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It was my First…

One of the many great joys of these short term trips is getting to bond and do life with your team in a way that continues to remind us that our team is just as much a part of our ministry, as is the people we are going out to reach; and God is just as interested in getting us to see Him and know Him in a new way with new eyes, as He is in using us to love on Ethiopia or the people groups we go to visit.

Here is one of my teammates Kylie Szczepanski, from our most recent dream team to Ethiopia. She served and loved well, and experienced life in a new way…but hey, I’ll let her share in her own words.

Kylie getting ambushed and soaked by the kids in a pre-emptive water balloon fight 

“A few months ago, I left to Ethiopia with an oversized suitcase and a hefty carry-on bag both filled with everything I could possibly need on my short term mission trip. 10 days later, I left Ethiopia with much much more.

I left with a broader understanding of what it means to be a Christian and to serve God wholeheartedly. I left with a clearer definition of true love and what it looks like to love those of a different culture as well as my own. I left with a peace that comes from setting technology aside and stepping out into nature to witness God’s beautiful creation. I left with hope, knowing that God is at work even, or rather especially, in the most remote places. And finally, I left with an endless amount of unforgettable memories.

Ethiopia was my first mission trip, my first time outside the US, my first experience in a radically different culture.  And after experiencing all these firsts, all I can say is “Wow!”  Never before have I witnessed a group of strangers bond so quickly and reach a level of vulnerability unparalleled to anything I’d been a part of in my home land. The time spent getting to know my team paired with the overwhelmingly welcoming attitude of the locals made my first mission trip unforgettable.

I’ll always hold onto my memories of first stepping out of the airport into the crazy scene that is Addis Ababa, walking the village streets of Harbu Chulule, visiting the homes of families sponsored by HOPEthiopia, playing with the children on the HOPEthiopia compound, working in a dental clinic for 2 days, exploring sacred hot springs, and many many more.

I cannot wait to find out where God will send me next.” – Kylie Szczepanski.

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