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Reflections from Peggy Roberson and Bill Cox on their Ethiopian Trip

Gibe River Valley between Jimma and Mettu

    While Shenandoah Presbytery was blanketed with snow and shivering from the low temperatures of February, Bill Cox and Peggy Roberson were working in 75-80 degree sunshine in Jimma and Mettu, Ethiopia.  Traveling in the southwest highlands just after the teff (grain) harvest, they were impressed with the lush plant life that survives the dry season from October through February.
   Their first assignment was in Jimma, a large city with a university, a teacher's college, busy shops and markets, and public transportation.  In the hotel resided UN workers, university professors from around the world, a few tourists, and Bill, Peggy, and Yadetta Kiritta, evangelism secretary for Illubabor Bethel Synod, who was teaching classes for a pastors' institute at Jimma Church.
    Peggy preached at a prayer and fasting service on Friday and Bill preached a wedding sermon on Sunday when he gave the bride and groom chewing gum as a metaphor for their sticking together and sticking to God.  Beginning on Monday for four hours each day Bill taught the book of Romans with an emphasis on law and grace, while Peggy led Bible studies from the Pastoral Epistles and led classes for the women leaders in the afternoons.

Peggy with Tadalesch at Mettu training center

Bill (modeling his new Ethiopian clothes) with a member from Jimma Presbytery
    Tea breaks and singing were two important transition activities.  These times were oppportunities to have personal interaction and a change of pace.  Needing mini breaks after sitting, we shared "Head and shoulders,
knees and toes" and the "Funky Chicken."  Laughing together was a nice complement to prayer and study.
    For the trip to Mettu our vehicle was the famous iCARE truck which took us and our baggage plus a load of plywood over rough roads.  The guest house at Mettu was a welcome sight at 10 pm!  We had seen the Bedele
Church at sunset and the Chore Church in the dark.
On Saturday the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church and IBS celebrated ten years' partnership with a procession, a worship service, luncheon, speeches, and a slide show and roasting beef over a bonfire.

    The first Sunday in Mettu we attended worship at the Kataa Church where a crowd overflowed the church onto bleachers outside.  We brought
greetings and heard a sermon in two languages, neither of which we
understood.  We saw exorcisms, healings, baptisms, and professions of
faith.  That afternoon there was a service of prayer and an offering was
taken for the famine victims in the eastern and southern parts of the
country.
With Fetene Nemera in Addis Ababa
(Fetene is a student at Unity University with the support of Covenant church.)

Bill with Yedetta Kiritta, Evangelism Director
    The week's teaching at Mettu began on Monday with a repetition of our assignments in Jimma.  The new training center is a lovely useful addition to the compound. A trip to Gore for Peggy on Sunday allowed her to take photographs of the iCARE children for their sponsors and to preach on the Word of God.  Meanwhile Bill preached at Kataa.  Wonderful meals were shared with us by our Ethiopian friends on several occasions.
    Bill took on the additional task of teaching the book of Revelation to the Bible School students while Peggy traveled to Tepi to see the work with the Majenga tribespeople and to see the new presbytery offices at
Gore, Tepi, and Maasha.  Eating fresh roasted corn on the cob was a particular treat.
With Betty who taught Peggy hymns in Oromiya and Amharic
    Learning that we needed to be in Addis Ababa on Thursday morning meant we had a twelve hour trek in the iCARE truck on Wednesday.  We had two days of sightseeing, shopping, and visiting friends before returning to the airport for the long ride home.

Ayantu, Yonas' wife, sharing a meal with visitors from America and Finland
    Things that impressed us this trip are the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, the enthusiastic singing, the earnest questions, the eagerness to learn, the generous gifts we were given, the hospitality, the beauty of the land, the material poverty, the inconsistent quality of the roads, and the knowledge of the English language many people show.
Going to Ethiopia is both a challenge (because of rough travel and spartan conditions) and a blessing (because of the love and Christian hospitality we were shown).  We have an appreciation for the comforts we enjoy here, but great respect for the Ethiopians who live each day with
fewer material possessions.  We hope that Western ways are not going to overpower some lovely Ethiopian customs: the coffee ceremony, the warm greetings, the ability to be at ease with one another.  God blessed us and we pray God's blessing on the people of IBS and on the people of the Presbytery of Shenandoah.