Heading for Home

We are on the long flight from Frankfurt to Chicago. We have been in the air for 6 hours, only 2 to go! It is so strange to think back over the experiences of the past month. We have seen and experienced so much. It will take some time yet to process everything. Pray for us as we readjust to America.
I had a special time with my class on the last day. On Thursday, they asked me to share with them a word from God’s Word. I told them I would on Friday. Friday we did about an hours worth of school work, then I took out my Bible and shared about prayer using the stories of Zacharias and Mary in Luke chapter 1. Zacharias, although he was a priest, righteous and blameless before God, did not believe Gabriel when he told him that his prayer for a son would be answered. Mary on the other hand, was young and innocent, yet willing to follow and believe anything God had for her in her life. Most of the students told me afterward that they could really relate to what I had shared, and thanked me over and over. Then we went to coffee break (they do this every day, it was one of my favorite times). Six of the guys in my class sat around a table with our coffee and shared words of encouragement with each other. They asked me to give them advice and encouragement. And I asked them to share the same with me. It was a special time. Then we went back to class to finish up our day. I hadn’t realized until this moment, and probably never will fully realize the impact that I had on these men. As we closed class for the day, I asked the class to come to the front. We all held hands and I asked one of them to pray in Amharic, and I closed in English. It was a special moment as we lifted one another up in the name of the Lord. We help hands, and Merkebo, who was holding my right hand, took my hand in both of his hands and just squeezed it. As we finished praying I looked up and Merga, another student, had tears in his eyes. I too was fighting back the tears. It was a special moment.
"Are you coming back?" is the question I think I heard that day more than anything else. "Ixibir befuked" (if God is willing) is the only response I could honestly give. I told them I would love to, but we would have to pray and follow God’s direction. They assured me that they would pray to God that I would be back.
Please pray for our family as we anticipate the future and seek God’s direction in our lives.