The Cracked Acorn: Recall

A newspaper article stirred some of my past memories. It caused me to ponder over the wonderful gift that God gives us all; the ability to keep and recall our memories, good and bad. Some of us can recall quickly names and associated information. A fellow worker once brought his retired father through the USGS survey computations section. I told his father my name and the son later mentioned that a month or year from then his father would still recall my name.

It was 1965 in Ethiopia, We were on a project for precise earth shape studies. This required us to be on certain ground points for several days; our work was at night. We had started northeast of the capital and was to end at the port city of Assab on the Red Sea. The people everywhere seemed to be content with the worst conditions of disease I had ever seen. I have often wondered about the small boys with their slingshots tending the family flocks. Had they risen from their lot to positions of power in their government. These youths could have turned the world upside down in these past years. (I Samuel 16:11-13)

There was a pair of young girls with their goats; they had discovered us on our hilly desert survey point. I think they were not only curious but had a need for the large ration metal cans. We could not converse in the Tigrigna language but knew that they did not like, peanut butter and left those cans. Maybe one of them used the metal containers cans to water the goats of a fellow tribe member and as a result, was married into wealth, also, it could be that they are both advocates of women’s rights. The ladies of this country could have used more freedom. (Genesis 24:19-22)

Ethiopia is a beautiful country with its jungles, mountains, and desert scenes. The tourist trade is a big part of their economy. Ethiopians are mentioned 40 times in the Bible. “Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23) is one mention. In Acts 8:27, Philip baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch, of the court of Candace the queen, scriptures indicate he was her treasurer. Some think that the eunuch went home and later converted the queen to Christianity.

In the years following, sources indicate that not too much has changed in this country. Life expectancy is about 41 years. Disease is still on the rise, especially with Aids. The government has changed. I don’t know if the Church of Christ umbrella factory is still in Addis Ababa. At the time of my visit, they had a small church and were growing. Unfortunately, Ethiopians trained in the USA usually find a way to remain here. Those educated and trained in medicine found it too much a “culture shock” and tried to leave the country for greener pastures. It is a country that needs lots of help to become a major player in today’s market. Our workers and brethren in Ethiopia definitely need our continuing prayers “Of one the Lord has made the race, Thro’ one has come the fall; where sin has gone must go His grace: The Gospel is for all. eely, freely give, From every land they call, Unless they hear they cannot live? The Gospel is for all.” ( Sacred Selections)