Our Last Day in Warancha...

Hi from Addis Ababa. We have returned from Warancha. Today was a good day though both Doug and Marie were sick the rest of us managed without them. We missed out fearless leader and Marie but we had a good morning with the kids and then spent an hour with the Pastor and the administrators handing out all the donations we have brought. They were thrilled with everything. Ana we gave out the scarves and hats and that was great. We gave the scarves to the kids and the Pastor's mother and gave the hats to the teachers who work so hard for so little. The remaining hats we left there for them to distribute. They were all super excited and loved them. I took lots of pictures to show you.

As for the rest of the day it was spent driving back here. That is an experience in itself as there are not only cars to watch out for but goats and cows as well. By the way they have the right of way! We then went out for an authentic Ethiopian dinner with dancing and singing and it was a great experience. We had the chance to witness a traditional Ethiopian wedding while we were there so that was neat.

This is it for tonight. It is already past 10:00 and I am beat. We plan to get up and instead of going to the Fistula Hospital (they can't have us tomorrow for some reason) we plan to visit a Leprosy hospital instead. I am disappointed we are not seeing the women but I am sure we will have a purpose wherever we go.

I hope you all have a great day and know that I love you all.

Food for the Masses

Today, as all days, has been a busy one. We got up early, meeting for breakfast at 7, and were at Warancha by 8:30 ready to go. The children were already outside waiting for us. We started the day again with songs and then went into Bible stories with skits. We are all getting quite good at acting (we'll give any Hollywood star a run for their money)! We told the story of Jesus teaching the disciples that they would be giving up fishing for fish and begin fishing for men. We then brought some of the children up to act it out and they were really good at this. What I have found is that the teachers continually pick the same children again and again. We are advised against selecting the kids to perform  either in skits or games and yet are left feeling saddened that a very few are chosen again and again. We have mentioned this to our guide Alex, and are told that these are the kids whose communication skills are the best but still it is hard to see. All the kids (as is natural anywhere) want a chance to participate. We also taught the kids the Shema today. What a sweet moment that was as the little ones tried their hardest to get that little finger raised in honor of God's power and strength!

We did the cookie game today and I have to say the girls are really good. They had those cookies off their foreheads and into their mouths in no time at all. I was amazed. We also did a lifesaver game where the lifesaver was attached to a piece of nylon thread. They had to put the end of the thread in their mouth and try to pull the sting upwards until the lifesaver was in their mouth. I was selected as one of the demonstrators of this game and I can tell you "I ain't got no skills". I was almost there when the whole thing fell onto the ground. But I was not to be discouraged. I just picked it right up (I figure the five second rule applies anywhere and kept on trying. Finally with Helena's help (she put a stick under the lifesaver and lifted it into my mouth) I finally finished the task. I was laughing so hard (as was everyone else) that I never would have done it without her help. I wonder how many germs I picked up in that game, but at least I persevered!!! Nobody is going to call me a quitter!!! So then we brought the kids up and of course they had no problem with the game. Ok, maybe a little trouble but the results were well worth the effort. Who doesn't love the taste of a lifesaver!!!

We then sang more songs and told another Bible story which again the kids acted out. They, too, are becoming quite adept at this. We then moved all the kids to the shade. Now this sounds like an easy proposition but it really is quite complex. The kids are all sent back to their classrooms and then one by one sent to the new location. Once everyone was settled (the youngest kids were not included in this portion) new games began. We did a spoon race with eggs. I think this was the highlight of the day. It was the first time I saw the kids actively support one another with such a high level of enthusiasm. Of course, it was boys against girls and at the end of the day the score was tied 3-3. The children were jumping up and down and chanting, screaming for their respective teams. The final team was us (girls against guys) and I'm not gonna lie - their is a little competitiveness on this team! Jaimie started out hip checking Doug! But he managed to maintain his balance and NOT drop his egg! It was a moment of glory for them both!!! I'm not going to tell you which side won, because it really depends on who you ask!!! We then did sack races and the kids loved this as well. When we finished up the boys went out to play soccer and the girls went into the classrooms. The second and third graders got their nails painted and the first graders made bracelets. My class which had Helena in it did really well. The girls patiently waited to have their nails painted and there were no issues at all. Marie, on the other hand, had no help from her teacher, and the kids were not so patient. We've all decided that projects such as this where there are "things" involved do not work well with this group. The kids, having so little, are really "me" oriented and with one Frije and 40-60 kids the odds are not in our favor. 

Afterwards we served the kids lunch. This was part of our plan. We purchased food and drink for all the kids and then had the chance to serve it to them. For many, I am sure this was the best meal they had eaten in a long time. It really makes you realize how much we take for granted and how lucky we all are. We are blessed in ways we can't even begin to imagine. Unfortunately, unless you have been here and seen what they walk through, it is really hard to explain. It is really hard to comprehend even when you see it because it is SO different from anything we experience. The poverty, the survival mechanics, is so beyond our realm of reality it is hard to digest - even when you see it right before your eyes. The school has so many needs I could fill a notebook and not make a dent. They have no clean water for starters. This in itself leads to so many other problems. 

After our lunch, we went back to the Pastor's house (which is in the same neighborhood) and met with the gentlemen on the board for Warancha. They shared with us their needs and we were able to ask the questions we had. It was a really good meeting and they are a really good group of caring men. At the end they gave each of us a gift (most unexpected) - a hat and scarf typical of Ethiopia. They were beautiful and we were all greatly humbled.

Tomorrow will be our last day here and we have another busy morning planned. The time in Ethiopia has gone by very quickly but I think we have accomplished what we set out to do. We have bonded incredibly well as a team, and seen a lot of different opportunities while here. We have tried things that have not worked and revamped them to where they have worked very well. We have worked together to ensure that we give all we have to the kids and have each found our niche. Coming back we would do some things differently but that is what we set out to discover. What we would not do differently was love on the kids or the adults we have come in contact with. Nor would we stop calling Doug, Dougie!!!

I love you all and appreciate your prayers. They have worked wonders for us all.

A Renewed Day in the Neighborhood

We are at breakfast and everyone’s spirits are much better. God has given us all renewed spirit to begin the day.  We’ve had our fill of good Ethiopian food and coffee (the best coffee in the world as they are quick to let us know).  Our eyes are now opened and our hearts are prepared. We’ve been reminded of the woman who reached out and touched Jesus’ robe as he was walking down the road in the midst of the crowd. He didn’t ignore her. Instead, he turned around and asked who touched him. He ministered to her and met her needs. This is to be our role today. We are to be Christ’s heart and share his love. We are to reach out to the multitudes and I hope that happens. I am praying for the mind to suffer hardship today. Whatever comes my way, I submit myself to Christ to do His will. This day will be hard – I know that but I want to face it with love, with kindness and with the spirit that Christ would have faced the people he encountered. Now we are leaving and I will let you know how it all goes!!!!

We have returned from what I can only say was a wonderful day. We were better prepared and our hearts were open to whatever happened. Knowing what we were walking into certainly helped. From the moment we entered the Care Point today I could tell something was different. We were ready for anything and we were all positive and ready to go. Our hearts were in the right place and we were not going to be denied the joy that was waiting for us. Now that is not to say that things changed overnight. The kids were still the same but our attitudes were different.  I know for me I was much more patient today. I tried to find ways to manage the chaos instead of letting it get the best of me. And for the most part I’m going to say I did. I had one little boy who kept calling out to me “Sue One” or was it “One Sue”. At any rate, what he was asking for was only one picture. I think he tried this strategy a hundred times. By the end of the day, I was beginning to think that was my name! At one point, I managed to slip away with one young girl, about ten to take her picture away from the crowd. A few other girls followed us, but we were a small group of about five or six. It was so much fun taking their pictures and having the chance to actually talk to them (as best we could communicate). I actually got to meet a few of their mothers who were coming to pick them up for lunch and got a great picture of the whole group. These children have a real “me” mentality because of their backgrounds and need for survival, but inside they are really a sweet group of kids. They reach out and want to be loved and touched, they just want to be sure they are not left out. The concept of waiting their turn has not yet sunk in, but we have another few days to master that.

Upon arrival we sang with them and then they sang for us. That was a really great moment. I just love to hear them sing. They sing with such joy and when you get that many kids together they just sound great! After song time Dougie read a story from the Bible which we proceeded to act out. At first, we couldn’t find Neda, only to later realize that she had gone to find a gown so she could “out do” the rest of the team and wear a costume to be the angel.  Needless to say, she won the Oscar for the day! After we did the skit, we brought kids up to the front and they then acted out the story. This was really a fun time and hopefully they learned something from the message. Later in the day we taught another lesson with a skit as well and then brought a different group of kids up for the acting. In between we played games and had teams of boys vs. girls. The first game was to put a Popsicle stick in your mouth and balance five dice on it. I was amazed at how good both teams were at this and how encouraging the rest of the kids were. There is no telling who actually won; though we are each convinced our respective groups took first!  One of the boys had the five dice balanced precariously on his stick when I asked him to smile. With a little smirk he raised the corners of his mouth as if to say, “This is easy. You got a harder challenge?” The second game involved passing a lifesaver over a piece of spaghetti. This was again boys vs. girls and the results were the same. The boys think they were victorious but we really know who won!

After lunch we went to Shalom, the orphanage where Zebene, the little boy that Doug and Cristie have adopted, came from. Arrangements had been made ahead of time for Doug to meet up with Zebene’s birth mother. What an exciting and emotional time this was. Doug had brought a photo album filled with pictures of Zebene. He has been in SA for about seven months and so this was the first time she has seen pictures of him since she said her final goodbye. As soon as she saw the first picture tears started streaming down her face. Doug took her through the whole book, explaining that he was doing very well, who his new family was (brothers and sisters). Then Alex, our guide, translated a letter that Cristie had written, mother to mother, to her. I don’t know what she said, but I can only imagine. She was also presented with a picture Zebene had drawn. After this the rest of the team, except for Doug and Jaimie left to wander the orphanage. Doug said she went through the photo album again and started kissing all the pictures of her son that she gave up so he could have a better life. It was a great moment to watch the two of them together. For her to see her son was cared for and loved. And for Doug to give her the knowledge that he loved her son as his own.  Cristie, if you are reading this the entire event was captured on film for your eyes to witness when we get home! It truly was a blessing in so many ways!

The orphanage houses forty babies who have been totally abandoned. They were all SO cute. I was in Photographers heaven! From one face to the next they just got cuter. There was one little girl, who’s name in English means Hope. Immediately upon seeing her she stole my heart. She also stole Marie’s! She walked around the place saying “SEDO” which essentially to our knowledge translates to “sit down”. This phrase has been a standing joke with our team since arrival so it was kind of divine to hear this out of the mouth of babes! She was the cutest thing ever!!!

When we left Shalom we went back into Warancha and made four home visits, meaning we actually went into the homes of four children sponsored through the Hopechest. What a amazing time this was. I love to wander the villages and this was no different. There is no better way to get a feel for a community than to immerse oneself in it. We got out in town and just started walking the streets, with our guides and the Pastor and several other people. All the houses were single family, either held together by the mothers, or in one case by the grandparents.  One family not only held a family of six, but also cows and goats. And yes, they all live IN the same house. As we got out of the bus we were mobbed by the children of the village. Never were we by ourselves. We were always surrounded by at least 20 additional children. It was great!!!!

So as you can see, it was a much better day then yesterday. I was renewed and the Lord really did great things today. Tomorrow we will go to Warancha in the morning and then provide lunch for all the children in the afternoon. After that we plan to sit down with the Pastor and find out what their plans, needs, etc. are and determine in what ways we can be the most help. In this I will ask your for your prayers. We want to make sure we are led in the right direction.

I love you all and miss you. For those who commented on yesterdays blog thanks. You were the inspiration I needed for today!

A Hard But Good Day

We are sitting down right now planning out what we are going to do tomorrow with the children from Warancha. Today was our first day there and it was wonderful to spend the day with the kids but it was overwhelming in many ways.  We are seven people and we encountered about 400 children. If you are any good at math, you can figure out the numbers were not in our favor! We planned last night for quite a while but we were not fully prepared for the numbers we encountered. Our minds and reality were not on the same page. Now we know what to expect and we are talking to be better prepared for tomorrow. Our hearts are definitely in the right place. The kids have touched us in many ways and we want to be there for them and bless them in this time we have together. What we have determined is that we need more structure. Every minute has to be planned out.  Having said that here is what we did today…

We got up early and met for breakfast at 7:00 leaving the hotel at 8:00, arriving at Warancha at 8:30. We were swarmed by the kids. Then the children came out with the teachers and very nicely sat in rows, quietly. Alex introduced us one at a time and had the children repeat our names. This went well until he introduced Doug and all the kids said “Hello Dougie”. Needless to say, he is now Dougie to us! We (the Firje) then sang songs and attempted with our best effort to teach them the words. Fortunately, they already new Chick A Boom, Chick A Boom, which is what we started with. These children love to sing. We sang the Banana song and then taught a Bible story about how God made the children of the world, and how he loves us all. Dougie did the narration of this story and he did a really good job! After doing this we had a game called “In it to Win It”.  We had two teams (a guys team and a girls team of about 5 kids each) and they all had an Oreo. They placed the Oreo on their forehead and the object was to get it into their mouths without using their hands. The kids loved it! They probably loved the Oreo too! It was great fun listening the cheering and watching the concentration on their faces!

After that we took the kids back into their classrooms. Warancha has classes for Pre-K through 3^rd grade. Neda took the youngest kids along with Zach. Jaimie took the next level, with Marie, Dougie and Judy taking the older kids. I had no responsibility for individual kids as I am the recorder of the mission. Sounds easy, but it was a real struggle today. The classrooms were more controlled chaos though the second grade class has 60 kids in it! Imagine 60 kids in ONE classroom!

After this we went back outside and attacked the soccer field. The girls took on the boys with all the Frije playing except Judy and me.  Dougie has no mercy. Winning is everything to him, even if it means taking out little kids (at least that is how he talks!). In reality, the only people he tried to take out were his fellow frije!! I was impressed with the talent level all around. The girls did a great job and held their own, doing very well!  While the teams were playing the other kids stood behind a wooden fence and cheered on their teams. When a respective team scored the bystanders yelled and jumped in excitement. After each score the players rotated out and new players came in. One of the teachers joined in the fun (she played for the girls side) and she was quite a good player! I was proud of my fellow Frije. They managed to stay on the field and remain standing the whole time without collapsing from exhaustion!

And then we broke for lunch… The kids leave at noon to go home to eat so we went out to eat. Another amazing restaurant with another awesome meal! After lunch, and some revitalizing we returned for the afternoon. We started back in the classrooms coloring pictures.  The hope was that this would take a while but it was done in no time at all. While this was taking place I was going from classroom to classroom and taking pictures. This was becoming increasingly more difficult as my entrance was always a distraction. The kids just wanted their pictures taken and would not take no for an answer. The lack of communication did not help! The more I asked them to wait, the more they pulled and pulled on me to get my attention. There was frustration for all involved. I was frustrated because I was getting pulled in all directions (literally) and they were frustrated because I was not taking their pictures fast enough! Good news is this team is such a good group of people that I could vent my frustrations tonight and explain my reasoning and now I feel better.  Part of the equation is that these children come from a background so different from ours that it is hard to understand fully where the other is coming from. They have nothing and have had to beg and plead for all they have. They do not give up easily. I, on the other hand, am use not use to being pulled on and pushed on to get my way. At times I finally put my camera away and walked away from the fray because the constant shoving was unmanageable. Then of course I would feel guilty and try again. By the end of the day I was exhausted and had nothing left to give. I have spent the better part of the evening in silent prayer asking for forgiveness and for patience and for understanding. I love these children and I want to give to them. I want to take their pictures and give them the pleasure of seeing what they look like. I want to honor their wishes and honor my pledge to God to give to them.  I want to see joy on their faces and let them know they are loved. 

And so I leave you tonight and ask for your prayers. Prayers for patience. For peace. For strength to give unconditionally and to persevere and they did today.  Prayers for the children of Warancha to find joy in life and to learn the love of Christ. Prayers for our team for rest. I love you all.

WE HAVE ARRIVED IN WARANCHA

We are no longer in Addis Ababa. We got up early this morning and left at 6:45 for Awassa where Warancha is located. Our hope was to get here before church started but that is not quite what happened. Church started at 10 am and she showed up about 11:30. But I am getting way ahead of the story…

Our Internet access leaves something to be desired. After leaving Korah on Friday after feeding the kids lunch we actually stopped at the offices of Hopechest and had an opportunity to connect to the Internet. The door was opened and in we walked. I think it was the only time we have been silent all trip. The computers, phones, and Ipads were immediately opened and everyone was busy connecting to the outside world. You would think we had been without communication for months! While in Korah we had a chance to visit with a few elder men afflicted with leprosy.  We had met a woman there from Canada, Eve, who helps support this mission. They provide housing, food and medical assistance for those with leprosy in need. Originally Korah was a leper colony. The men in the house were so happy to have visitors and it was an honor to get to spend some time with them. One of the men weaving at the compound I spoke about in my last blog was also afflicted with leprosy. He was in the process of weaving a basket and he was so proud of his work. His hands were gnarled and he was without fingers down to his knuckles. And yet his work was beautiful and he had such pride in the fact that he could still produce such beautiful work. The American woman who works there, Emily, originally came to Ethiopia on a mission trip with her mother and was really called to the people in Korah. She came back three months later and is now married to one of the men that works there as well. In fact, the two of them run the program. Her husband, Birham, is originally from Korah and was a street kid himself before coming to Christ as a young child. He has dedicated his life to helping those in his own community. Emily is an RN to the two of them serve the people together and have no qualms getting their hands dirty in the process. The day we spent with their organization was a blessing to us all. Korah, for those of you who don’t know, is the poorest section of Ethiopia so it is great to see help coming to the people there.

Saturday morning we got up and went to No Ordinary Love sponsored by Jimmy and Rachel Gross, both from San Antonio. Their program is to minister to the community children. Both have had a heart for ministry for years and have been in Ethiopia for approximately two years. They have several children of their own and have just adopted a beautiful baby from San Antonio. We were able to see their organization and see the children and supply them with many donations that they needed thanks to the contributions of many of you. So thank you again for your generosity. They take care, not only of children, but also of young unmarried girls who have given birth. They provide them a place to live and help them to find employment once they get their feet back on the ground. I think the thing that I love the most is the fact that all the places we have visited employ Ethiopians to do the hands on work. They are having the countrymen and women take care of their own and providing employment opportunities. I am also so impressed with the love for the people they are all serving.

In the afternoon we went to Fashionable, a place under the care of Ian and Brittany, both originally from California. This was the coolest place ever. The women who work there make scarfs; and not just any scarfs, but absolutely beautiful scarfs made with care! The women who work there were once prostitutes who have turned their lives around and now have jobs, are earning money and are able to take care of themselves and their families. The women enjoy one another and the sense of family is permeable. We had the chance to work side by side with them dying the thread they use to weave the scarves. We then got to rinse them out – this was no easy process. We rinsed and rung them out and rinsed and rung them out at least five times. When done they were soaked in fabric softener to ensure they were incredibly soft before making. By the time I was done my hands were blue (as were my new white tennis shoes)!  But I got a high five from my Ethiopian partner so I was feeling pretty good. The weavers (all women) were amazing to watch. Their skills were fast and accurate. It was a great day to see these women smiling while working. At the end of the day we asked if it would be appropriate to buy each of the ladies a scarf, or if this would be like buying a chocolate for the woman who works in the chocolate factory, and were told this would be a wonderful surprise. So that is exactly what we did. They were so excited to get to pick out something for themselves. All the women but one picked out the same scarf – the one standout got the scarf named after her! We got a group picture, but not before they all went home and changed into their Sunday best! It was so neat to see them smile! I have to admit; up til now this has been my favorite part. Just seeing the joy on their faces was awesome!!!

For the past several nights we stayed at the Providence House in Addis Ababa. Judy and I shared a room, while the three other ladies stayed together.  Between the seven of us we had two bathrooms, limited hot water, and lots of humor. Our hostess was the sweetest woman ever; not to mention the best cook! Regardless of weather it was breakfast or dinner, the meal consisted of several courses and every one of them was delicious. Not to worry about my losing any weight over here! I told her I wanted to sneak her home in my suitcase! Last night they prepared a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony for us. They actually roasted the raw coffee beans over coals and then ground them. This was poured into small cups into which we all added at least 4 spoonfuls of sugar. It was great to watch and real coffee drinkers would have greatly appreciated the taste! We thanked her with a scarf as well!

Last night we met our driver’s boss just by happenstance. He pokes his head in the window and asks us all a question. In order to get the full humor of this story you have to understand that our guide’s name is Alex. He is NOT our driver. Marie, who was sitting in the back seat and only partially paying attention, responds to the question by saying, “Great, thanks to Alex”.  It’s too bad the question was, “How’s your driver doing?” Needless to say, she got the most inappropriate answer of the day award!

Last night we went to the Post Office (it’s an area of shopping, much like a market area, where there are a lot of Street Kids). We had an opportunity to browse the area and see if there are things we’d like to purchase and get a feel for the area. A young lady, also staying at the Providence House, who is from Tennessee, is working with those kids, and so we wanted to see what that was all about. It was an extremely difficult area for me. The kids are everywhere. Many of them are selling packs of gum to earn money. Rebecca was telling us about 9 year olds living on their own with no adults to help. Then there are many just begging for help. There is no end to those in need of help and they are not only children. There are many adults too. Mothers with young babies. Older men. Everywhere you turn someone is looking at you with pleading eyes! Meanwhile the shop owners are ushering you into their shops so they all know you have money! It was really hard for me. And no does not mean no. You can tell a person no, but it is as if they don’t hear. They continue to ask again and again. Our guide, Alex would bargain for us if there was something we wanted to buy. He had little faith in us Americans (ferje, pronounce feringe, which means white person). So I have made some progress. I am no longer a Mzungu. I am now a Ferje; at least for the next few days!!!

As a group, I’d have to rate us a ten! We really do get along well. The jabbing and jawing at one another started almost immediately, which is always a good sign. We have laughed hard and often and loved much. We thoroughly enjoy one another and seem to compliment one another (though definitely not verbally!) in skills!

We are now beginning to get ready to leave. This is a team that wants to be on the go. Today we went to the church, which is where I started. I love the worship. Everyone standing up and clapping and singing. The volume, the enthusiasm, the praise. It is without words. Then the women came and hugged us and the children loved on us and wanted to play and laugh with us. Sadly, the day came to an end much to quickly. But fortunately we have tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday and part of Thursday. I know the time will fly by and I will try to blog again tomorrow. In the meantime know I love you all. And Go Aggies Go!

I AM YOUNGER THAN MY HUSBAND!

We arrived yesterday right on time but by the time we got home last night we were all so exhausted it was all we could do to make it up the 31 stairs to our room to collapse in bed and go to sleep. Seriously, we were all in bed, asleep by 8:30. By the time we got to dinner I was so tired I passed on the meal and tried hopelessly just to keep my eyes open!

What an amazing trip so far! Ethiopia is such a different country from the US or from Uganda. The first difference I noticed right away was the fact that there are street signs in this country. The biggest car does not always win! I saw more street signs in the first minute than I saw the whole time I was in Uganda! I also noticed as I climbed into the van all set to take pictures from the passenger side that I was not on the passenger side. Ethiopians drive on the same side of the road we do. I was all set up to take pictures and now had all this traffic in the way! I did notice that the driving is not much different than Uganda though. The cars can make it through the tinniest spaces and though we passengers were a little scared the two Ethiopians thought nothing about it! Addis Ababa as a city is much wealthier than Kampala (the capital of Uganda). Our guide, Alex, is a wonderful man, married, with four children. He is patient with us in answering all our questions and his English is very, very good.

Anyway, we arrived and got through customs without a single hitch. In fact, no one even looked in our bags. We immediately left for the guest house where we dropped off our bags and left again, before anyone had a chance to fall asleep. We left and went to Bring Love In an organization started by Levi Becker. We toured his facility and then played with the kids. He has taken in children and matches them up with widows in the community (six children to one widow) and then he houses them and gets them sponsored. We had a chance to see the houses and they were really nice. Each child has a bunk bed, and there is a living area in which they can sit as a family. At 3:30 the children got off the bus from school and it was great to see. One of the widows (mothers) was at the base of the bus welcoming each child (not only her own) with a kiss. When they got inside the compound Thomas (one of the employees) was malled by the kids who were so happy to see him. He was equally as happy to see them! It was great to see the love between the two. Each afternoon the mothers come to the compound to pick up their kids from school and it was a great to see the interaction.

We then left there and went into town to meet Emily (part of Project 61 from Korah) where Doug and I followed her to go buy the goats. We bought six of them for $30 each. We then walked them down the street (actually they were walked for us) and then their legs were tied together and tied to the top of the bus for the trip to Korah. All the way there we could hear them moving around and hear them bahhing... I'm sure they were thinking "Oh boy, Oh boy, we've been chosen". Little did they know. Once we got to Korah they were being slaughtered so we could provide the kids a lunch today that actually included meat! Seeing all the goats in the market I knew I was no longer in Bulverde!

It was a great day. I have to say we were tired. The flight was a good one; it was non-stop which was a huge blessing although the movie selection had a lot to be desired. Jaimie watched Abe Lincoln Vampire Slayer... that should give you an indication of what our choices were. It should win an Emmy any day now! The rest of choices were not as good! There was no turbulence and no coke and the food was a little iffy but we got here in one piece and all our luggage arrived...on time!!!

The team is bonding well. We are beyond the perfunctory being nice and polite and are now just being ourselves. What this really means is the harassment has started and the comebacks are quick to come! This morning we got up and sorted through all the supplies and headed out to Project 61 which is Korah the poorest part of the country. They had kept one of the goats for us to slaughter (Zach did the honors) and then we watched as the goat was skinned to perfection. What an art! They then brought out two other goats and Marie and Neda artfully cut off the heads. Being the photographer I recorded the entire event (being glad that I had an excuse to be behind the lens). He then cut up the goat preserving every edible piece possible. They even braided the intestines to eat later! I was glad we were serving lunch but not eating!!! The heads which they cut off were left scattered around the property covered in flies. Again, Jaimie, the vegetarian, had nothing to do with this process. She sat with one little girl who pantomimed that they were slicing the heads of goats. They bonded immediately. The meat was then transported across the street where it was cooked in one little room (the smoke did me in after a few minutes) by a very gentle and loving woman. We then served it to the kids with "anjera" (spelling questionable), large looking pieces that look like tortillas but are much for absorbable. The kids ate it up in no time at all. It was a huge honor to get to be a part of the serving process.

There are also a large number of women who bead for a living. We had the chance to sit with them and watch them bead (Judy and I actually tried to make a bead or two). The beads we were making were made of two or three long strands of paper rolled up very tightly. They did get a laugh or two out of us (and I'm sure were laughing inside a lot harder). It takes huge concentration, at least it did for me. They each bead 200 a day. Two hundred! I did two and my hands were sore and my back was killing me! They were not only able to socialize while working but they were smiling and having fun! And to top it off they were beautiful women!

Now here is some very exciting news. In Ethiopia they follow their own calendar. Instead of following a twelve month calendar they have thirteen months, each one with 30 days. Their calendar begins in September with September 11th (my birthday) being New Year's Eve! That just gives me another reason to celebrate! But here is the really GOOD news. In Ethiopia it is not 2012!!! It is actually October, 2005!!!  So that means I am NOT 57, I am only 50!!!! Which means that I am NOT five years older than Steve. I am actually TWO YEARS YOUNGER!!! PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT, STEVE! Take that to the dinner table and discuss it with your children. I gotta love that! I may never come back!!!!

So the children are incredible as usual. I would expect nothing else. We are getting ready to head back to Korah. We have spent the last hour at HopeChest using their Internet since our guest house has no Internet. I will not be posting again tonight but wanted you to know we are all well. I love you all.