Its Easter Sunday in Ethiopia!
I continued my cultural immersion by attending the International Evangelical Church. Pastor Shannon is from the U.S. and attendees are from everywhere, praising God in English and Amharic. The sermon focused on Psalm 96. It was a very different type of Easter Service but very much celebratory of the Resurrection.
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| Altar at the International Evangelical Church |
After church, I traveled to Hope Enterprises. Founded in the 1960s by Jack Smith (a missionary from Dallas), it started as a preschool and has grown to include K-12, neighborhood healthcare facilities and many daycare centers around the country. The Soup Kitchen feeds 2,000 people daily. Today I helped serve about 300 men Injera and lentil soup. It was interesting to me that men and women are served in separate facilities.
I concluded the day by traveling to Hope College. The facilities & curriculum are very innovative, especially given the infrastructure issues in Ethiopia. Designed by a Dutch architect, everything is "green" and environmentally focused. Plants are grown on the roof of the library, rainwater is recycled and the rooms are light and airy. Dr. Minas Hiruy started the school, after a long tenure at Kent State University, my alma mater. We were actually there at the same time. His work has been transformative.
Like other schools, kids come from the local area, and are provided food, uniforms and hot showers.
Hope College is a wonderful oasis for students in Ethiopia.
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