Here is a brief report from Ethiopia.
These last few days have found me busy working with Ken Marrs. Ken and I have traveled together several times to different countries; it has been a delight for me for him to return to Addis and to again work with the Ethiopian preachers and others in various congregations. Ken did some great teaching from the Gospel of Mark. He brought a portable projector and showed pics of the Bible lands, especially pics from the Sea of Galilee area; this area is where Jesus did most of His work (read Mark 1-6). The preachers all enjoyed his material. I am still wading through Ezekiel.
We spent a long day traveling out of Addis, going to Adama/Nazaret and the Wonji sugarcane areas. There are several good congregations in Wonji, served by capable men such as Lamboro and Asnake. Ken and I brought a total of 4 lessons. We also (well, I did anyway) enjoyed a good lunch of doro wat (chicken with spices, enjera, cabbage, potatoes), prepared by Lamboro’s wife. The Wonji area is hit hard every year at this time with a shortage of funds and food, due mainly to the sugar factories shutting down for maintenance. Some folks in Alabama have helped this year (and before, too) to provide some needed food for these Christians. It was a hard day of travel, but a good day.
The teff (from which the staple of life is made-enjera) is being harvested. Yet, there has been rain for the past week; this is not good for the farmers who need to get their crops in. What this holds for the future months I don’t know. The vagaries of the weather cannot be controlled. Some of this rain is from the small typhoon that just hit Somalia.
My time is winding down and I will soon return to family and friends. The Christians here all ask about you in the USA. Pray for them as they do for you.
Ciao, Randy Harshbarger