Looking Back In Order to Look Forward - Part III

If you have been following along the past few days, you are aware that I am looking back at the posts from the 2010 Ordinary Hero trip to Ethiopia. I will be taking this same trip in 2011 and I just wanted to spend some time looking back as I look forward.

As I looked back on 2010's Day 4, I noticed a few things:

• A ball works wonders when it comes to uniting a bunch of boys, regardless of where they are from or how different their lives are. In this case, it's a soccer ball. As the mom of two boys, I know the importance of the ever-present ball (after all, it was in the top three first words spoken by both my boys). Thank you, God, for soccer balls and boys who love to kick 'em.
• Church is church.....be it in a hut with a tin roof or in the mega-churches of my neighborhood.
• I'm gonna need a backpack.
• ....and maybe I should read up on some sheep stew recipes. ; ) (if you're clueless about this, see yesterday's post)
• I'm glad I'm going to Ethiopia in July when a jacket is needed. Me and the heat don't get along.
• My days on the farm; of getting dirty and not caring in the least is going to come in handy.
• I'm glad being on the OH team doesn't mean I have to play ball. Crafts, I can do; soccer, not-so-much.
• There is some beautiful countryside in Ethiopia; I'm going to need to practice up on my photography skills.

Also, in today's post, Kelly mentions distributing donations to the children here (clothing, shoes, toys, toothbrushes, candy, etc.). I, too, will be collecting donations in the coming months to take over with me to hand out to the children that we meet along the way. I will likely do a separate post about this soon; however, as you begin to think about spring cleaning, there are a few things that I know of at the time that we hope to take over with us. They are as follows (with more to come later): Crocs and Rain Boots, Lightweight Jackets, Sweatshirts, Underwear and Socks, Small Toys (they LOVE Matchbox cars), Toothbrushes & Toothpaste.

Lastly.....don't forget to look at the pictures.