Heading for Home

We are on the long flight from Frankfurt to Chicago. We have been in the air for 6 hours, only 2 to go! It is so strange to think back over the experiences of the past month. We have seen and experienced so much. It will take some time yet to process everything. Pray for us as we readjust to America.
I had a special time with my class on the last day. On Thursday, they asked me to share with them a word from God’s Word. I told them I would on Friday. Friday we did about an hours worth of school work, then I took out my Bible and shared about prayer using the stories of Zacharias and Mary in Luke chapter 1. Zacharias, although he was a priest, righteous and blameless before God, did not believe Gabriel when he told him that his prayer for a son would be answered. Mary on the other hand, was young and innocent, yet willing to follow and believe anything God had for her in her life. Most of the students told me afterward that they could really relate to what I had shared, and thanked me over and over. Then we went to coffee break (they do this every day, it was one of my favorite times). Six of the guys in my class sat around a table with our coffee and shared words of encouragement with each other. They asked me to give them advice and encouragement. And I asked them to share the same with me. It was a special time. Then we went back to class to finish up our day. I hadn’t realized until this moment, and probably never will fully realize the impact that I had on these men. As we closed class for the day, I asked the class to come to the front. We all held hands and I asked one of them to pray in Amharic, and I closed in English. It was a special moment as we lifted one another up in the name of the Lord. We help hands, and Merkebo, who was holding my right hand, took my hand in both of his hands and just squeezed it. As we finished praying I looked up and Merga, another student, had tears in his eyes. I too was fighting back the tears. It was a special moment.
"Are you coming back?" is the question I think I heard that day more than anything else. "Ixibir befuked" (if God is willing) is the only response I could honestly give. I told them I would love to, but we would have to pray and follow God’s direction. They assured me that they would pray to God that I would be back.
Please pray for our family as we anticipate the future and seek God’s direction in our lives.

Sarhi & Fiker

Every day you go out into the streets of Addis Ababa promises a new and interesting experience. It is impossible to describe accurately to you what it is like to walk down the street here. The poverty is unbelievable. There are so many people, and many of them are asking for money, begging. There are crippled and lame people, some crawling (I saw one man who literally crawled on his stomach to get around), some using a stick as a crutch to move around, some just sitting on a street corner holding out their hands in hopes of a 10 cent piece. The poverty level is impossible to describe. For a foreigner like me, the poverty is so prevalent. It took a couple of weeks before I realized that not everyone is that poor. There are all levels of people. There are the super poor, who are doing all they can to make it day to day. There are those who have small businesses set up where they sell things like gum and cigarettes on the side of the road. Then there are the more well to do business people who wear suits and hold a regular job. It is difficult to comprehend, and even more difficult to explain.
As you walk through the streets, you heart breaks for many of these people. Who should you help? You can’t possibly give enough money to help them all. Is giving money to beggars really a solution? You have to pray and ask God to show you to whom He wants you to reach out. After my first week, I noticed a mother and her child who had a small business selling small items like gum, cigarettes, candy and peanuts. I passed them every day on the way home. So one day I decided I would stop and try to communicate. The first day I stopped, handed the little girl a couple of coins, and greeted them. The next day I did the same. After several days I was stopping to chat. She spoke a little bit of English, and I could speak enough Amharic to have a short conversation. Eventually I was able to introduce them to my family. Sarhi (the mother) absolutely fell in love with Kelsey. In fact, everybody who ever laid eyes on Kelsey wanted to kiss her or hug her or touch her hair, but that’s another story. Sarhi and Fiker (the little girl) became our good friends. We stopped daily to greet them and try to speak through the language barrier to one another. We began to build a special bond. Fiker means love, and Sarhi means sun.
Eventually though, we had to tell them when we were leaving. A couple of days before we were to leave, I told Sarhi we would be returning to America. I will never forget the look on her face when she realized what I had said. She stepped back, and withdrew. She got tears in her eyes. She was obviously very heartbroken. What could I do? I hugged her and told her that I would be back the next day with a gift.
We returned the next day with a gift - a picture of our family in a frame we had found in a local shop. I gave it so her in the box, so that she could open it. She was so happy and excited to have this memory of us. I also gave her some extra spending money, and Kara had some clothes for Fiker. It was a sad moment. I don’t know if I will ever see Sarhi and Fiker again. I hope I do someday. And if I do, I hope they remember me. Please pray for Sarhi and Fiker. I don’t think they know Jesus. I tried one day to ask her, but was not able to get much information. My prayer is that I was able to show her Jesus through my love. Pray with me that Sarhi and Fiker will one day meet Jesus.

July 14, 2006

Hi everyone!

Thank you so much for your prayers. We can really feel them. We have been healthy, safe and had many ministry opportunities. Our time here it going by so fast. I can’t believe we only have a little over a week left. I know my blogs are long but I don’t get much time to sit and type. So read what you want, when you want.

The Fistula Hospital

This hospital was set up by two doctors (husband and wife) who had a real heart for the poor pregnant women of Ethiopia who have had difficult deliveries because their pelvis were shaped incorrectly. Through these deliveries they have suffered the death of their baby and a tear in the wall of their bladder and/or rectum. This trauma is enough in itself but then they are faced with rejection from their families and villages because with the tear they suffered in childbirth they now leak bodily fluids and have a terrible smell. This hospital operates on these women and gives them a new hope. The women come from all over for this free treatment. Most walk because they are not allowed on the buses because of their smell. A few are brought by family members or other help agencies. One woman brought a letter with her from her family requesting that she be allowed to have the surgery. The letter was dated 12 years earlier. It had taken her that long to get to the hospital from her village. Thankfully now there are 3-4 other clinics spread around Ethiopia to help these women. In America if this type of delivery happened a C-section could be performed and the baby saved! It is because of the lack of adequate healthcare to the poor village women that this happens to them. We had the privilege of getting a tour of the hospital, meeting some of the doctors and also the founder. The best part was talking with the women who were there¼.some just arriving, some getting prepped for surgery and some recovering. I took a picture of the doctor who gave us the tour with some of the women who were waiting to be admitted. After taking the picture I should them on my digital camera what they looked like. I don’t know if some of them had ever seen themselves. They then all wanted their picture made and wanted to see. I took several and showed them. It was a great joy to tell them “konjo” which means “beautiful”. These women think they have been cursed by God and are unlovable. To show them their picture and tell them they are beautiful was very special to me. They kept telling me “asmestedganarlo” which means ‘thank you”. It told them “no, it was me who thanked them!”. The hospital teaches them that God loves them and they are special to Him. It is not their fault what has happened to them.

The Deborah House

I wrote about these girls in my last blog. Geoffrey, Kara and I did get to go back and teach a Bible study with them last week. Geoffrey taught on Mary and how she was young like them but had a big faith and was used of God just like they could be. The enthusiasm some of them have to read and study the Bible is amazing. When Geoffrey asked if someone would like to pray at the end of our study time, several hands went up. Wow, big difference from the States, where most people tend to look at the floor when asked to pray. They love to tell you their stories and share what God has done in their lives. One girl asked if she could come visit me and tell me her story. I said I’d love for her to . She came to visit and I was sleeping so she made a special effort to come back that night. She started sharing her story in very broken English and I felt I was missing key parts. Marcia (one of our team leaders who knows the language well) walked in at that time. I felt it was a gift from God. She helped translate so I could get all of Tigist’s story. I typed it up later and can share with you if you like. Later I found out that she was usually very quiet and had not shared her entire story with anyone before. I thank God for this opportunity. I was able to talk with her, encourage her and pray with her. God is so good! A few of the girls came up last week too and braided mine and Kara’s hair. We had lots of braids all over and then pulled them back in a ponytail. How fun! It great to just talk with the girls as they worked on our hair. Kara has two special friends, Bethlehem (Betty) and Dearshay. They like to come up and play with her and Garren. They tried to braid Garren’s hair too but it was too soft and just fell out. Kara and I got to go back this past Tuesday with Karen (their regular missionary, she’s from New Zealand and has a really cool accent!) for Bible study. Once again it was amazing to see their excitement and be part of teaching them.

The Bells

We did get to have dinner with Sarah and Vern at their home. It was so nice to be in a real home. The next day Vern took us to the airport to show us the planes he flies. The kids loved being in the cockpit and getting a flying lesson. Vern flys people and supplies in and out of the remote villages. Just that morning he had flown a missionary out of a village and to a hospital for medical treatment. He has a wonderful ministry with the Ethiopian people and missionaries here. The Bells have left for Kenya now to go to their daughter’s high school graduation. We plan to have one more dinner with them when they get back so we can see their children, Kristen and Josh.

Missionary Families

We have met some really nice and interesting family who live here and minister in Ethiopia. There is an instant connection as a Christian. Kara and Garren have made friends with several of the children and have even spent the night in two of their homes. It is so neat to meet people from all over the world.

Salom Children’s VillageThis is an orphanage that we got to visit. It is such an amazing place. They have about 450 children there and are pretty much self-sufficient. They have dorms and a school for the children. All the children attend school through grade 10. They raise cows for milk, rabbits to eat, sheep for thread, they have a huge vegetable garden and they make things like baskets, clothing, bed linens and sell them to the public. They make all the school uniforms and clothes for the children. They also teach each child a trade. One trade is cooking, national and international foods. We had a treat in their restaurant where we were served a delicious 5 course meal¼all prepared and served by the students. It was a great place to see God at work and these children so loved!

Kesley & Garren

She had grown and changed since we have been here. She is talking more and will now repeat words we say. We like to have her say Amheric words. Two of her favorite things to eat are bread (“dabo”) and bananas (“mooz”). Today Garren went out of the compound alone to one of the street vendors (about 60 feet from the gate) to buy mooz for Kelsey. He loved that I let him go alone. He knows too that I prayed the entire time he was gone and thanked the Lord when he returned.

Joy Academy

Two days this week the kids and I have gone to Joy Academy. It’s a school here for children birth to 2^nd grade. During the summer they have a morning program for the children who need it. They have about thirty 2-9 year olds. We got to play with the children and teach them a Bible story. Marcia taught the first day and we taught the second day. We were to teach the story of the wise and foolish man (one built their house on sand and the other rock). I talked with Kara and Garren and they decided that Kara would teach the Bible story, I would teach them a song and Garren would teach and play a game with them. They even came up with a visual for the story. Kara did a wonderful job teaching and Garren did great helping with the visual and leading in game time. They also did great mixing with and playing with the children. I was so proud! It was fun seeing them minister to these kids.

Mercada

This is the largest open air market in all of Africa. One of Geoffrey’s student’s, Asafa, took me and Geoffrey for the experience. We left the kids home with a sitter. It’s the kind of place that you take off all your jewelry before going and make sure your money is very securely hidden. There were so many people and so many booths with so much stuff. I’m glad Asafa was with us to help navigate through everything. It is so overwhelming to be a foreigner (“ferinji”) there. They all think we have lots of money and want us to come in their stores. There are also beggars there who want money from us. It was crazy but also very interesting at the same time. You can buy almost anything there. They have nice clothes stores, lots of shoe stores and then you can go to the cultural side and see all the herbs and spices and cooking things. We saw mounds of butter and cheese where you just scoop up what you want and weigh it and pay for it. Definitely no health code rules here. The dress shops amazed me. They have several dresses hanging up (suits to fancy prom type dresses). Then they have lots of bolts of material. You show them the dress you want and pick out the material you want. They measure you and then make the dress by hand for you. Geoffrey has taken Garren today to see. He told Garren and Kara he would take them one at a time.

Sheraton

We had a touristy moment and went to the Sherton. It is this enourmous and very extravagant hotel. You see how fancy it is and then right outside the walls are shacks and beggars and homeless. It is quite amazing and the people of Addis Ababa are very proud that someone would build something so nice in their city. To me, the money could have been used in a much better way. Anyway¼.they have a very nice, free, playground that we took the kids to play on. They also have a fountain, light show at night. If you’ve been to Las Vegas and seen the fountains at Bellagio, you know what I’m talking about. This of course was a much smaller scale but still nice.

VBS

We are in full swing getting ready for VBS next week at IEC (International Evangelical Church). The kids, Marcia and I are in charge of telling the Bible story each day. Kara and Garren will be doing a skit each day to open up our story time and set the theme for the day and then Marcia or I will be teaching the Bible story. There is lots to get ready¼backdrops, props, costumes, copies, room decoration, supplies, etc. We have been working hard and will have one final meeting this Sunday and then start on Monday. We will have approximately 100 7-12 year olds! Thankfully they will be broken up into 3 groups for story time. Again, I’m so glad to have an opportunity that Kara and Garren get to be part of.

Keep praying!

As I said, we have felt your prayers and are so thankful! Continue to pray for Geoffrey as he teaches. Also, please continue to pray for our health and safety. Pray for us as we teach VBS next week and that the children’s hearts will be open to salvation. Pray too as we begin to make preparation to come home.

Questions/Comments?

You can email us at nancy@thejaneses.com, geoffrey@thejaneses.com or kara@thejaneses.com if you have any questions, comments or just want to talk. If you want to email Garren just send it to my address. He forgot his password! _ We love getting email here!

“Leba, Leba!”

I decided to take Garren to the Mercato, the largest open air market in Africa. It is located right here in Addis Ababa, about 2 miles from where we are staying. It was Friday afternoon, July 14. So we set out, hopping aboard a mini-bus taxi, we eventually arrived at the Mercato.

We spent the next couple of hours wandering through the narrow crowded alleys, looking at the merchandise (everything including clothing, shoes, local cultural dress, wood carvings, spices, butter, electronics, jewelry and more). We bought a couple of things and then decided to head home. The Mercato is huge, and there are no signs or maps telling you how to get around. So we made our way toward home, asking people along the way if we were going in the right direction. We found a main road with taxis, and walked down that for a while. Everywhere the people look at us and yell “Furinje!” It is their word for foreigner. It comes from the word “French” and originated back when the French army was in Ethiopia. Now anyone who is a foreigner is a “Furinje.” As we were walking down one road, trying to find our way home, we saw a large mass of water covering the road. I took my digital camera out of my pocket and took a picture. As I was putting it back, we heard a group of guys yell “Furinje, digital camera, take my picture!” So of course, we thought it would be fun to take the local’s picture. They always like seeing themselves on the screen. So I held up the camera, and tried to tell the guys to stand still, but all of a sudden one of the guys, who was standing behind me, reached his hand over my right shoulder, grabbed the camera and began to run!

I impulsively turned and followed after him. I began yelling “Leba! Leba!” Leba means “thief.” I yelled and ran and pointed. There weren’t a lot of people around, but those that saw me just stared. I looked back to see what Garren was doing. He had made it safely half way across the street and was waiting for another car to pass. I turned and continued to chase the Leba. He turned down an alley, along with his two accomplices. Then down another slippery hill into a neighborhood. I stopped at this point and began asking if anyone had seen the man. An older gentleman came out of the shack He had been sitting in and spoke with me. He was the only one who knew any English. I told him what had happened, and he said he hadn’t seen anything. I said, “Look at all these people.” A large crowd had begun to gather. “Someone here saw him, someone here knows who it was.” I pulled out all the money I had in my pocket, about 70 Ethiopian Burr, which is about $9 US. I said, “I will pay a reward to whoever brings back my camera!” But nobody moved. The older gentleman asked if I had seen the police. No there were no police. The group that had gathered continued to discuss the situation while Garren and I stood hopelessly by. I waited, I again offered a reward, and one younger man looked at me and said in English “Relax.” Relax? I just had a $500 camera stolen, and nobody is doing anything. How am I supposed to relax? So I prayed “Jesus, please give me my camera back!”

Then I looked up and three federal policemen where coming down the alley towards me. One of them was carrying a semi-automatic machine gun. Their English was not good. But the man who had told me to relax began to explain to them what had happened. I think he must have seen it, because he seemed to be describing everything in detail. They were speaking Amharic, but I could tell what he was saying by his body language. Again, a long discussion took place. Garren and I just waited. I sat next to one of the federal guards, his name was Bertelou. He was very kind, but his English was nominal. I just wanted to know what was happening, what was the plan. He told me we would have to go to the police station and write a report. So we waited. Some more men showed up, and again my witness described for them what had happened. Again we waited. I found out later these men were undercover police. Now I felt a bit more relieved, although I never expected them to find the camera. Time was passing, and the camera would be long gone by now. The undercover agents began pulling children aside and asking them questions. There were probably about 30 children gathered around at this time. At one point, the police went down into the neighborhood to look around. The children had gathered around me and were asking for money. I said “Camera - money.” As if he understood, one boy took off running, but returned a few minutes later empty handed. Again I prayed, “Jesus, please give me that camera back!”

After about 45 minutes of discussion, we began our journey to the police station. We would walk about a mile through the streets of Addis Ababa. It must have been quite a sight. Two Furinji’s, three federal police, three undercover agents, and about five or six Ethiopians all walking together in a group. I looked up and noticed that one of the undercover agents had a man in handcuffs, and was leading him along. I asked Garren if he recognized the guy. He thought it was the one who had snatched the camera, but it was hard to remember. It had all happened so fast. As we were walking I looked at Garren and said, “Are you praying?” He said “Yes.”

We finally arrived at the police station. It was a run down house, with several guards with guns standing around. We went into the courtyard and sat down, with the man in handcuffs sitting down the alley, across from us. I kept looking at him, but he would not make eye contact. I still don’t even know if he was the one. We continued to wait. I sat with Garren and two young men who would be our witnesses. I tried to ask the one what was going on. He said “Relax.” So I did, and we waited. Eventually we were escorted indoors. The prisoner first, and then the rest of us. We were then left for a few minutes in a room: The man in handcuffs, Garren and myself, and one of the witnesses, with no police around at all! I was amazed, and a little nervous. I looked at the guy in cuffs and said “Do you know where the camera is?” He said something in Amharic, and my witness friend said, “He says he doesn’t speak any English.” As we waited a little bit longer, the witness was looking nervous as well. “This is dangerous” he said, to which I agreed.

The police came back in and took us down the hall to another room with a couple of desks, a bed and several chairs. We sat down, and we waited. I figured out that the man behind the desk was taking statements. Don’t think about an American police station as I describe this. If you have ever seen a movie where an American citizen is wrongly placed in a foreign jail, such as in Mexico or South America, you will have a better picture of the surroundings. The floor was worn out wood. The walls had plaster falling out all over the place. The window was broken, with large green wooden shutters on the outside. One single light bulb was hanging from the ceiling.

As we waited, I contemplated prayer. We are supposed to pray according to the will of God. But I have to be honest. Although in the back of my mind, I thought “Your will be done,” deep down inside I was thinking, ‘My will be done, Lord, please get my camera back.” I don’t understand prayer, although I try. I have seen prayer work, I have seen God do amazing things. But I still don’t understand how prayer works. Why does God care if I get my camera back? I don’t understand.

The police officer called the first witness to sit in front of the desk, as he handwrote a report of what had happened. Then the second witness. I continued my prayer about an hour into this process some more men came into the room. One of them got a phone call, and everyone seemed excited. The witness who spoke English looked at me, gave me the thumbs up sign, and said “They found the camera.” As confident as everyone sounded, I didn’t believe it. I could not believe that until I could see it for myself. The chance of seeing that camera again was very slim. “Jesus, please give me the camera back.” Again we waited. Then it was my turn to sign a statement. The officer worked on figuring out how to spell my name in Amharic, and asked me several demographical questions. Then he asked me for a local phone number and street address. I did not know either of these. He said, “Go straight home, and call me back at this number, so that we can contact you when we get the camera back.” He handed me a piece of paper with his cell phone number and the number for the police station. I signed the report (which was completely in Amharic, so I was going on faith that it said what I thought it said). Garren and I left, along with one of the witnesses who was going to help me get a taxi so I could get back to SIM Headquarters. The robbery had occured at about 3:30pm, and it was know 6:15pm. I knew Nancy must be quite concerned by this time, so I prayed that she would be at ease.

I made it back to the compound, and went straight to the room. Karen helped me find Leila, the short term coordinator, who speaks English and Amharic fluently. She graciously called the police officer back and told him who she was. After a few minutes she hung up the phone and said “They have your camera, we have to go back to the police station.”

I was floored, I didn’t know whether or not to get my hopes up, so I didn’t. Then I remembered, when we pray we should pray expectantly. Why ask for something, if we don’t think we will get it? I had been asking Jesus to get my camera back. But why did I still doubt? We arrived at the police station, went inside, and there on the desk was the camera! I picked it up and examined it. It was ours! I was speechless. There were the three undercover agents, and a new witness. Leila asked if they had caught the thief. He said no, they did not have the thief. He claimed that someone found the camera on the side of the street and brought it in. You can believe what you want, but I sure don’t believe that story. Then the officer asked if I was willing to compensate the witnesses, who had been very helpful, having spent their entire afternoon helping me to recover the camera. Of course I was happy to do that. But there was more. The police had to process the camera, so it would have to stay overnight, and I would have to return the next day to pick it up. So home we went, and Leila agreed to meet me at 7:45 the next morning so we could go pick up the camera.

The next morning, we arrived at the station, and the officer told us that the camera had been picked up and taken to the main police headquarters to be processed. So back into the taxi we went, across town to the police headquarters. Again, don’t think American Police Station. This was another run down building, with a courtyard in the middle. We found the office we needed, only to discover that the only man who could help us was out at a crime scene. He would be back by 10:00 am. So we waited. We waited until about 10:15, and sure enough, he showed up. Everyone was very helpful. I thanked the Lord again for answering my prayers. The police took a picture of the camera, and handed it to me. I put it right into my pocket, and off we went, back home with an amazing story to tell.

July 8, 2006

It has been two weeks since we arrived in Ethiopia. On the one hand, time has gone by very quickly. It’s hard to believe it has already passed so quickly. But on the other hand, it seems as if we have been here much longer than two weeks. So much has happened, we have seen so many things, and met so many people. Our time here has been wonderful so far, we look forward to the second half of our time here in Ethiopia.

Last night we missed dinner at the SIM compound where we are staying. Actually, we forgot to sign in, so there wasn’t enough for us to stay and eat. We had already tried several western style restaurants, and wanted to see if there were any other options. Brad, a short term worker from Canada, said he had heard about a small restaurant near our compound that might be a good place. He did not know the name, or even the exact location, but we decided to try it anyway. We set off with Brad to find something to eat.

After about 1 block, we turned down a side alley and saw our destination: The Oasis Hotel. Hotel here is not what you would expect to see in America. We went inside, and were greeted and sat immediately. It was dark and musty. It was more of an alley between two buildings, with a tarp overhead for a roof. A lady, probably the owner, who spoke English, came to our table. She asked us what we would like to eat. Of course, we didn’t even know what to ask for, so we asked for a menu. No menus here. She asked what we would like, and she would prepare it. We thought as quickly as we could, and with a little further discussion she told us that she could prepare some sheep. We asked how much, to which she replied “40 Burr for 1 kilo.” That is about $5 for a kilo. So we ordered 1 kilo, not sure exactly how it would be prepared. We ordered drinks, and waited to see what would come next.

After a few minutes we saw the owner, who must also be the cook, pass by with a chunk of raw meat on a platter. She took it to the butcher, who was next door, where is was diced. Then she went back again to the kitchen. It wasn’t much longer before she came out with a small charcoal stove that is used here for cooking. The bottom part of the stove contains hot coals, and the top part was full of meat, still cooking on the stove. The stove is about 12 inches tall, and about 5 or 6 inches in diameter. She set the stove on the table, and gave us a plate with Injiera (the local Ethiopian staple, it is much like sourdough bread, very much, and often quite sour), as well as a basket of bread. We began to eat, and we were thoroughly amazed and pleased with the results! This was by far the best Ethiopian meal I had eaten since our arrival here! We thanked the cook/owner, and she told us to come back. She promised to prepare more food for us, and asked us also to tell all of our friends. So that is what I am doing! If you are ever in Addis Ababa, be sure and find The Oasis Hotel, and drop in for the best Lamb and Bread in the world!

July 7, 2006

Before we left the United States, my dad asked me to see if I could find a piece of African wood to bring back for him. He is a woodworker, and is interested in different types of wood. The other day, I asked the students in my class where I might find a piece of wood that is indigenous to Ethiopia. I had been told that Wanza would be a good choice, so I specified to them that I needed to find a piece of Wanza wood for my father. Ashegre, one of my students, told me that he had a friend who is a woodworker. He arranged for us to meet the next day so that he could supply me with the wood that I wanted.

The next day, after class was over, I had lunch with Ashegre - Injiera and Wut - and then we headed to meet his friend. We rode the mini-bus, the favorite mode of transportation here in Addis Ababa, and arrived in Mechanisa, a small neighbor a few miles from the school. We stopped at a little café to wait for Ashegre’s friend. As we waited, we had the opportunity to discuss theological issues in Ethiopia as compared with America. As it turns out, many of the issues really aren’t that different. The topic we discussed this time was miracles and speaking in tongues. Are these gifts still active today, or not?

Anyway, Ashegre’s friend eventually showed up (you have to understand that in Ethiopian culture, there is never any hurry...things happen when they happen). Mulugeta (which means “Great Lord”, or “King”) greeted us. At first we weren’t sure what was wrong with his right hand, but later he told us that he had cut off all four fingers with a table saw just this past February. A tragic accident, but he seemed cheerful enough despite the setback. So we talked about the wood I wanted, and we agreed that he would find some and have it delivered to me early the next week. He wanted to know what size and what kind of wood, so we decided that it should be 50cm X 30 cm X 2 cm. Then he told me that he would go the next day to the Mercado and purchase a piece for me. I had expected to go and see his work shop, and then to find a piece of scrap there, but once again, Ethiopia showed me a different way of doing things. Then I asked Mulugeta where his workshop was. I asked him if we could go and see it, and he agreed. We walked up the road, and down another smaller road, through a typical Addis neighborhood. As we passed one gate, Mulugeta said, “This is my home, would you like to come in?” We agreed, and I was introduced to his small one room home, which he rents. It is actually attached to a larger house, but has a separate entrance, and no windows. Inside was one bed, a small couch, and a couple of shelves. He offered tea, which is a very typical Ethiopian custom. Having just had a coffee (“buna”) I declined, and he understood. We sat and talked about different things, and eventually I asked about where to buy Ethiopian music. He had a CD that he let me listen to on his CD player. I asked him where I could purchase a CD like this. He said I could buy his, and he would go later and buy another one for himself. But then, in typical Ethiopian style, he said he wanted to give it to me. It is so hard to accept such a gift in such a manner. The people here don’t have much, but what they have they willingly give away! It is quite humbling.

We left Mulugeta’s home and walked down the street a little further. We finally came to another gate, and went inside. There on the left was a shack, which he told me was his workshop. It was a building surrounded with corrugated tin, and covered with a large blue tarp. Inside was a table saw (the ground was natural, grass and dirt), and several clamps hanging on one wall. I took a picture, and we talked about his desire to eventually buy more machinery. I told him about my dad’s workshop, which must have sounded like woodworker’s heaven to him. Then we headed back up the street where I caught a mini-bus that took me back home.

July 5, 2006

Today, as I was fighting the crowds to get on a mini-bus to take me home, I was finally able to squeeze on and find a seat. But the bus didn’t move, and everyone on board just stared at me. “Tikur Anbassa?” I said, making sure I was on the right bus. Everyone nodded, yet continued to stare. The bus didn’t move. So I asked again “Tikur Anbassa?” Yes, everyone nodded. This bus was definitely headed to my destination. Still no one moved, still everyone stared. I knew something was wrong, but I could not figure it out. The boy who collects the money kept staring at me, as if he had something to say. Of course, he couldn’t say it, as he doesn’t speak english. I was beginning to feel pretty uncomfortable, so I asked one more time: “Tikur Anbassa?” Finally, someone spoke up in broken English: “Yes, this bus goes to Tikur Anbassa, but we are full, and you are the extra.” So, I quickly got off, and everyone seemed happy again.

The ironic thing is I got on the next available mini-bus, and it was packed with more people than there were seats! I guess that is part of the way things work here in Ethiopia.

Photos

June 29-30, 2006

Today you get Nancy’s point of view. Yes, I’m a woman who speaks in details and this will be long, so I’ve tried to break it up in sections so you don’t have to read it all if you don’t want to. There’s just so much! Also we have found that internet access is not as good as we thought. We have limited access to dial-up connections so that is why we haven’t written many personal emails or are able to add pictures like we thought. We’ll have lots to show you when we get back!

Luggage: We did get our luggage on Monday night (all 24 pieces our team had checked). Yeah, clean clothes. Thank you Lord! (Ixibir amestedginarlo!)

Jetlag: The kids and I are doing great! I am so glad we are here. I can’t wait to show you pictures, those of you who are picture people. There is really no way to put in words all that we have seen. The kids have adjusted well to the time change and didn’t suffer at all from jetlag. Kelsey is even on her 2 nap a day schedule. I’m still not sleeping through the night. My body thinks I’m still in NC. We are 7 hours ahead of you guys in NC. We’ve been told it takes one day per time zone to get acclimated.

Our apartment: We were blessed when we arrived to find that they had put our family in an apartment at the Guest House. We thought we were going to have two adjoining dorm style rooms with a shared bathroom on the hall. Instead we have a living room, kitchen/dining room and one bedroom. Garren is sleeping on a mattress on the floor in the kitchen/dining room and the rest of us are in the bedroom. They even had a pack-n-play ready for Kelsey so she is right at home. This is great because we can prepare some of our own meals when we don’t want what they are serving in the dining room. Downstairs there is also a really nice lounge/living room area, a large dining hall, a playroom with toys and books for the kids and a TV room...satellite TV and videos. Geoffrey is excited because he will get to see the Tour d’France. He thought he would miss it this year and as you know he is a big cyclists fan!

Food: The food here is so good. We came prepared to have to eat lots of different foods but that has not really been the case. The food they serve in the dining hall is very American. Dad, you would even like it! Most of the restaurants we have gone out to are also very Western and the food is great! It may have a little different twist but still very good. Since the Italians occupied Ethiopia for a few years there are lots of pasta dishes on the menus so Garren is very happy. He loves Fettuccini Alfredo! I came here thinking maybe I would lose weight but with all the yummy food that’s not going to happen. Every day at 10:30 they have tea time in the dining hall where they serve hot tea and cake. Kara and Garren have grown to really love the hot tea (with lots of sugar) and can’t wait for tea time each day. Friday night we had a real treat. We went out to dinner at a real Ethiopian restaurant with real Ethiopian food, decor, music and dancing. We ate Injera b’wat. We’ll explain later if you want details. The food was very good, all eaten with our fingers. The music and dancing was incredible. They performed dances from different regions of the country and wore costumes to go with the dance and the region.

Language: We are trying to learn what we can so we can communicate a little when we are out. I think for only being here one week we are doing great. We know our greetings...hello, how are you and how to respond, our numbers 1-10 and by 10s to 100, words for things we want to order coffee, tea and bananas (Kelsey’s favorite), and so on. It is hard not to be able to communicate the way we would like and very intimidating. Thankfully most people speak some English. Ask us for words when we get back!

The city: The compound (this is the gated in area where our apartment is located) is right in the city, Addis Ababa. Its very different from the States because there are people EVERYWHERE! I have never seen so many people on the streets. The unemployment rate here is somewhere around 50-60% so the people just don’t have anywhere to go. They walk the streets. The diversity you see is unbelievable. When you walk down the street you will beggars, women with little hungry children, crippled, someone with a box turned upside down and items on it to sell such as the tissue packs and hair ponytail holders, to men and women dressed nicely and even some in expensive business clothes. Its amazing how they are all mixed together.

The Ethiopian people: Even though we are the foreigners (ferenji) and really stand out we have not had any trouble. The people here are so friendly and hospitable. I have never been around a group of welcoming people as we have seen here. The hardest part is the beggars and lame we see as we walk in the city. This has really affected Kara. Her heart really hurts for these people and she will not walk without holding my hand. That’s ok though. I’m glad she has a tender heart and love for people. It is getting easier but I don’t know how you could ever grow accustomed to it.

Transportation: Most people walk, but when you need to get somewhere not in walking distance you have your choice of three different kinds of taxis...weeits (trucks with camper tops and seats on each side of the bed that face each other), mini-bus (your somewhat basic minivan with a few more seats. It costs .60 birr for a trip which is about .48 American cents. This is the basic way we travel) and a regular taxi (you bargain the price before you get in). These taxis are everywhere and definitely an experience to ride in!

People we have met here: It has been so amazing to meet the other families (from the States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Germany) staying here at the Guest House and hear their stories of where they have been and where they are going. We had Bible study Monday night with the other short term missionaries who are staying here. It was so great to study God’s Word with people from around the world. God is hard at work in Ethiopia. Also, I have had the chance to see Sarah Bell. The church where I grew up in Charlotte has supported the Bells for years. It so nice to get to see her and where she lives and works. We went to lunch and she showed us around the city a little. We are planning to go shopping next week and to their house for dinner one night. Its fun to come this far and know someone.

The Daborah House: This is a house that holds 32 girls, ranging in age from 8-18. They each once lived on the streets as beggars, homeless and even some in prostitution. They now live in this house run by SIM and go to school and work and have a hope and a future. We had the awesome privilege of going to this house to visit the girls. It was incredible. They are all so loving and welcomed us with open arms. They couldn’t wait to show us around and talk with us and show us their photo albums. The house where they live has only 5 rooms...3 bedrooms with bunkbeds where they sleep 2 per bed, a living/dining hall with picnic tables and a room with lockers for their books and clothes. They each have a 2' by 3' locked to put ALL their belongings. But this is home and so much better than the streets. Kara made friends right away with two girls her age and went off to talk. They had her read to them...a story book and a Bible. She loved it and can’t wait to go back. Garren was surrounded by girls who wanted to talk to him. He was a little overwhelmed and later said it was like being at one of Kara’s sleepovers. Most of the girls speak some English. Kelsey (whose name we found out means ‘sock’ in the language, Amheric, here!) was the star. They all loved to hold her and kiss her. She did amazingly well and was a little trooper. It was late so when we walked back into our apartment she said ‘night-night’ and headed straight for her bed. Geoffrey and I loved being with the girls and felt we were at a youth meeting. After we talked for a while then the girls sang for us and some shared their testimony. You wouldn’t believe what they have been through at such a young age. A few of girls have come to visit us since that night. The missionary that usually goes there on Tuesday nights to have Bible study with the girls will be gone this week so Geoffrey, Kara and I are going in her place. Say a prayer for us!

Chaltu: The couple who are our team leaders lived here in Ethiopia for 19 years. Chaltu was their house helper and also helped raise their children. She is probably in her 60s. They took the kids and I with them to visit her. Wow! She rents a room in a house for her and her 30+ year old daughter. Their home is probably 7' by 10' and its only one room. The house is made of mud as most are here. Her walls were covered some with photographs, Christmas wrapping paper and magazine pages. The rest was mud. She had one bed, a little table, a cabinet for their belongings and one bare lightbulb that hung from the ceiling. But it was a very joyful home. Chaltu knows the Lord and finds her joy there. (I wonder if we would still know the joy of the Lord if all our stuff was reduced to this?) She served us tea and bread and we had a nice time together. I couldn’t understand the conversation (just a few words here and there) but I could feel God’s love in that one room house! What a special lady!

Upcoming events for the me and the kids: We are going to visit the Fistula Hospital (you made have seen this on Oprah a year or so ago. I did and thought wow I’d love to go there, never dreaming then that I would be here and would actually be able to go). We also plan to help out with VBS at the International Church. We just take each day as it goes to see where we can minister. We are just so happy to be here. We’ll see where God takes us in the next few weeks and of course we will tell you all about it.

Keep praying! We have felt your prayers and are so thankful! We have adjusted well and are so grateful for the time we have here. Continue to pray for Geoffrey as he teaches. He loves his class and is getting to know his students. Pray for our health and safety. Pray for our ministry opportunities and activities for the children.

Some Photos

July 2, 2006

Today we went to an Ethiopian church. The service was conducted in Amharic. When we arrived, there were people standing around everywhere. Of course, we were the center of attention, everyone stared. But everyone here is so friendly. They always smile and nod their heads. We went into the church and got our seats at about 9:30. The people prayed, and a man on stage led in prayer as well. Around 9:45, the choir got up and started singing, and the congregation joined in a time of worship. The people love to sing, and it was amazing to be surrounded by people who love Jesus, praising His name in another language. At around 10:30, another man got up and made a few announcements, and then Steve, our team leader, preached a message through an interpreter. So we did at least get to understand that part of the service! After the message, 8 people came forward to give their lives to Christ, and then the choir sang for another 10 minutes. Church let out around 11:30. Two hours is a typical Ethiopian service.

After the service we went outside and waited for our team to be ready to go. Before I knew it, we were surrounded by about 20 Ethiopian children. They just stood and stared at me. I shook their hands and smiled, and tried to communicate with them. They do take English in school, so they know how to say “My name is...”, “Hi, how are you”, and “I am fine, thank you.” It is pretty fun to hear them communicate like this.

After church we went out to eat with some missionaries, who even paid for our meal. That was a nice surprise. Then we went to their home (at The Press compound) for pie and coffee. We took a tour of the printing press, where SIM prints Bible study materials for all of Ethiopia. Also, the offices were they do radio recordings in different African languages. These recordings are then sent to South Africa and broadcast throughout Africa. It was a nice time of fellowship, but I was very ready to go back to our room and get some rest. Kara and Garren made friends with a missionary family (the Longs - they have three children, 2 boys and 1 girl all near their ages) who went to lunch with us and then back to The Press compound where they live. They had so much fun they even stayed to spend the night. We’ll see them again in the morning.

July 1, 2006

Our first full weekend in Ethiopia. We are traveling with the team to Baba-Gayou, an SIM retreat center located on the rim of a volcanic lake. We met at 8:30am, loaded into the van and headed south. As we drove further and further from Addis, we began to see new sights. The streets were lined with people, sheep, goats, donkeys, and people. There are so many people doing so many things here. All along the sides of the streets were small stores, called ‘suks.’ You can buy vegetables, clothing, hats, shoes, auto parts, souvenirs, and raw beef. The meet stores are small shacks with an open window. Hanging on the back wall are huge chunks of beef. And right next door might be a clothing store, or a café. As we got even farther from Addis, we began to see horse-drawn buggies. Big trucks hauling cargo took up most of the road. Diesel exhaust was everywhere. It was impossible not to breathe the fumes. Any time we slowed or stopped for traffic, people would come up to the windows of the car and try to sell things.

Eventually we pulled off the main road onto a dirt road, which we followed for some ways. We passed more donkeys, horses, sheep, and goats. People were selling vegetables from the front of their homes. A couple of homes had a sewing machine set up just outside of their front yard. People loved to wave and smile, especially when they saw Kelsey smiling back at them.

Finally we arrived at a gate, which was opened for us, and we drove into the SIM compound. There were cottages and a main lodge, with a lounge and dining hall. We began exploring, and made our way down to the lake. It was a beautiful place to be. There were many species of birds and the flowers were everywhere. We took a walk (about a mile) from the compound to an old Warka tree. It was a large tree in the middle of some fields. Legend has it that a spirit used to dwell near this tree. The local people would bring sacrifices and offerings to the spirit at this tree and offer them along with their requests. Requests included asking for children, good crops, good weather, and more. According to one shepherd boy, the spirit left this tree and went across the field to another tree, because so many missionaries had started coming out to visit this particular tree.

A couple of shepherd boys came out with a whip that they use to herd cattle. The whip is called a ‘jiraf’ and when done right, can make a very loud cracking sound, like a gunshot. We did some bargaining with the boys, and ended up buying five of these for souvenirs. It is very hard to make the sound, and I even hit myself in the face while trying!

After lunch, the neighbors around the lake decided to have a party. They turned their American Hip Hop up very loud. It was very annoying, but we had no alternatives. Kara and Garren went swimming in the lake, and we all sat around, napped, and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. At 4:30 we had to head back into town for the evening.