Ethiopia Bound...

No, the Brannon People are not Ethiopia bound. 

But a dear friend is. Here is a snip of info about an amazing family we love and the sweet story of their son Jeremiah. I couldn't help but share his post about this amazing journey they are embarking on right now. What a testimony, and what a reminder of the adopted children we are in Christ.

 For more of the story check out Eric's blog,

 Bancroft Drive-Bys

Here's what I read this morning, wow...

Dear friend,

Sixteen months ago my wife and I kneeled at the bottom of a stairway in front of a “transition home” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while a sweet but timid little four year old walked down and into our arms.  Asmera (“Harvest”) went from being an orphan to son in that single hug. 

Today, Jeremiah Asmera Bancroft has progressed from a shy little boy to a member of a family who loves impromptu activities, basement dance sessions, and endless wrestling matches.  Now the youngest of three Bancroft boys, he contends for the best seat in the family van and looks forward to his rotation with “Dad Days.”

Since Jeremiah has come home to us, Danelle and I have been talking about the possibility of me doing the unthinkable - trekking to the mountains of southern Ethiopia to find the village our son was born in.  Based on conversations from our son, there is a village out there in Ethiopia who has never had the gift of the gospel but has given the gift of Jeremiah Asmera.  It’s time to say, “Thank you.”

I depart today for a journey that will essentially take four days of constant travel to hopefully arrive at a nomadic village in Southern Ethiopia.  This will involve two days of flying and two days of driving.  It will consist of hiring two translators - one who can speak the village language and the national language and one who can speak the national language and English.  It will also include a driver/security guard to help us arrive at our destination…safely.  There is the possible threat of raiders.

The prayer is to make contact with a people who can tell me a story.  I want to hear the story of a little boy who cooked fish over an open fire with a stick, who slept on a bed of sticks and leaves, who danced outside with the other kids when it was a full moon.  With the skills of an video editor friend waiting back in California, I am hoping to turn three days of video footage into a documentary of my son’s childhood for him to have forever.

I have a story to tell them as well.  I want to tell them the story of the Creator God who made the world as they see it, provides the rain, crops, and animals.  I want them to know about how all of us, whether we live in America or Ethiopia, have disobeyed this God, broken his law either in our conscience or in his revealed Word, and deserve his righteous judgment.  But I want them to also know the good news about the God Man named Jesus who came to offer us forgiveness and peace and ADOPTION!

So, please pray.  While there is a concern about things like Malaria, security, and other physical matters, pray for the bigger requests.  Pray for a people that would hear the gospel for the first time, for the glory of Christ to be known in a far away village in Ethiopia. Pray that I would be able to meet the people who knew my son and capture memories that will last a lifetime.

Time to go. Continental Airlines is waiting and a man will be standing in the terminal of the Ethiopian airport ready to help make these prayers come true.

Thank you.

Eric