guest blogger - joyce kehl

Joyce Kehl. As you may have guessed by the last name, this is my mother-in-law. I have been blessed to travel to Ethiopia twice with her and what a joy to see her with all the children! Her excitement and love for all our Ethiopian friends is contagious and inspiring!

“The trip has been cancelled” 

Those words brought me to my knees. My prayers were for Regina, Melanie, and Kendall and their safety. My prayers were for the people of Ethiopia. My prayers were for the children of Ekklesia, the future of Ethiopia. My prayers were for the people of the team I had yet to meet. My prayers were for a dear friend, Patti, whose heart was so excited to meet her sponsored child and the rest of Ethiopia. My prayers were selfishly for me - my pain of not being able to see the wonderful friends I had met.

I struggled with how I felt. I felt numb, angry, sad, concerned, and some feelings I never quite put my finger on. They were selfish reasons some of them. I was nice and safe in my own little house, in my own little world - still listening to the political battle. Maybe that is part of what I hoped to escape. I had blocked out two weeks of my life to serve in Ethiopia and I was paralyzed. But as someone pointed out at the last meeting, “People were praying to keep us safe,” and God kept us safe.

It will always be the trip never taken. We are the first group to ever be cancelled. We are the first group to never have met and experience Ethiopia together. God has a plan, and he will use each of us in his own special way to move forward from here - to make a difference.

I leave you with a few of the lyrics of a song by one of your Minnesota own - Sara Groves.

“I Saw what I Saw"

 I saw what I saw and I can’t forget it.

Something on the road cut me to the soul

Your pain has change me

Your dreams inspire

Your face a memory

Your hope a fire

Your courage asks me what I am afraid of

And what I know of love

To echo my son’s words-- “ I want to go back! NOW!!