Day 4: Mommy on a Mission

Disclaimer, heads up, warning or whatever ya wanna call it: if you are on our email list - you likely got this - it's pretty much the same thing (with hopefully some editing - I saw many typos in the already sent email and that drives me insane!)

So today i got a text around 11:30 AM our time that said "Are you around? Can I call you?"

Uh... YES! I hadn't spoken to Laura since Friday morning... truthfully - that's the longest time since we have been married that we have not spoken - I mean we have texted and google chatted - so we've been in touch - but it's weird for two people who still let each other know they made it to work and dropped off Meron okay to go that long. Sappy? Mushy? Weird? Maybe... but it's us. So needless to say i was excited to hear her voice and I got some great updates...

KORAH DUMP
Today the team headed out to help with a summer school program for the children who live in a dump in the Korah region of Addis. I didn't know it then, but Laura informed that we had actually been to this region when we visited the Leprosy hospital while we were there to bring home Meron. i remember very vividly what we drove through and I understand it a little bit more now knowing that it was this region.

So - Laura was pretty emotional on the phone with me as she told me about her day and I feverishly took notes. Okay - let's just be honest and truthful - cuz that's what we strive to be - she was bawling her eyes out and so was I. This stuff just kills us. Kills us.

She first told me a little bit more about yesterday and how she felt like God just gave her this incredible opportunity to hold and love on a baby that was about the same age Brighton was. She said she felt like He gave her that because she didn't have that opportunity with our son. The tears started right about here and didn't end even after we hung up... I could tell this really got to her - really took up shop in her heart mind and soul and likely isn't leaving anytime soon. I can still hear her right now, through tears saying to me "What is going to happen to that baby Tymm?" I think we all know what will likely happen to that baby - and she and I talked about that but like I told her - that baby got to know God's love before she makes it to be in His presence. And she did that by experiencing God through Laura. That's a pretty big deal in our books. I told Amanda - the executive director of Visiting orphans about this today and her words summed it up nicely. She said: "Oh my... that is SO SO SO powerful. The loss of that baby who has no parents being replaced by the love of your wife through the loss of her own child..."

Go God.

Next she told me about some house to house ministering they did. She said at one house they were in a 3x5 room praying over a woman who is HIV+ and had just lost her husband last month to HIV. She has 3 kids. A house the size of my desk. And a mountain of pain sitting right on her chest. Laura said the woman just sobbed and sobbed and sobbed while they prayed for God's mercies and comfort. I am pretty sure most of us here don't even know how to wrap our heads around that. I know I don't and have found myself praying a LOT today for that woman and the others in the dump around her.

Next up - a 12 year old girl named Adesse (probably killing that spelling). Whatever she did - she STOLE Laura's heart in a big gigantic way. Laura was really, really moved by this girl and I am sure if there was a way that she'd be coming home with her. She lives, eats, sleeps in the dump. Spends her days there. So Laura said to me "We have to raise $700 to sponsor her for a year of boarding school." I said "Heck yeah... let's do that." It will get her out of the dump into better living condition as well as get her education. That is SO important.

So here's my challenge to anybody out there still reading (I know, this is a long one)... let's raise that money. $700 is nothing to us. We know it. you know it. i know it. I would like nothing more than to show up at the airport to pick up Laura holding an envelope with that sponsorship money. Who is with me? We can do this - well - truthfully - we're GONNA do it... the question is who is gonna do it with me?

She also met a 102 year old man in the dump. I think that is just the coolest - i think the juxtaposition of the 2-month old and the 102 year old man is just something incredible. Oh to be able to read the mind of that man and see what he has seen over 102 years in Ethiopia. He's a definite anomaly because he is about twice the average life span there. Pretty amazing when you think of it. God can do whatever He wants. No Doubt...

Later they actually went back and visited the same Leprosy hospital we visited (and where we bought most of our items we brought home). Laura said the exact same man was working the loom up front - she asked the translator to tell him she had been there two years ago - apparently he has been at the hospital for 50 years. Pretty cool - I loved that place. The people were amazing.

SOME FUNNIES
She shared a few stories from last night with me - they have down time in the evenings and are able to go out and enjoy the local area. I guess her and a few teammates went looking for coffee (it was created in Ethiopia and for Laura - this is like a pilgrimage to the holy land!). They found a spot down the street but they said they were out of coffee - when they said "okay, no problem we'll find another spot" the man said "no, no, no - stay we'll find some for you" - like Heather, one of Lara's teammates said - "Gotta love Ethiopians!" apparently the coffee they were served turned their teeth black and Chris - one of the team leaders said "uh... whats in my mouth?" and I guess it was a bug. Can't wait for pictures - I think they got some!

After leaving there they spotted some street kids roasting corn for sale on the corner - they all enthusiastically approached them and said they wanted to buy some from all of them - Heather (this is her 4th VO trip) told Laura "it is so good!" - they got the corn, bit in, and it was HARD AS A ROCK. Her words were "felt like it had been roasting since last Monday!"

It's encouraging, to me at least, to know that in the midst of everything they are doing, surrounded by what they are surrounded by, God loves them so much that He gives them some time to escape it and have a little fun.



HOME FRONT
Things are good here. Meron has been an angel. Last night's bedtime was... uh, interesting... but tonight was the polar opposite. I told her that if she behaved tonight we could have breakfast together before I took her to school. She usually has breakfast at school so it will be a fun treat (for both of us!). That one little mention of that made bedtime a BREEZE. No whining. No stall tactics. 3 songs, two kisses, a prayer from me, a prayer from her and the door shut. I have the monitor right beside me and she hasn't made a peep. Nice...

When she watched Laura's video tonight it was awesome! On this one Laura was asking her a lot of questions and pausing and Meron was answering back and smiling so big! Thanks Sandra for this idea - these have been a HUGE hit. It's precious to watch her watch the video - I wish i could show it. And the "special treat" from the Mommy Bag tonight was Toy Story book - a HUGE hit for her because she is loving some Toy Story right now. Tomorrow we get to swim with some friends and then one more day of school and work before we head out to visit family.

OHHH!! And the best part - her school knows where Laura is - and today they told me when I picked her up - "Kaleisha said if you bring in her comb and hair bands she will do her hair for you." Can you say "AWESOME" - I am gonna wait and have her do it thursday after we swim. Thank you God for that glorious blessing!

TOMORROW
Tomorrow Laura and team head to paint a school building a serve a dinner to the local community where a family ministry is located. We're excited about this one because this family that has just up and moved over there is one we have been watching and they are so inspiring. Pretty cool and I am excited to hear about it.

Also - I think Laura has found a ride to the cemetery where Brighton is and she is trying to go tomorrow. Please, please pray for this time. One of her teammates is going with her so she won't be alone - my heart ACHES to be there with her.

Please continue to pray for safety and strength. They need it - your prayers have been felt both there and here and we are extremely grateful.