It’s a Small World

Monday was a prep day. We unloaded all of the suitcases that we brought—they were full of goodies for the ladies, babies, and staff at the home. Everything was sorted through by size for the babies so that it can be stored until it’s needed. We got some diapers for the current babies sorted out, and some put away for future babies. There was so much other stuff: pots, lotions, soaps, toothpaste, feminine pads, baby toys, candy, and on and on it goes.

Then came all of the literature for the conference. Oh, my. DVD’s had to be packaged, bookmarks stacked after they moved all around in the suitcases, and then a few of us took the glamorous job of folding brochures. We finished 1,500 of those. Only 3,500 to go…

Tuesday we started another day finishing sorting the baby clothes and folding more brochures. It was a lot like Monday. Until after lunch.

One of the men who is speaking at the conference this weekend came by to introduce a friend of his to the ministry. They are both named Samson—one’s first name is Samson, and the other’s last name is Samson, so I will differentiate by calling the conference speaker Pastor Samson and the ministry friend Mr. Samson.

Mr. Samson wanted to visit Living Hope Ethiopia because he had heard about it and he ministers to people who have been affected by abortion. He speaks to huge groups of pastors and asks them how many have aided a woman in getting an abortion. It never ceases to amaze him at the high percentage of men who raise their hands. He then teaches them about the realities of abortion, the reality that there is a life inside the mother, not just a ‘blob’ like they are taught. The presentation is much more involved, of course, but for the sake of time…after he is finished with his talks, he asks the men if they have changed their minds, and they break down. So many of the men experience true brokenness over what they have done. They confess and repent, and are sorry they had been bad examples to their families and congregations, and sometimes their wives will confess and repent to having had a secret abortion as well. He has even been allowed to give his message in Mosques!

Mr. Samson quickly found that he needed a way to counsel these people after they left the conference and went back to their regular lives, and this is what Meseret does for women here, post-abortive counseling. So there is a possibility of future training opportunities.

He then proceeded to tell us a lot about his past, and we were completely enthralled for over an hour.

First, the happy, amazing parts:

Mr. Samson is from Kenya, but married an American. They moved to Arizona, and he still lives in Tucson. He knows the pastors from the church we used to attend there! He attends the church that Randy attended in his childhood. How amazing is that, to go to Ethiopia and meet someone who knows people you know?!! He knows quite a few people that are friends of Mike and Dinah as well, because of the pro-life connection. He planned to visit here not knowing that Mike and Dinah would be here visiting too. God knew.

The awful parts will have to be a cliffhanger, because I’m keeping this post on a happy note.

Tonight was spa night for the girls. They enjoyed facial masks and a manicure, and lots and lots of laughter.