Letter from Nathaniel Veltman in Ethiopia
September 30, 2009
Friends,
My friend Samson once said, “Life is a school.” Over the past few months, this became real for me in various ways.
Celebrating Meskel with over a million Ethiopians.
I spent part of last weekend celebrating Meskel with Ethiopian friends. Immersed in a new experience in the midst of over a million people and observing many new things, my mind flooded with numerous questions. “What is that? What does that mean? Does that symbolize anything? Who or what does that represent?” And on the questions went.
The last two weeks of August served as another time of learning. I spent those two weeks visiting the five Bethel synods I work with, talking with the synod offices and visiting project sites, particularly church-building projects. After each church visit, I was greatly encouraged by what I saw: churches growing rapidly, communities coming together to support the church, and the love and grace of God on display for all to see. These churches gave me a deep hope for the future of Kingdom-building here in Ethiopia.
The learning “theme” of the past few weeks has been about deepening my trust in God. A few weeks ago, I received an email from my audiologist in the United States. She had just received a report from my cochlear implant company stating there may be a problem with one of my cochlear implants. After some discussion about the issues I have been having, we decided that I should return to the United States to visit my surgeon to determine whether surgery is required. This has introduced a few disruptions to my life. Instead of moving to Metu, I am now staying in Addis Ababa until I leave for the United States in early November. Instead of what I envisioned happening in Metu, everything has changed, and I have had to switch gears and focus on something entirely different than expected.
Since receiving that email, I have been constantly reminded of Isaiah 55:8, where the Lord says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (NIV).
This passage came to me often while I was reading William P. Young’s The Shack. At one point, the Holy Spirit says to the main character, Mackenzie, “Where humans see chaos, God sees a fractal.” Being unfamiliar with the term fractal, I researched its meaning and this phrase has since become a favorite of mine. A fractal is defined as “a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is (at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole.” This reminded me that I am a participant in something greater, something that I cannot fully understand or envision. The redemption that is happening in my life is just a smaller version of the greater redemption God is completing of world as a whole. And when things do not go the way I expect, and when I may be confused about the reason why, God sees the potential opportunities that can emerge from such changes. Thankfully, in His immense grace, God has given me the Holy Spirit to help me see these opportunities and even participate in them.
Life is a school that equips and tests us. And there is a purpose for those tests. As Paul writes in Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). The many challenges that come our way can serve as opportunities for us to hone our skills in discernment. As we take advantage of such opportunities, we are equipped to see more clearly what God sees. It is then that part of God’s vision becomes our vision. While we cannot see the entire fractal, we can glimpse parts of it in our own lives.
Receiving a certificate for the completion of the first two phases of Amharic language study from my teacher, Yissema.
I believe that an important part of learning is celebration. Last week I had such an opportunity, in regard to learning Amharic. After joining some young men who had appeared on my compound to play basketball, and after taking my implants off, one of the young men, whom I had not been introduced to, asked me in Amharic my name and where I was from. I answered in Amharic without hesitation. And then it hit me: I had not heard anything he said yet I understood him; I had just read his lips in Amharic! It was an awesome experience for me, affirming the benefits of my efforts to learn Amharic and the amazing gift I have been given of lip-reading.
Learning takes time and patience. It also takes courage. I pray that you are encouraged in seeking God’s vision in your part of the world, just as I am encouraged through learning about God’s redemptive work in Ethiopia and through celebrating what I am learning.
