Day ONE Addis: The calling to love

I landed in Addis in a daze. My stomach was filled with Ethiopian coffee and mysterious airplane food. No one quite knew the day or the time, however we were all ready to start our journey into the unknown world of Ethiopia. Walking out of the airport my first thought was "Wow these are beautiful people." , everyone seemed to have a story written on their face and in their eyes and it was beautiful, like nothing I had ever seen before. 

Thought we were all beyond exhausted we would not have a chance to rest. The second we unpacked we were off to an orphanage. Driving there was a powerful experience in itself. The buildings where rugged and used. People were building whole communities under bridges out of scraps of garbage such as old cardboard and rock. It was the norm, It was common, for people to see people sleep on the side walk with nothing but a blanket. The smell of smog choked my lungs as we tried to drive through the endless maze of traffic. And though you could immediately see the poverty and need you could see, just as fast, the love and affection of the people of Addis. It was beautiful. Beauty from the dust. 

As we drove up to the orphanage you could see the joy in the kids eyes to see they has someone to play with. Most had torn clothes and were covered in dirt and yet they were so joyous to be with us. As I walked into the three story apartment like home I could smell the woman roasting their own coffee and see the smoke fill the home. Walking up the stars I saw rooms filled with babies. There were about 3 Nancy's for every 15 children. I instantly wanted to hold as many babies as possible. They were such beautiful angels and I couldn't imagine why someone would abandon such a helpless being. 

Every touch, every tickle, every smile was worth more than gold to these children. I had never felt so much love for a child I had never met before. I knew, as I was holding these precious babies that this was in fact my calling. To love and to be love as God loved me. 

God has given me an amazing gift to love others with a pure and true heart. And that day I knew, this is why I was given this gift. His love is more than anyone could ever fathom and I will humbly be a vessel of a minute amount of that love. 

Honestly those children are fact a vessel of love, just the same. I had never felted so loved and wanted than when those children would hold me. I knew this is where I needed to be, this is what I was born to do. To love with the purest love of Christ is to love life to the fullest. This the calling of me and Gods people, to love and love to the fullest. Love God with all your heart and love His people just the same.