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.