It all started with an open door through Buckner International. Pastor Jay Abernathy went on a vision trip in 2007 (read the Baptist Standard blog here) when the Ethiopian President deeded land in Bantu (a village in Ethiopia) for a community center. Since then, several churches in East Texas have begun forming the ETEAM (East Texas Ethiopia Aid Mission) to work alongside Buckner in Ethiopia.

First Baptist Church led the March 2008 trip with eight persons from our church and others from FBC Athens. For one week, we held Vacation Bible School with children and Medical Clinics in Bantu and Addis Ababa. We saw the progress on the Buckner Children's Home in Addis Ababa and the Community Center in Bantu.

In July, 2008, Hannah Abernathy returned on another Buckner/ETEAM journey. They worked to further advances in Bantu society and conducted Bible School with children. They also previewed future Buckner/ETEAM sites in Ethiopia.