Saturday, January 29

Thanks for praying us safely accross the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Red Seas on our way to Ethipia. The team arrived late Saturday night and after some sleep is ready to divide up for our visits to several local churches.

For lunch we will be meeting with the Presbyterian mission family in country, including MPPC's missionaries, Anne and John Wheeler-Waddell. Tonight we will be eating at a local Ethiopian restaurant.

Prayer requests:
For all our team members to get into a good sleep pattern. Safety as we visit various locations. Open hearts and minds to the things God wants us to learn while here.

Our team arrived at the Addis Ababa airport late Saturday night, (mid-morning on Saturday in California.) Because Addis Ababa is the host city for the African Union it has benefited from some infrastructure investments such as a new airport. Its gleaming terminal building was soon to seem out of synch with the numerous shanty shacks that are home to so many in the capital. At the airport, we were met by a few of our Ethiopian friends and were soon ensconced in our hotel – tired but excited to finally be here.

Throughout the night those who awoke reported hearing singing and praying coming from loudspeakers at the Orthodox Church next door. We learned Sunday morning that the church next door was celebrating the saint it is named after, so “Mr. Mike” was broadcast across this area of the city all day and members of the church wearing white from head to toe passed by our hotel on their way to worship.