HAPPY FASIKA!

Happy Fasika everyone!  Today is Easter in our son’s country. If you remember my Easter prayer blog where I wondered if my son was celebrating Easter now I know it is today. I don’t know if our son has had the opportunity to celebrate this amazing day. I pray today that he knows you God and knows what today is. If he doesn’t get to celebrate this amazing day I just pray that he knows you God. Today (our son’s Easter) was a special day for our family. We have been astray from family for 2 years. Nick and I received a text from this family member on our Easter wishing us a happy Easter. God opened our hearts that day and we were joyous and excited for a brand new start. Nick and I knew it would take some time and effort to mend the hurts. God had made this pretty easy on us though. We began to text and speak on the phone. We wanted to take baby steps and that’s what we did. Today Nick sent them a text asking them over for supper tonight. They live 1hour and a ½ one way from us, so last minute may have been hard for them. Well, they said yes we will be there! Lily waited by the window watching for them to come. She was so excited, all of us were. Lily spotted their truck, down the road they came. I don’t even think they were out of the truck before Lily was standing right there. This night was very emotional in a good way. We had a great time and dinner with them. It was so nice to have them at our house after 2 years. I can’t help but think about how God used Easter to help bring us back together. It blows my mind on how ironic, that we received a text on our Easter from this family member and then get to see them on our son’s Easter. WOW! This is one Easter I’ll never forget. Thank you Father! Father, thank you for blessing me with my family. I ask you to bring us unity through you. Father, please lead us in your ways. Help us to live by your ways, with a compassionate heart. Please fill us with your love, that does not keep records of wrong, and bring joy to our hearts. Please bring your perfect peace and unity to our family. I would like to end this wishing my son a Happy Fasika! I believe God has used my son in Ethiopia to bring our family back together also.

Here is some info we recently received:

Fasika! This year, Easter will be celebrated in Ethiopia on Sunday, May 5th. In Ethiopia, this significant holiday, known as Fasika, is a very important festival in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, or the Tewahido faith. Many argue that Fasika is the most celebrated holiday in Ethiopia and is considered more significant than Christmas. According to Orthodox theology, Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday was for the purpose of fulfilling the word of God. It is believed that the near-sacrifice of Abraham’s son, Isaac, with the interruption from an angel and the sending of a Lamb for sacrifice instead (Genesis 22) was a prophetic foreshadowing of God sending his only beloved Son to be the world’s sacrifice and the fulfilling of Abraham’s promise. Fasika is preceded by Lent (Hudade or Abye Tsome), 56 days of fasting where Ethiopians do not eat any meat or animal products, including dairy. On Easter eve, churches are filled with believers who prostrate themselves, bowing down and rising up 101 times. Candles are lit for the colorful but somber service that includes music and dancing. This service, known as Paschal Vigil, lasts into the early morning hours of Easter Day. Once the service ends, people return home to prepare for a fast-breaking feast, which includes the slaughtering of a chicken at midnight for the symbolic occasion. After resting, a sheep is slaughtered to commence the feasting of Easter Sunday, which includes injera and traditional drinks such as tella or tej. As we prepare for this meaningful holiday, we pray that you find rest and peace in the grace that God has bestowed on those who love Him. Happy Fasika!