Skype Around the Globe Recap

Last night was amazing.  There was food, there was fellowship, there was learning and ministry.  God was at work and I felt so blessed that our family, our home, could be a part of that process.  From the very beginning of our marriage, Heath and I were able to live in a home, and, from the very beginning of our marriage, we have prayed that this blessing could be a blessing to others.  Lately, God has been providing so many opportunities for this, and we couldn't be happier!

The food was so yummy, new and amazing.  Food, to me at least, is one of the absolute best ways to share in a culture.  Ethiopian food is made up mostly of stews that are served without cutlery.

We served doro wat (a spicy chicken stew) and meser wat (a mild lentil stew).  Cash and Holden actually inhaled the meser wat, but they have always loved beans, so this wasn't a surprise. I enjoyed the meser wat too, and Heath loved the doro wat... anything spicy he'll eat!

Since the food is served sans utensils, the stew is eaten with a flat bread called injera.  The bread is spongy and can easily be used to scoop up the stews (wots).  I found a lot of good information on injera, including a recipe, here. I love bread, so I could have eaten the entire pack, but I refrained.

The woman in the two pictures above is Bethlehem.  She is a born again Christian who grew up in Kenya and Ethiopia, but has lived in the United States for almost a decade.  She brought so much life to the party!  We, of course, served Ethiopian coffee, but Bethlehem was insistent that we roast the (already roasted because us crazy Americans took a shortcut) beans to smoke up the house.  Within minutes she was digging through my kitchen to find all of the right things she needed to create the ambiance.  I love when people feel at home in my house!

She walked around with this pot throughout the evening making sure that we at least got a smell for Ethiopia while she was there.  While she walked around, I constantly prayed that the smoke alarm wouldn't go off... and we made it!

Before our Skype session began, we invited our friends Paul and DeeDee Aarseth to share their hearts for Ethiopia.  The Aarseths adopted their daughter Olivia from Ethiopia and they are returning there this summer to serve as missionaries... they also plan to add to their family while they are there.  DeeDee and I went through our adoptions together.  She was actually one of the first people I met (physically and not just online) who shared my heart for orphan care.  Our hearts have been led to serve on separate fields, but I feel so blessed to count her as a friend.

Please, take the time to head over to the Aarseth's blog and read a bit about their story and their prayers for the country that they so love.  If you feel so led, please help them by providing prayer and/or financial support.  It's amazing what God can do when He breaks someone's heart for a cause, and I stand firmly in the belief that the Aarseths are serving God in an amazing ministry and following Him every step of the way.

After a bit, the call began!  What an experience!  Jennifer (MckMama) introduced us to her friends and showed us a little glimpse into the lives of the people who live in Garmaam, Ethiopia.  The little boy standing next to her (in the light blue shirt) is named Mooma.  He was so excited to be a part of this!  He just kept shouting his name to us over and over!

We learned so much last night, so much about the people of Ethiopia, their customs, their language, their needs.  It was late, all of our children were a bit wired, but I think that Mooma's excitement was shared by all of us!

If you are interested in learning more about Jennifer's trip and her work there with GHNI, please visit her blog.  For more information on the Aarseths and their mission, please click here.  If you are new to our blog and want to know more about our family, our beliefs and our adoption story, please click here.

Our NBC affiliate and several local newspapers and magazines are covering this story.  Please check their sites for coverage, and I'll update this post as it becomes available electronically.

(A big, big thank you to DeeDee Aarseth for her amazing ability to help me pull together a party on such short notice.  Honestly, who (other than Super Woman) can have yummy, authentic Ethiopian food at a moment's notice.  If we weren't so busy, I think we should start our own party planning service... of course we'd have to call my neighbor Amanda in to help as well, because without her, this event would have never taken place because I could not get the date and time right to save my life!)