Rays of Sunshine During Rainy Season
Kiremt:
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 rain boots and umbrellas. The skies are gray, the days are cool and damp, and the mud… well, the mud is everywhere.
And yet, even in this dreary stretch, beauty finds a way to break through.
One of our fellow missionaries recently told us a story about a bright yellow flower that grows here on the hospital grounds. It’s not native to this area—some earlier missionaries planted it years ago—but it now appears spontaneously during the rainy season. It doesn’t grow in the city of Soddo, just within the hospital compound, and no one knows exactly where it will pop up or when. But when it does, it’s vibrant, unexpected, and full of joy. We’re not botanists (so don’t ask us the name!), but we’ve come to love this flower as a reminder that even during seasons that feel dark or disorienting, something beautiful can still emerge.
Some recent blooms during the summer:
Rays of Sunshine:
This rainy season has brought its fair share of heaviness. The Kiremt rains have soaked more than just the ground—they’ve sometimes soaked our spirits, too. Beyond the weather itself, this time of year can also feel isolating. Many of our fellow expats and missionary friends travel back to their passport countries during the summer months. With fewer familiar faces around, the compound feels quieter, slower, and sometimes… more lonely.
But God, in His perfect timing, has given us sunshine—sometimes literal, sometimes not.
One bright spot was a recent trip to Addis, where we reconnected with dear friends we made during our year in the capital. Sitting around familiar tables, sharing meals and catching up, we were reminded how deeply we’re knit into the community He has given us. Those friendships continue to anchor and encourage us.
Some of the friends that we were able to spend some time with:
Another enormous blessing came in the form of a three-week visit from friends and supporters from America. They came with treats—both the edible kind and the heart-kind. Snacks our kids hadn’t seen in a year, handwritten cards from our home church, encouraging words from loved ones back home, and even much-needed medical supplies that help us serve our patients better.
In the same way the yellow flowers appear in unlikely places, we’ve had moments of brightness in this season. Glimpses of joy. Surprising reminders of His faithfulness. A cup of coffee with a friend. A care package from afar. Laughter in the middle of a hard day. These are our rays of sunshine during Kiremt.
And as the rains continue to fall, we’re learning to look for the blooms to remind us that beauty grows… even in the mud.
Praises
Rachel’s Parents: Thank you to everybody who prayed for them; they were able to get all of the necessary documents through the authentication process!
Tsehye: Some of you may remember us asking for prayers for our former house keeper in Addis, well she was able to find a new job working for a new missionary family!
Rays of Sunshine: We’re so thankful for the sweet time we had with friends during our recent trip to Addis, both those pictured above and many others not shown. It was a refreshing and joy-filled break that came just when we needed it, filling our cups to the brim.
Driver’s Licenses: During that last trip to Addis, we attempted to get our Ethiopian driver’s licenses and we were… halfway successful.
At least one of us got one!
Things to Pray for:
Homeschool: Well… the time has come for the Cobos family to start homeschooling. We’re starting next week, and of course, we’ve never done this before, so prayers for the parents and the kiddos would be appreciated! Also, just some prayers to help us find our new rhythm of life here in Soddo, balancing homeschool, work, and life.
More Authenticated Documents: Since we couldn’t get Rachel’s Ethiopian driver’s license, we need to go back and get her US driver’s license through the authentication process AGAIN.
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.
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