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.
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.
Ha....I have a trophy wife! This is cool.
ReplyDeleteSteve
Sounds amazing...would have loved to watch you watch them with the whole goat thing. Dad enjoyed hearing all this, even though you spoke this morning!
ReplyDeleteHave fun, be safe.
love you seester
HA! Love the stories & the pipe comment. There are so many reasons we are friends....
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the word "slaughter" thrown around so nonchalantly. Awesome.
ReplyDelete