Dancing in the rain . . . Ethiopia Round 3, Day 32

Our last full day in Ethiopia . . . wow!  Day 32 of this journey and it's our last full day here.  This comes with so many mixed emotions.  I am unbelievably ready to see my other 4 daughters, our family and friends, our church family, my church kids and my kitty cat!  However, I am also sad to leave this amazing place.  Each time Kevin and I come to Ethiopia we are stretched in our faith and in our lives.  The experiences we've had have shaped and molded how we view the world, how we view relationships with others, and how we view generosity (just to name a few things!!!)  We are blessed beyond measure by our experiences here and the people we know and love here!

I could go on and on about that . . . but instead I'll tell you more about our last full day in Ethiopia!

It started off with our daughter Ethiopian friends laughing at us . . . a lot!  Since it was our last night at the guest house we were having a party!  An Ethiopian Barbeque!  That meant we needed a sheep.  In Ethiopia you don't really go to a grocery store to buy meat.  You go to a butcher and buy it . . . or you buy a live animal and slaughter it yourself.  Nati, Josiah and Laterra assumed that we'd want to be a part of the slaughter or a least watch.  Uhhhhhh . . . for those of you who know me well I was a vegetarian for 7 years due to matters such as this!!!  The guys went and bought a sheep (a live one) and brought it to the guest house.  I could hear a few baa-aa-aas from the courtyard.  I kept diligently writing my blog from the day before and ignoring the fact that we had a sheep in the compound.  Nati came through . . . "Don't you want to come and watch us slice the sheep?"  "Uh, no thank you."  Queasy look on my face.  Nati just laughs at me.  Laterra comes though the living room.  "We're going to cut the animal, come watch!"  "Laterra, I just can't."  We had to explain to them that many Americans do not and do not know how to butcher animals.  We tried to be as polite as we could about it.  However, that's one part of Ethiopian culture I may never be able to participate in.  "M^" got many good laughs at me too!  She was back there for the whole thing.  I think she helped too!

In the afternoon we were able to go to the American Embassy for the last step of our adoption process . . . visa interview.  Our awesome driver took us and waited for us.  Because there was a computer glitch last week there were many families waiting for their visa interview.  We were next to last.  It wasn't bad though.  The American Embassy provided excellent people watching and we had some great conversation with the folks waiting as well.  Our interview came up.  We answered the questions the officer had.  He stamped our paperwork, told us the visa would be ready at 10 am on Friday and away we went!  Easy as that!  "M^" is coming home!

When we arrived back from the embassy our friends were in full swing getting ready for the party and BBQ.  Tables and chairs were moved into the courtyard.  A fire was built.

The meat was ready!!!

All of the "kids" played ball while it cooked!  And tried really hard to keep the ball out of the fire!!!

Our friends from the guest house were there . . . Nati, Laterra, Josiah.  Our friends Zebene, Hiwot and their children were there.  Our friend and taxi driver, Buggadu, made it as well.  Our friend and in-country representative Dereje came too!  It was a wonderful crowd of people we care so very much about!!!

 

We ate injera . . . 

We ate meat . . . until we couldn't eat anymore!  A wonderful meal!

We had a great time talking, being silly, and having fun!

 

And then the music was turned up and the dancing began!  Our group of friends are all very involved in their faith so the music was all Christian and all about praising God!  We danced and sang and together at the party we worshiped!

We danced . . . 

and sang . . . 

and danced some more!

We fueled up the fire and danced some more!

It has been a long time since Kevin and I have danced, sang, and laughed so much.  My face hurt from smiling and laughing.  What an amazing night.  We danced and sang until it was dark and raining.  And then the night ended just like it began . . . with prayer.  Dereje and Kevin prayed for the group.   We all stood in the dark, in the rain holding hands and praying.  What a perfect way to end the evening together.

In Korah, the community around the city dump . . . Ethiopia Round 3, Day 31

This morning we woke up and got ready early in hopes of a visa appointment!  No such luck!  However, we got the next best thing . . . an email.  We have an appointment Thursday at 1:00 pm.  Prayers answered!  We'll be able to have our visa appointment on Thursday afternoon, receive the visa Friday morning, and fly out on Friday evening!  It's been a great month in Ethiopia!  However, I am so unbelievably, incredibly, anxiously excited about seeing my other four daughters back in the states!

Now, I have to brag on my girls a little bit!

When Kevin and I returned from our last two trips to Ethiopia we talked with the girls extensively about it.  We showed them pictures and answered any questions they had.  They took much of what we had to say to heart.  They all were very concerned for all the children that were living in poverty.

Through our experiences and through ministries they have learned about at our congregation, our daughters have felt a very real call to help those living in poverty.  Each and every night "M*" prays for the children we sponsor.  She is genuine and sincere with wanting God to bless them.  "K" has been talking for months about wanting to help some of the children here in Ethiopia.  She has come up with ideas to fundraise money to help them and ways to include her friends in this project.  As Kevin and I were packing for this trip I find 4 stuffed animals laying in my suitcase.  "S" had put them there.  These weren't stuffed animals that she dragged out of the back on her closet.  These were stuffed animals that she slept with every single night.  One in particular was her favorite pink stuffed monkey.  "S" told us to find children in Ethiopia that needed these toys.  Wow!  Sorry, but I have to brag!  Aren't my girls amazing!

So, what is it we do with all of this love that our children want to direct towards others in Ethiopia?!?!  Kevin and I were here in country for a few days when we came up with an idea.  Back in October we were introduced to an organization called Transformation Love.  They work with families that live in the Korah area of Addis Ababa.  Korah is basically a shanty town that has been built up around the mountain of the city dump. Transformation Love works with families through child sponsorship.  The children are provided food, medical treatment, education and Bible studies.  The basis of the organization is community and generational improvement through impacting individuals.  Relationships with each other and God are key to how Transformation Love supports families.

Transformation Love offices

We were told that many of the families in the area are made up of children and just their mother.  The fathers have either died or left.  Many of the women came from the countryside to the city for a better life.  They met someone, had children, and now find themselves abandoned with no support from extended family and community.  Most of the women and many many of the children have HIV/AIDS.  They refer to it as "the disease" because the letters HIV or AIDS carries such a stigma.  Many of the women are unable to work because either they are too sick to work or there is such a stigma around this disease that people will not hire them out of fear.  In addition to HIV/AIDS many of the families suffer from leprosy and other diseases as well.  Resources are limited and medical treatment is very expensive for them.  Transformation Love's new project is working on creating IGAs (Income Generating Activities) for the women to participate in to earn an income.  To support their families many of the women wade through the mountain that is the city dump.  They look for items they can sell for recycling. 

So, what is it we do with all of this love that our children want to direct towards others in Ethiopia?!?  We decided that we needed to sponsor a child through Transformation Love.  We called our friend at the organization to let her know we wanted to sponsor and we were very interested in meeting the child and her family while we were here in Ethiopia.  Our awesome friend got us matched with a 6 year old girl and her family and today we went to go and see them!

By now we've seen a lot of Addis Ababa and some of the countryside of Ethiopia.  None of that could really prepare us for walking through the paths of the Korah community.  Our taxi driver took us as far as we could go into the community and then we had to walk.  As soon as we got out of the van the stench of the dump hits you in full force.

On the upper right hand corner you can see a bit of the city dump rising up from the community area.

There are children that surround you wanting to shake your hand and greet you.  There faces are so very sweet and there is a sparkle in their eyes.  None of the children asked for money or gum like other places we've visited.  These children wanted something so much more basic.  They wanted to be close to us . . . even if for just a moment.

Each of us had 3 or 4 neighborhood children holding our hands as we walked to the house of the child we sponsor.  We had to hop across rocks to cross a gutter, an open sewer, as we approached her house.  The smell was overpowering.  There was trash everywhere.  We came to a clearing and we stopped for a moment.  They had several dogs and they wanted to put them up for our safety.  The family had so many dogs for protection.  Wild hyenas come out at night around the dump area.  We've seen pictures of the hyenas in this area.  It makes the animated ones on Disney's "The Lion King" seem like cuddly house pets.  They are very vicious animals and wouldn't hesitate to harm the children in the area.  The family keeps dogs in an effort to keep the hyenas away. 

As we approached the house we looked to the right and saw what looks like a small mountain . . . it's the dump.  The family's home is maybe 200 yards from this enormous heap of garbage.  There is a fence around their home built out of sticks and branches.  The home was constructed by the mother out of mud and straw, the roof out of corrugated tin.  It's maybe 15 feet by 20 feet.  Two rooms house the family of three.  A mother, a 13 year old boy and a 6 year old girl.  One room is the bedroom with a simple bed with a couple blankets.  The other room serves as their living room, kitchen and dining room.  We visited with the family for a while.  We learned that the little girl we will be sponsoring wants to be a doctor when she grows up!  It was a sad situation, yet the mother was so grateful that her child will now be sponsored.  Kevin and I were so blessed to be able to personally deliver the special toys that "S" sent to the child we sponsor.  Her sweet little face lit up.  She kept the pink monkey and gave it big hugs.  She shared the other gifts with her friends.  How special!!!

We prayed in the home with her and then we started to leave.  We asked if we could take a photo to remember her.  She insisted that we take the photo by her flowers.  She had small white daisy like flowers growing in a pot by her front door.  Beautiful.  It was a moving afternoon visiting with her.

We traveled with the Transformation Love team to two other homes to visit families.  We walked through the narrow streets past the market place.  Women lined the street with mats of grain out for sale.  We crossed more open sewers.  We had more children accompany us as we traveled through the community.  It was a bittersweet adventure.  We were so glad that Transformation Love is working in that community helping those families.  However, the work could never be finished.  There will never be enough resources to completely bring that community out of poverty.  The need is overpowering.  So, we will pray.

If you would like more information on how you too can support the ministry of Transformation Love please visit their website . . . 

www.transformationlove.com

What to do while waiting . . . Ethiopia Round 3, Day 30

Today we're waiting.  Waiting for an embassy date.  We did get good news that our case has cleared the embassy.  Now it's just a matter of getting a visa interview appointment.  I've requested an appointment for Wednesday morning or Thursday afternoon.  Pray with me that we receive one of those times!!!

So . . . we're having to find things to do while we're waiting for our visa appointment.  This morning we watched a little tv after breakfast.  Cartoons!!!  There is an Arabic station our of Dubai that the guest house gets by satellite.  Nothing like Bugs Bunny in Arabic!

 Then we headed out about in Addis.  We went to the "Red Terror" Martyrs Memorial Museum down by Meskel Square.

What an unbelievably moving experience.  A guide met us at the door and offered to give us a tour.  The museum was free, but donations were graciously accepted.  Our guide started telling us about the transitions from the rule of Emperor Hallie Selassie to Mengistu.  Right away you could tell this wasn't an ordinary tour guide.  He spoke with such conviction.

He told us the people of Ethiopia became very unhappy with Emperor Selassie.  He was living lavishly while the people of Ethiopia starved.  There were efforts to overthrow the government.  In 1974 the monarchy was overthrown and the militaristic Derg regime began.

After 3 months the new government began executing the former dignitaries they had imprisoned.  There were no trials, they were simply executed.  Our tour guide told us how the young adults of the universities began to rise up and create anit-Derg pamphlets.  People that were caught with the anti-Derg material were shot on site.  As demonstrations began around the capitol the government gave orders for the military to imprison or kill anyone that opposed them.  Over the course of the regime the government tortured and killed hundreds of thousands of people most of them young people.

The tour came to a very real place when our tour guide showed us a model of how the government tortured their victims.  As he was describing it he said, "I can't tell you how painful this form of torture is."  He was one of the many tortured by the Derg regime.  We found out he was 13 at the time.  He was a youth fighting and demonstrating against a military government.  I couldn't stop the tears from pouring down my face.

The tour continued to show pictures of the mass graves and the sites where they were.  Some of the bones had been moved to the museum with the permission of the families.  These killings continued through the 1980s.  There were many attempts at an overthrow of the regime.  Finally around 1990 they were able to overthrow Mengistu and establish a democratic government with elected officials.

Besides the torture, what seemed like one of the most painful things for our guide to talk about was the fact that Mengistu escaped to Zimbabwe.  That country has granted him asylum there and will not turn him over to Ethiopia to be brought to justice for the atrocities he committed.  Also, two of the high officials of the Derg regime sought asylum at the Italian embassy in Addis Ababa.  They were granted asylum and have been living there at the Italian embassy for 22 years.  Unless the Italians turn them over they will never be brought to justice.  I can tell for our tour guide this added "salt to the wounds" he experienced.

It was a very sad part of Ethiopian history, but a very important part of Ethiopian history.  Of all the museums we have visited no one . . . not one of the museums addresses this time period. 

After our experience at the "Red Terror" Museum we headed down the street to the Addis Ababa Museum.  Kevin and Nati decided they needed to race up the steps!

These are the gardens around the museum.  Beautiful.

Here is the building that the museum is housed in.

The building was built by Emperor Menelik for an armory storage.  He later gave it to his illigitimate son, Ras Biru, and his wife as a home to live in.  During the Derg regime the home was turned into a museum for the city of Addis. 

These were the house pets of Ras Biru and his wife.  After they passed away they had them stuffed.

This is a drum that the Emperor Menelik used to spread his messages over the country.  The drums were spaced out along the countryside.  People would send messages back and forth using different beats and rhythms.  

This is a shield that was used in the battle of Adwa against the Italians.  It is made of rhinoceros skin.  It's very light, but extremely tough.  

The oval basket was used to take food along the battle lines.  Our guide also told us that if a baby was born early in that time this type of basket would be used as a sort of incubator.  They would wrap the baby up and place it in the basket until it was big enough to be on strapped and carried on it's mother's back like healthy infants. 

Hey, there's the three of us!

 After the museums we headed to Lucy Restaurant.  Another wonderful meal.  The atmosphere is very nice (although very Disney World ish).  It is definitely a highly manicured garden area.

After lunch we headed to the local scarf factory.   The scarf factory is an effort by a foreign group to help women that carry wood for a living.  You can see women all around carry humongous parcels of wood strapped to their backs.  If is often twice their own body weight.  They walk around 16 kilometers to gather and then bring back wood to the city.  Through this factory the women are able to have a better opportunity to provide for their families.

Their hands were so fast on the looms.  It was amazing to see them so expertly weave the beautiful scarves.

Of course for such a wonderful cause we had to buy some scarves!  I'm so excited to bring them home to the girls!

While we were buying for a good cause we headed over to a jewelry shop.  It helps support women with HIV/AIDS.  I found an awesome necklace that is made from reclaimed metal and coffee beans!  Sweet!

We had a great day!  We still have not heard about our embassy appointment though.  Please pray that we'll have good news in the morning!

Debre Zeyit Holiday . . . Ethiopia Round 3, Day 29

Today was a very special day.  We were invited to spend the holiday traveling out of Addis with our friends, Zebene and Hiwot, and their 4 children.  We had an amazing day!  We headed out early that morning from Debre Zeyit.  It is a town approximately 60 miles West of Addis Ababa.

First we stopped at a hotel to take in the view.  The hotel's restaurant overlooked one of the many crater lakes in the region.  Our taxi driver for the day is from this area.  He was telling us how he would swim across this lake as a youth.  We also learned that he was on the Ethiopian National swimming team.

Photo op with one of Zebene's awesome kiddos! This young man is so kind!

Hiwot, "M^", and 3 of Hiwot's kids!  We all enjoyed a Coke as we enjoyed the view.  The tables at the restaurant we really neat too.  In each section they had different types of grain or beans that were grown in the region.

No particular reason for this picture of a dimmit (Amaharic for cat).  However, it reminded me of our friend and adoption agency worker, Julie!

After our sodas and looking at the lake from on high we headed to a recreation area.  It is a different lake in the same region.  There were boys swimming back and forth across the lake.

There was a playground and the kids had a great time on the swings!

Then . . . the bigger kids had a great time on the swings!

It was so fun watching the kids have a good time running around the playground!

 

The wildlife here if very interesting.  So many of the birds have very vibrant colors.  This was some sort of goose/duck we found.  He was a little grumpy!

We took a boat ride out into the middle of the lake.  The lakes all around were formed long long ago by meteorites crashing into earth.  On the far side of the lake is a worship place for a cultural Oromo religion.

After we arrived back on shore we headed up to the restaurant area and enjoyed our picnic.  Hiwot fixed vegetables and tibs fir fir (meat with lots of injera).  It was delicious.  We all had plenty.  Afterward we sat and talked and watched the kids play some more.  The afternoon was beautiful and relaxing.  There was a clean and crisp coolness in the air and it was a much appreciated break from the city!

 The flowers in this area are absolutely fantastic.  Here are just a few pictures that Kevin took of God's amazing creation!

There are also many interesting animals as well.  It is a little hard to see, but here is a beautiful brilliant yellow bird.  They build their houses hanging from the branches of thorn trees.

The lake and area was so peaceful.  I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, we're here on a lake in Africa!"  How cool is that!

The kids found many photo ops!  This was one of the best ones in a huge old Eucalyptus tree!

All of the kids talked Kevin into trying out the rings on the playground.  Not too bad!!!

Of course once Kevin did it they talked Zebene into it as well!

. 

After the recreation area we headed to the Air Force Officer's Club for drinks.

We had a great time being silly and taking pictures!

taking pictures and having coffee!

After a while our taxi driver and Josiah decided to go swimming!  Here's a great pic with Josiah wearing his swimming trunks on his head!

We enjoyed watching them play and looking on as brave people climbed the stairs to the diving platforms.

There are not many pools in Ethiopia.  Even if you live near a lake you don't necessarily learn how to swim.  Hiwot grew up around lakes.  She told me how she was leery of the water.  She told me she saw too many of her friends drown in the lake. 

After the swimming adventure we headed back to Addis.  This little guy was so excited for some ice cream.  Our last treat for the day and we all had a scoop of ice cream at Allebnanny's.  Super yummy!

The big kids enjoyed their treats as well!

We had a wonderful day with the Zebene family!!!  It was such a treat to spend the day with all of them.  We are very fortunate to have such special friends!


Language lesson for the day!

Bird - Amharic . . . woof, Oromifa . . . simbre
Car - Oromifa . . . cocalata