AMESEGENALEHU

The title of this blog has been on my heart all day.  It is a phrase we have all learned to say very well.  It is the Amharic word for "thank you".  I knew I would be writing this blog entry today and I struggled with what the title would be.  I was going to come up with something witty and clever, but I decided to make it simple and heartfelt.  So AMESEGENALEHU  for all of your prayers, love and support.  Today was a full day.  The past few days have been truly indescribable.  This morning I didn't know if things had fully hit me yet.  Then I wondered if my brain would allow me to process the magnitude of the poverty that we are surrounded by, then I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.  I wouldn't be able to function.  I woudn't be able to sit in the van while riding to the Bright Hope School each morning and not jump out and DO SOMETHING for the people I see sitting alongside the road.  It's hard for me to believe the things I'm seeing are actually REAL.  That I am not seeing things through a looking glass.  But now as I am writing this, I am starting to process the things I have seen.  I have seen terrible things and amazing things.  God is good, very good.

Word is spreading like wildfire that we, thirteen Montanans, are here.  The villagers are just baffled.  When we arrived on Monday to work, I don't think they knew what to think of us.  We are the first Americans most of them have ever seen.  We started working and they literally came up to us and took the tools out of our hands.  Not speaking the same language, we just thought it was because we were doing it wrong.  I have been fortunate enough to have cultivated a friendship with DeSalan, an 8th grade math teacher at the school.  The team has nicknamed me "Ambassador" because DeSalan and some of the other teachers have been seeking me out each day and he asks me question after question.  Questions that I know only the Holy Spirit has put in my mouth to answer.  DeSalan told me how the villagers are so glad that we are here to help them.  It has inspired more of them to volunteer to help in building the wall.  They see that we have come from so far away and they are honored and blessed that we would help them.  I asked DeSalan why the villagers are taking the work from us.  Is that a good thing or does it mean we're doing something wrong?!  He explained that when they take the rocks we are carrying or tools out of our hands it is a sign of great respect.  That is very humbling.  So today, we started reciprocating.  It isn't something our culture does, in fact it seems insulting.  But when we did it, they handed over their loads and tools with a smile.  So relationally, we made huge strides today to bridge the cultural gaps.  It seemed like we were speaking the same language even though we didn't understand some of the actual words.  They told us we were strong and hard working.  The school administrator asked our interpreter to tell the women of our team that he thinks we are very strong.  He didn't think American woman could work this hard but now he does.  We are shattering misconceptions right and left.  All of us are.  God is everywhere here.  He was there preparing the way long before we came and He will be working here long after we are gone. 

Remember how I said that word is spreading like wildfire that we are here?  Well, it has been spreading not only with the village outside the gates of the school, but in the city of Addis-Ababa as well!  As Derrick and I were carrying loads of sand in a "barilla", (which we built with the villagers and looks like a makeshift gurney) a van pulled up with the local news team.  There was a photgrapher, a videographer and a reporter.  The reporter asked Derrick if he could help.  So the reporter and I carried a load together and he started asking me questions.  Then he said he wanted to interview me on camera.  He said we were like celebrities.  I didn't want to be interviewed alone, so I grabbed Kyle.  Thankfully, Kyle did most of the talking.  It seemed like the reporter was astounded that we would travel so far to do this work.  I don't know if we were on the local news tonight, but I know that God's hand was in that interview in a way that we may never know.

I was also not fully prepared for the reaction the children have had for us.  They come out between classes to watch us work.  There are 2,400 children that attend this school!  So, if you can imagine being rushed by that many children.  Of course, not all of them come that close.  Some watch from afar.  They come down to where we are working and stand inches away, just wanting to be near us.  The villagers see them and that it hinders our work and they chase the children away with sticks, hitting some of them.  That is difficult to see.

In closing, I am eager and excited to see what tomorrow will bring.  Each day has brought change and has opened minds more and more.  Amesegenalehu Lord!

Love and Blessings,
Heidi Scheie