Ethiopia is full of wonderful people. We have many Ethiopian friends and through our many challenges we have been cared for well by our community here.
That being said, sometimes it is difficult as an outsider. This isn't a pitty party, but its just the reality of life whenever you are the minority. You stand out. And therefore become a target. Last Sunday we were walking home for church and a young boy about 8 years old thought it would be funny to throw a rock at a white girl's face. My friend was hit on the side of her neck.
Today, we were out for a walk with our family, and a young motorcycle driver thought it would be funny to pretend to hit us. The road was wide open. Adam, Cole, Leah and I were walking on the side of the road and the driver swerved toward us and came a few feet from our path. That is really funny huh??? Luckily, no one was hurt.
God is teaching us to have compassion and mercy on those that are the minority in America, others here in Ethiopia and throughout the world. I have always felt like I tried to advocate for my fellow brothers and sisters, but not until moving here did I realize that it's not always the big things, but sometimes the small things that can chip away at one's morale, at one's sense of hope and at one's sense of belonging. For those small things, we need to be more alert, more sensitive and more intentional.
That being said, sometimes it is difficult as an outsider. This isn't a pitty party, but its just the reality of life whenever you are the minority. You stand out. And therefore become a target. Last Sunday we were walking home for church and a young boy about 8 years old thought it would be funny to throw a rock at a white girl's face. My friend was hit on the side of her neck.
Today, we were out for a walk with our family, and a young motorcycle driver thought it would be funny to pretend to hit us. The road was wide open. Adam, Cole, Leah and I were walking on the side of the road and the driver swerved toward us and came a few feet from our path. That is really funny huh??? Luckily, no one was hurt.
God is teaching us to have compassion and mercy on those that are the minority in America, others here in Ethiopia and throughout the world. I have always felt like I tried to advocate for my fellow brothers and sisters, but not until moving here did I realize that it's not always the big things, but sometimes the small things that can chip away at one's morale, at one's sense of hope and at one's sense of belonging. For those small things, we need to be more alert, more sensitive and more intentional.
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