Christmas through different eyes...

The longer I live in Ethiopia, the more the Bible comes to life. (I know it's not in the Middle East, but look at a map, it's pretty close!) Things like separate your sheep from your goats-- that didn't make sense until I lived here and saw how similar they look. This Christmas has been different for many reasons, and this year, I saw the story through different eyes... 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 

This journey wouldn't have been a piece of cake. The sun is hot, nights are cold, and roads are anything but smooth. All while very pregnant! 

Donkeys aren't actually mentioned, but these guys carry heavy loads all over the city. 

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

Who knows what it actually looked like, but I do know that animals stink! What a statement... The most important baby in the world was placed on a place where animals eat (and full of slobber according to some KG2 kiddos).

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

A job that wasn't (and still isn't) held in high regards. 

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"  When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 

Sitting in fields outside the city. I love that God chose to first share the greatest news with a group of smelly shepherds. 

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:4-20

When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Again, no actual mention of camels, but it's cool to see them! 

 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11

The smells of tradional coffe ceremonies: coffee and frankincense. You can't help but think of the gift for Jesus every time you smell it! 

How will you see Christmas through new eyes this year? Maybe you'll find a way to serve as a family. Maybe you'll focus on making new traditions after a year of loss. Maybe you'll spend more time with our Savior. 

Merry Christmas! 

Stay tuned for a look at Christmas in Ethiopia! Coming soon! 

Christmas in KG2

Making Christmas cookies. We had flour EVERYWHERE!

Grade 5 came to read books and decorate cookies with the little ones. 

Working hard to make our special Baby Jesus craft during our Happy Birthday, Jesus Christmas Party. 

Making Happy Birthday, Jesus cards to give to our friends who don't know Jesus. 

Looking at our special craft under the tree!

Merry Christmas from KG2! 

God always keeps his promises!

As a teacher, you always wondering what they are actually learning. As my kids were playing with blocks the other day, one of them looks up at me and says very surely, "God ALWAYS keeps His promises, Miss Richardson!" (He proceeded to tell me that, unfortunately, his sister does not always keep her promises.) 

I love that God uses a class full of energetic five and six year old kids to remind me of His truths! 

What's happening...

I wrote this blog post several weeks ago and just now realized that it didn't post. 

Here are some pictures of the past few weeks... 

Care package day is the best! So thankful for school supplies from the 6th grade class at WCA. 

This is what happens when a student chooses the reward to be the class photographer. 

Hanging out with kiddos while the CMF team had a meeting. 

Celebrating 2008 with this gem. The Ethiopian calendar is not the same as the calendar in the west, and they just celebrated New Years a few weeks ago. 

Rainy season is almost over, but things are still pretty wet! 

As I was walking around campus on 9/11, I saw this beauty. Even in the other side of the world, I'm proud to be an American. 

Vultures lining the roof after many animals were slaughtered for New Years celebrations. 

Hosting house group at my house. 

Meskel flowers from a sweet student. Sometimes you need 5 year olds to remind you to choose joy. 

Bubble painting was a hit! 

I met Whitney in 2009 in Zambia, and yesterday we had lunch in Ethiopia. 

Blog post about Meskel is coming soon! 

#kg2adventures

Teaching KG2 is a whole new adventure! And it's a blast! I have 22 students in my class from eight different countries. Take a quick look at some of the things we have done... 

Writing on the tables! "Are you sure this ok?!"

We took a sight walk and finished with an outdoor drawing session. 

How many kids does it take to carry the sand toys??

Learning about our sense of taste. Watching little ones try limes and coffee is hilarious! 

That's all for now! Check back soon for more updates! 

First Day of School

We had a great first day in KG 2! Here are some pictures of my classroom... 

School's Coming!

1. Prayer! Prayer is the best way you can help me out, and I believe that the year will be much more successful if the my classroom is covered in prayer. I would like to have at least one family "adopt" each one of my students and cover them with prayer throughout the year.  If you are interested, let me know, and I will send you their first name. (Thanks to one of my favorite mentor teachers, Becky, for this idea!) 2. It's not secret that you can't buy everything in Ethiopia, but Bingham is gracious enough to provide wifi.  I would love to build a musical library for my classroom.  To this day, I can still remember scripture songs (Steve Green, anyone?), and I would love to fill their sweet little minds with scripture during the year.  All that to say, iTunes is a great resource (things like Spotify and Pandora don't work here), but it costs money.  If you are interested in helping purchase some kid friendly music for my classroom, respond to this email, and I will give you more information (It can all be done online through iTunes). 3. There are some other ways you could help me, if you are interested! Let me know! Upcoming Dates: August 5: Orientation starts for all Bingham teachers August 12: My birthday! August 18: First day of school September: Virtual prayer walk. More details to come!

Rest.

Rest. It's a hard thing to do. It's hard to stop what you're doing and really rest, and I'm bad at it. 

I had the opportunity to get away from the city for the day and really rest. Rest in Jesus, and rest in his calling on my life.

 

I'm going to be honest, when I heard about a prayer retreat outside of the city, I didn't want to go. I have a lot to do to get ready for school, and I just didn't want to make time for it. I had preconceived notions about the event, and I wasn't sure I would even know anybody. I knew God was telling me I needed that time, but I still had my excuses. To make a long story short, I went. 

I love how God knows exactly what we need... Honestly, I've felt like I've been walking through a spiritual desert, but sweet time with Jesus was just what I needed. What a blessing it was to simply reflect on the way He saved me from my son and called me to this place. I was reminded of the importance of coming together as community to worship. I learned (or should I say that I'm still learning) about the importance of rest. If you don't take time for rest and refreshment, you'll burn out, and that's the last thing I want to happen. Rest is essential for successful ministry. 

I'm so thankful for SIM and the opportunities they provide for us to come together from all over the world to worship Jesus together. What a sweet blessing. Now, let's start a school year! 

School's out for the... rainy season?

That's right, friends! School's out for the rainy season.  I'm sitting in my apartment right now wishing that I could feel my toes.  Who knew it would get so cold and wet in Africa? Not me.  Even though it's wet, cold, and muddy, I can't stop thinking about how rain brings new life.  Even though I miss the warmth and sunshine, I can't stop thinking about the importance of this time for farmers.  
"He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills." Psalms 147:8

I love that we serve a God who is in control of everything. Even the grass. It's easy to complain. But, today, I think I'll just grab an extra blanket, make a cup of tea, and lesson plan for the upcoming school year. 

Quick Updates

• School finished in mid-June. Graduation, banquets, and too many goodbyes. What a busy time!
• I will be teaching Kindergarten starting in August! It's going to be an exciting year!
• I had the opportunity to travel down country to lead a kid's program with a friend in two different villages (see pictures).

Favotite Recipes

I've always liked to cook, but I've really started to enjoy cooking in Ethiopia.  It's adventure, for sure! There are certainly things that I used to take for granted... For example, we have to bleach all of our fruits and vegetables, you can't buy cream of chicken soup, we live 7,726 ft. above sea level (so you have to change everything for altitude). 

Contrary to Pinterest, there is no such thing as an "easy" recipe. 

But even though it's a challenge, I can buy beautiful fresh produce and delicious bread right out of the gate for just a few pennies. How great is that?

Here are some of my favorite recipes that I have recently tried...

Carrot Apple Bread

Potato Corn Chowder

Homemade Wheat Thins

Q&A

In February, I asked for questions about my life in Ethiopia.  Here are your questions and my answers!

What's your favorite ethnic food from Ethiopia & why?
The traditional food of Ethiopia is injera, but I have not grown accustomed to the taste.  They ferment a grain called ‘teff’ for three days and they turn it into a sour sour dough thin pancake.  You use it to scoop up the different ‘wats’ that they put on top.  I usually just use bread or a tortilla to scoop up the wats and that is quite nice! I do love macchiatos.

How long is the sun/ daytime light out there?
It is similar to back home.  The sun comes up around 6:15 and stays out until about 7.

What is the hardest thing to have to get accustomed to (aside from language & being away from home)?
Right now, the hardest thing is that I always stand out when I leave my compound.  People are constantly calling you a foreigner, asking you for money, or practicing their English. You can never blend in.

How much does it cost to get a plane ticket to see you? 

Depends! :) I found one for about $800 the other day!

What is your favorite part about the culture of Ethiopia? 

My favorite thing about Ethiopian culture is the simplicity and love. People live a much simpler life here.  Time doesn’t mean the same thing.  Walking is easier than driving. Food is fresh. Roads are made of dirt. And people are quick to love.

Are there any other young people about your age working there? If so, do you get together with them for fellowship and study?  Yes, there are several people my age that work at Bingham.  We do things together almost every weekend.
 
What kind of things do you do for fun over there?

I get to hang out with kids all day! That’s pretty fun! Besides school, I enjoy taking walks around my neighborhood, painting, watching movies, grocery shopping, or going out to eat.

How has working and living in an international community taught you new things about God and his character? 

I’ve been learning a lot about God’s love. Sometimes it can be hard to love people when they constantly yell at you outside the gate. It can be hard to love the child that is constantly in trouble and looks at you with defiance.  I find myself having to take a step back and remember who made these people and who loves them. I pray that God will continue to show me ways to love his people.

What is the funniest sounding word, in your opinion, in Amharic and what does it mean? 

The funniest word to me is ‘feet’… It means ‘face’.

To how many odd foods have you been introduced?

Several.  Injera and all that goes on top is very different from food that we eat in the US.

 
 
 

Recent happenings...

Being a first year teacher in a new culture is creating a busy life. Here are some updates from the past couple of weeks.

• I went on a field trip to a local school with the first grade class.
  
• I had the opportunity to get away from the city for a few days to lead the children's program for a church's weekend away.  I plan to write a separate post about that.
  
• I got out of the city for a few days on Spring Break.  It was nice to recharge.  The Lord has been teaching me a lot about the importance of rest. Sometimes it just means not taking work home, and sometimes it means you need to get away.  It can be hard to rest when you can see your office from your living room window. 
  
• I went to visit the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis. It was so inspiring to see the legacy that one couple has left in a country (and the work that she continues to do at the age of 91). Check out what they do for the women of Ethiopia.
  
• I celebrated Easter with my new church family. What an answer to prayer.
  
• My roommates and I hosted a couple of families for dinner at  our house. 
• I've been preparing for the 4th grade Science Fair. They're so excited! 
• I dominated in the Richardson family March Madness bracket. Apparently my guessing skills are better in Africa. 
• I'm officially a resident of Ethiopia!
  

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.