It was a real privilege for me to join Anita, Arvid and the girls on the trip to Ethiopia and I thank them for this invitation. Who would want to undertake such a huge trip with three children and still have an old grandma to look after?! Although I did have sleep challenges, God was so good to give me great energy to keep going throughout this time!
And what an amazing time I have had! Although this is my sixth time in Africa, each experience and country has its unique flavour. It never ceases to amaze me how creative God is in nature and in the people and creatures living in the different environments.
Seeing Africa through the eyes of children, (when they are not distracted by electronics), is delightful. I do hope they will not forget too quickly how the other side of the world lives and that living simply does not mean they cannot also be content and joyful.
Although the first day began with stomach issues for g and e and the long car rides were so tiring, they amazed us with their patience and good attitude. We were thankful for electronics for them at such times, which kept away the dreaded question to travelling parents, "are we there yet?" Our prayers for m's experience to be a good one and for the processing of this visit emotionally continue to be answered. Seeing her so lovingly attached to her present family and seeing her great adaptability, gives me continued hope for the future.
The girls amazed us, too, with their stamina of trecking on many a long jaunt and with their flexibility of sleeping in uncomfortable places and positions. They are so adaptable, whereas I yearn for a comfortable bed to fall asleep in!
Their ease in adjusting to the culture and different sights and smells, different foods and different beds was an example for us. Of course they had their little griping sessions at times but a special candy treat or granola bar from Omi, or repeated games of Mille Boures, Uno or dice would often dissipate these!
Before we left Canada, I had the girls sew together a travel journal to record their experiences in. Although they did not do as thorough a job of it as I would have liked, each of them have a unique and interesting book of memories of the trip.
It is of course far too overwhelming to record all the impressions, sights and smells of such a trip but I do hope that paging through it in future years, will bring back good memories.
Our journey culminating in the experience of seeing the amazing city of London with its vast history, amazing architectural styles, and bustling economy, is a rich treat. I just wish we would have more time to discover more of its charm.
We are so thankful for all the prayers for us while we traveling. God certainly had his angels around
Thank you Karin for you eloquent words. I'm sure that Anita was incredibly grateful to have you there to help her and share this journey with them. Your love and generosity for not only your family but also humankind in general shines through in your words. You are truly an example and an inspiration for me. Love b
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