Neal’s Visit to Ethiopia Journal

March 20, 2009, through April 4, 2009,

My name is Neal Payne. I drive for Covenant Transport. My wife and I started driving as a team for Covenant Transport in 2003. Since 2003 the Not-for-Profit organization, LeaMcD, has grown and flourished in that it is so large that I, as one driver cannot possibly give enough to keep up with the finances. In 2005, we acquired an official Not-for-Profit, 5013c authority in the United States and Ethiopia.  ID#27-105006 DLN 17053179105026 and Ethiopia #2221, accreditation to begin a School for the Deaf in Addis Ababa which includes grade school, High School, and college. Over 90% of our students who are attending our tutoring classes for Deaf have passed the National Exams.

The average passing that had not been tutored by LeaMcD is less than 5%. We also have rehabilitation programs for adult Deaf. We have 14-15 full time staff members. We provide transportation money, bread, and tea.  Rebekah has been in Ethiopia since June 2007 without a trip back to the States. My visit to Ethiopia has not been a simple walk in the sun vacation. The finances that Rebekah thought I had was not, so I am coming back to America, empty handed. The showers I had were mostly cold. Only three times during my 3 weeks visit the water and electricity were on at the same time in the morning so I was able to get a warm shower። I wash my hands many times and never lick my fingers, but despite the preventative measures I have been sick twice.

Since arriving I had spent 2 to 3 days a week in court because Rebekah was fighting with two different cases that were accusing her and LeaMcD. We spent one night in a hotel to escape the police who would have put Rebekah in prison for 3 days until the next hearing. Earlier, she had already spent 1 night and 2 days in jail. But don’t worry about Rebekah. We are still in the middle of the fight, but Rebekah is not going to jail.  She has done nothing wrong. We are expected to win on every court case and for this we thank God.

Each Time we walk to town, usually Deaf stop us and greet Rebekah with great love and respect.  I am convinced that Rebekah is doing a great and noble work here in Ethiopia. She has helped to get jobs for the Deaf.  She has a person that goes out several times a week seeking jobs at factories, etc. 3 or 4 days ago she made arrangements for up to 50 Deaf to work at a furniture factory. We have a guard, a dog, and a cat.  We have church at our compound every Sunday.  Rebekah and I try to go to a hearing church but the Deaf miss us too much, so Rebekah has decided to stay at our compound for church with the Deaf. Old and young Deaf are being empowered with education and work and spiritual understanding. We have worship with the staff every morning.

We have enemies which are at war with us every day.  It is Satan and his host, and he uses ordinary people to do his dirty work.  It is here and we are in the middle of it.  The reason I know we will be successful with the Deaf because our hearts are right with God.  We have identified Satan’s work in several places but one of the places that is most unbelievable is a place that I dare not mention.  Just believe me for now it is unthinkable, and if I dare to tell you (which I won’t you would not believe me).  Let it be unspoken at this time.  We fight not against flesh and blood but against principalities, rulers and things and powers in high places. Just remember this: If God be for us who can be against us? Rebekah and I have been up many nights for hours praying and talking and asking God: Why does there need to be so many fights between good and evil?  Now Rebekah and I know more about how evil men can be.  The devil wants the Deaf to be ignorant and unlearned.  He wants this to be the same for all God’s creation.

 

Statistics:

• 170 seasonal and fully employed Deaf at present, mostly in Flower industries
• 50 Deaf started working today at a Chinese furniture factory
• 20 working with rugs and mats.
• 120 Deaf looking and waiting for a job at 9 different places. Some may ask, why do you do this? It is not right that you and Rebekah be separated like this. Under what authority has your wife operated without your presence?  Then I ask the same question to all.  By what authority do you operate with the decision to do NOTHING?  Some are against us, but do nothing when they have the education, ability and are at the right place to make change to better the lives of so many.

Rebekah and I are not the best for the job we are doing.  We both know that.  Others are far more qualified than us but have long ago turned down that call.  We long for qualified honest people to fill in and take over what we are doing. My wife and I would gladly step aside for anyone who would step in where we are deficient.  We look for and pray for someone to help. Until the time a qualified unselfish person or persons step in, we must continue lest God judge us for not doing what we can. We know that when all is finished, we will be judged just as much for what we did not do as for what we did do.

I think of the passage in the Holy book of God that says:  “Thy alms and thy prayers have come up as a memorial before me.”  My prayer is this: that in the case of Rebekah and I in Ethiopia, we will be judged by what we did do and not by what we did not do. Two Deaf teachers, Wondossen and Demeke asked me a question: “When are you coming back?”  Will you and Rebekah be with us forever? The question should be like this…. Does God want me to do this forever? My answer is this:  I am bought with a price. I will do whatever God wants me to do.  The price, the time and the way are up to God.