Missions: Ethiopia Part 2: Healing Hands of Joy and Stormrider: Akeza

After 2 days in Addis we departed for Mekelle, which is less then an hour flight. It is a smaller city then Addis Ababa. I would compare it to Philadelphia being Addis and Pittsburgh being Mekelle. Mekelle was less crowded and had more of a slower pace then Addis. It is also a college town with the Mekelle Theological College and Mekelle Institute of Technology surrounding the area. 

Coffee Ceremony

After settling down at the hotel, we headed to the center. When we arrived at HHOJ the women gave us a wonderful warm greeting! They had beautiful smiles on their faces,cheering, waving incense and tossing popcorn and rose petals in the air.  All eleven ladies greeted us with kisses and we took pictures before entering in the center. The women performed a traditional coffee ceremony as we all sat in a huge circle introducing ourselves. The women were very open and inviting. All of them explained their situation, what lead them to HHOJ and what they were hoping to gain/accomplished through the program. We, in turn, told them what brought us to Ethiopia and why we wanted to come to the center. After the introductions, we had lunch with the ladies and received a tour of the grounds, kitchen, classroom and living quarters from Allison. 

Preparing lunch

One of the customs in Ethiopia is feet washing. This normally occurs when a visitor comes to your home and you wash their feet as a sign of hospitality. Well our team wanted to do that for the ladies and in addition treat them to manis and pedis. The women at first had reservations because they felt that it was wrong for us, the visitors, to wash their feet. But during their Bible study class they were ministered to about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples in John 13:1-17. They learned that Jesus wanted to show His followers what it meant to serve and give themselves to others. Jesus told Peter, who refused the washing of his feet, that he has no part of Him if he refuses. Being able to serve and being served is a blessing and our Father is pleased and glorified when we do that for each other. This made the women more comfortable and ready to receive their feet washing. It was a pleasure and joy to see that the women were enjoying the feet washing and spa treatment. One of the lady's daughter joined in and I was able to paint her nails for her. Each woman received her own nail spa kit with lotion, nail polish and file. What a blessing it was to leave the center that day knowing that the ladies felt special and loved.

Feet washing

Showing off her nails

The second day at the center was one of the best days for me because it was our one on one time with the ladies. I had the privilege of having my time with Azeka. She is 40, divorced twice and has 4 children. During her first pregnancy, Akeza had prolonged labor with her son and developed fistula because of it. She was able to receive surgery and has since been cured. 10 years after the surgery she remarried and had 3 more children. I questioned Akeza why would she remarry and have more children after the traumatic experience with her first marriage and pregnancy? Akeza explained to me earlier in our conversation that she divorced her first husband because he was cheating on her with other women in the village. She responded to me so plainly and with confidence, "Because I had the desire to have more children." Her response gripped my heart in the most intense way. Most of these women are married off at a very early age, as early as 8 years old, abused and outcast by their communities because they have fistula. You would think there would be bitterness, unforgiveness, wrath and fear that would overcome them.

Akeza

Akeza, as a woman, wanted to fulfill that desire of being a wife and a mother. Unfortunately, her second husband was abusive and the marriage dissolved but she preservered. She has a strength and a willingness to succeed in life. She told me her strength comes from God. She knows that fistula does not define her life and that being at the center has strengthen her faith. She has developed relationships with the other women; they have sown into each other lives and have been able to encourage one another through this experience.

Towards the end of our conversation I told Akeza that she reminded me of the young girl (Jarius' daughter) Jesus brought back to life in Mark 5:35-43. Everyone that was at Jarius' home thought that this was the end. Before Jesus and his disciples arrived a servant from Jarius' house told him not to bother Jesus because his daughter was dead. But Jesus knowing what was going to happen went to the house and told everyone there that the girl was sleeping. The mourners at the house laughed at Him. Jesus had everyone removed from the room besides the girl's parents and 3 of His disciples. Jesus proceeded to take the young girl's hand and said to her "Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise (verse 41)." The little girl got up and Jesus told them to get her something to eat. Jesus who is sovereign knows the beginning and the end of your life. Others might feel like they have the right to speak over your life because of the circumstances that you are in but God has the final say.

Akeza was in agreement and added that God is in control. She is so thankful that He has brought her out of the darkest places in her life and have lead her to a place of peace and trusting in him. Akeza blessed me tremendously with her beautiful spirit, laugh, openness and strength. She told me that she would be praying for me to get married and that I would have lots of children! What I found to be very interesting was that our interpreter and  I had similar stories. All three of us had a connection even though we come from different backgrounds, cultures and upbringings. I truly understood in that moment that allowing yourself to be open can really minister not only to others but to yourself.

I greatly enjoyed my time talking to Akeza and my team members also felt the same way about their one on one time. It was truly an honor and a privilege to get to know my friend Akeza. I will never forget her and our conversation. She has motivated me to continue to preservere no matter what obstacles come into my life. God is in control and has the final word.

From left to right: Senait (who is apart of the HHOJ staff), me, Akeza, one of the ladies in the program and our interpreter Flash

Next week will be the third and final post about my trip!

To learn more about the trip please visit the team's blog at  http://www.tscnyc.org/i61teams/category/africa/ethiopia-africa/  and to learn more about Healing Hands of Joy please visit http://www.healinghandsofjoy.com