THE LEAST OF THESE
“whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:45).
We were all excited! We would take clothes, shoes, bread & water to the Beta Yisrael children, most of them orphans, in EnFranz, Gondar. We woke up early and took the 90-minute drive to some very excited children.
The countryside had not changed:
- rolling hills, sparse greenery, cows, goats, and lambs grazing in the meadows or the hillsides;
- Some animals being led by gabi-clad farmers or young boys to market hours away in Gondar;
- Children walking for several hours to school.
When we stopped by some of the smaller towns, children clambered to the van selling cold drinks, tissues, and sweets. I bought tissues and sweets from this little boy for 10 birr (by the way, 1 American dollar is equal to 17.5 Ethiopian birr) and told him to keep the change; he quickly went to the sidewalk, counted his catch and posed for me as I took a picture of him.
This time, the driver was able to get us a little closer to the village and we saw the children and seemingly the whole community sitting under that huge oak tree.
The guys spread out the mat and dumped the shoes and outfits on the mat. Bailie and I arranged the clothing according to sizes; Sherri and two other male locals arranged the shoes; Aminta handled the bread and water. As we gave them their gifts, we blessed them!
Bailie and I had a difference of opinion on the sizes; he measured length of pants by holding the waist just under the crotch. 🙂 Needless to say that some of the children started exchanging sizes.
When I saw this regal face, again, I had to take another picture of him, this time with his package of clothes. (Remember him from an earlier blog?) Ethiopian princes must have resembled him! Look at how he received his gift — so nonchalantly and unmoved! Same intense look!
I also could not resist taking a picture with him. (Okay, he wasn’t looking at the camera.) Then he was off to receive his bottle of water and bread. I wish I could remember his name.
Here are the children arrayed in their new clothes: pinks, greens, and reds, blues, browns, etc…
Below, Rabbi Gedamu poses with the children.
We wanted them to know that all of these clothes, the food and the water were sent by God who loved them and who had sent us because He loved them!
To those who sowed into my trip to Ethiopia, thank you! You dressed these children, fed them, served them, and showed them the love of God! You did this to the least of these so you did it unto Him!
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