Home… for a Little While
It’s been a minute!
The last three months have been a whirlwind. We have just returned to Ethiopia after spending the last few months on home assignment.
When people hear that missionaries are returning to the United States for "home assignment," they often picture a long vacation. While there were certainly moments of rest, the reality is that home assignment is a unique blend of reconnecting, reporting, recruiting, and recharging. It is a chance to spend time with family, reconnect with the churches and individuals who faithfully support us, share what God is doing in Ethiopia, and prepare for another season overseas.
And somewhere in there... we try to catch our breath.
Pit Stops and Detours
Our journey actually began with a one-week detour to Madrid. Before setting foot in the United States, Rachel and I checked one item off our bucket list by running the Madrid Marathon. That adventure probably deserves a blog of its own someday
From there, we flew to Texas, though not before enjoying an unexpected seven-hour layover in New York City thanks to spring storms in DFW.
After recovering for about a week, the travel really began.
The Odyssey (The Cobos version)
Over the next two months, we drove more than 5,000 miles, fueled by countless cups of coffee, a number of audiobooks, and the occasional gas station snack… or six. Our route took us through South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and finally Florida, hitting as many Buc-ee’s gas stations as possible.
Along the way, we reconnected with churches that have prayed for us from the very beginning, met many supporters face-to-face for the first time in a couple of years, and made new friends who are now partnering with our ministry. Rachel also had the opportunity to return to her former hospital and speak with surgery and emergency medicine residents about the work being done at Soddo Christian Hospital. Later, she met with another surgical residency program to discuss future opportunities to send residents to Ethiopia.
Unexpected Meetups
One of my favorite parts of the trip was seeing how connected the global missions community really is. We unexpectedly crossed paths with teammates from Soddo in multiple states and even visited longtime supporters who recently stepped away from supporting us, not because they lost interest, but because they answered God's call to serve at a hospital in Cambodia. It was one of those moments that reminds you God's work is much bigger than any one ministry. (If you want to learn more about them, check out their website here)
Of course, home assignment wasn't all meetings and presentations.
We enjoyed foods that had become distant memories, laughed with family around dinner tables, watched cousins play together, and simply spent time with people we love but rarely get to see.
One highlight was Rachel's family reunion in Florida, where ten adults and fifteen kids gathered from across the world. There was plenty of swimming, storytelling, and catching up, but also meaningful conversations about the different seasons of life each family is walking through. Those moments are hard to replace when you live half a world away.
Our final week was spent at a debrief retreat with our mission organization. Looking back over the past two years in Ethiopia gave us space to process both the victories and the challenges. It was especially valuable for our children, who had the opportunity to talk through their own experiences and emotions. Sometimes we get so focused on what's next that we forget to pause and reflect on where God has already brought us.
Then, just as quickly as it began, home assignment came to an end.
Naturally, our departure included a few last-minute adventures. A set of "waterproof" bags proved to be anything but waterproof, leading to a frantic drying session before heading to the airport. Somehow we managed to repack everything and arrive in time to check what felt like an entire cargo shipment of clothes, homeschool books, and hospital supplies.
The final count?
Twenty-six bags.
(That includes our carry-ons.)
The encouraging news? When we first moved to Ethiopia, we brought twenty-seven.
Progress is progress.
As exhausting as these past few months have been, our hearts are full. Every conversation, every meal shared, every prayer offered, and every hug reminded us that this ministry is not ours alone. We may be the ones living in Ethiopia, but we are only there because of an incredible community of people who faithfully pray, give, encourage, and send.
Thank you for welcoming us home.
Now... it's time to jump back into Ethiopia.
Praises:
Isabelle got baptized!
We had the wonderful opportunity to baptize Isabelle while we were in our home church in South Carolina!
We got a car!
After two years, we were finally able to purchase a vehicle! A missionary family leaving the country offered us the opportunity to buy theirs, and we had just enough funds in our ministry account to make it happen.
While we're incredibly grateful to have reliable transportation, this purchase significantly reduced the funds available for our ongoing ministry. If you feel led to help replenish those resources and support both this vehicle purchase and the work we're doing at Soddo Christian Hospital, we'd be deeply grateful. You can learn more or partner with us by visiting our Partner Page.
Amharic Refresher
Shortly after arriving in Addis Ababa, we were able to reconnect with one of our old language teachers so that we could take some refresher lessons in Amharic!
Things to Pray For:
Transition: Please pray for our family as we begin our transition back to Ethiopia and Soddo. As we find a new rhythm to our lives here with work, ministry, and homeschool in this coming term.
Our Work: Please pray for God's provision for Soddo Christian Hospital as we navigate significant challenges in both staffing and infrastructure. Pray for strength and endurance for our surgical team amid increasing workloads, wisdom in recruiting additional surgeons, and God's guidance and provision as we seek the right partnerships and resources to move our new hospital building project forward.
Discipleship Opportunity: Please pray for a young married couple whom Rachel trains who have approached us about continuing to obey the Lord and potentially pursue medical missions in another African country. Please pray that their upcoming trip would affirm this calling that God has placed on their heart. Please pray for us as we continue to disciple and guide them in this process.
If you have any prayer requests, we would love to hear from you. If you would like to set up a video chat, send us a message! You can contact us on WhatsApp or email us at LCRC@cobosethiopia.org.
If you want to learn more about how to help us on this journey, please click the link below!
