Arriving in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia after being away 6 years has been quite a
culture shock.  You wouldn't think that after 46 years ( we first came to
Ethiopia in 1968) being involved in Ethiopian ministry that I would
experience culture shock...but I did.  Culture shock is when you go to a new
culture and have trouble accepting it.

When I arrived Wednesday morning there was so much that was familiar, but
the fumes of the traffic and everything was really dry, since they had not
had rain for a few months.  The streets are all torn up because they are
building train tracks so that they can provide transportation in this city
of at least 5 million.  The places that used to be so familiar are turned
around.  It was also the day that Africa Union was meeting in Addis Ababa,
and many streets were closed.  Frankly, my head was in a twirl by the time
we arrived at Ginnie Switzer's house.

Ginnie's husband, Rex, died from malaria after being in South Sudan.  The
day I arrived was the 22nd month of his death.  She feels that God want her
to continue in the ministry.  She is a very brave woman that is willing to
go to South Sudan if God opens the door.

One of  the important things that I had to do coming to Addis was to get the
title to the truck that the Switzers bought from me 6 years ago transferred
from my name to her name.  As many of you have prayed, God answered your
prayers, we managed to get everything done on Thursday.  You will never
fully understand red tape until you come to a country like this.  You will
go into one office with your documents, then they will send you to another
room, and at some point, you will be asked to go someplace and buy a stamp.
A stamp that has to go to on that particular document.  Finally, you will
have to pay the cashier.  Even though you  have  the cash to  pay, they
will send you to bank to pay them, & they in turn, will send you back with a
note saying that you had paid them.  As my son-in-law, Brian Wilson, says,
the "red-tape dispenser" never gives out!

We are scheduled to leave tomorrow (Saturday) for Fitche & we (me, Frank &
Karon Auterson, Adam Wright and Ginnie Switzer) had enjoyed a nice Ethiopian
dinner.  We had a time of prayer for our upcoming trip to the border.  Then
Frank's son called from the States saying Karon's mom was at the  point of
death.  She is now making arrangement to return to the States for her
funeral.  Frank has decided to go ahead with our plans to go to the South
Sudan border for the conference that we have planned.  We need your prayers
for both Karon & Frank. This puts a lot of pressure on them especially with
all that we had planned.  Pray for Karon that she can get a flight out as
soon as possible.

I didn't expect this letter to end up this way, but life has a strange way
of throwing curves your way & we have to remain confident that God is in
control. Romans 8: 28. Continue to pray for our trip to the border Tuesday
or Wednesday!

Love to all,

Gene