My Special Lunch Date in Korah

I love going on lunch dates- don’t you?  My favorite lunch spot is Panera.  I always get the “you pick two” with tomato soup and chicken salad sandwich.  It’s so much fun to meet a friend or my hubby and spend an hour eating and talking.  I had no idea that God planned a special lunch date for me in Korah.  We spent three heavenly days working with the incredible Project 61 staff.  We planned a Man Up BBQ lunch every day for the children and community.  We slaughtered prepared 26 sheep and goat for a one of a kind roast.  We invited the entire community- men, women, children, and staff to join us for lunch.  Serving sheep and goat is truly a luxury for the families, so we knew this was an over the top missions opportunity.  On our last day, we even handed out live goats to needy families.

Roger killed the first goat to start off the celebration with a bang.  We were all a little *gulp* disgusted with the ala natural preparations, but it was part of the crazy adventure.  The killing field was in the middle of the P61 shelter we were painting, so if you can visualize bright blue paint mixed with bright red, I think you can get the full picture.  I kept reminding my squeamish team members that this was an incredible opportunity to feed the fatherless and eliminate anyone having to go to the dump that day to find food.  I want to personally thank everyone who donated money for our team to purchase sheep and goat for the BBQ.

On the first day, one of the P61 staff asked me if I would help feed the elderly men of the community their lunch.  I jumped in with both hands.  I’m so proud of Pastor and Sammy… the entire band of brothers for feeding their neighbors every single day.  It felt like I walked back in time straight into the Old Testament.  My special lunch date was a very old, happy man with leprosy.  I think my mommy instincts kicked in and started feeding my new friend by hand a delicious hot meal of sheep and injera. He was overjoyed and made everyone around laugh.  He had a mighty appetite and I just kept shoveling food in his mouth as carefully as I could.  I started praying for him and thanking God for this opportunity to simply love.  He kept thanking me in Amharic and kissing me and calling me Conjo-beautiful!  I was so honored to serve this precious wise man who had obviously had a horrific life living with leprosy in Korah.  I wanted him to feel on our lunch date valuable, respected, dignified.. living a life as an outcast can break a spirit.  But, the blessings I received in return was far greater than what I could have offered him.  Oh what a lunch date!

Our precious daughter, Zoie was born in Korah.  It was a community founded 75 years ago for the lepers and outcasts of the city.  If you live in Korah you are the poorest of the poor in Addis Ababa.  The people have been hopeless and forgotten, but with my brothers and sisters who work directly in the Korah community making a difference everyday- the community are no longer considered the trash of the city.  They are priceless treasures and worthy of praise!!

Please pray for Project 61 and the staff who work daily with Korah for strength, energy, resources, and miracles.