A Trip to Addis

Tuesday, March 30 2010 Ithink this is the date-it's easy to lose track of days here.

My Ethiopian Journal:

I'll try to pick up where I left off last week- I wrote that the kids had been released from the VOH and they were expected to arrive. Unfortunately, we hit another road block and that did not happen. So disappointing! Alyssa & I spent a tearful evening in Addis wishing we had the kids in our care. I want to share their lives with them before we come home. We are still hoping it may happen soon- with help from others.

In spite of the disappointment, Alyssa & I saw Addis through the windows of a taxi as we traveled around the capitol shopping for various supplies for the farm-. Addis is a kalidascope of colorful images. I'll try to paint a picture for you.

Fashion: Many women dress beautifully with lots of very pretty fashionable things to buy if you have the money & can figure out where to buy them. When we went shopping, we walked down a street of clothing shops- each one carried about 200 items -mostly one of a kind items. We must have popped into 20 tiny shops before she found 2 pairs of shorts & a cute shirt.

Religion: Ethiopians are very religious. A beautiful Christian Orhodox church can be seen from the guest home we stayed in- Each morning and often at night- loud speakers chant in a language that has been lost even to the Ethiopians of God's will for them. (I'm guessing here and so are the Ethiopians) Sunday morning on our way to church we saw many people in their worship clothes heading for church as well. Alyssa & I enjoyed primary at the branch. They had an excellent program using the same material we use at home. I was impressed with how well the children know their bible stories- even obscure ones. Beautiful children everywhere.

Transportation: We easily spent more than a hundre dollars on taxis this week. Amazing that we dare jump into a taxi with a stranger and put our lives into their hands as they transport us around through the bizare traffic system. Surprising that the system works as well as it does- pedestrians crossing randomly, cars turning left without a light over several lanes of traffic, and cars driving where there isn't even suppose to be lante. They beep at each other and seem quite aware of one another as they zip around the town. There are hundreds of little blue taxis and hundreds of vans too. The vans have a driver & someone hanging out the window to get more passengers.

Efficiency is not a strong trait here: Last Tuesday morning Alyssa & I decided that getting anti snake venom was important for the farm- never know if someone might get bit by a snake and have only hours to live. As we were out walking we stopped by a OB hospital who then sent us to another hospital, a ten minute walk away. At this hospital, I had a nice chat with a Somalian business man who wanted to practice his English while waiting to visit with the doctor. The doctor then wrote me out a prescription for medical supplies for the farm (Val was wishing for suture items since a girl with a big gash had come in) and told us that the lab at St Paul's would have anti venom. So Alyssa & I jumped in a taxi for 100 bir (about $9) and rode 45 minutes across town to St Pauls. At the lab, we were told we would need an official letter from the hospital we came from but pointed out the distribution center where we would get it. We didn't want to go back so after waiting for the boss to return from his 2 hour lunch we pled our case with him. At first he refused but since he was dealing with forengies (foreigners) he relented. 6 hours after we first began our quest, we had our anti snake venom in hand. Not an efficient day!

Culture: Ethiopians are a helpful, gracious people.and very communal. Besides the connection they have with one another while driving, you feel their connection whenever we go walking too. Everett is a star here and he happily jumps into everyone's arms. Ethiopians will happily coo over him or just as willingly, give their advice. If Everett is not wearing a hat when the sun is shinig, they will tell you he needs one. If he is sleeping in his carrier, they will point at him to let you know that he may be uncomfortable. We chuckle to hear them laughing at the way Alyssa carries him in her front pack rather than on her back like they do.

So many sites to remember from Addis. With over 5 million people living in the city and many without jobs- you have to admire the way they try to make work for themselves. Selling gum, shining shoes, or weaving through the cars to sell sunglasses. Hardest to see are the beggars on the street- children, women with babies, or those with severe physical defects. This is a city of opposites living side by side- the rich and the poor but nothing in between. Especially colorful are the fruit stands at every corner selling a large variety of fruits and vegtables- bananas (yummy), avocados, zuchini, mangoes, & tomatoea, to name a few all lined up in rows.

After a week in Addis, Alyssa & I were ready fly to the farm & our men. When we arrived, I knew Val was sick because he wasn't at the plane to greet me and I could see him sitting on the porch. Everyone was worried about him as he hadn't moved from his bed for 24 hours- some checked on him to see if he was dead he was still for so long. Unfortunately the hundreds of bug bites- we think bed bugs from a motel before he arrived at the farm & fleas since arriving had pulled his ability to cope down- fevers & chills for several days. These open sores are pussy & infected and are slow to heal- several on his ankle has made it swell. Very painful & itchy. Thank goodness he is on the mend though- Sunday night I had nightmares- waking up all hours of the night thinking I had fleas in bed with us. Lucky for me they only like certain people.

The farm work progressed without us- a bulldozer & 6 loaders go out and push up burn piles, burn crews are piromaniacs and the tractors are plowing virgin land every day. Another house is almost completed which will be Alan & Shelley's home for the next couple of years . Val has cobbled together another kitchen area for them which includes a kitchen sink. No small feat since when a needed parts are missing, you can't run to a plumbing store. Wes & Alyssa's home has been started- metal frame in place & brick work going up fast. And we are really happy that we have a real stove & a refrigerator using a generator & cold running water now too.

Everyday has its challenges & uniqueness- the last couple of days it has rained good & hard in the early morning hours- muddy mess! This morning the living room wiring started smoking aparantly we have a short somewhere.

- We are-sad the last African civet died.He was fun. since he liked to run up your leg & sleep in our hair . Right nowAlyssa, Shelly & Val iare doctoring the little girl with the slash wound on her back.The mother walked 2 hours to bring her and she has come several times- it still looks really bad. We are defineately having experiences we won't soon forget.

Glad to know are children are taking good care of one another. I sure love my family & friends. There are definately some things I've taken for granted- one is cooking breakfast without waiting for someone to turn on the generator.

Life is still very good.