On completion of a 8 week stint in OT consultation in Ethiopia, I once again stand in awe of the grace of God - giving physical strength for very strenuous work, health in a culture not one's own, guidance and wisdom by His wonderful Holy Spirit ... where does one stop? His mercies are truly new every morning.
 
Ethiopia is a fascinating country - Huge, her people hospitable and hard working, a God fearing people whose influence on society is felt in the low crime rate. I find working with the teams absolutely invigorating. They have a commitment and perseverance that astonishes. Chatting to one of the teams about the obstacles they face in certain areas, and sort of wondering aloud how they will be able to do it, the only remark was "We will never give up!" - God bless them.
 
Coming from a culture where we name our children after parents or movie idols, I find their names intriguing:

Adani - Save
Andinet - Unity
Degu - He is cheerful
Gizadchew - Let him rule
Miskana - Praise
Salaam - Peace
Tesfaye - He is my hope
Tessema - He is heard                                        
 
In working on Proverbs the Aari team came up with the following dynamic equivalent for Prov 5.15 - 18. The Aari's do not have individual cisterns. These verses mean nothing to them, as everyone drinks from communal springs. In Aariland however, each man has a specific tree where he is the only one allowed to put his beehives, it is a criminal offense to take honey from another man's tree or to put his beehive in that tree.

15. As you put the beehive on your own tree, and as you eat and enjoy the honey, let it be your own tree.
16. Can it be that you can put your beehive on another person's tree?
17. No one should put his beehive on your tree, it should be yours alone.
 
Nel Claassen

The concept of redemptive analogies is credited to Don Richardson. In two books, Eternity in their hearts (1981, 1984, 2006) and Peace Child  (1975), he describes how stories and practices in pagan cultures often illustrate aspects that are essential to the Gospel. These stories and practices can then be utilized for the presentation of the Gospel. God has embedded the truth in strange places!

“The key God gave us to the heart of the Sawi people was the principle of redemptive analogy – the application to local custom of spiritual truth. The principle we discerned was that God had already provided for the evangelization of these people by means of redemptive analogies in their own culture. These analogies were our stepping-stones, the secret entryway by which the gospel came into the Sawi culture and started both a Spiritual and a social revolution from within.” (Peace Child [Regal, 1974], p. 10)

Here is a redemptive analogy from Ethiopia.

Among the Maale there is a man called a “Maale Master”, who acts as “asylum-person”. Belonging to a tribe of priests, he helps to appoint the king and is like a high priest.

When a murder has been committed, by accident or pre-planned, he hastens to the accused, in order to prevent war between the clan of the murderer and the murdered. He sends messages to the two clans promising that he will organize reconciliation, and that therefore no revenge should be taken. He warns them that, if they disobey, people of both clans will die. 

He summons the two clans to a meeting, where he separates them into two groups. A lamb is cut in half, and strung up in a structure specially built for the occasion. The two groups pass through the dripping blood, walking from one side to the other. By this act, they are reconciled. There is no more talk of revenge and no fighting. They are totally reconciled. The message is that ‘killing each other for whatever reason is wrong.’ By this ceremony, even the murderer is completely absolved.

The analogy is obvious: 

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed, … but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Pet 1.18, 19)

Paul points out that God reconciled us to each other and to Him through the cross (Eph 2.14-16).

Veroni Kruger