After 14+ hours of flying, we finally landed in Ethiopia early Friday morning.
After we left the airport, we were picked up by a Talking Bibles friend (we'll name him Sammy). We proceeded immediately to our hotel, where we quickly found our beds so we could catch up on some sleep and be ready for the rest of the day.
We spent all of our time yesterday going around this big and beautiful city, full of absolutely fantastic people. Our first stop was having lunch at an Ethiopian pizza place. It was pretty good! Although, I had an issue with one of the pizzas with sliced hard-boiled eggs. I'm determined to honor our hosts by eating things I usually wouldn't, but the egg pizza was a step too far, lol!
We then loaded up in the vehicle and went to the huge Mercato (marketplace). What an incredible cultural experience. There was so much to see and people to connect with. And being the coffee nut I am, I couldn't resist buying an Ethiopian traditional coffee maker. Our friend Sammy showed us around the Mercato and explained the nuances of what was being sold.
We then proceeded to a traditional Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. Wow! What an experience. We all shared a platter replete with Ethiopian spices and grains. No silverware, though! Instead, we used as our utensils rolls of Injera, a sour fermented pancake-like flatbread. You tear off a piece and use that to pick up or scoop the different flavors.
While eating, we were treated to a stage performance of traditional Ethiopian music and dance. The wait staff also brought coffee to our table, performing Ethiopia's coffee ceremony. Oh boy, I was in heaven!
I'm up early today, somewhat because I'm upside down from the significant time change, but we're also leaving early this morning to begin the first leg of our Talking Bibles trip. We'll first connect with a national pastor team member. He has been essential in getting Talking Bibles into the hands of individuals, families, and communities. We'll also be traveling to an area where Talking Bibles are being used.
Thank you again for all your prayers!