LOVE FROM AN ETHIOPIAN FAMILY
I was eager to get to Teddy’s house; especially on this day. You see, we were invited over his house for traditional Ethiopian coffee. While driving there, I wondered what awaited us. As we drove through the city of Addis as a ball in a labyrinth, I contemplated the thousands of people moving perpetually in the streets. It seemed as if every person had an agenda or somewhere to go; there were many who just glided to the vibe of the city.
Our driver/concierge/guide/ friend took us to his home. Amid the traffic and multitudes of people with busy lives, Teddy took us to meet his family. What an honor! When we arrived at his home, his wife and two daughters along with several friends were there to greet us. There were at least three dwellings within this beautiful compound nestled in the hills of Addis.
His wife graciously served us food, and then the ultimate treasure came. Freshly made traditional Ethiopian coffee; she made it by baking the beans crushing and grounding the beans and brewing the broth fresh-Teddy had some incense blowing as a family tradition for coffee. This was true love from a family that wanted to share their lives with us. There was no talk of religion, church, bible, or politics; just a family expressing kindness.
The interesting thing about this is that this Family was not on our itinerary; He wanted us to come and experience his family. May God cultivate the seed planted and watered with this family. I’m grateful, for God arranging this relationship.
Lawrence Murray Ph.D.
