Betam Betam Amaseganalo

We stood on either side of the freshly painted teal gate- twenty or so kids on the outside, many in tears, others simply standing silently; Raquel, Fina, and I on the inside, crying as we realized that saying goodbye might mean forever. We had just hugged and kissed the kids goodbye and, finally, had to shut the gate. But it was harder than we might have imagined. It had been a quieter walk than usual back to the compound, and it hurt thinking of leaving the kids.

The past two days, we spent some time winding down outside of Addis at a place called Lake Longano. The lake itself was stunning- it felt almost dream-like standing waist deep in the water looking out at the mountains beyond. The looming storm clouds seemed to blanket the lake, pelicans floated on in front of me, and in the distance, a hippo hid beneath the water. Swimming and having time to relax brought time to reflect on the past three months...


I don't think I can ever fully express my gratitude for the families in Jaja. Through them, G-d has shown me more of His love than I could have imagined.. And the last days here have been unreal. I've felt perhaps more at peace than ever. More reflections to come, but please keep us in your prayers as we travel back to Germany tomorrow. Cool Runnings.

The Invitation

by Oriah Mountaindreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain!I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it's not pretty, every day,and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “Yes!”

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

by
Oriah Mountain Dreamer