Stories from Ethiopia
Life, faith, family, and the unexpected adventures of serving in Ethiopia.
We're the Cobos family—an engineer, a surgeon, and four kids following God's call to serve in southern Ethiopia.
Here you'll find stories from the hospital, glimpses of everyday life, family adventures, and reflections on what God is teaching us along the way. Some stories are encouraging, some are challenging, and others are just plain funny. All are part of this adventure we're grateful to share with you.
Choose a category that interests you or explore our stories below.
Rays of Sunshine During Rainy Season
While our American friends are posting about record-breaking heat waves—triple-digit temps, sweaty road trips, and air conditioners on overdrive—we’re experiencing a very different kind of summer. Here in Ethiopia, summer means Kiremt: the long rainy season. Instead of pool days and popsicles, we’re pulling out —
Pomp, Circumstance, and Packing Tape
The month of May typically brings about some chaos in America, with numerous weekly school events, end-of-year parties, graduations, and, for some, the added stress of moving. Ethiopia is apparently not immune to —
Savoring Bacon in the Shadow of Trash Mountain
On the Saturday of Easter weekend, I briefly stepped out of our bungalow, leaving Luis inside with bacon sizzling on the stove, a rare treat here in Ethiopia. As I closed the door, I ran into —
Baboons, Blenders, and Birthdays
Life is rarely dull when you’re living in transition, and our recent travels proved just how eventful it can be. From catching a glimpse of baboons on a winding Ethiopian road to blending new memories in Dubai, the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of adventure, reflection, and celebration.
Back to the Future
Imagine waking up in a different country, stepping outside, and realizing it’s 2017—not just symbolically, but literally. No, I didn’t travel through time or find a hidden DeLorean. This is Ethiopia, where time has its own rhythm, and the calendar operates on a different system. While the rest of the world is well into 2024, here in Ethiopia, we’ve just celebrated the start...
Lost in Translation: Tongue Twists and Triumphs in Ethiopia
The street outside of our guesthouse is always bustling. There are tire shops, people walking to and fro, and tiny little shops called souks that sell everything from cooking oil to stationery. If you need eggs, you can usually go down to the one lady at the end. If you need matches, the guy on the left. Ambo, the Ethiopian equivalent of La Croix sparkling water, you go to the guy down the hill.
Today we need eggs. Luis, Emma, and I take a stroll down the busy street doing our best to avoid...
Peak to Peak: From the Mountains of Colorado to the Mountains of Ethiopia
“I’m sorry, we cannot let you in.” The worst words that you can hear after a long 15-hour flight, tired and cranky kids tugging at your legs, and a line starting to form behind you at the visa on arrival area in the airport.
“What do you mean you can’t let us in?” I asked.
“No sir, we can let YOU and the children in. We cannot let HER in.”
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