The Gospel is alive.

As I stroll through Sendafa, I'm greeted by many hungry, poverty stricken faces. All of which have a huge grin and an out-stretched hand. I take the hand and say hello in one of the few Amharic words that I've learned. As I stand there a small crowd of children begins to form, everyone saying hello and asking me my name. I respond to them, "Sime Ryan no." They giggle a little bit at my clearly poor Amharic and all respond with their names. I say the names about 3 or 4 times each, every time getting further and further from the correct pronunciation, but they don't mind. One of the older boys knows a little bit of English and we start up a conversation. He asks me where I'm from, I say America, to which several of the kids ask if I can take them with me. I explain that I cannot to which there is little complaining, except in my own heart. I stand there talking for a while and taking photos and showing them their photos to which there is a great amount of excitement.

I notice that the rest of my team have already moved on, and I'm left alone with my entourage of kids. I motion to them that I need to go towards the rest of my group but they are welcome to come with me. So I begin to walk through the dust-filled streets of Sendafa with a crowd of children all anxiously trying to grab my hand. I wave to a few other shop keepers and people along the streets, they wave back with a smile. I begin trying to think of a deep spiritual parallel to the situation. Yet I'm taken aback by the moment. Here I am trying to relate this to something when the most important thing is to simply be with them. Simply being with them should be enough of a lesson in love than anything else. This line of thought though takes me to Jesus walking the streets and allowing the children to come to Him. People often begged Jesus to heal them or for some sort of help and He always provided what they needed. Here I am, a man walking through Sendafa with very little and certainly not able to give what these kids need to truly be provided for. I am helpless, all I can do is simply tell them a few phrases that God is good and that I'm glad to have met them. Despite all that, they continue to walk with me and keep me company. My time with them reminds me of God providing for every need and that without Him we are helpless. Their smiles display God's compassion and love, and their faces mirror God's as he looks in wonderment at His creation.