Tenestiling endagena! Hello again! Sorry it has been awhile since an update. Remember that I am so thankful for the many people in my life who love me, care about me, who have invested in me, and come along side me in prayer! God is so faithful to me and showing me more of who He is.
Since my last update the first term of school has ended. The week before the “holiday” as they call it here, was Spiritual Retreat weak. Each grade from 6-12 went on a retreat for a week. I went with the 7th graders to Langano, about 4 hours south. It was quite the week of camping with baboons, monkeys, and 7th graders throwing frogs in each other’s cabins. I led a service project of painting the tuberculosis room for the local clinic. Our theme for the week was who we are in Christ. The next week, six of us teachers went up north in Ethiopia to visit some famous rock-hewn churches in Lalibella. They were absolutely amazing. We also visited some Orthodox monks on some islands in Lake Tana (the largest Lake in Ethiopia), in Baha Dar. And we finished the trip with a castle and an African like Sistine Chapel in Gondar. It was great to have a break from school and see some other beautiful parts of the country.
Most of the NORMS of life here have become normal ways of life for me too. For example, the ELECTRICITY is out now, I am writing on a Word document. The kids don’t blink when the power goes out in class. It’s normal to drive by people SLEEPING ON THE MEDIAN in the road, and to slow down or stop for cows and goats. It’s normal for my kids to speak Amharic or German to each other during class. It’s normal to NOT get what you order in a restaurant. It’s normal to come home to ‘Sebalah soup’ waiting on the stove for my roommate and I after school. All of us teachers here have hired house workers to cook and clean for us. It provides work for people in the community and helps us after a day of teaching, and is super cheap for us. It is normal to hear the Muslim call to prayer, and say hello to the compound guards. It is normal to bleach the vegetables and eat injura b’ wet. It’s normal to learn new British vocabulary as well as Amharic.
CROSS COUNTRY practice continues and our first meet is next Thursday (I am co-coaching). The TENNIS season (I’m the coach and recruited a 12th grade student, Mari, who plays in the national tournaments here to help) started last Friday! Parent teacher conferences were a few weeks ago and I met with over 40 PARENTS! I organized a big “Fun Sports Day” this past week for the 100 youngest kids (Kindergarten -3rd Grade). It was a great afternoon full of relay races and games. Attached are two pictures.
Again, you are an answer to PRAYER and the Lord is using your sacrifice to enable me to work here, influence these students lives, and enable so many of their families to remain on the mission field.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” -Jeremiah 33:3
For Christ,
Rachel Valliere
PRAISES AND PRAYER REQUESTS
-A great midterm break in the countryside.
-Aaron and other kids spiritual decisions for Christ.
-What to do for Christmas
-Continued patience with my Kindergarten I class and 2nd Grade.
-Meheret, a high school student with a tough family situation.
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