The last time I went to Ethiopia, in January of 2009, I was not sure why God was sending me back so shortly after I had been there (July 2008), but He had a plan and He knew exactly why He was sending me there. That trip opened my eyes to work He wants me to do in my life. If I had listened to skeptical people around me, I would had never gone. I would have never seen what He wanted me to see during that time. Every day for a week I met with 8 women who were desperate to get out of prostitution. These women were not in prostitution because they wanted to sell their bodies to get some kind of pleasure out of it. To them they saw no other choice. They owed a debt to a man they could not get out of. They took on a profession to pay this debt that had to be payed in full that could never be paid. Between paying for the rent on the little shack they called home, food for them and their children, and electricity (which was one light bulb hanging from the ceiling, if they had that) they did not have enough money to pay the debt. The debt had to be paid in full. It could not be paid in installments. The largest debt among these 8 women....$17 US dollars!! These men owned these women over $17 US dollars!!! If that is not enough to stir you in your seats I don't know what will. These women did not want a hand out. They wanted to earn the money for themselves. Want to know how much it cost for a one half hour session with a woman? 2 Birr!! You know how much American dollars that is??? 12 cents!!! That is right....12 cents!!!! No wonder they can't pay off their debt!!! They are making 12 cents every half an hour!! For a man to take what ever dignity they have left!
God opened my eyes to that last time I was in Ethiopia. If I listened to those who told me I was not supposed to go on that trip, I would have never spent that time with those women. I would have never listened to their stories. Never saw them for the women they are. The beautiful women they are. The beautiful children of the Lord they are. Before that trip I saw them as prostitutes. They aren't prostitutes. They are beautiful children of God trapped in a life of prostitution trying desperately to get out. In that trip, God revealed to me some of the work He has called me to do in my life. I'm not sure of all the details yet, but it is to work with these women, to be with them, to help them get out of this life they are trapped in over a lousy $17. I know if I didn't go on that trip He would have found another way to show me that, but why do that. Why change the way He wants to do things. I knew so surely in my heart that I was supposed to go on that trip that I had to block out all the negativity and just listen to Him and go.
That is how I feel about this trip. He is sending me for a reason. He told me last September that I would be going on this exact trip before I even knew this trip existed. He has told me on numerous occasions the funds will come in. Who am I to second guess that?? I don't know how the funds will come in, but I don't need to know that. God uses His people to do His work. One of the ways He uses His people is to help send those going to the places He is sending them. Mission trips require money. The flight costs money, the in country transportation costs money, the in country accommodations cost money. He knows this. He uses His people to supply this need. And when you think about it, it is all His money anyway. He just guides you in where to use those resources. He will let you know if you are to give to my trip. He will let you know if you are to help me get to Ethiopia. He has already chosen His people who will help me get there. He has had this orchestrated long before He even told me I was going on this trip. Now all we have to do is listen to Him. I've listened to His command and I'm going. Are you listening to Him??
There are several ways you can get involved in giving to my trip. I am selling Love Ethiopia bracelets and Love Africa magnets. The Love Ethiopia bracelets are a $5 donation/each to my trip. And the Love Africa magnets are a $6 donation/each to my trip. You can make a donation by clicking on the I Need Africa button on the right side of my blog. This will take you to the Mocha Club website. Make sure this is the page for the One Month Ethiopia trip. Once there put my name (Sarah Connelly) in the team member's name box and fill out the rest of the form accordingly. Once you submit this form you will get a tax deductible receipt emailed to you. Once you have done this, if you are ordering bracelets or magnets, email me at madeforethiopia@gmail.com and tell me how many you are ordering. Also, if you are not local, please give me your shipping address. Shipping costs are on me.
I also have a giveaway going on right now. I'm giving away a Bag-O-Africa Stuff. I couldn't come up with a better name for it so that is what I'm calling it. lol
You get all this plus a Love Ethiopia bracelet:
To get an entry into the giveaway all you have to do is make a $20 donation to my trip. This giveaway is valued over $120! That is a great deal!! For every $20 donation you make you will get one entry into the giveaway. You can donate the same way as I mentioned above. Click on the I Need Africa button to the right. This giveaway is going until Sunday March 27th. That means you only have 2 more weeks to enter! If you want to get an entry into this make sure you do it before the 27th as this will not be extended. You can see the entry just before this one to see a close up of all the individual items in this giveaway. All of the items benefit either an adoption or a ministry in Africa. If your donation is to go toward this giveaway there is no need to email me. I will know that your donation is to count as an entry from the lack of email ordering bracelets or magnets. Only email me if you are ordering something.
You can also just make a donation to my trip as well. If you make a donation, but don't want an entry into the giveaway please email me to let me know not to include you in the giveaway. All donations can be made by clicking on the I Need Africa button. You can also donate by check. Those instructions are listed just below the I Need Africa button.
Please do not think that since this is my third trip to Ethiopia in three years that I am going just to go. I would never go to just go. I would only go when prompted by the Lord to go. Many of you do not know that I signed up for a one month trip for the summer of 2009. I was so excited to go to Ethiopia that I just wanted to be there. I wanted to be back. After handing in my application and deposit, I was praying about the trip and was convicted that I was not supposed to go on that trip. I, honestly, fought that feeling for a couple of weeks because I so badly wanted to be in Ethiopia again. The Lord did not want me on that trip. He had no need for me to be on that trip. There was no reason for me to be there in that time. I had to make the decision to pull out of the trip. The reason I tell you this is because I would not be going back to Ethiopia just to go. I tried that before and the Lord made it very apparent that I was not to go. From that day I made the decision that I would not go back to Ethiopia unless I felt prompted from the Lord to go back. I felt that when I went on my first and second trips. I did not feel that when I signed up for that trip in the summer of 2009. It just was not right. I couldn't go.
The Lord wants me there this time. There is a reason. Just because I don't know what that reason is doesn't mean I'm not supposed to go. He reveals things to us in His timing. He will let me know why He wants me there when He wants me to know. When I was there in January 2009, I didn't realize why He wanted me there until after I began spending time with the 8 women. The more time I spent with them, the more time I prayed for them, and the more time I spent in meditation and devotion time with the Lord He revealed to me why He brought me back. I do not know when He will reveal to me why He wants me there this summer. It could be before I go, it could be when I first get there, it could be in the middle of ministering to somewhere, it could be on the plane coming home, or it could be after I come back home. All I know is He wants me there and that is all I need to know. I don't need to know all the whys or hows. I just need to know He wants me to go and that is good enough for me.
A quick financial update because I want to be transparent with all of you with what I need. I am fund raising for this trip and how will you all know the need if I don't let you all know. I received a financial update the other day. As of March 6th I have raised $705! Thank you all who have given to my trip! You have no idea how much I appreciate it!! This means I have $3,045 left to go. That may seem like a lot and a little overwhelming, but we serve a might God!! He moves mountains! He will definitely bring in this money! Please pray about what your part in my trip will be. I have faith this money will come in...I know it will come in! My last two trips it was nail biting watching the funds come in as the trip dates came closer and closer. I never did sit comfortably a couple months out from the trip seeing a financial update stating I was 100% funded. I have experience in waiting and showing faith and believing the funds will come in. Even when those around me doubt. I know the funds will come in. How long it will take and where they will come from? I don't know, but I don't need to know. All I need to know is that they will come in. And I am comfortable and confident in that.
I thank you for all your prayers during this time of fund raising.
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