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Solana Beach, a community of wide streets, beautiful homes and ocean breezes, is about as far away from the Ethiopian desert as one can get. How, then, could we communicate our vision for the Afar to our congregation? It would take more than inserts in the church bulletin.Two members of the church went to Ethiopia last year to establish relationships with the Mekane Yesu Church and World Vision. Then the Rev. Iteffa Gobena of the Mekane Yesu Church came to Solana Beach, where he preached and shared his church's vision for the people of Ethiopia.Pastor Therault and I then started putting together a trip to Ethiopia. We prayed over hundreds of names in our congregation and developed a list of about 40 people whom we sensed God might be calling to Ethiopia. A general congregational announcement was made, but the team that finally emerged consisted mostly of people invited from the list. They were selected more for their willingness to commit than for any vocation or gift. It soon became evident, however, that God had placed these particular members on this team. Each one made a contribution. One woman was a nurse. Another member, who had considerable experience with Muslims through business dealings, offered deep insights, such as how to treat the Afar with respect as one "people of the book" to another.The team was in place—and each member had made a $3,000 financial commitment—by March 1. For the next two months, team members spent most of their discretionary time preparing for the trip: researching on the Internet, watching videos, meeting together, and recruiting 200 prayer supporters. One member read the Qur'an to better understand the Afar. World Vision brought in experts to help team members understand the context in which they would work. And we tried to mix in some fun: the team took a field trip to an Ethiopian restaurant.

By the time we left California on May 4, we felt we were as prepared as we could be. But as is often the case with such things, we discovered that God's preparation for our trip was even better.After two days of travel (from Los Angeles to Frankfurt to Cairo to Addis Ababa) and meetings in the Ethiopian capital, we set off in four crowded and stuffy vans down winding roads, and a drop in elevation of 9,000 feet, toward the small desert town of Asaita, the capital of the Afar district. Our convoy of four split in half as the two lead drivers left the other two vehicles behind.More than three hours into our grueling and monotonous trip, a large bus bore down on the third vehicle, whose driver swerved to avoid a collision. His van flipped over twice, landing upside down, collapsing the roof. When we in the fourth van came upon the wreckage, we were horrified: it looked as if no one could have survived. But then a window was kicked out, and the four occupants slowly emerged.The driver was uninjured, but Aklilu Dogisso of World Vision Ethiopia complained of chest pains; Peggy Ngubo of Solana Beach had a broken collarbone; and Mike Lynch, a World Vision representative from southern California, had lacerations, a concussion, and possibly cracked ribs.We were hours from the nearest town. We had no cell phone or radio to reach our colleagues in the first two cars. A couple of buses stopped, but instead of offering assistance, passengers only helped themselves to bottles of water from the wrecked vehicle.As we waited without shade in the desert heat for what seemed an eternity (but was probably less than an hour), a small van marked medical drove up. An energetic young man emerged, dispersed the growing crowd, and examined the injured. He then arranged transport to a small clinic where the injured could be treated and the rest of us could regroup. At the clinic, as arrangements were made to evacuate the injured to Addis Ababa, we called for another vehicle. We eventually were reunited with the rest of our team and arrived in Asaita, albeit exhausted, concerned, and still shaken. After figuring out sleeping arrangements, we slept as best we could under mosquito nets and on beds shared with tiny bugs.We had assumed that the next morning a few of us would meet with top government officials to exchange polite greetings; instead, the entire team was invited. When we walked into the meeting room, we were astonished to find a large group of government officials, as well as many people from the town, 40 to 50 people in all. Gracious speeches were made and translated. A long report prepared especially for us was read, telling us of the needs of the Afar (and their animals): concerns about health, child mortality, clean water, agriculture, and others.The top official told us how grateful the Afar were that such a large group had come at such sacrifice to meet and serve them. He said that no one ever came to the Afar region. It was too far. Too hot. Too poor. Their needs were great but few people cared. Government, aid organizations, the United Nations—no one ever came."But you came," he said. "And we know you really care about us and our needs because you came, even though it was hard, and even though your colleagues were hurt in the accident."

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August 7 2000, Vol. 44, No. 9