only in africa....

africa. the only place where a chicken can cross the road, and nobody gives a crap.

sorry it's been so long since i've blogged. i've been a little busy, lots going on here.

the first big update is that it has become abundantly clear to me that i am supposed to be an art teacher. i have a burning passionate fire in my heart (or is it my stomach? that's on fire too...) when i think about coming back here and teaching full time. the coolest thing is... these guys want me back. when i asked about next year, the answer wasn't a matter of if... it was a matter of when. wow. and i was all concerned about whether or not i'd even make a difference.

the second big update is that today is my first real day of not feeling sick at all. which is great, cause i am about to leave the city for the second time, i am driving like 6 hours to awasa, another city i'm told is beautiful. the first time i left addis was last saturday, i went to adema with katie and jeff, my favorite adopting family so far and proud parents of six, two of which they had to leave behind at the transitional home until their embassy date in about a month or so. they went to adema to meet their son bedilu's nanny, the lady who found him and nursed him back to health. the meeting was beautiful, i was so privileged to be there to experience it with them. lots of tears, but tears of joy and thankfulness.

the third big update is that i will be leaving this country, but leaving behind around 25 fully finished murals in four different orphanages. i have been busy. next year i will hopefully do much more in other orphanages i didn't get the chance to visit here. i can't wait to show you all pictures.... and i might even be offering my services as a kids wall mural painter for ANYONE who wants it in the states. (girl's gotta make a living somehow... and i discovered that this is something that not only can i do... but gosh darn it i can do it well!)

update number four is that i'm not sure if i will be able to pay my college tuition.

and update number five is that i'm not worried about it because of update number one. if jesus wants me to be a teacher, i will be a teacher. so why worry about something as insignificant as money? besides,

update number six is that teacher or no teacher, ethiopia or states, college or work... first and foremost... (and this is pretty much the most important thing i have learned while i've been here which is funny... cause i had to go half way across the world to learn something i could have learned in my own neighborhood) i am called to be a follower of jesus christ. and it is the most amazing call on my life and i intend to live according to this call. free of fear, free of worry, free of pain, free of the bondage of anything the evil one might throw at me. christ in me, the hope of glory. nothing else in this world is that AWESOME.

sorry, i simply had to get that out. oh, and update number seven... i'm coming home in a little over a week. but my heart... stays here.

i love you all. can't wait to see ya and share pictures and experiences.