Hall Update May 22

Camp!!

There is so much energy here in Langano: the Level Four training is almost finished, and these sports ministers will get to see a week of camp with kids during their last week here. Eighty children arrive today from the greater Langano area, and the Ethiopian sports ministers and a team from Liberty University in Virginia will work together to expose these campers (age 11-15 or so) to love, Jesus, sports, and character. Brian is quite busy as the program coordinator but he has lots of good help.

Levi keeps me very busy. I miss having grandmas, aunts, uncles and family to help me with him, but this coming weekend (May 26) we will be lucky enough to receive Levi’s aunt Gina for her first visit here in Ethiopia! We are so excited to show her the country and our lives. We will travel to Addis on Friday- the day the camp ends- to pick her up from the airport.

My responsibility as far as camp is concerned is to write down stories- when the coaches here a cool story about God changing a life, they will send this person to me for interviewing so I can write it down. How amazing to sit back and hear what God is doing here! I think I will like that job.

Pray for:

-Lasting life change for the kids here at camp
-New vision for ministry for the Ethiopians that have been trained here for the last six weeks
-The right young woman that could work in my house and help me with Levi

Thank you for praying!!

Brian, Laura, and Levi

gutama with levi

horses with levi

Hall Update May 5

Sports Friends Level Four training is well under way here in Langano. There are about 30 people taking the training which lasts for six weeks. This is all new for us, so it didn’t make very much sense when we first came back from Addis a week ago- How can these people afford to take six weeks away from their jobs? What do they learn? Who are they?

Now it all comes into focus and makes us excited. This is the highest level of training for sports ministry: like coaches of coaches of coaches. These men are all in full time ministry with their churches of various denominations. Some of them are sports coordinators for their denominations. some are youth ministers, all have significant responsibilities in their churches are are truly leaders here in Ethiopia.

They are learning many things about sports ministry from techinical coaching to using teachable moments to being exposed to nearby sports programs. Brian has led several sessions on teambuilding activities (which he teaches by making them do) and will teach some technical sessions on volleyball and basketball on Monday.

Workenesh, our house worker, is not working now as she is close to the delivery of her own baby. Pray for her, her home life, and her faith. We love her but do not know how well she understands the gospel. She is “Adventistii” (Seventh day Adventist). When I asked her the difference between her religion and ours, she said, “We go to church on Saturdays and we do not hit our hands [clap] in church. Those are the only differences.”

I miss her! I cannot wander around the compound, check in at the clinic or the camp the way I could when I knew she was listening for Levi when he was napping.

A new couple is arriving this weekend to work in Langano for 2 years: Bryan and Nicole Adams. He will be helping with construction projects (never a shortage!) and she will be working with Sports Friends. We are busy getting their house ready: working fridge, hot water, dishes in the cupboards, sheets on the bed, etc.

Levi is good- and mobile! He is not quite crawling but uses his army style scooting to get anywhere he wants. He is still happy to be passed around at dinner and is not afraid to be away from us.

We are so thankful for your prayers!! We hope this news helps you know how to pray.

Love,
Brian, Laura, Levi

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levis swimsuit

Back to Langano!!

We drive back to Langano today after our trip out of Ethiopia while our papers were processed. We had a great visit with Sam’s family in France- see www.niblacks.blogspot.com. Levi was a major hit with his cousins and they figured out how to make him happy!

There is a leadership training happening right now in Langano- in fact, we are sorry we’ve had to miss the beginning of it. Around 30 church sports ministry leaders are getting additional training for six weeks. Brian will be taking the training for most of it, but teaching portions of it as well.

Workenesh, our house worker who has been such a help around the house for us, is now so close to the delivery of her own baby that she has stopped working. (She said, “It isn’t the work that’s too hard, its the walk.” She walks from 6 kilometers away!) So my role will be more at home for the moment, and I may look for someone to help with house cleaning and cooking, as well as watching Levi for short periods of time.

We are excited as we see God and His hand in the center of our work in Langano.  Thank you for praying!

Waiting…

We have left Ethiopia!  We were instructed by our supervisors that we should leave Ethiopia while some of our paperwork is processed regarding our legal status in Ethiopia.  We decided the best place to wait was France, where we could stay with my brother and his family for about ten days.

We have enjoyed this unexpected chance to spend time with family! We visited an ancient Gaulic village and a goat farm which makes goat cheese, and have enjoyed the scenery of the countryside everywhere we drive.

The Sports Ministers training, a six week course happening at Langano, has started this week!  About 25 church leaders ministering in sports from all over Ethiopia have come to be trained at camp Langano- a “training of trainers” of sorts.  Brian will be participating with this group and also learning- he has never taken this training himself.  After this six week training we have only a couple weeks of break and then… summer camp!  This is eight weeks of camp with a different group of Ethiopian kids as well as a different group of American young people coming each week for sports camp.  Our schedule, especially Brian’s, gets busier from here!!

Levi is, thankfully, a fairly good traveler and always a good sleeper at night.  He is pulling himself up to stand now, and doing something between an army scoot and a crawl.  He has a new skill/act every day it seems- it is so fun to watch him change!

We arrive in Ethiopia again next Tuesday, and we have already received word that our paperwork has been cleared, so we are setting our sights on heading home again!

14 March, 2012 07:29

Brian went out on Rocky to check on some sport coaches and had a good time. On the way back they ran into a herd of 30 or so camels and Rocky was spooked! Brian had to take him on a detour to get around.

Levi causes a sensation every time I take him to the clinic. One day I took him in the Ergo and the ladies were discussing with each other behind me saying, “Is she carrying plastic?” They meant was I carrying a doll- they didn’t think Levi was a real baby! (He was sleeping). Yesterday a lady said, “Did that baby really come out of someone’s stomach?” I think because they haven’t seen white babies they don’t think he is real! We laughed so hard. I breastfed him in front of her so she would know he was really mine and then she thought he was so great and we both got showered with spit!

There are some visiting nurses here so I am going to take them out on a home visit (new baby) this afternoon. We are going to take some cute little newborn clothes for her.

Rocky

Brian brought Rocky his horse down from Addis this weekend, and Rocky is now getting used to his new surroundings… and stable-mates! So far he is not very well accepted by the other (two) compound horses, so we’ll see. We spent most of last week in Addis for a wedding as well as lots of little business tasks. Brian will be using his horse, Rocky, to go on home visits.

This week Brian and Assay his coworker are planning to visit the local coaches that have been trained by Sports Friends so they can follow up and see if these coaches have started sports ministries or clubs through their churches. It will be a great chance for Brian to see the local church network in the greater Langano area.

I’m trying to plan a day or two this week that I can walk out and do home visits with Chaltu the government health worker for the area. I ended up helping with a delivery about two weeks ago in the clinic (yes, I miss deliveries!!) so I hope to make time to get out and visit the woman that delivered as well.

Horse Time!

Brian is bringing his horse to Langano this weekend! He’ll be trailering it down as long as Rocky cooperates.