The past two days have been long, and the jet lag definitely kicked in for all of us. We hit the ground running with full excitement, but slowed down a bit over the last few days. I am thankful for our advocate, Sammy, who has been so great at handling the ups and downs of changed plans and has been so patient with our family. He has truly been a blessing on this trip.
Day 3 was filled with a few of us going out to see the Hope for the Fatherless camp outside of Addis while Tamir and Jacob rested. We did get to see family at the end of the evening for a nice time of conversation and hearing about Tamir's family tree. Kelvin was diligent about writing it all down so Tamir would have it to keep. More great stories were shared to give Tamir a glimpse into her childhood.
Day 4 started with visiting friends in Ethiopia, spending time with family, driving around the city, and doing a bit of shopping and lunch with Tamir's brothers. It was fun to have them join us for the day. The food here is amazing, and we should be holding back, but we are diving in.
The evening ended at Friendship Park in Addis, which was quite amazing. The city has really put thought and care into the green spaces for people to enjoy and stay active. We went with Tamir's brothers, her dad, and a cousin who lives in Addis. It was such a fun time experiencing something new together, something even they had not seen before.
The most special moment of the evening came when we returned to the hotel. Tamir's brothers gifted her with an outfit that is the traditional dress of the people from her region in Tigray. They took time to show her how it is worn, and it was truly a precious moment, giving her something from her homeland and her family to treasure always.
Our family covets your prayers. This journey has not been easy and has so many layers to it. We are all exhausted and might be getting on each other's nerves a bit. In all of this, we know that God is absolutely in control. We ended the night with prayer and reflecting on God's word.
"I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:13-19
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