Why not just raise funds and send a check: Their needs are many and they require money. Why will my journey to bring supplies to the orphanage, hand gifts to the child I sponsor, and purchase cows for families benefit from little old me flying half way across the planet? Couldn't I do that and more if I wasn't purchasing an airline ticket, staying in a hotel, needing a translator and driver? Couldn't I purchase more formula for the babies if I sent money for them instead of spending it on my trip? Why not just send a check? Because valuing people, bringing a smile to a child without a family, hugging a nanny, putting a story to the face of one of God’s children and sending that story out into his Kingdom is priceless. No check can buy that. No check can accomplish what that will accomplish. So off I go, off we go!
Departure Day: Remember when I said my biggest fear (besides getting sick from the water) was the time between laying my head down Thursday night and meeting the team at Dulles on Friday? “Called It!” Slept, not really. Got up a little early, got ready, got to the airport on time. Gave my goodbye kisses, took the overloaded-with-luggage photos and headed into the airport.
The nice lady escorted me to the Kiosk to check in. One sentence changed my entire morning. “Your flight has been cancelled. No other flights out until after your connection leaves.” My heart sank and raced at the same time. You can do this – do not cry. I was escorted to USAir where they had a flight to Regan leaving pretty much now. That’s all well and good, but I’m flying out of Dulles. This can’t be good. I spotted a group also being rerouted to Regan and in the group was a woman I thankfully thought I recognized. Well she was not who I thought she was, but she was with a group from a church in Greenville, NC heading to another orphanage in Ethiopia. They had to get on the plane leaving now, get the bus from the plane to the luggage, get the luggage, get a shuttle, get to Dulles, get through security and customs, and get to that plane headed across the ocean just like me. I was no longer alone and panicked, but now confidently a part of a wonderfully gracious group of people that promised me that I was now a part of their group until I reached mine. My new best friends.
I will always be so grateful for them. They honestly have no idea. These wonderful people even paid for the shuttle and told the driver they’d put someone on another’s lap to fit me in because they weren’t leaving me behind. Insert the Facebook “blessed” icon here. Between them and me and the insane amount of luggage the shuttle became lovingly referred to as the clown bus. When the back was filled to the roof with luggage we all piled in the back two seats and filled the rest of the van in with luggage. Filled to the brim with suitcases overflowing with love for the children we were on our way to see. My gang was checking in at Dulles as the clown car arrived. I thanked my new best friends (not nearly enough) and joined my intended travel companions and we were off.
Saturday morning – on the ground.
After almost thirteen hours the flight descended upon Ethiopia to the most beautiful sunrise. It was as if God painted a beautiful picture to welcome us. Finally we were there.
We departed the plane and took the escalator downstairs to a long line that ended at the desk where we purchased our visas. There were four people sitting behind a long glass window at a counter. There was not a computer to be seen. Each of the four had a pad, a piece of carbon paper, and a pen. They filled out the small form for our visa, took our crisp new twenty dollar bill (we were told no old torn up bills), and turned the corner to get in the line for customs. This line seemed to move faster. At the end of the line was a series of booths. As our turn came we each went to the booth, handed them our papers, and they took our fingerprints electronically. We then were able to claim our luggage and leave the airport. Waiting outside was Fekadu and Allison. I was so excited to see Allison. For someone I have only met twice, you’d think I had known her forever as happy as I was to be with her. Meeting Fekadu was amazing. As cool a guy as his Facebook page had led me to believe he’d be!
We left the airport and headed in Addis Ababa to get a drink and exchange currency before heading to Awassa.
Addis Ababa is a higher altitude (Addis Ababa's 7,700 foot elevation qualifies it as the world's sixth-highest capital city). Let the record show that upon arrival at the hotel where we were getting the drink and exchanging the currency – it was NOT a good idea to test one’s endurance at running up the five flights of stairs in a higher altitude on no sleep. The smog and dirt in the air was unbelievable (they told me this was a worse day than normal) and between the altitude, the sleep deprivation, and the air quality I almost immediately began feeling sick. That feeling didn’t go away. It was a bit unsettling to say the least.
We all loaded back up in Fekadu’s van. He will be our driver and go to guy for the next week. Off to Awassa. It was a four hour or so drive. Words can’t explain the drive and what we saw and sadly I was too out of it at this point to take too many photos or really take it all in. Suffice it to say that if you took a Nascar track, added some goats, cows, sheep, small taxi/scooter like vehicles, large dump truck like vehicles, donkey pulled carts and added lots of exhaust and dirt into the air and then played chicken with the oncoming vehicles in the most politely done fashion I have ever seen in my life all at about 60 miles an hour – you’d get a pretty good picture of the drive. Now add some sleep deprivation and an upset stomach into the mix and you’ve got it. I’m not sure why but in the midst of all of that I had 100% confidence in Fekadu and his complete ability to get us safely to Awassa.
We made it to the hotel about 4pm Awassa time Saturday after leaving the house at 4 am Friday. Ethiopia is 7 hours ahead. That would be a total travel time door-to-door of 29 hours. The journey left me beyond exhausted. I found myself taking it one minute at a time almost light headed and disoriented at this point. I’m not going to lie. I wanted to cry. What in the world was I doing?
We arrived at the hotel, got situated and headed down to the lobby to gather for dinner. Joining us was Zewdu our representative to the Ajuuja Orphanage and Wakeyo, Ajuuja’s Director. These men are obviously two very special people. (Zewdu’s wife has gone to Addis Abba. She is due with their first child soon and has gone home to her mother to deliver in the home.) You will hear more on them as the week continues. They are truly incredible people!
Roll your eyes here - I had pizza for dinner at a very beautiful restaurant on Lake Awassa. The way I was feeling I was pretty much taking one moment at a time. This was not the time to dive into the Ethiopian cuisine. I was just thankful for something I felt safe eating. It was a nice resort where families often stay that are there to adopt. It helped me to understand that Awassa is a city with some life to it amongst the despair. There is an economy here which is something I didn't include in the equation back home when thinking of educating the children and empowering women with businesses. The power went out during dinner. Not a problem in Awassa, just a way of life. We were eating outside and nobody blinked an eye. We returned to our car in the dark and returned to the hotel where it briefly went off a couple of more times before we turned in for the night.
Sunday-
I slept like a baby! Laid my head down at 7:30 Awassa time and woke up briefly a couple of times, but when I got out of bed at 6am, got a shower, brushed my teeth (both being extra careful to not let the tap water touch my mouth) I was back in “Let’s do this mode”. Completely rejuvenated – thank God!
We set out first thing Sunday morning for the Fish Market. We paid an entrance fee into the market where the locals fish and then sell their catch. There were children just wandering, maybe three years old at best. Not sure if their parents were there working or exactly what their situations were. They are too young to work or be begging for money. They seemed to want nothing more that human touch and followed us around holding our hands. Precious babies. We would hold their hands.
There were also older children there more like seven, eight, nine years old I’d guess. Some were selling food that you could feed the monkeys. Some just follow you in hopes you take their picture. They pose for pictures with the expectation of a tip. Finally, the fish market is home to a lot of orphans in the area that work here in teams to fish and to clean the fish hoping to earn some money. Orphans - children.
 |
| Just a boy. I wanted to know his story. |
 |
| Hello Mr. Monkey |
From there we went to visit some families of children in the FIG (Family in the Gap) program. Our first stop was Emebett’s home.
She lives with her husband, daughter, and 15 year old sister. They have a small one room home. there wasn't a kitchen, there wasn't a bedroom, there wasn't a bathroom. There was one bed. It felt dark and damp, but their smiles almost erased that as our stay went on. If Emebett sounds familiar, you might have seen Facebook posts regarding an auction that recently took place raising funds for a future surgery and medical needs for her. Emebett is I think in her 30’s. She received burns in a fire and has already been through surgery, but needs additional surgery and treatment. She is beautiful and gracious and just so sweet. Her daughter Eyureselem is a sponsored child through Project Hopeful which is how Emebett's needs came to light.
 |
| The entrance to Emebett's house |
 |
| Emebett's home |
 |
| Emebett and her daughter |
 |
| Emebett wearing the necklace made in her honor. |
While we sat on the chairs and visited with Emebett who sat up on the side of her bed, her sister knelt on the floor preparing coffee and a snack of dried chick peas for us. Next to me was a biology book for 11th grade. I questioned her age and learned that she was also studying physics, was very bright, and hopes to go to University next year. She was incredibly sweet and polite and obviously caring of her older sister. She is the future in this picture. Education will mean everything.
 |
| Emebett's sister |
We left Emebett's home to visit another sponsored child, Tamrat.
 |
| Sharbatu's home with her five children |
Tamrat holds a special place in the hearts of the team as well. On the last visit he did not show up to pick up the care package because his father had passed away that very day unexpectedly. His father's passing left his mother, Sharbatu, with five children to raise. When we arrived we were taken into the home that consisted of a small narrow room that was completely barren. The chairs were brought in from outside upon our arrival. Just a dirt floor, a mother, and her children. There was a smaller room off of the one we were in with nothing more than a blanket in it. Having "nothing" has a whole new definition to me now.
Although Sharbatu and her children live in a "compound" with her late husband's family, she is not treated well and you can see the struggle, sadness, and despair on her face. Her children wear dirty and torn clothes with not even a bed to sleep in.
 |
| Tamrat - love this boy! |
After the visits it was time for church. We arrived to a large church that seats about 2,000. I can't really say if it was an outdoor church or an indoor church - it was a little of both.
We were escorted right up to the front row upon our arrival. Another one of our amazing team members "Pastor Rob" provided the sermon as Fekadu translated.
To say this service was foot stomping would be an understatement. The energy in which these people worship is unlike anything I have ever been a part of before. There is joy beyond words in the hearts of each and every one of them. To say they love the Lord would be the understatement of the century.
Great job guys!
You can see in this picture how the church is expanding. So many come out to worship that during the service this outside area was full of worshipers as well.
Now to be honest, the service made me a little uncomfortable. I don't think I had really gotten my feet on the ground yet and this kind of worship (in another language no less) was completely out of my comfort zone. I appreciated it and I loved it, but I was uncomfortable. As I write this though, I'm realizing that really this was just foreshadowing of the week ahead. Song and dance are a huge part of everything they do in this culture. They burst out in dance, song, and praise at all times and in all places and I loved that. It might just have been the front row, the newness of it all, and so many people behind me that I couldn't turn around and see without feeling like the very white girl in the front row starring at everyone. It's quite possible that if church had been later in the week and I hadn't been in the front row it would have been a whole different experience for me. Just another thought to process in the weeks ahead.
Following the service we went out to eat with the Pastor. He wanted to thank us and was treating us to dinner. This was also a very nice restaurant in a hotel that appeared very American. As a result, we had to go through a metal detector to go inside. I'm not sure which part of that was unnerving - the eating at a nice restaurant with the visits we had made early in the day fresh in my mind or the fact that the establishment I was in could be a possible target because it was a place Americans would be more likely to frequent.
This had been a long day, we had seen a lot, I had met some wonderful people, I now have faces and lives in my heart already that I will carry with me forever. Tomorrow, Monday, would be our first visit to Ajujua (the orphanage), but for now it was time to rest.
When I went to Cuzco and Lake Titicaca, they gave us coca leaves and coca tea to help with the altitude sickness :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a blessed trip. I look forward to seeing the rest of the pictures!