Should We Pack a Cheese Grater?
22 days until we depart from Washington, D.C. to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This has been no less than an awe inspiring journey for my family. However, in the heat of a Lancaster, PA July, I implore you to please help me (Jason). Many of you are familiar with the challenges unique to moving from one’s home. We need to dust-off, box-up, throw-out, and deconstruct the contents of our home of the past 9 years. While doing this we must sift through those contents and decide which items “make the cut” for Ethiopia and which are bound for storage.
Here is my current dilemma: Emily wants to take our entire house to Ethiopia. For the past 3 months, I have heard innumerable versions of this sentence, “Oh Jason, we definitely need to pack __________” (recent phrases have been “garlic press,” “37 Yankee Candles,” and “every children’s book ever written”). The kind folks at Ethiopian Airlines have given us an allowance of 10 suitcases and 5 carry-on bags so we can transport “must have” items such as laptops, hard-to find toiletries, and shoes for three daughters, whose feet explode through anything that covers them.
I am resigned to the fact that the women in my life are slowly nudging all my clothes from the suitcase to the basement floor. I am prepared to wear my entire wardrobe on the plane and make my own underwear out of burlap, but I must take a stand on certain items. Is a cheese grater more important than my socks? We are curious to know your opinion as we attempt to settle this dispute.
Emily’s rebuttal
Regarding the matter of packing for Ethiopia: Friends, my husband is a wonderful weaver of tall tales. I do not own 37 Yankee Candles, nor did I ever say i “neeeeded” a garlic press. He is exaggerating to make the point that it is quite a challenge to pack ahead for two years. Jason should be thrilled I am planning for the welfare of our precious children and should quit messing around on the computer and get back to painting… In addition, I think you will agree that grated cheese tastes much better than cheese slices.
. . .
God is so good. We have found wonderful renters for our home, a location to store our stuff, and even have the grandparents watching our girls for the next few days. Now we work. Emily is boxing up framed pictures and prepping the hallways for paint as I write this update. As you may already know, we have been appointed as missionary staff with the SIM organization, and will be serving as teachers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for 2 years. Emily is already preparing for her role as a reading specialist at Bingham Academy and I am beginning my planning for the Academic English and Youth Ministry courses I will be teaching at Evangelical Theological College. More on our vision and story can be found HERE.
Ethiopian Craig’s Benefit Concert
The concert was a wild success. We want to thank the handful of folks who planned, the dozens who served, and the hundreds who joined us for an an amazing outdoor event. We were able to raise $5000. The music was amazing, the food was perfect, and the shirts sold out in about 45 minutes. The throwing line for the dunk tank, however, was far too close.
Can I Get an Amen?
- 100% of our support, both one-time and monthly has been promised by over 100 partners. (Additional gifts will be used to benefit our students in the classrooms).
- Our house is rented.
- 2 of 3 vehicles have been sold.
- We have finished both of our jobs at Calvary preschool and Community Fellowship Church.
- We have received our housing assignment in Ethiopia. We will be living in a quaint SIM residence compound with several other families in southern Addis.
- We have had wonderful quality time over the past 4 weeks with friends and family.
Updated prayer requests are here
Serving the Next Generation 