Greetings from the Polk family. We hope this Advent season has been one of joy and peace for you as we prepare for Christmas. We have been in the U.S for Home Assignment these past six months and are looking forward to a Christmas with extended family for the first time in many years. This update has been a long time coming in part because of ongoing uncertainty in Ethiopia and around our return plans. Below you will find some thoughts about events unfolding in Ethiopia, a sweet addition to our family, ongoing church planting ministry in Addis Ababa, and our family's planned return date. There is also an opportunity for year-end giving to help continue the ministry of church planting in Addis and to help our family return to Ethiopia. As we take time this Advent to reflect on God's goodness to us and His presence in our lives, we are especially thankful for each of you.
With love,
Jason and Liz
CIVIL WAR
As many of you might already be aware, Ethiopia has been in the midst of an intensifying year-long civil war between the federal government of Prime Minister Abiy and the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). We have been following developments in the conflict over the past few months and have grieved over the cumulative cost to a country and people we love. Western reporting on the conflict has often failed to capture the complexity of the situation and has contributed to growing anti-Western sentiment in the country. The combination of political uncertainty and Embassy warnings have led many international workers to stay out of country until the situation on the ground stabilizes. Recent reports confirm that the rebel TPLF forces have been pushed further north away from the capital city, and some international expats are returning as the general mood in the country has improved -- but intense fighting with heavy, widespread casualties and humanitarian suffering continues. Please pray with us for stability, justice, and peace in Ethiopia, Pray for lives to be spared and for the continued healing of our adoptive home.
How does this affect our family?
The American Embassy evacuated all non-essential staff and dependents from Ethiopia in early November as rebel forces moved closer to the capital city and threatened the major trade route into Addis Ababa. Many other embassies followed suit, evacuating their staff in the following weeks. The partner mission agency with which we work in Ethiopia (SIM) evacuated its staff to Kenya around November 14 which forced us to reconsider our return plans as well. We needed to make a choice at that point about whether to prepare for our originally-planned mid-January return, or to prepare for a longer Home Assignment in the U.S. and avoid further disruption for our kids. After much prayer and discussion we made the choice to extend our time in the U.S. until June, not knowing whether things in Ethiopia would settle or intensify. We are deeply grateful for stable housing through a supporting church, Kirk of the Hills. They have allowed us to stay through the end of the school year in June when we hope to return to Addis Ababa. This is looking more likely as the federal government seems to be making gains in pushing back the rebel advance, but of course the situation remains fluid. Please pray that God would protect vulnerable people from the trauma of war and that peace would return to Ethiopia quickly. Pray also for our Ethiopian colleagues who carry greater responsibilities in our absence. We would also appreciate prayers for parenting our kids well through the various worries, transitions, opportunities, losses, and new experiences of this year.
In order to return to Ethiopia in June we do need to raise additional support-- both one-time and ongoing monthly gifts. Prayerfully consider making a year-end gift or monthly pledge to our MTW support account.
GIVE TO THE POLK'S SUPPORT ACCOUNT
ONGOING MINISTRY
Thanks to our wonderful Ethiopian colleagues, both worship at Suki and our Church Planting Apprenticeship program have continued and even expanded in our absence. The group of 15 church planter candidates have completed modules on the Westerminster Confession, Sonship, Spiritual Gifts, and Old and New Testament Survey. Jason will be traveling to Ethiopia for two weeks in late January to lead sessions on Christ-Centered Preaching and the Book of Church Order. It will be good to see our team in person, share meals, and be together after so many hard things transpiring this past year. Please pray for fruitful teaching, good times of reconnection, and for safety in travel. Also pray especially for our friend and colleague Gizaw whose wife is battling late stage cancer.
Our church planting team has been developing our next five-year plan for church planting Reformed, Covenantal churches in Addis Ababa. We are prayerfully seeking to identify planters and start between 5-10 new churches over the next 5 years. As our cohort of church planter candidates progresses through their training and mentorship, consider giving toward this Ethiopian-led initiative to bring the gospel to Addis Ababa.
GIVE DIRECTLY TO CHURCH PLANTING IN ETHIOPIA
A NEW ADDITION
On August 24th we welcomed a new daughter into our family. Though it took us a while to pick her name, we love the one we chose: Phoebe-- 'bright, shining'; Abigail -- 'joy of my Father.' Mercifully, she is healthy, happy, and sweet. All of our older kids have risen to the occasion and are both truly helpful and loving toward her. They are all doing well in American school this semester. We grieve that many friends in Ethiopia have been evacuated to countries all over the world, and can only give humble thanks that our kids have had a stable and consistent place to learn this semester-- especially after the last 18 months of COVID-related interruptions. Nathan auditioned and was accepted into a Jazz education program for middle and high schoolers in St. Louis called JazzU. He is the only 6th grader in the Metro St. Louis area that made it in, and he's really enjoying playing with older kids. Isaiah has been able to play on a baseball, soccer, and basketball team, and is both learning new skills and making friends. Anna has adjusted to 1st grade quite well and we are very thankful for an understanding teacher whose own family members grew up overseas.
KEEP IN TOUCH