Wow, what a whirlwind.
One moment I was in class taking my finals, the next moment I was running 25 laps around a track in Oregon then all the sudden I was in Ethiopia and now I’m in Grand Teton National park.
I’m going to miss the hills of Ethiopia but it’s good to be back state side.
I’m back at home in the sky. The whole system of flying is exciting for me. When I fly I feel like I’m in a world of movement and meaning. People bustle incessantly along; one carryon apiece. You can only take the few items you can’t live without. Everyone flying had to buy an expensive plane ticket to do so. Because of the cost you only go where you must. Because of this sometimes airports seem more like the real world than a place of transition.
In ways it’s like returning to a childhood house that I only lived in for a short time. I’ve only spent a handful of times in the Denver airport, but because it never changes, each visit feels bit like a homecoming.
I just landed in Denver and only have a short wait until my fight leaves for Frankfurt. Once I’m there it’ll only be a short hop away from Ethiopia. My whole itinerary is only 19.5 hours long. Just about as good as it gets going to Ethiopia.
We are starting to develop a curriculum and schedule for us volunteers and future volunteers to follow. We have a good schedule set out that will allow us volunteers to teach the younger kids american culture, new games, and show movies in the morning and then when the older kids get out of school in the afternnon we can work with the older kids with the same kind of activities. I just was shown a locked closet here at the orphanage of supplies that the staff here doesn’t know how to use. There is so many things that Jeff and myself will be able to use for our taeaching curriculum and the teaching of american culture. I am so excited we have something to work with and to get this program off to a good start! We have been thinking about projects we would like to put together for the kids here. We would like to paint a four scquare game area for the kids to learn that game that a lot of us grew up playing in the unitred states. I believe they would love it! I want to get the kids involved in that project. Jeff and me would paint the lines straight and make the box as square as we can and we would let the kids do some handprints or buy a few paint brushes where each kid could do something unique with paint within the four square. Jeff and myself are going to jump on that project right away and start gathering supplies within the towns shops here. The other project we want to do is make a basketball hoop. This project is going to be a little bit more difficult to construct but it is very doable. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions on what we should do or any other projects that would work great for the kids let us know by commenting on this blog or sending me an email at joestefalo@hotmail.com I would love to here what you have to say. We have a great staff here to work with and such great kids to be working with. There is so much potential here in Nazaret inside the kids. We just have to bring it out of them and give them the opportunities to show their skills that they have been blessed with from God. Going to start today out with teaching the kids how to use sidewalk chalk today! Something so simple will mean the world to them! Can’t wait to brighten the kids days with this great activity that we take for granted in the states.
I have just spent my first full day in Ethiopia, and it has been a wonderful experience thus far. Last night I got to know Eyob, the administator of KVI (kingdom vision international) He told Joe and myself just how excited and privileged he felt to have us come and volunteer. One thing in particular stuck with me. He said he didn’t want us to feel like volunteers, he wanted us to feel like family, and that is exactly what it has been like. We are treated so well. Homecooked delicious meals, large comfortable beds, and freedom to do as we please. Of course we are here for a purpose so we are choosing to spend that freedom doing what God has chosen for us to do. We were told we could do as much or as little as we wanted. I know Joe and myself didn’t come here to sleep all day and walk around with our hands in our pockets. we could just do that at home if that’s what we wanted. Tomorrow we will get to spend the whole day at the orphanage and I am looking forward to that very much! God is good all the time, and that does not change when you leave the country for another that is less fortunate, Joe and I are here to change lives with God’s help and that is exactly what we are going to do!
God Bless you all,
Jefferson
What a great first day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia! God is way too good to me to give me the opportunity to work with such loving and great staff of KVI and also the opportunity to be around such great kids! 
I went to the Ethiopian National Museum today and saw some great artifacts! I love seeing history from other cultures. I have had some great talks with some amazing men and women of God! Their sole purpose is to expand God’s kingdom! That makes my heart just pound with joy! People here are so friendly and the food is amazing! Someone tried to sell me Iron Man 2 on DVD today! hahahah that was hilarious. I am so excited to see what God has in store for us for the rest of our time. As i experience things over here I will be sharing them with you guys as much as I can.
Take care everyone and God Bless each and everyone of you!
Joe Stefalo
We take off for Ethiopia today! Wow to think that all this was just a thought back in August and to come to reality and realize that it has really come into play is amazing to think about. God has really come through to what He promised me back in August and especially in January. I serve such a supernatural God! To put down all the numbers down on paper financially, this trip should have never happened. I live paycheck to paycheck and i pay rent and various other bills. To still be able to pay bills and to have money for this trip has been pure amazing and God. When I think about it, it truly puts a tear in my eye. When you are commanded by God to go and do something and that burden is burning like a wild flame on your heart, God comes through with what He promises even though you might not think its possible at first or even 3 weeks before that due date! He works all things to good of His promise and I am living proof of that happening. I am so excited to work with these young kids and to show them love and that they will be in a better place sooner or later. We are jumping into The Fight. Come join us and experience what we go through all by reading our blogs.
God Bless!
Joe
So, over the past few days I’ve come to think that life as a “forengee”–the endearing Ethiopian term for “white boy”–is a lot like the life of a baby. Everything inappropriate or socially unacceptable is completely forgiven and laughed at because the poor forengee just doesn’t know better. Basically the only responsibility you have is to eat the endless supply of food pushed your way from the loving people around you and if you have to go to the bathroom at an inappropriate time, oh well “his body hasn’t adjusted yet.” Nobody passes by without noticing you and the less inhibited reach out and touch the fair skin or fine hair. Life is done in complete isolation amidst the wild and jovial haste of everybody around; as laughter engulfs impassioned stories, all I hear is noises completely unfamiliar to my ears, occasionally they all notice the guy staring off in the corner and think “he must be hungry, let’s feed him some more.” Man, life’s great as a “forengee” completely surrounded by love and affection, I don’t know why we ever try to grow up from our baby days.
Heading to Billings tomorrow to meet up with my good friend Dan tomorrow and to stay a few days with Jeff’s family there before we fly out Wednesday. I am pretty darn excited to be getting this close to starting our journey to the land of Africa. It is crazy to think that we are heading out Wednesday. All this preparation for the last few months have come down to this very moment of jumping in by faith and letting God totally take over from here! It is a pretty great feeling to know that I have such a great loving God that is in the driver seat.
Take care everyone!
Joe
Yesterday, as we boarded our final leg to Addis, a young guy with a guitar was standing in line in front of me, so obviously I had to ask him if he played. As the conversation went on, I mentioned to him that we were in Ethiopia regarding microfinance at which point he told me about the multiple successful business that he had started with the assistance of microfinance. At that point, I introduced him to Eayoall, who came walking up and after just a few minutes of conversation, the two guys realized that they knew each other from childhood. They had gone to church together when they were kids–having not seen each other in at least a dozen years, I got the distinct feeling that this was a little more than a strange coincidence. Over the course of the past year, I’ve become pretty solidly convinced of God’s timing.
Well, since the sun is starting to come up, and the birds are starting to chirp, I imagine it won’t be long until the roosters start their morning crooning which will then wake Eayoall and Girmachow. I think I’ll log off now and pretend like I DID sleep through the night.
No cell phone no iPod, no laptop, just me and Eayoall, 500 bucks in my pocket and 5 weeks ahead of us to explore, what I think, is an opportunity opened up to us by God himself.
The excitement I’m feeling right no can hardly be explained–emotion matched (in force) only by the two year old sitting in seat 9E screaming into my buddy’s ear. For as long as I can remember, I have had a longing to see any part of Africa. Sure I am exited to see the exotic wildlife and culture foreign to my own; I look forward to eating strange food and regaling stories of almost heroic grandeur when describing the brave face I put on while staring down some never-meant-to-be-eaten piece of organic matter, but that’s only a small part of it. What I really look forward to is tapping into what is right with Africa.
I think if we’re from America, we’re all pretty convinced that Africa only consists of starving, miserable people. That idea is absurd. I m accompanied by my friend Eayoall, who will be returning to Ethiopia for the first time in over 10 years. He left his family at the age f 12 with only hopes of one day making it to America. I’ve learned a lot from my friend, 3 years my junior. I think I’ve learned a thing or two about gratitude and humility. Something I expect I’ll learn even more about is one”s role within the larger context of community.
When we arrive in Addis Ababa, I epect half of Ethiopia will be there to greet Eayoall and his “forengee” friend, “isay” (me). A mother who hasn’t seen her son in 10 years, 5 sisters who have been bearing with their brother’s admonitions and “older brotherliness” from 12,o00 miles away, and a father who proudly awaits the arrival of his only son. This moment will be beautiful. This moment will be right.
I look forward to telling you about the grand welcome home ceremony for Eayoall for which his whole hometown has been working in preparation. For now though, I’m gonna leave the ceremony a mystery in hopes that my blog will beat the statistical blogger/reader ratio of 1:1.
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Jesse
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