Acts 8:26-27 (NKJ): Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship.
Friday Jan 18th: Since Dr. Quill was detained an additional day at Ft. Wayne because of meetings between the Bishop of the Siberian Lutheran Church and the president of the LCMS, I departed from Chicago by myself on my 61st “birthday” at 6:30 PM. I arrived at London Heathrow Saturday around 11AM, and was able to shower and clean up while awaiting the flight to Addis Ababa via Amman Jordan.
Sunday morning Jan 20th: My flight arrived on schedule at 3:30 AM and I was able to go through customs and obtain a visa quickly. I was delighted to see a man with a sign with my name on it when I left customs. This was my first meeting of Abdi. Abdi would be our translator, driver, and collogue for the next two weeks and who also serves as professor on the Faculty of the Seminary in Addis. After arriving at the hotel Abdi invited me to get some rest saying that He would later return at 8:30 to pick me up for church which I was willing to do. We attended The Divine Service that morning at the “Mother Church” of Lutheranism in Ethiopia and I was introduced as a special guest at the beginning of the Service. The Divine Service is not as formal as we might be used to in the U.S.
After the Service I treated my host and His family to Lunch and enjoyed my first national food. At about 3PM returned to my hotel and jotted down some of the days activities.
Monday morning, got up at 4 AM, expecting to be picked up at 5 by Abdi (Ob-De) who was supposed to have picked up Dr. Quill at the airport at 3:30 AM so that we could take the 4 hour journey to Awasa for the 5 day seminar. The operative term is supposed to have arrived. Abdi came to the ‘hotel where I was staying at 6:30 and we went to the seminary where Abdi picked up his e-mail to find that the plane was delayed. So we journeyed back to the airport to await his plane. Dr Quills’ plane finally arrived at 8:30 without his luggage. With the promise that the luggage was to arrive at noon we made arrangements to reschedule the seminar in Awasa for the late afternoon.
The short answer is that the luggage did not arrive. Since Dr. Quill had to stay and await his luggage Abdi and I finally started for Awasa at 3 PM. Because of traffic we did not arrive in time for any sessions on Monday. So our 5 day seminar has become a 4 day seminar, and for Dr. Quill a 3 day seminar. It appears that Satan is already scattering difficulties in our path.
With joy filled thankfulness, I remain,
Pastor Froh
