"Here am I. send me!"

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"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8

Selam! So it's 7 am the morning of......our bus is taking us the airport in just a little bit! Then we are ETHIOPIA bound!

Last night 11 of my team members arrived late in DC.... It was really exciting to meet everyone. Everyone except my sister and I had flown in so they were all starving.... so off we go...11 of us at 11:00pm.... in 20 degree weather, running through the streets trying to find something that was open...... we ended up in SHOPPERS grocery store...

It was kinda cool..... people were checking out...and I was standing there waiting and all of a sudden I realize what song is on in th background..."AFRICA" by TOTO (lyrics: God bless the rains down in Africa...it's gonna take a lot to take me away from here)...... I have NEVER heard this song on the radio.... and the fact that it's 11:15pm, and in the store are 11 people headed to Africa in the morning...was pretty cool.....

I was the first one up this morning... surprised? haha just kidding..... I love morning time! So I come down to the lobby to get some coffee from the lobby....I am the only team member up.... this beautiful woman was working behind the counter....I order my tall Starbucks coffee, and my yogurt....and she asks me "So are you enjoying your vacation?" and I was like "Well...it hasn't really started yet...and it's more of a mission trip...I am heading to Ethiopia in a few hours!" She stops what she is doing and looks up and goes "I AM FROM ETHIOPIA" Her name is YESHUI 😊 She is from Addis Ababa (the capital...where we are going!!!), and she is here with her family as her boys are attending University, but she plans to move back!

It was such an encouraging conversation and just what I needed this morning! She brushed me up on some of my Amharic words....and described the way Ethiopians celebrate Christmas! I CAN'T WAIT!!!! Thank you Jesus for sending me Yeshui this morning to encourage and be excited with me!!!

Time to go! Thank you everyone for your amazing support! I will try and blog while I am there! No promises.....Chow 😊

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand - SHINE!" Matthew 5:14-16

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Comments

[Leah]

Yay!
Oh ash, that is so awesome that you were able to have a conversation with Yeshui! How encouraging! This trip has been covered in confirmation from the start! He's a funny funny man, isn't he? Love you babes

[Nicole Hunsicker]

:)
God is so so good!!!!! Love how he's still putting little signs of encouragement along your path!!!!!! xoxo praying!!!! SO excited!!!!!!!

[Mary Ann]

Praying for your trip
Oh Ashley.. you made me cry! That is such an awesome story! God is with you, and I can't wait to hear the rest of the story!

[Amanda]

Goosebumps
Oh my goodness... I just read that and got goosebumps all over. Love you lady!!

[Leslie]

Coffee and Conversation
How amazing to meet Yeshui!!! I can picture you all running through the streets looking for some place open! hahaha! I walked out of the hotel when I left you and sis and saw all the bags from the young guys walking in so I yelled, "Hey, you headed to Africa?!" They laughed and I said something in the language you had just taught me. I think it was Merry Christmas? They laughed and commented they didn't know anything of the language. I chuckled and said, "Wait till you meet Ashley and her sister in there, you'll learn some!"