Children in Jimma

Flag Pole at Jimma School

The Third Grade Class
Helping write letters


The Three Amigas

So stinkin' cute

The sound of children’s voices singing the Ethiopian National Anthem with gusto as the flags of Ethiopia and Oromiya are raised. I wonder how the student is chosen who gets to raise the flag. I will have to ask next time.

Watching sixth and seventh graders, who felt honored by the way, come in and help the younger kids write letters to their sponsors (the kindergarteners and first graders especially needed assistance), really opened up the personalities of the older kids to me. One young boy, Abel, was so incredibly studious, polite, helpful, smart…you know, that stand-out kid. There were a couple of little faces that grabbed my heart too. You know, I am really smitten with all of these school kids. Shooing them away just isn’t my style. I would be prone to hang out with them for hours, maybe I would be breaking some rule or something…but you know what? It so wouldn’t be Jesus’ rule now would it? I kept telling myself over and over again “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

My trip to Jimma was great, although it was hard to be away from Tim and the kids. I had a great time learning the responsibilities of ICCM and like I said, hanging with the kids. My souvenir? A nasty cold.