Giving Thanks Together

American holidays in Ethiopia are always a bit different, but we still manage to turn out something special. Our plans for Thanksgiving this year changed a couple times as we invited our American/Canadian colleagues with whom we had lived in Gesas to come to up to our new home in Gilgel Beles. However, as the holiday drew nearer, it became obvious that the timing wasn't right, and so, late Tuesday night, Andrea and I hatched a new plan. We'll buy two chickens and a whole mess of veggies in Wednesday's market. Then, we'll ask the Catholic sisters to prepare one chicken in the traditional Ethiopia most special dish – Doro Wot (chicken stew) with Injera. Then, we will bake the other chicken with veggies, and serve it foreigner style with bread. Topping it all off with the Ethiopia coffee ceremony – with a little pumpkin slipped in for good measure.

 And so, Thanksgiving morning, as the translators and I drafted 2 Corinthians 9-10, the sisters, Andrea and the kids all pitched in to prepare a feast! At noon, two Gmz translators and their wives sat along the left edge of our table, while Father Balini (from Italy) and Father Quim (from Portugal) sat opposite us and the three sisters (all from Southern Ethiopia) rounded the corner toward our right. Before the meal, we all gave thanks, mostly for the unity of Spirit we had represented in the room. Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox; American, European, and African…we ate together in thanks to God who has bless us all so richly in his Son Jesus Christ!