Letter from Janelle and Mike McCarty in Ethiopia
September 1, 2007
Dear Friends,
Greetings and happy New Year! In just a few days we will be celebrating the millennium here in Ethiopia. Since Ethiopia is on the Julian calendar, the year 2000 arrives on September 12, 2007. We are greatly looking forward to Mike’s parents, Debbie and Jim McCarty, coming to visit us for the New Year and for the start of the school year. Carolee can’t stop talking about “when Gramma and Grampa come.…”
The summer tutoring program
We have had an eventful and exciting summer. We were blessed by a great team of volunteers who came to conduct the summer English and computer tutoring program at Beth-el Evangelical Secondary School (BESS). It was a fun bunch. Mike was especially happy to have adventurous folk to go with on a successful (yet scary) hyena watching hunt at night, a mini jungle-safari around Lake Borta, and a day hike to the Menagasha National Forest. We were proud of our whole group for graciously tromping through the infamous Dembi Dollo mud to the Synod and to the Market.
Summer tutoring team preparing crafts for our classes: Thomas, Mike, Carol, Matt, Rose, Anne, Malcolm, and Neil.
We had about 13 students per group, 115 altogether, allowing for many opportunities for conversational practice. We had an excellent group of 7 BESS graduates who worked as teacher’s assistants and translators. One student wrote to the group:
I would like to say this program is very good. This is the good dream or vision. I get many understanding from this program. Because of your volunteerism, God bless you. At the future if it is possible for you come and perform such like activity for the common good. This is how to interpret your love toward us. You have fulfilled the will/wish of God. And also may God be with you all your life. Keep up on it!
Participant Rose Ratteray wrote:
I’ve seen the work of governments worldwide and they do not take care of people, particularly those outside major cities. NGOs help, but I’ve seen that Christian organizations are at the forefront of helping people help themselves. Being on this trip reinforced the idea that individuals can make a difference by working with other committed individuals, and groups such as the Bethel Synod to effect change.
If this program has put a bug in your ear or a small spark of interest to be involved, please let us know. The Synod would like to make this summer tutoring program an annual event.
Our big news
We would like to announce that we’re expecting our second child! We praise God for this gift and ask for your prayers for health.
PC(USA)’s Mission Challenge ’07
We hope that in this next month you may consider becoming involved in the PC(USA)’s big event called Mission Challenge ’07. During October, 47 PC(USA) missionaries will spend a week sharing the stories of their ministry in 143 presbyteries.
PC(USA) hopes to put speakers in 700 churches that month to share the news that every day, in Christ’s name—and thanks to your faithful support—lives are being saved, wells are being dug, and hope is being shared with people in need around the world.
In mid-September a letter will go to the pastors and clerks of session in all 10,884 churches in our denomination. Then during the first week of October, a box will arrive in every church with bulletin inserts equal to the church’s average Sunday attendance. The inserts include a call to action, inviting all to participate in mission by praying faithfully and giving generously. These are accompanied by a DVD, containing two brief videos that bring to life a representative sample of our missionaries.
PC(USA) can’t send a missionary to every church this October, but we’re hoping that all churches will participate in Mission Challenge ’07 by choosing a Sunday to view the DVD and distribute the bulletin inserts. Please support and encourage your church’s participation in Mission Challenge ’07. Thank you once again for your support—emotionally, prayerfully, and financially.
Praise to God for
- Our expected second child on the way, due April 3
- A good summer program
- Safety on the sometimes treacherous roads
Prayer requests
- Smooth start to the school year on September 14th
- All teaching positions to be filled in a timely manner, with a minimum of part-time teachers
- God’s guidance in how to confront the growing problem of cheating
- Team unity amongst the BESS staff
- Healthy pregnancy for Janelle and the baby
- Continued good health and growth for Carolee
- Health, relaxation, and safety during our parents’ visit
- Finding a Meshangir Agriculturalist to help the community within the community
With Love in Christ,
Janelle, Mike and Carolee McCarty
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 329
