, while we may not always understand why Ethiopia is suffering the way it is, there is great joy to be found in that one day for those who believe the pain will end.

 Medical Clinic at Onesimus (drop-in center)

“I find serving on a medical mission team to be one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences possible. I came to change people’s lives, and I find that it is my own heart that is changed.”
-Dr. Gene Scobey

The medical team did amazing things today! The doctors alone saw over 180 patients in 7 short hours. They were rocking and rolling and God, again, showed up and showed out! Aileen shared a story tonight about a small child with scabies and we did not have the proper medicine to treat this baby. As she dug hopelessly on a shelf of Onesimus supplies for any type of topical cream she could find, God did HIS thing and provided the exact medicine the child needed. It was not a prescription we had brought with us and yet, there it was! He is so much bigger than anything we can comprehend. The dental team saw a slew of patients, as well, and they pulled a great number of teeth. Kelly, our hygienist, pulled her first tooth with Dr. Collier’s assistance, of course! Lastly, Dr. Rice shared about his experience in the clinic. He said that he expected to treat many more patients with clinical depression here because of the conditions and yet, there have been few. Hearing this made the truth ring even louder in my ear.  We have too much STUFF in America and we complain when things don’t go our way. These people have absolutely nothing and yet, they are completely content. I have a lot to learn from them and the joy they find in what they do have. For a brief moment, I thought, “They just don’t know what they are missing.” But, truly, it is I who is missing the bigger picture. The STUFF really can’t provide the happiness~ only God and God alone. My prayer is that I will hold steadfast to this picture and when I feel like I have it a little rough, I will remember that I have ALL I need~ God’s grace and His mercy.

Posted by Nicci Feathers 

DownLine Conference Training Day 2 with Pastors and Church Leaders

Day 2 of the conference ended on a very encouraging note!  Steve, Dr. Cattau, Karly and I continued our discipleship training.  We have been getting great feedback everyday and have felt very appreciated.  The challenge is determining whether or not the principles and strategy of discipleship and multiplication are being clearly communicated and received.  We know they are grateful we are with them and they appreciate the training, but our prayer is that at least one member of our conference would catch fire with a desire to return to the biblical method of evangelism and discipleship.  After the first three sessions one of the leaders of the seminary came walking up to Steve and I with a large smile and a chuckle in his voice because he had overheard some of the pastors coming to the realization that they have plans for buildings, programs, and universities, but the have NO PLAN for discipleship.  The chuckle seemed to be out of a sense of satisfaction that the training was causing these leaders consider their strategy as pastors and teachers and what the purpose of their roles. 

It is pretty common that the translators that assist us with these conferences are among the first and most profoundly impacted by our message.  This week has been no exception.  Our translator is a pastor and teacher at a local Bible college.  He appears to be very strong in his faith and a committed pastor and leader.  You can tell his heart is in the right place and after each session he has been coming to us asking us questions, seeking clarification, and confessing that he has gotten too busy and distracted.  There are some very faithful men serving here.  We firmly believe they will be powerful witnesses and disciple makers in this city and hope to support them to the best of our ability.  Tomorrow we will teach two more sessions on the Biblical and practical aspects of discipleship.  Steve and I are especially excited about tomorrow afternoon because we are going to lead a discussion and Q & A with the pastors at their request.  They want to learn from one another and share thoughts and ideas about the best approach for them to make disciples and teach others to do the same. 

Posted by Shad Berry

 Team Fellowship

Tonight, we enjoyed great fellowship as a team at Yod Abbyssinia, a traditional Ethiopian restaurant. The food was delicious and the entertainment was even better. At the restaurant, they have traditional Ethiopian dancing. We enjoyed watching this unique style of dance for some time. But, the best part was mid-show, when the dancer on stage singled Shad and Karly out from the back of the room and pulled them on stage. They did their best to keep up with this very fast paced dancing and they did a great job of entertaining the full crowd. An impressive video is to follow!

Again, thank you for all of your prayers. They are carrying us throughout each day! We pray that God will continue to use us to do His will and His work.

God Bless!

Posted by Nicci Feathers

Ethiopia Day 4

It was a long day. But, it was a strong day. The medical clinic kicked into full gear, the DownLine Conference continued with a new group of pastors, and we were able to fellowship with some pretty amazing people this evening. All in all, our day was filled with an abundance of God's passion and mercy. Shad Berry, John Ozier and I will try paint a small vignette of what each part of our day looked like from start to finish.

DownLine Disciple Training with Pastors

September 19, 2011

The vision and purpose of our trip and partnership with The Forsaken Children and Onesimus came into full view today.  Our strategy and hope is that through this partnership DownLine can play a role in helping support and build stronger churches in this community, which in turn will build stronger families, and thus a stronger Ethiopia.  With the discipleship conference and the medical team in full affect, we were able to get a glimpse of how this partnership could support that effort.

DownLine  kicked off  our second three day conference with Pastors and Church Leaders at the seminary.  Over 50 men and women came with the intent to gain a more in depth understanding of the New Testament standard of biblical discipleship.  These pastors have influence over several thousand men and women throughout the country that attend their churches.

The more we get to know these students and pastors the more we understand the challenges they face as they seek to live out the gospel and make disciples.  On one hand there exists a very real tension between the Evangelical churches of Ethiopia and the state run Coptic Ethiopian Church.  On the other, many of these pastors are leading congregations and evangelical efforts in strong Muslim areas.

I couldn’t say that there aren’t any Christians in the state run church, though many of the testimonies of the pastors and students I have met indicate to me that there is a much stronger faith in the Orthodox Church itself as opposed to a relationship with Christ.  Members of the orthodox church that leave the institution experience significant persecution and hostility for their decision.  The church I spoke at on Sunday morning was new to that particular part of Addis Ababa and they have encountered threats and hostility from their Orthodox neighbors BUT have experienced a gradual sense of acceptance and remain optimistic things will continue to improve.

Other pastors and students are studying to be better equipped to reach their Muslim neighbors with the gospel and disciple them in Christ.  There is sobering mix of conversion stories and hostile responses to some sharing their faith with their Muslim friends and neighbors.

In every case, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope, and the faithful process of making disciples is the strategy.  The encouraging news is that these are committed followers of Christ with a love for their people and a desire to see them transformed by the gospel.  They express their gratitude for our presence here daily and the importance of the training.  We pray that everything we teach will prove to be useful for them as they seek to mature, make, and mobilize disciples in Ethiopia!

It is a wonderful privilege to witness their faith and love for one another and the Lord.  They are a very affectionate people with tender hearts.  They have an evident countenance of peace and trust that is contagious and admirable.  Steve, John, Dr. Cattau, and myself will all teach at the conference tomorrow as well as spend some time with the medical team.  Thank you for your continued prayers!

by Shad Berry

Medical Clinic at Drop-in Center 

Oh boy! Best day YET! The  medical clinic began today and we were at the drop-in center all day!! I got to spend 7 solid hours with the kids! First, I just need to say that for a free medical clinic this was the most organized event ever! In true Nega fashion, no stone went unturned. The medical team was able to see just over 130 patients in a 7 hour day! Beneficiaries and their families were invited to the drop-in center for care.  Dr. Collier and Kelly pulled many teeth and Dr. Cattau and Dr. Scobey checked many patients and wrote many prescriptions.  At the end of the day, many of our new friends were smiling and very appreciative for the help our medical team was able to provide. In describing her first day at the drop in center Sylvia(our nurse) says, "This is a 1st for me- a medical mission in a foreign country. After today, God willing- it won't be the last! Amazing! Such sweet, wonderful people." Eileen (our other nurse) added, " It was magnificently wonderful! The children are beautiful and have the most amazing and happiest spirits. I'm so humbled to be here serving the children of  Onesimus and Ethiopia."

 On a personal level, I was able to pick up the pieces of my heart for a moment today! In truth, all weekend I have struggled with not getting to see the children and I have had to pray for God to show me that this is not about me and my wants but it is about Him and His needs. But, our God is a gracious, giving God and today, He provided and my heart is so full. Seeing those sweet faces, hearing them call my name, and playing with them for hours was pure perfection.  As I was playing with them,  it dawned on me that this is so similar to my relationship with my Savior.  When He sees me, when He calls my name, when I call out to Him, and when I spend time investing in Him, His heart must burst just like mine does here in Ethiopia. I am so humbled by what God is doing in me through Ethiopia. Many times I have said, "Ethiopia changed my life." But this morning, as I loved on my sweet babies, I realized this was not a true statement. God changed my life. He just used Ethiopia as His hands and feet to me. Now, it is my job to carry out my mission for Him- with The Forsaken Children and beyond. Our mission field is endless.

Posted by Nicci Feathers

Dinner with a Legend by John Ozier 

Wow, I'm not sure if there was ever a more encouraging ending to a long emotional and amazing Monday. If I stopped breathing in my sleep tonight and my mind be shuttled into the presence of the King, I feel there's a good chance He might say, "how did you enjoy meeting with my beautiful servants, Marta and Deme???".  Truly, I'm not sure if I've ever met a couple who have LIVED such a dramatic and extraordinary LIFE  with such humility, class, humor and grace.  As I looked into Marta's near 80 year old sparkling eyes, I felt as though I were speaking with the best of both the queen of Sheba and mother Teresa. And Deme's rich life was portrayed to us in warm smiles, quick wit, and humble encouragements to keep following Jesus with compassion.....wherever He leads.

Their personal stories are encapsulated in a book that Marta wrote called Sheltered by the King. It's an amazing story that God is still writing as they are finishing strong with their increasing passion for what God is doing at their own Project Mercy ministry just a couple hours south of Addis Ababa.

Marta actually labored to cook us a traditional Ethiopian dinner while Deme told us stories and answered questions. Her humble elegance and class is unarguably without match. She and Deme gave up a quiet evening to entertain 15 strangers with less than 24 hours notice. They made all of us feel as though we were family and pleaded for us to visit again.  Oh and by the way, she and Deme will be hosting US Senators and Congressmen this time next week.....which is a step down from all the world heads of state that they've entertained in that same living room over the last 50 years.

On behalf of the Team,

John Ozier

We appreciate and covet your prayers more than you could ever know. Our days are long and our bodies are weary and your prayers carry us. Please continue to lift us up so that we may be most effective during the rest of our time here.

Posted by Nicci Feathers