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Ethiopia Trip - Spring 2009
 Thank you for praying for our journey to Ethiopia.
Never did we think that we would experience such great joy
this side of heaven. First: It was amazing to see the leadership
of
the SIM related church known as KHC or Word of Life Churches
(now over 7000 with over 7 million members) at the national
level and regional level honor my Dad for his years of service
and three generations of Hardings serving with SIM in Ethiopia.
Kara, our daughter teaching at the school
she went to as a child,
my twin brother, Joe and his wife Kay and their daughter, Kelly
and son-in-law, Ben, my youngest brother, David and his wife
Merrie, Dad and Betty and Grace and I had a memorable reunion
at Lake Langano. We had had wonderful times of ministry as
we
spoke to hundreds and recounted all that God has done through
our years of service in that land. We were humbled and blessed.
Secondly: We were able to visit Kara. She
was able to travel with us to Yirga Chaffe where she grew up
as a child. It was an amazing gathering with friends and colleagues
from the
past. It thrilled us as parents to see Kara adapting so well
to life in
Ethiopia with all of its challenges. She is teaching 2nd grade
and the kids
just love her as do the parents. What a beautiful witness she
is of
Christ’s love to these children. She is doing great!
 Thirdly: Thriteen years ago I was able to visit the Tarra
people of SW
Ethiopia using the helicopter provided by Helimission. These
people
were totally cut of from the rest of civilization. They had
never paid
taxes. The government didn’t know about them. A KHC evangelist,
Bekele Minota, had a vision from the Lord to walk as far as
he could go
and that was to be the people group that he was to bring the
gospel.
He
walked for ten days and was caught between two rivers. It was
here that
he ministered to those who tried to kill him. I found him with
the
helicopter and he showed me the first believers. I was the
first white guy
they had ever seen. The gospel took root. Now thirteen years
later,
Helimission had finally received permission after years of
trying for
years. The pilot asked if I would like to go into Tarra on
the maiden
voyage of the helicopter after 13 years. I was ecstatic. We
flew in totally
unannounced.
 The Tarra peeked into the bubble of the aircraft
and
identified me. They began to chant “Mr. Bill, Mr. Bill,
Mr., Bill”!!! Oh,
what a reunion! Now to see six churches and hundreds of believers
was
joy unspeakable! All gathered to hear as my former students
and I shared
the Word and our hearts. We found out there are six thousand
more Tarra
on another ridge that have never heard the name of Christ.
We sat with the
elders and began to discuss how the gospel could penetrate
those people.
Pray for the Tarra people. Pray that Helimission
and KHC leadership will
be able to implement a strategy to reach the remaining unreached
Tarra.
Thanks for praying for us and standing with us.
Bill and Grace
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