Random thoughts from the trip to Ethiopia

Some random thoughts from the trip to Ethiopia:

*Most Americans have NO idea what poverty really is.
*Brushing your teeth with bottled water is tough to remember.
*Faith can move mountains.
*A society can be rich with culture when it seemingly has nothing else.
*The plight of many children in this world is beyond heartbreaking.
*You can have your heart broken and warmed all at the same time.
*God's grace is felt worldwide, even in the most desperate times and places.
*Witnessing a mother's ultimate sacrifice for her children will change you forever in ways you never dreamed possible.
*Mary and Doug are amazing people!
*Zoey is mommy's girl!
*17 hours in a plane with Ben is about 15 hours too long!
*Rome looks like any other city from the runway in the middle of the night.
*Seeing a child beg for food stops your heart.
*Sometimes a good hamburger is a delicacy!
*You haven't lived until you've been to Covenant Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and had the congregation pray for a blessing on your (their) children.
*Injera is weird. . .spongy, sour, cold. . .just weird.
*Kids are resilient.
*Jet-lag is a killer!
*Being without electricity the majority of the time is a bit of a pain. . .but generators ROCK!
*The world is filled with amazing people!
*Living for a week as a minority is eye-opening.
*Drinking a 7-up out of a glass bottle is still pretty cool.
*Rules of the road don't exist everywhere, and donkeys, goats, pedestrians, cars, bicycles, motorcycles, trucks, vans, horses pulling carts, etc., can, indeed, manage not to kill each other on the roads.
*Pulling over and having an armed guard inspect your vehicle's windshield wipers, lights and turn signals will get your attention.
*A two-year-old can steal a toy from the US Embassy without getting caught. . .don't ask.
*It hails in Ethiopia, but they don't have tornadoes.
*Wealth is subjective.
*Living in a place where you don't have to put razor wire around your fence is comforting.
*A society that cherishes its children still exists on this earth.
*Dogs barking at night is annoying no matter where you are.
*Pollution is awful!
*It is possible to be happy to be in Indiana!
*When a 10 year old says he's car-sick, he's car-sick!!
*A two-year old can ca ca A LOT!!
*The world's orphans deserve our attention.