A Woman In Gutu

We got an early start Wednesday morning, Emanuel met us at the gate and we were off to the countryside. Backpacks filled with food, water, gifts, everything we would need for the long hike to the village of Gutu.

Our mission, to find and meet with a  widow from the village of Gutu and to verify the information she had given to Emanuel and I a few days earlier. First things first, we would need transport atleast part of the way there. After a few calls on the Mobile, Emanuel assured us that a ride was on the way.  Soon we were bouncing up the steep and rutted road , Sandy and I in the cab with the driver and Pastor Emauel in the bed of the pickup wearing my sunglasses.

We drove past many donkeys laden with packs and people on foot and horseback heading towards Burayu. As we climbed up higher into the mountains we were able to see a deep gorge to the west and beyond that miles of open land dotted with small farms. After a short , steep and fast descent we crossed a small stream and  pulled off the road into a field and parked. We had arrived at a construction site for a new road that would connect the remote villages in the mountains with the town of Burayu.

It would be all on foot the rest of the way to Gutu. Up the trail we go, its almost a road, wide in most places but suitable only for foot, donkey, or horseback due to many deep ruts gouged out by torrential rains.We hiked for about an hour and met some young men chopping trees down that were in the way of the road under construction further down the mountain.  Pastor Emanuel took up the axe and began to chop away at the tree trunk, all the while sharing about Jesus Christ with these young men. I was amazed at the easy way he just became one of them and spoke to them as though they were treasured friends. Then as just easily as he began the conversation he handed back the axe ,we said our goodbyes and once again we were climbing the steep terrain.

Another hour of climbing and the land began to level off, we had reached a high plain. Time to take a short break and visit a chapel in the area. Basically it was a mud and stick house in a large compound set aside for use as a church. Only a young girl was at home so it was back to the trail. Now we  were hiking along a smooth path stretching out to the west with vast rolling hills and small clusters of trees and huts scattered here and there. We continued hiking til noon and that’s when we saw a small hut along the trail and a huge fenced compound just beyond. We were at a school and a pleasant young man came up to greet us. Emanuel told us the man was an evangelist serving this area. We were graciously invited to tour the school which caused all sorts of excitement. It’s not very often that ferengi come up to this remote area. With a promise to return with books for the library we were back on the trail again.

The evangelist would be accompanying us for this leg of the trek. In the distance we could see some large stands of trees and Abate told us that one of those was the home of an influential witch doctor. It is very common for them to hold a powerful position in these areas. This man had gained his influence through his wifes ability to foretell the future so we were told.  He was one of the reasons the widow had come to Burayu, he had persuaded her oldest son to leave home and Jesus and to serve him instead.

Further on we could see more clusters of trees and farms and we were told that we would stop there for lunch, it was One  o’ clock now and we were about 40 minutes away from those trees. Lunch was sounding really good by now. After a nice break in Gutu ,sharing our lunch and believe it or not a pepsi bought in the village we were on the trail again . It was only a short way to her home, passing by small compounds with curious children and sheep, cows, donkeys and dogs.

The widows home was in a very sad state of disrepair, rotting  timber poles supporting  even more rotten thatch roofing. Inside it was spacious but the air had the acrid smell of sheep urine. She sheltered sheep in her house at night to earn a small wage from the owner of the animals. Inspite of the air and the animals and the dirt floor this woman was clean and bright looking. Emanuel and Abate discussed with her the materials needed to build her a new house and she told them she had enough timber poles and thatching but she would need nails and also she had no money or food to pay the laborers  with. Soon we had a plan in place to return with the necessary tools, materials, laborers and food to raise a proper home for her and the 3 children still at home. We prayed for the safe return of her oldest son and gave her an Afaan Oromo bible and some money to help her  gather the supplies needed for the house. Now it was just a matter of hiking another 2 hours out to the main road  and hopefully catching a bajaj to take us the last few kilometers to Burayu.

We had started our trek heading north then turned west towards Gutu and now we would be heading south eastward down hill to the main road. We hadn’t gotten very far when we came across some men taking a break from threshing grain. They were drinking a yellow colored beverage which they offered to share with us. Emauel took a sip and asked Sandy to try it, Oh my that’s very fermented she told him. Once again we watched Emanuel gracefully lead these men to a discussion about Jesus. They were Orthodox and believed they must follow the priests  instructions to fast from meat  but that it was alright to drink alcohol. He encouraged one of them to ask the priest about Grace and Law and to meet with him.I would love to hear that conversation. I am always amazed at Pastor Emanuels way with people , he challenges them with the Gospel and the truth and yet they always have a smile and kind word for us when we move on. Well down the road we traveled finally reaching the paved road just a half hour before dark. Sisay arrived with a bajaj and we were soon back to Burayu.

I think we must have covered about 12 miles on foot above 8000 ft elevation, not bad for a couple of  ferengi. I look forward to returning with a crew of cooks and carpenters to build her home and mostly to build a witness for our Saviour in a community under the shadow of  sorcery and witchcraft.      your sisters in Christ, Carole and Sandy

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