Today we have launched our new family missionary blog. If you'd like to follow the Yates family in Soddo please join us at:
Saturday, June 17, 2017
New Beginnings
At the end of last year the Simpsons ended their first term in Soddo with a trip back to the US. They decided at that time that God was calling them for a season back in the United States, continuing to pursue the passions that God has put on their hearts. We are so glad that our first term in Soddo could be spent with them as partners, friends and neighbors. It is sad for us to be back in Soddo without them.
Today we have launched our new family missionary blog. If you'd like to follow the Yates family in Soddo please join us at:
Today we have launched our new family missionary blog. If you'd like to follow the Yates family in Soddo please join us at:
Monday, February 20, 2017
Christmas 2016
Merry Christmas from Ethiopia!
መልካም ገና (Melkam Gena)!
Christmas cards are usually about all of the amazing things from this past year, but let’s be real: It’s not always like that, and it has not been like that for us this year. I was reading my favorite missionary community blog and I was reminded that even the first Christmas, the day God gave his best gift to mankind, was a day of “violated expectations”.
“The very first Christmas was also greatly anticipated. Prophesies about Jesus had been spoken for centuries. The world was awaiting the “long-expected Jesus,” but how he made his arrival violated many expectations.”
You can read about Mary’s, Joseph’s, and Israel’s violated expectations at the Velvet Ashes blog.
We are excited to celebrate this Christmas season in Soddo. But that excitement isn’t without our own “violated expectations.” The weather is dry and sunny, not wintery. Some of our teammates have left Soddo either for a short visit home for the holidays or forever and so work that is usually shared among many are left to the few. We had hoped to start the family medicine residency this January, but it is delayed. We have come to expect a peaceful stable country, but the security situation has been changing often. We had hoped to bring life to these dry bones, but sometimes we just feel we are picking up the broken, and hurting pieces.
Yet, it has been such a sweet opportunity to focus our attention on the sweet gift of newborn Jesus, and we will rejoice in the Lord.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
It easy to think about these “violated expectations” as evidence that we are not walking in God’s path for us, but that is not always the case. If we look at the story of Mary and Joseph, it was hard. They had many “violated expectations” with each other and for the future. Yet, it was God’s will for Jesus to be born of the teenage, unmarried, virgin Mary and for an infanticide to follow immediately, and subsequent urgent evacuation to Egypt.
And despite the challenges of this past year, God has been faithful. He has been near and he has been guiding our every step. We feel closer to our Ethiopian friends and coworkers than ever,
Cole and Leah are learning Amharic, our ministry is slowly growing and we have loved the patients and people in Ethiopia with all our hearts. We could list all the ministry accomplishments from the year, but ultimately we feel we are being obedient to the call and are acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God.
So Merry Christmas to you and your family. We are continually grateful for your financial partnership, for your prayers, and for your kind words of encouragement. We really could not be here without you.
With Love,
Adam Michelle Cole and Leah
መልካም ገና (Melkam Gena)!
Christmas cards are usually about all of the amazing things from this past year, but let’s be real: It’s not always like that, and it has not been like that for us this year. I was reading my favorite missionary community blog and I was reminded that even the first Christmas, the day God gave his best gift to mankind, was a day of “violated expectations”.
“The very first Christmas was also greatly anticipated. Prophesies about Jesus had been spoken for centuries. The world was awaiting the “long-expected Jesus,” but how he made his arrival violated many expectations.”
You can read about Mary’s, Joseph’s, and Israel’s violated expectations at the Velvet Ashes blog.
We are excited to celebrate this Christmas season in Soddo. But that excitement isn’t without our own “violated expectations.” The weather is dry and sunny, not wintery. Some of our teammates have left Soddo either for a short visit home for the holidays or forever and so work that is usually shared among many are left to the few. We had hoped to start the family medicine residency this January, but it is delayed. We have come to expect a peaceful stable country, but the security situation has been changing often. We had hoped to bring life to these dry bones, but sometimes we just feel we are picking up the broken, and hurting pieces.
Yet, it has been such a sweet opportunity to focus our attention on the sweet gift of newborn Jesus, and we will rejoice in the Lord.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
It easy to think about these “violated expectations” as evidence that we are not walking in God’s path for us, but that is not always the case. If we look at the story of Mary and Joseph, it was hard. They had many “violated expectations” with each other and for the future. Yet, it was God’s will for Jesus to be born of the teenage, unmarried, virgin Mary and for an infanticide to follow immediately, and subsequent urgent evacuation to Egypt.
And despite the challenges of this past year, God has been faithful. He has been near and he has been guiding our every step. We feel closer to our Ethiopian friends and coworkers than ever,
Cole and Leah are learning Amharic, our ministry is slowly growing and we have loved the patients and people in Ethiopia with all our hearts. We could list all the ministry accomplishments from the year, but ultimately we feel we are being obedient to the call and are acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God.
So Merry Christmas to you and your family. We are continually grateful for your financial partnership, for your prayers, and for your kind words of encouragement. We really could not be here without you.
With Love,
Adam Michelle Cole and Leah
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Kebebush
Nothing in Ethiopia is simple. Everything feels hard and complicated most of the time. Today I was so discouraged, when God heard my cry and answered my prayer.
One of our hospital employees has an ASD and has had worsening shortness of breath, although in general she shows early signs of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. She was told by a cardiologist in Addis that she has to go to the US for heart surgery. Our missionary staff was approached by her asking for help. I tried and tried and could not find anything at a reasonable price in the US or any place that offered significant discount. One of my partners, Sok, contacted Tenwek hospital in Kenya and found they could safely perform the surgery for about $2,800 USD, with few additional expenses for travel, room and board and outpatient evaluation. We started our fundraising and encouraged Kebebush to do the same. This is not a missionary only donation, even if just $5, we want her and her community to help as they are able.
The first problem was that she wanted all the money to come from the international doctors. Then we found out she really only wanted to go to America and a friend found a program at Cleaveland Clinic that said it would only cost $2,500. Well, that was just for the outpatient eval. The surgery would be $100,000 USD. But Kebebush did not believe us. She went to the embassy to get her Visa, and was denied because she did not have $100,000 USD. Then we moved forward on her trip to Kenya. We reschedule her surgery for the third time, got her passport, and had her and family pay for her plane tickets to Kenya. But she didn’t have her yellow fever vaccine, so we had to reschedule once more. I had everything lined up… when I couldn’t wire money from Ethiopia to Kenya. It turns out that there is only one bank in addis that is even capable of sending money outside Ethiopia. I decided to write a personal check to the Tenwek’s nonprofit headquarters in the US and reimburse myself with Ethiopian birr that we had raised. Finally, I thought I was done, and when I went to reimburse myself, the system is not working and the bank manger wasn’t there… for the third time. I nearly broke down and cried today. When Kebebush and her husband came to me. They informed me they are leaving this week and wanted to pray for me and all those that had helped them.
They prayed with tears in their eyes and the scripture Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
They said, we could not have done this without you and your friend and family. Thank you. Kebebush’s life will be made new and her hope for her health restored.
I cried tears of joy.
I have been thinking a lot about the parable of the lost sheep. Matthew 15:4
"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
At first I felt I should be spending my time and money on helping the multitude and not just one person. But God reminds us that he left the multitude to help the one. He would have died on the cross if it was just for me and my sin. This is holy ground that we walk upon as we care for even just one of the saints. It is enough and it is good.
Thank you all for your partnership.
One of our hospital employees has an ASD and has had worsening shortness of breath, although in general she shows early signs of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. She was told by a cardiologist in Addis that she has to go to the US for heart surgery. Our missionary staff was approached by her asking for help. I tried and tried and could not find anything at a reasonable price in the US or any place that offered significant discount. One of my partners, Sok, contacted Tenwek hospital in Kenya and found they could safely perform the surgery for about $2,800 USD, with few additional expenses for travel, room and board and outpatient evaluation. We started our fundraising and encouraged Kebebush to do the same. This is not a missionary only donation, even if just $5, we want her and her community to help as they are able.
The first problem was that she wanted all the money to come from the international doctors. Then we found out she really only wanted to go to America and a friend found a program at Cleaveland Clinic that said it would only cost $2,500. Well, that was just for the outpatient eval. The surgery would be $100,000 USD. But Kebebush did not believe us. She went to the embassy to get her Visa, and was denied because she did not have $100,000 USD. Then we moved forward on her trip to Kenya. We reschedule her surgery for the third time, got her passport, and had her and family pay for her plane tickets to Kenya. But she didn’t have her yellow fever vaccine, so we had to reschedule once more. I had everything lined up… when I couldn’t wire money from Ethiopia to Kenya. It turns out that there is only one bank in addis that is even capable of sending money outside Ethiopia. I decided to write a personal check to the Tenwek’s nonprofit headquarters in the US and reimburse myself with Ethiopian birr that we had raised. Finally, I thought I was done, and when I went to reimburse myself, the system is not working and the bank manger wasn’t there… for the third time. I nearly broke down and cried today. When Kebebush and her husband came to me. They informed me they are leaving this week and wanted to pray for me and all those that had helped them.
They prayed with tears in their eyes and the scripture Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
They said, we could not have done this without you and your friend and family. Thank you. Kebebush’s life will be made new and her hope for her health restored.
I cried tears of joy.
I have been thinking a lot about the parable of the lost sheep. Matthew 15:4
"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
At first I felt I should be spending my time and money on helping the multitude and not just one person. But God reminds us that he left the multitude to help the one. He would have died on the cross if it was just for me and my sin. This is holy ground that we walk upon as we care for even just one of the saints. It is enough and it is good.
Thank you all for your partnership.
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