Fall 2023 Ethiopia Mission Trip Update

By Melinda Sallé, Development Project Coordinator

I returned from Ethiopia last week! It was my first trip to meet our newest group of Bete Hosanna residents, and I was so excited to finally meet them in person.

This is our third group of girls, and each group has been unique in their personalities, interests, and group dynamics. They moved into the home in July, so I was eager to go and observe them now that they have been at Bete Hosanna for a few months.

Our Visit to the Home

On our first visit to Bete Hosanna, they welcomed our team as guests in their home. They conducted a coffee ceremony, an important skill in Ethiopia. It is done to honor and welcome those who are visiting your home. The girls also served us popcorn, which is always served with coffee, as well as dabo dabo, which is a homemade bread often served in Ethiopia and that the girls have learned to make at Bete Hosanna. They were quiet and welcoming.

After the more formal festivities, we all began to warm up to each other. The teens on our mission team taught the girls some American dances, and then they all made friendship bracelets together. As the week went on and we spent more time with the Bete Hosanna girls, the connections were easier, and the fun grew.

This particular group of girls was cheerful, kind, and very hospitable. They cared for each other and us. They seemed excited to be at Bete Hosanna and motivated in their school, work, and relationships. I was impressed with the work and organization they put into their rooms as well.

Fun Outings and Activities

We were able to take them on two outings while we were there. Their life experiences have been limited, so it was fun to take them to see and do new things. We took them to a beautiful area outside the city called Debra Zeit. It was lush with a tropical feeling and had a lake.

We treated the girls to their choice of a manicure, pedicure, or time in the sauna, and they all enjoyed these pampering experiences! They also had the opportunity to kayak on the lake, and they all took advantage of trying this new thing, even though many of them were scared to do it! They do not know how to swim and have spent little to no time near water and water activities. (Don’t worry, they had life jackets on!)

Later in the week, we took them to a traditional dinner and dance show. In Ethiopia, there are many ethnic groups that all have their own dances and traditional dress. This show represents all the groups and their various dances and music while eating traditional Ethiopian food. It is very entertaining as well as educational!

We also had an artist on our team who did art lessons with the girls! Very fun and therapeutic.

A Wonderful Future Ahead

I am excited about the future of these girls. They are smart, brave, and ambitious. They will be busy working, continuing their education, learning important life skills, saving money, working on their mental health, and, most importantly, learning to study God’s Word on their own.

Please pray over them that for the next two years…

• God will move mightily on their behalf.
• The foundation that they are given will carry them into the future to not only survive, but to fly higher than they ever imagined.
• They will become world changers.

And if you’d like to pray for each by name, pray for Addis, Himey, Abey, Elsa, Samri, Tarik, Nebiyat, Abezu, Kalkidan, and Diribe.

To learn more about Bete Hosanna and to give to this program, check out this link. If you’re interested in going on a mission trip to Ethiopia, visit this page for our 2024 dates.

We are so grateful to all our supporters who make this important ministry possible!