More Details on Ethiopia

So as we move forward, more details are getting firmed up. So I thought I would answer some of the common questions we are getting.

So what exactly will you be doing there?

Paul has accepted a position at Bingham Academy in Addis Ababa. He will teach computer to the jr. high and high school students there. We are really excited about this opportunity since Addis is home to the African Union and many embassies. Most of the diplomats send their kids to Bingham and over 55 different nationalities are represented at the school. We are excited to see the gospel impact these future leaders.

Will the school pay you?

No, the school is run by our mission agency SIM. We will have more details about how much support we need to raise in July when we return to SIM headquarters for orientation.

When will you leave?

We would like to leave for Ethiopia in August 2011, but that is just a target date as of now.

Will you be involved in orphan care?

We do plan on doing some sort of orphan care at some point while we are there. Right now we are focused on our role at Bingham and getting our family adjusted. We are trusting the Lord to work out the details and contacts for getting involved with orphan care once we are in country and adjusted. Please keep that in your prayers for us.

How long will you be gone?

Right now we have accepted a contract for two years. We are considered long term with SIM so anything beyond 2 years will be up to the Lord and how he leads us.

What will you be doing between now and then?

A LOT! We have so much training and support raising to do before we leave! We are currently listening to 115 hours of seminary training, the perspectives class in the fall, several trips to North Carolina and New York this summer and next summer for training in support raising, language acquisition, and teacher certification, and lots of reading. We also have to sell our house, move into a rental until we leave, buy a......minivan, then sell a minivan and our other cars, and downsize majorly. We really are looking forward to having a lot less stuff!

I received an email this week from a sweet family thinking about missions and they said, "God does not send the equipped, but equips who he sends!" That could not be more true. Paul and I had to laugh when SIM asked us to fill out a long set of paperwork that was supposed to detail all of our bible training.....I sent it back blank. While the Lord has taught us so much through our church, our pastor, and our ministries, we have NO professional training. But that isn't what God wants. He wants willing hearts to serve Him. We pray everyday that He will shape our hearts to be humble and ready to do what He calls for our family.


Ok any other questions you are dying to ask? I will try and do my best to answer them.