Babogaya

This past weekend our family went to Babogaya, in Debre Zeit, about an hour from Addis. We stayed at a rustic, but beautiful retreat center on Lake Babogaya. The trip was an orientation for new SIM (Serving In Mission) families. We got to meet people from all over the world who are also serving here in Ethiopia. We got some great advice and insight on how to thrive living in a new culture. We were challenged to create community and accountability so that we can be encouraged and strengthened. We heard about how God is using SIM to reach people throughout all of Ethiopia. It was a great weekend! I especially enjoyed hearing the stories of the different people we met. We also had some free time to go hiking, swimming, and canoeing. The food was wonderful – including a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, and the kids were well taken care of with their own program and activities. Here are some pics from our weekend:

We got back on Sunday from our retreat, and Will had to pack again. He left this morning for a faculty retreat with ETC (Evangelical Theological College). And guess where the retreat is? Babogaya. He will return on Wednesday. Pray for the ETC faculty and staff to have a successful and meaningful time together this week.

I started language school today. For six weeks, I will be learning the basics of Amharic. After my first day of school, I can tell it’s going to be tough and require some studying. Amharic is very different from English. The sentence structure is completely different, and there are more than 200 characters in the alphabet! I’m eager to learn some of the language because it will make such a difference in my everyday interactions with Ethiopians. Please pray that I’m able to retain what I am learning. I can always go to my kids for help, since they are picking up on the language so quickly! – Susan