It’s been almost 7 months since I arrived here in Ethiopia, flying in on a one-way flight from Portland, Oregon to Addis Ababa last February. I had no idea what life was going to look like as I prepared myself for the simplest hardest way of life I would ever know. In my desire to trust God completely, I was met here by richness and splendor. Although my housing situation and daily routine tasks vary from the standard of our American homes, it’s been such a reward and pleasure to follow God into the complete unknown, only to be met with such dashed expectations. They were beyond anything I could have asked, thought, or imagined. I praise our mighty God that He knows us that well. I’m sure it was His divine pleasure to orchestrate such thing for me, such a sweet surprise.
I prayed for the next chapter over the next couple months, pursuing different routes here and there. Walking into and through doors until God himself would finally close them. It’s the way He and I often operate, as my and my forthright self get propelled into everythingbefore me, hoping God would step in and redirect if necessary. He did so, here in Ethiopia. As i made tentative plans to stay, looked up all my requirements for reentry to the country on a business visa, interviewed for a high school English teaching job- He stepped in that very same day to reroute.
Coming to Ethiopia, i said something very odd to my outreach staff and coordinators across the country at my home church. I had already explained that my heart was to eventually move to Europe- specifically the edge of central Europe and Eastern Europe. When my options for serving came back, I had the option to prayerfully consider 2 churches in Hungary, and Ebenezer Grace Children’s Home in Hawassa, Ethiopia. Although my heart was indeed to return to Europe, I felt in my spirit God was going to do something very unexpected. I immediately knew I was to rejoin some good friends, and serve alongside two wonderful families in Africa. My people back at church asked, “So Katie, I thought you said you wanted to go to Europe, why are you heading to Ethiopia for 6 months then?” I didn’t know, it just seemed like what i was supposed to do. He responded, “So Ethiopia is just a stop along the way?”
Yes and No. Ethiopia would be a major stop in my journey of missions work and discipleship, and working hard and growing in ways it would take a place like this to teach me. It’s a major signpost along my highway, a significant time in my personal transformation. But yes, in that I did believe then, and I do believe now that God still had a mind to keep me a sojourner and pilgrim. I will walk solo with Jesus through this next door into the new promise of another unknown.
In 16 days, I will be on yet another one-way ticket flight, to Vienna, Austria. I’ll make my way toward the border of southern Germany into the beautiful town of Salzburg. There, along with some of my favorite fellow soldiers in the entire world, I will serve the Lord in Europe to start up a discipleship program called Patmos, and hope to reach a wandering generation for Christ in one of the coldest places on Earth towards the gospel. I can think of nothing better than to go into a place that doesn’t want or “need” the message of the gospel… or the messengers that carry it.
Through Christ, all things are possible. My prayer is that He would lead, guide and direct this ministry, our efforts to reach young people, and disciple them in Christ Jesus. I pray that He would financially provide in miraculous ways, and that He would show himself mighty to myself, and the program as a whole. I need to raise $700 a month. I need God to help build up monthly supporters. I need Him to bring students, and provide for the program. I need him to provide for the others who want to come as well. I need him now more than ever, and need the courage to jump off cliffs of faith, with the confident expectation that He will always catch me.
But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!
Mathew 14:27
Normal Radical 
