We did it!! Dave jokingly said, “One week down, 23 to go!” But we really loved our first week of Amharic lessons. It is amazing how a language starts to have some familiarity after just one week. I am loving the sounds and words we are learning! Dave is in a small class of 3 with their teacher, Selamawit. My class is also just 3 and my teacher’s name is Abebe (the male form of Ababa–it means ‘to bloom’!) He is an EXCELLENT teacher and I feel like he is giving us such an amazing foundation for this language. The kids are in their own little class and their teacher’s name is Mekdes. She enjoys the kids and says their are sweet and “gobez”–clever ;)!! The kids wake up with excitement and are ready to go to school with us each day. It has been so fun to watch. By Friday we all walked a bit slower down the hill to school, but we worked hard…now we can fully enjoy the rest of this weekend.
We were able to have a cultural class the past 2 days at our school. We learned so much about comparing our ‘home’ cultures with our new culture here. It helped us see how God really made us for this place…Ethiopia is a beautiful country—a beautiful people…they are a collective people–caring for each other and not thinking or living so individualistically. Time is a gift here, rather than our enemy. People are the priority, not tasks. It is a big adjustment from a culture that is more task and time oriented, but it is sweet and refreshing!
Dave will be visiting the Cure hospital here in Addis next week and is hoping to have that be part of his weekly routine…He is missing medicine and is so excited to start practicing and serving here. I am praying and anxious to find who God wants me to love and serve each day and during our time here in Addis. I am waiting on Him and obeying when He moves my heart. There is too much, but He is always enough.