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Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Home Again...
After eighteen hours of flying, we are finally home. I lit the wood burning stove, threw in a load of laundry, hugged my children, thanked God for what I have, for what He has shown me in Africa, and prayed for Mike, Amy, their kids, the people of Ethiopia, and Ganolle...I thanked God for people like the Rodgers, Allison and her family, Laura, the teachers I had met, and the doctors who had been at Langano...and the others who are anonymous to you and I, but have moved to a far away place in order to use their skills to save lives, to educate, and to serve those need it most.
I hope I don't forget about them...returning to the distractions of my life...devoting far too much time to choosing the right paint color for my walls (latte or universal khaki?), and to what I ought to wear to dinner at a friends house (she is always dressed so beautifully!). I suspect the power of the memories will fad a bit, to some extent, at least. But not right now. Right now I will continue to unpack these experiences, one at time, with my children and allow them to sink in and change me.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
I hope I don't forget about them...returning to the distractions of my life...devoting far too much time to choosing the right paint color for my walls (latte or universal khaki?), and to what I ought to wear to dinner at a friends house (she is always dressed so beautifully!). I suspect the power of the memories will fad a bit, to some extent, at least. But not right now. Right now I will continue to unpack these experiences, one at time, with my children and allow them to sink in and change me.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
The Wild ride back to Addis Ababa
On the 31st, we packed up and headed back to Addis Ababa. Although our plane didn't leave until the evening of the 1st, Mike and Amy had some business in Addis Ababa. Little did I know that Mike, Amy, and Tex had a surprise for me for my birthday (which Tex and I agreed not to mention in order to keep Amy from feeling like she had to do anything special). As we headed back to the Missionary House, Mike took another turn and pulled in to the Addis Ababa Sheraton, the nicest hotel in all of Ethiopia. Roses and Flox line the property, fancy french pastries, all the hot water you can use! It is right across from the Prime Minister's home, the most powerful politician in the country, so it is used for many visiting dignitaries. Super Fancy. As we pulled up and the kids cheered at the mention of the beautiful swimming pool (with no cow manure, the kids pointed out amongst themselves), a lump grew in my throat. It was too much for me. I did my best to hide it, but it threw me back into my amazingly luxurious life too quickly and I had difficulty holding back tears most of the day. Why is that I am born into this American life through no effort of my own? Why is the Ethiopian woman wating at clinic to get food rationed out for her child born into that life? Luck? God's Plan? It has always been a question of reflection for me, but never so powerful as I took a 45 minute scalding hot shower at the fancy hotel. Never has it hit me so hard as when I diliberated over the twenty-some possibilities for my dinner, the price of which would be a couple of weeks, or maybe even a month's salary, for the Ethiopians I had met over in Langano. The life I have always known slowly settled back onto me as the evening wore on, and it bothered me less and less. That is what I hated the most.
Nutrition Day
Today is Tuesday. Tuesday is Nutrition Day at the clinic where people bring their babies who are malnourished, and they are weighed and given a food powder or formula according to their percentile weight and arm measurement. I was “invited” up to clinic by Allsion, the nurse, to check on Ganolle. The news was not good, and they put in a feeding tube this morning. They are contacting her father that he needs to come. She may still turn around, but it needs to happen soon…I am constantly struck by the attitude here regarding life and death. The average babies born to women in Ethiopia is six. THE AVERAGE ! The median age is sixteen. The median age in the US is thirty seven ( I may have made that up, but it is somewhere in the mid-thirties). These women are used to death. In fact, we were shocked when an Ethiopian nurse responded to Allsion's request for the father of Ganolle to come by saying, "Why bother him with this and have him walk all this way if she is just going to die." In America, Ganolle would have doctors upon doctors scrambling to save her. It would be a big deal. Allison is doing everything she can, but there is a general acceptance of death here that just isn't present in the US.
I wandered outside to the Nutrition Day happening outside...primarily to get away from the smells of the inside of the Clinic and suddenly found myself with a job. I was to measure around the arms of the infants, children, and an occasional widow to see if they are putting on at best, or holding at least, their weight. This was really an in-your-face view of Africa and everything you’d expect to see based on the documentaries in Africa: distended bellies, hollow eyes…some better than others. A few cases of malaria, undiaganosed yucky stuff, potential cases of Tuberculious which, I am told, often presents itself as Failure to Thrive in babies. By the way, most of the babies were not very happy after being placed in the "weighing bucket" naked and then swinging around seperated from their mother until their weight is recorded, so when I got to them, most were crying and not very happy to have their arm extended for a measurment. I was told that malnourished babies don’t smile and I was relieved when I got some to smile at me as I took their measurements. Meg, Heather, Anna, John, and Tex all came up to the Clinic, but the kids didn’t last long. It was very hot out, with the blazing African sun magnifying the smells. They were okay with what they were seeing, but decided that hunting warthogs was more to their liking, and I don’t blame them. I left the clinic to go home for lunch. I walked home with my hands outstretched to remind myself not to rub my eyes with my dirty hands. Genet had cooked for us Doro Wat, a spicy chicken dish, cabbage and potatoes, injerra (the sour bread that you use to pick up your meal rather than using a fork), and a few other things that I have no idea what they are called. Quite a filling meal on a stomach that had a rough morning at the Clinic. Delicious, I have to admit.
I wandered outside to the Nutrition Day happening outside...primarily to get away from the smells of the inside of the Clinic and suddenly found myself with a job. I was to measure around the arms of the infants, children, and an occasional widow to see if they are putting on at best, or holding at least, their weight. This was really an in-your-face view of Africa and everything you’d expect to see based on the documentaries in Africa: distended bellies, hollow eyes…some better than others. A few cases of malaria, undiaganosed yucky stuff, potential cases of Tuberculious which, I am told, often presents itself as Failure to Thrive in babies. By the way, most of the babies were not very happy after being placed in the "weighing bucket" naked and then swinging around seperated from their mother until their weight is recorded, so when I got to them, most were crying and not very happy to have their arm extended for a measurment. I was told that malnourished babies don’t smile and I was relieved when I got some to smile at me as I took their measurements. Meg, Heather, Anna, John, and Tex all came up to the Clinic, but the kids didn’t last long. It was very hot out, with the blazing African sun magnifying the smells. They were okay with what they were seeing, but decided that hunting warthogs was more to their liking, and I don’t blame them. I left the clinic to go home for lunch. I walked home with my hands outstretched to remind myself not to rub my eyes with my dirty hands. Genet had cooked for us Doro Wat, a spicy chicken dish, cabbage and potatoes, injerra (the sour bread that you use to pick up your meal rather than using a fork), and a few other things that I have no idea what they are called. Quite a filling meal on a stomach that had a rough morning at the Clinic. Delicious, I have to admit.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
December 29th-30th, 2008
Yesterday, we went to church. Nathan, Mike and Amy's oldest son, tried to prepare me or scare me by telling me that the church service can last up to four hours. I picured the mud walled building, the African sun beating down heating the place up, and the smell of sweat and barebare (the spice used in a lot of the cooking here that seems to come out of your pores after you eat it), and I really had to get myself psyched up for it. It turned out to be really neat. The pastor stood up with another man and gave his sermon in Armheric while the other man translated it into the Oromo language and would translate key parts into English for us, since we were visiting. We sang, and since there were no hymnals, the pastor would sing a line, and we would repeat it until we knew it. Heather thought it was pretty amazing that Pastor Ben told the EXACT same story that Mulatu (the Pastor) told in his sermon about two boats. Ethiopians as a group come across so approachable that Heather told Mulatu that she had heard the story at chapel in school, and Mulatu thought that was worth a big hug. The service lasted only about an hour and a half, and I was surprised that the language barrier didn't take away from it at all. It was really interesting to be a part of their worship service. We walked home for lunch and to regroup for the afternoon.
After lunch, I went to the House of Hope and took Gonolle (the very sick baby) out for a walk and to feed her. As I was walking, I noticed that her hair was kind of gross and decided to go to Amy's and have her help me lean the baby back into the sink to wash her hair. As we did this, we noticed that there was some kind of lice in her hair so Amy and I had to take her outside and cut all of her baby hair off. We washed her hair again and I attempted to feed her. She is continuing to have the GI problems and her skin is so dehydrated, it just hangs on her body. Her ribs protrude like the pictures you see in National Geographic. It is somewhat surreal to be here. I guess because I have seen those pictures so many times, to actually hold that baby in your arms, see her gazing up at you, and feeding her…it’s difficult to put into words how intense it is. While I was out with Ganolle, the kids all went swimming. I went down to the lake when I returned home, and they were in the midst of a huge mud fight, throwing mud at each other at point blank range. Disgusting. On the way home, Anna tripped and fell face first into cow manure. She wasn’t nearly as upset about it as I would have been. I guess she’s getting used to life in Africa.
On Monday morning, just our family walked up to the school at the invitation of another missionary named Joan, who teaches English there. We sat in on the classes of a fourth grade and a fifth grade. The Ethiopian children are quite fascinated with us for some reason, and will reach out to touch our arms as if they had never seen a “faringi” (foreigner). During the class they stared at us and would collapse on their desks in laugher when we waved or said hello. They are a joyful bunch…with all of their health problems, food shortages, and otherwise difficult lives filled daily with life and death, it amazes me how bright their smiles are. We met a teacher who has hopes of going on to become an “evangelist.” He is incredibly sharp with excellent English and has been on my mind a lot since I met him. We saw him walking back from the soccer field with a bunch of kids later. The teachers told us about their courses of study, and how, although education is very important, often times kids disappear for weeks or months to care for sick family members or plough fields or harvest crops. Priorities rule here and these needs pop up frequently in their daily lives. The school, although an SIM (Serving in Missions) school, are short on text books, short on supplies, and we watched as 6 children shared a book some trying to read upside down. These classes had about 35-40 kids, but the first grade classes had 78 children in it (at one time!!). The school lives week to week for the money they need to operate.
In the afternoon, Tex and I took a motorcycle ride around the camp together and looked around. We stopped at a tree house that is about 40 feet up with a super-long ladder (40 rungs to be exact). We climbed up there and sat quietly as seven Spider monkeys, oblivious to our presence, flew back and forth among the branches of the very tree in which we sat (okay, I was slightly nervous when they were chattering that they were going to come attack us, I’ll admit it). Some of the time, we were actually above them. I have amazing pictures from the experience. The view of the lake and the mountains was beautiful and it brings back to my crowded, unorganized mind how confusing Africa is. So filled with beauty and simplicity of living and so filled with heartbreak and hopelessness. It is very difficult to wrap my brain around. I have lied in bed and tried to come up with how to respond when people ask how our trip was, and as of yet, I have no simple answer. The teacher/missionary, Joan Smith said that she viewed her first trip here like her mother’s recipe book, so much jammed into it that until she could get home and go through each memory and try to process it, there is no accurate answer. We arrived home to the news that they wanted me to come up to the Clinic, since I had an interest in Ganolle. She had taken a turn for the worse, and she was being examined and given a medicine to see if that helped with the diarrhea. Unsure of why she is unable to kick this illness. They suspected some internal issue or possibly Tuberculosis, as this often produces failure to thrive. They gave her the medicine, and we would wait to see how she was in the morning.
After lunch, I went to the House of Hope and took Gonolle (the very sick baby) out for a walk and to feed her. As I was walking, I noticed that her hair was kind of gross and decided to go to Amy's and have her help me lean the baby back into the sink to wash her hair. As we did this, we noticed that there was some kind of lice in her hair so Amy and I had to take her outside and cut all of her baby hair off. We washed her hair again and I attempted to feed her. She is continuing to have the GI problems and her skin is so dehydrated, it just hangs on her body. Her ribs protrude like the pictures you see in National Geographic. It is somewhat surreal to be here. I guess because I have seen those pictures so many times, to actually hold that baby in your arms, see her gazing up at you, and feeding her…it’s difficult to put into words how intense it is. While I was out with Ganolle, the kids all went swimming. I went down to the lake when I returned home, and they were in the midst of a huge mud fight, throwing mud at each other at point blank range. Disgusting. On the way home, Anna tripped and fell face first into cow manure. She wasn’t nearly as upset about it as I would have been. I guess she’s getting used to life in Africa.
On Monday morning, just our family walked up to the school at the invitation of another missionary named Joan, who teaches English there. We sat in on the classes of a fourth grade and a fifth grade. The Ethiopian children are quite fascinated with us for some reason, and will reach out to touch our arms as if they had never seen a “faringi” (foreigner). During the class they stared at us and would collapse on their desks in laugher when we waved or said hello. They are a joyful bunch…with all of their health problems, food shortages, and otherwise difficult lives filled daily with life and death, it amazes me how bright their smiles are. We met a teacher who has hopes of going on to become an “evangelist.” He is incredibly sharp with excellent English and has been on my mind a lot since I met him. We saw him walking back from the soccer field with a bunch of kids later. The teachers told us about their courses of study, and how, although education is very important, often times kids disappear for weeks or months to care for sick family members or plough fields or harvest crops. Priorities rule here and these needs pop up frequently in their daily lives. The school, although an SIM (Serving in Missions) school, are short on text books, short on supplies, and we watched as 6 children shared a book some trying to read upside down. These classes had about 35-40 kids, but the first grade classes had 78 children in it (at one time!!). The school lives week to week for the money they need to operate.
In the afternoon, Tex and I took a motorcycle ride around the camp together and looked around. We stopped at a tree house that is about 40 feet up with a super-long ladder (40 rungs to be exact). We climbed up there and sat quietly as seven Spider monkeys, oblivious to our presence, flew back and forth among the branches of the very tree in which we sat (okay, I was slightly nervous when they were chattering that they were going to come attack us, I’ll admit it). Some of the time, we were actually above them. I have amazing pictures from the experience. The view of the lake and the mountains was beautiful and it brings back to my crowded, unorganized mind how confusing Africa is. So filled with beauty and simplicity of living and so filled with heartbreak and hopelessness. It is very difficult to wrap my brain around. I have lied in bed and tried to come up with how to respond when people ask how our trip was, and as of yet, I have no simple answer. The teacher/missionary, Joan Smith said that she viewed her first trip here like her mother’s recipe book, so much jammed into it that until she could get home and go through each memory and try to process it, there is no accurate answer. We arrived home to the news that they wanted me to come up to the Clinic, since I had an interest in Ganolle. She had taken a turn for the worse, and she was being examined and given a medicine to see if that helped with the diarrhea. Unsure of why she is unable to kick this illness. They suspected some internal issue or possibly Tuberculosis, as this often produces failure to thrive. They gave her the medicine, and we would wait to see how she was in the morning.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
December 26th, 2008
Two days ago we went to a place called Sabana Lodge. Since Lake Langano is one of two lakes in Ethiopia that does not have a dangerous bacteria that can kill you, it is a popular place to swim. A few resorts have popped up in the area. Mike and Amy took us to one as a break from camp. The people were mostly European. It was a nice place, and the kids swam and kayaked. We had several family games of football (which drew the attention of the Ethiopians who thought it was quite interesting) and volleyball. We took hot showers, and we ate in the resort restaurant. It was perfect timing for both families, and we had a blast.
We arrived back at camp, and Amy and I went up to the House of Hope. We decided a couple of days ago that we would pick up a baby or two and take them outside for a walk. They don't go outside at all, so it is good for them to get some air and a little vitamin D from the sun. We were intercepted on our walk by two former missionary kids who have grown up and now have come back to visit. They met here in Ethiopia (one American the other Norwegian) and were married and now live in the US. Their hope is to come back to Ethiopia after they finish their graduate work in the US.
So we had 3 babies down here at the house for a a couple of hours. Heather and I love these two little baby girls who are twins. Their dad was supposed to pick them up from The House of Hope three weeks ago and hasn't shown up. If he doesn't come soon, the police will have to be called, and they will be placed into an orphanage. I would bring them home with us, if I would be allowed. They are so cute and so sweet.
Later on, Heather and I went back, as Heather wanted to get the twins again. As we were walking in, we passed the director of the health clinic. She was very happy that we were taking the babies out, and asked me to take a baby out named Ganolle (Ga-nol-aye). She is only a couple of months old and very sick...the kind of sick that if it doesn't break, she will die soon. I'll be honest and tell you that I wasn't very excited about taking a sick baby out. I am a coward. I am afraid that I could get what she has. The women at the House of Hope gladly sent me out the door with her, an extra diaper (NO WAY am I changing the diaper of a sick baby!!), and a bottle of some sort of an electrolyte solution. As Heather and I walked, we prayed over Ganolle as we continued down to the shoreline. Ganolle was very responsive to my voice and drank from the bottle the ENTIRE walk. I am planning to take her every day until we leave with the hope that the extra love and human contact will help her get well.
On our walk, Heather brought with her a smiling big-haired baby named Somalu. I noticed that she was a bit boogery, and Heather didn't shy away at all from that. She picked the baby that caught her eye and cooed at her and talked in wonderful voices to her. I wanted to cry at how loving she is. Earlier, Amy and I had to go drop off something for some guests of the camp, four young HIV doctors taking a much needed break from their work in Addis Ababa. When we had returned, Heather had changed Baby Hannah's poopy diaper, changed her outfit, and made a bottle for her by reading the instructions on the can of formula (thank you Mr Klenske for the great math training).
So going back to the fact that I am a coward. I admire Allison Smith, the missionary here who works everyday in the clinic, a high-risk job facing all sorts of really scary illnesses. From delivering babies to treating TB, to dealing with stabbings..iher courage amazes me, and it's another day at the office for her. She is cheery and smiling and funny...wow.
And these doctors here, who are in their twenties and thirties with their young families, facing the horrors of a country ravaged by HIV. Everyday, dealing with babies, through no fault of their own, born with HIV. They spend their days treating dead men walking, and they do it with love and prayer and kindness...never souring or turning bitter toward God. These are ordinary people. When I met them they were sitting at a card table up at camp playing a game of cards and had no air of the arrogance that we often see of successful doctors at home. They have walked away from the big hospitals, reputations, and money they could have had at home to do servants' jobs with material shortages, and they do it with grace.
One more thing about these missionaries. Every single one I have met is grounded and upbeat. They are people that you just want to be around. They aren't the hippy type that we picture in our minds. They have big families (3 or more kids), and their kids are consistently well-behaved and have intelligent conversation to offer. They are kind and inclusive.
I am so impressived with the people I have met here and their willingness to serve others. Last night after dinner the night guard, Guanamo, who had crafted the spears my children had received for Christmas, was on guard last night. He happily gave my children a lesson in spear throwing, working with their hand placement, their release, and their footwork. It was so cute to see my kids listening to him, and trying to do what he said. I have great pictures from the experience.
We had an outside fire, and pitched a tent for the boys to sleep outside. I got to talk with Guanamo for quite a while. He told me that he was somewhere between 22 and 25. He has a wife and a one year old. He works as a night guard at camp (his area is along the shoreline by Mike and Amy's house up to the House of Hope). During the day he goes to school. He is in seventh grade. He told me that he learned about God in a Christian School; his dad is a Muslim, and his mother died when he was little. He spoke fairly good English, and Mike was there to translate any tough words into Amheric. It was really neat.
It is Sunday, so we are heading off to church in a few minutes at the local Ethiopian church. This should be interesting...
Love, The Camdens
We arrived back at camp, and Amy and I went up to the House of Hope. We decided a couple of days ago that we would pick up a baby or two and take them outside for a walk. They don't go outside at all, so it is good for them to get some air and a little vitamin D from the sun. We were intercepted on our walk by two former missionary kids who have grown up and now have come back to visit. They met here in Ethiopia (one American the other Norwegian) and were married and now live in the US. Their hope is to come back to Ethiopia after they finish their graduate work in the US.
So we had 3 babies down here at the house for a a couple of hours. Heather and I love these two little baby girls who are twins. Their dad was supposed to pick them up from The House of Hope three weeks ago and hasn't shown up. If he doesn't come soon, the police will have to be called, and they will be placed into an orphanage. I would bring them home with us, if I would be allowed. They are so cute and so sweet.
Later on, Heather and I went back, as Heather wanted to get the twins again. As we were walking in, we passed the director of the health clinic. She was very happy that we were taking the babies out, and asked me to take a baby out named Ganolle (Ga-nol-aye). She is only a couple of months old and very sick...the kind of sick that if it doesn't break, she will die soon. I'll be honest and tell you that I wasn't very excited about taking a sick baby out. I am a coward. I am afraid that I could get what she has. The women at the House of Hope gladly sent me out the door with her, an extra diaper (NO WAY am I changing the diaper of a sick baby!!), and a bottle of some sort of an electrolyte solution. As Heather and I walked, we prayed over Ganolle as we continued down to the shoreline. Ganolle was very responsive to my voice and drank from the bottle the ENTIRE walk. I am planning to take her every day until we leave with the hope that the extra love and human contact will help her get well.
On our walk, Heather brought with her a smiling big-haired baby named Somalu. I noticed that she was a bit boogery, and Heather didn't shy away at all from that. She picked the baby that caught her eye and cooed at her and talked in wonderful voices to her. I wanted to cry at how loving she is. Earlier, Amy and I had to go drop off something for some guests of the camp, four young HIV doctors taking a much needed break from their work in Addis Ababa. When we had returned, Heather had changed Baby Hannah's poopy diaper, changed her outfit, and made a bottle for her by reading the instructions on the can of formula (thank you Mr Klenske for the great math training).
So going back to the fact that I am a coward. I admire Allison Smith, the missionary here who works everyday in the clinic, a high-risk job facing all sorts of really scary illnesses. From delivering babies to treating TB, to dealing with stabbings..iher courage amazes me, and it's another day at the office for her. She is cheery and smiling and funny...wow.
And these doctors here, who are in their twenties and thirties with their young families, facing the horrors of a country ravaged by HIV. Everyday, dealing with babies, through no fault of their own, born with HIV. They spend their days treating dead men walking, and they do it with love and prayer and kindness...never souring or turning bitter toward God. These are ordinary people. When I met them they were sitting at a card table up at camp playing a game of cards and had no air of the arrogance that we often see of successful doctors at home. They have walked away from the big hospitals, reputations, and money they could have had at home to do servants' jobs with material shortages, and they do it with grace.
One more thing about these missionaries. Every single one I have met is grounded and upbeat. They are people that you just want to be around. They aren't the hippy type that we picture in our minds. They have big families (3 or more kids), and their kids are consistently well-behaved and have intelligent conversation to offer. They are kind and inclusive.
I am so impressived with the people I have met here and their willingness to serve others. Last night after dinner the night guard, Guanamo, who had crafted the spears my children had received for Christmas, was on guard last night. He happily gave my children a lesson in spear throwing, working with their hand placement, their release, and their footwork. It was so cute to see my kids listening to him, and trying to do what he said. I have great pictures from the experience.
We had an outside fire, and pitched a tent for the boys to sleep outside. I got to talk with Guanamo for quite a while. He told me that he was somewhere between 22 and 25. He has a wife and a one year old. He works as a night guard at camp (his area is along the shoreline by Mike and Amy's house up to the House of Hope). During the day he goes to school. He is in seventh grade. He told me that he learned about God in a Christian School; his dad is a Muslim, and his mother died when he was little. He spoke fairly good English, and Mike was there to translate any tough words into Amheric. It was really neat.
It is Sunday, so we are heading off to church in a few minutes at the local Ethiopian church. This should be interesting...
Love, The Camdens
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Day
Yesterday was Christmas Day. The kids hopped out of bed, and we watched as Nathan, Jacob, Zach, and MacKensie openned their presents. Our kids were each given a very imposing Ethiopian spear, crafted by one of the night guards who can hit a lizard from a significant distance. Amy made an amazing brunch for us and it was wonderful to be with them on Christmas.
After we cleaned up, Tex and I took Anna, MacKensie, Zach, John, Meg and Heather down to a spot by the lake near this big field. It is a good place to go for a swim, if you can handle the cow droppings, as the field and beach is where a local man keeps his herd of cows. The first day we were here, his wife was washing his clothes and he was herding his cows naked...I was glad he was off in the distance. Yesterday, he was wearing a full suit, a little dusty, but a full black suit. As I wrote in an earlier post, dressing up is very important to them.
The kids spent a couple of hours there swimming in the reddish lake, among the reeds, with pelicans floating nearby. They spent some time building sand castles, which made me cringe at them sitting with cow dung around them. They didn't seem to care, and managed to stay in the sand. For the rest of the day, Heather cared for and played with some stray puppies with one of the missionary kids. All of the kids also spent some time up at the House of Hope playing with the babies and giving them bottles.
Sometime late in the evening, we heard an incredible amount of noise coming from the health clinic, apparently there was a tribal disagreement and a man was speared (yes, with the same sort of spear that my children now have) and brought to the clinic. Mike and Shane (another man who works here in Langano) drove the man to the nearest hospital which is 45 minutes away. As is the culture here, another man from the other tribe was clubbed in the face as retaliation some time last night. He arrived being carried by a crowd, with at least 40 people accompanying him. Meg and I saw them coming up the lane and I assumed it ws some sort of a funeral or something. Apparently, even with child birth, half the village comes with the women and wait around (sitting on the bed with you, children included).
The kids continue marvel at the calabis monkeys, warthogs, etc.
Love,
Susan, Tex, and the kids
After we cleaned up, Tex and I took Anna, MacKensie, Zach, John, Meg and Heather down to a spot by the lake near this big field. It is a good place to go for a swim, if you can handle the cow droppings, as the field and beach is where a local man keeps his herd of cows. The first day we were here, his wife was washing his clothes and he was herding his cows naked...I was glad he was off in the distance. Yesterday, he was wearing a full suit, a little dusty, but a full black suit. As I wrote in an earlier post, dressing up is very important to them.
The kids spent a couple of hours there swimming in the reddish lake, among the reeds, with pelicans floating nearby. They spent some time building sand castles, which made me cringe at them sitting with cow dung around them. They didn't seem to care, and managed to stay in the sand. For the rest of the day, Heather cared for and played with some stray puppies with one of the missionary kids. All of the kids also spent some time up at the House of Hope playing with the babies and giving them bottles.
Sometime late in the evening, we heard an incredible amount of noise coming from the health clinic, apparently there was a tribal disagreement and a man was speared (yes, with the same sort of spear that my children now have) and brought to the clinic. Mike and Shane (another man who works here in Langano) drove the man to the nearest hospital which is 45 minutes away. As is the culture here, another man from the other tribe was clubbed in the face as retaliation some time last night. He arrived being carried by a crowd, with at least 40 people accompanying him. Meg and I saw them coming up the lane and I assumed it ws some sort of a funeral or something. Apparently, even with child birth, half the village comes with the women and wait around (sitting on the bed with you, children included).
The kids continue marvel at the calabis monkeys, warthogs, etc.
Love,
Susan, Tex, and the kids
Thursday, December 25, 2008
December 24, 2008
Yesterday, we went to see a farming project that Mike initiated that is going to use a plot of land next to a small spring of water. Unemployment is huge here and Mike was approached by the man who governs this area and was asked what he could do to help (and what do you use at your camp that men here could provide). Mike came up with this and it will provide work for 50 men. They will farm this land and provide potatoes and other vegtables to the camp and to the village.
Mike is so excited and the work has begun. So yesterday we went to see and I was to take a picture of all of the men who will be working on the project, and this guy showed up and was very angry and disruptive because he wasn't one of the 50 men picked to work on it...next thing you know a fight breaks out, he's punching people, they are trying to restrain him and his friend is swinging a machetti (we were never in danger, the Ethiopians are very protective of foreigners...they would be swinging or restraining someone and then walk over and say in their language (hi...here sit on this nice log...) and shake your hand to be hospitable. Amy and I got the kids off to the side. Mike had to go get the village leader, and it was resolved. Mike and Tex were offered food which they had to eat.
Another event was that a baboon had gotten aggressive two days ago with another missionary who lives here. The baboons are becoming so pletiful in this little area that they are becoming less afraid of humans and more aggressive. So Mike asked Tex to hunt with him to try to begin fixing the problem (what do you expect from two marines), so with the kids in tow, we go out hunting baboons...we saw a ton, but they had a tough time getting a shot because they can only use a crossbow. At one point, the kids were in the Land Cruiser when they were trying to surround this huge baboon...it literally looked at the men, looked at me and then saw I was the weakest link and came charging at me...I was in a FULL sprint at Tex and Mike who were buckled over laughing as the baboon took off into the woods.
The kids have seen warthogs and all sorts of monkeys...we also had an Ethipoian woman come over and perform the "traditional coffee ceremony" to welcome us where she takes fresh green coffee beans and roasts them over charcoal and then grinds them by hand with fresh cinnamon and clove...it was amazing coffee.
We also went to the House of Hope where babies come whose mothers died in childbirth...there is a waiting list, as they can only keep about 12 at a time. The babies stay for up to 6 months maximum. We held and played with the babies and plan to do that everyday.
Today we are going to the village to buy a goat for Christmas Eve dinner tonight.
More later.
Love, Susan, Tex, and the kids
Mike is so excited and the work has begun. So yesterday we went to see and I was to take a picture of all of the men who will be working on the project, and this guy showed up and was very angry and disruptive because he wasn't one of the 50 men picked to work on it...next thing you know a fight breaks out, he's punching people, they are trying to restrain him and his friend is swinging a machetti (we were never in danger, the Ethiopians are very protective of foreigners...they would be swinging or restraining someone and then walk over and say in their language (hi...here sit on this nice log...) and shake your hand to be hospitable. Amy and I got the kids off to the side. Mike had to go get the village leader, and it was resolved. Mike and Tex were offered food which they had to eat.
Another event was that a baboon had gotten aggressive two days ago with another missionary who lives here. The baboons are becoming so pletiful in this little area that they are becoming less afraid of humans and more aggressive. So Mike asked Tex to hunt with him to try to begin fixing the problem (what do you expect from two marines), so with the kids in tow, we go out hunting baboons...we saw a ton, but they had a tough time getting a shot because they can only use a crossbow. At one point, the kids were in the Land Cruiser when they were trying to surround this huge baboon...it literally looked at the men, looked at me and then saw I was the weakest link and came charging at me...I was in a FULL sprint at Tex and Mike who were buckled over laughing as the baboon took off into the woods.
The kids have seen warthogs and all sorts of monkeys...we also had an Ethipoian woman come over and perform the "traditional coffee ceremony" to welcome us where she takes fresh green coffee beans and roasts them over charcoal and then grinds them by hand with fresh cinnamon and clove...it was amazing coffee.
We also went to the House of Hope where babies come whose mothers died in childbirth...there is a waiting list, as they can only keep about 12 at a time. The babies stay for up to 6 months maximum. We held and played with the babies and plan to do that everyday.
Today we are going to the village to buy a goat for Christmas Eve dinner tonight.
More later.
Love, Susan, Tex, and the kids
December 23, 2008
Hi Everyone!
We're here. It looks like the Blog is being blocked which Mike said is normal in Ethiopia for some reason. We stayed in Addis Ababa the first night. We went to a local restaurant after getting off the plane. (The drive to the airport was worse than the sixteen hour flight for some reason). Addis Ababa is a nice city...nicer than we expected. Behind the store fronts, though, it is mostly mud shelters, and makeshift housing.
We spent the night at the SIM (Serving in Missions) Missonary House which houses missionaries when they are in language school or other training and when missionaries come back to Addis for business/government reasons. The grounds are very nice and they serve a family style breakfast and lunch which was great. A perfect place to recover from the long flight and the lack of sleep from trying to adjust to the time change (and awaking to the "call to prayer" at 5 am which was VERY loud).
The city was under a lot of construction...apparently it takes a long, long time here for buildings to be completed which what they have available. What stuck me was that the city wasn't seedy at all. The people are very modest...they all are in long pants and dressing nice is important to them. Poverty is huge, AIDS is as well, but from what I am told, crime isn't as bad as what I would have expected.
We were waiting on the Land Cruisers to be fixed and got a late start yesterday afternoon to go to Langano where Mike and Amy and the kids live. Let me tell you, quite a ride! There are people, goats, donkeys, sheep, chickens and carts all along the roads. Goat heads and all sorts of unrecognizable things are sold along the road sides. We were constantly veering to avoid hitting people and animals. After dark was downright ridiculous...I can't tell you how many near misses we had with cars with no headlights, kids out in the middle of the road, animals running into the road. I wondered for the entire ride where all these people were going?! People are just walking and walking and walking along long lonely stretches of highway.
Amy is an amazing driver with very little fear (and ocassional shriek, but that's about it). After about 3 or so hours we turned off on to the "red road" which is all red pumice stone and then onto the "brown road" which were both really bumpy, four wheeling rides that I wish Amy had taken slower...through a "container bridge" which was so tight we had to take our bag off the top of the vehicle, and finally arrived to their home. The house is more than amazing by compariosn to all of the mud huts that we passed on the way. They recently got a generator that gives them a bit of light and some warm water, that with candles got us through the bedtime routine.
A woman who recently moved here to work as a nurse at the clinic stopped by last night to greet us, and to let Mike know that she had a a baboon get aggressive with her and her young son yesterday. She was shaken by it and wanted Mike and Amy to be aware and if Mike ever saw it while hunting, to be be awre of it. Apparently certain ones can be very dangerous and a child was killed by one several years ago here.
Today, we have been unpacking our boxes of supplies and putting away all of the groceries purchased in Addis Ababa. The kids have been outide climbing trees, throwing the football...with the girls running in to hold/feed Hannah, the Ethiopian orphan whom Mike and Amy are adopting. She is beautiful and the happiest baby I have ever seen, as she is passed around by all of the children on a rotating basis. The children (all 9 of them) are getting along beautifully. The Rodgers kids are amazing hosts hopping up to help my kids with anything and everything.
I guess today we will be going up to the House of Hope which is on the property and is for babies who's mother or father has dies. The babies stay there for 6 weeks for the single parent (or grandparent) to get themselves together and make plans.
We will also go into the local village to buy a goat for Christmas dinner. A quick story...Amy hit a sheep in the road a few days ago and negotiated to buy it for $20 (or pay $10 if the owner keep the carcess). We had lamb chops last night for dinner that was cooked by Genet, Amy and Mike's house keeper.
More another time...
Love, Susan, Tex and the kids
We're here. It looks like the Blog is being blocked which Mike said is normal in Ethiopia for some reason. We stayed in Addis Ababa the first night. We went to a local restaurant after getting off the plane. (The drive to the airport was worse than the sixteen hour flight for some reason). Addis Ababa is a nice city...nicer than we expected. Behind the store fronts, though, it is mostly mud shelters, and makeshift housing.
We spent the night at the SIM (Serving in Missions) Missonary House which houses missionaries when they are in language school or other training and when missionaries come back to Addis for business/government reasons. The grounds are very nice and they serve a family style breakfast and lunch which was great. A perfect place to recover from the long flight and the lack of sleep from trying to adjust to the time change (and awaking to the "call to prayer" at 5 am which was VERY loud).
The city was under a lot of construction...apparently it takes a long, long time here for buildings to be completed which what they have available. What stuck me was that the city wasn't seedy at all. The people are very modest...they all are in long pants and dressing nice is important to them. Poverty is huge, AIDS is as well, but from what I am told, crime isn't as bad as what I would have expected.
We were waiting on the Land Cruisers to be fixed and got a late start yesterday afternoon to go to Langano where Mike and Amy and the kids live. Let me tell you, quite a ride! There are people, goats, donkeys, sheep, chickens and carts all along the roads. Goat heads and all sorts of unrecognizable things are sold along the road sides. We were constantly veering to avoid hitting people and animals. After dark was downright ridiculous...I can't tell you how many near misses we had with cars with no headlights, kids out in the middle of the road, animals running into the road. I wondered for the entire ride where all these people were going?! People are just walking and walking and walking along long lonely stretches of highway.
Amy is an amazing driver with very little fear (and ocassional shriek, but that's about it). After about 3 or so hours we turned off on to the "red road" which is all red pumice stone and then onto the "brown road" which were both really bumpy, four wheeling rides that I wish Amy had taken slower...through a "container bridge" which was so tight we had to take our bag off the top of the vehicle, and finally arrived to their home. The house is more than amazing by compariosn to all of the mud huts that we passed on the way. They recently got a generator that gives them a bit of light and some warm water, that with candles got us through the bedtime routine.
A woman who recently moved here to work as a nurse at the clinic stopped by last night to greet us, and to let Mike know that she had a a baboon get aggressive with her and her young son yesterday. She was shaken by it and wanted Mike and Amy to be aware and if Mike ever saw it while hunting, to be be awre of it. Apparently certain ones can be very dangerous and a child was killed by one several years ago here.
Today, we have been unpacking our boxes of supplies and putting away all of the groceries purchased in Addis Ababa. The kids have been outide climbing trees, throwing the football...with the girls running in to hold/feed Hannah, the Ethiopian orphan whom Mike and Amy are adopting. She is beautiful and the happiest baby I have ever seen, as she is passed around by all of the children on a rotating basis. The children (all 9 of them) are getting along beautifully. The Rodgers kids are amazing hosts hopping up to help my kids with anything and everything.
I guess today we will be going up to the House of Hope which is on the property and is for babies who's mother or father has dies. The babies stay there for 6 weeks for the single parent (or grandparent) to get themselves together and make plans.
We will also go into the local village to buy a goat for Christmas dinner. A quick story...Amy hit a sheep in the road a few days ago and negotiated to buy it for $20 (or pay $10 if the owner keep the carcess). We had lamb chops last night for dinner that was cooked by Genet, Amy and Mike's house keeper.
More another time...
Love, Susan, Tex and the kids
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Getting There...
We leave tonight.
We have been packing for months, it seems. We will be taking with us, in addition to our own items, 7 boxes each weighing about 50 lbs. These boxes contain supplies for Mike and Amy, things that they miss having or can't get in Ethiopia, as well as a bunch of Christmas presents they had shipped to us to bring. We will also be taking to them arrows for hunting, several baby items including an exersaucer for their newly adopted baby who was abandoned at their clinic, a ton of shoes and other clothes for their family, and about 10 huge bags of chocolate.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong this week. Our dog became very sick to the point where we we worried that we would have to put her down (she's ok now), major orthodontic issues with Meg, John had a high fever and was home for several days, Susan destroyed the garage door...it was a ridiculous week. Somehow everything managed to get packed and we will be driving down to my sister's house this morning. Jennifer and her husband Ward will drive us to the airport this evening and care for the dog while we are away. So off we go for a sixteen hour flight with our four young children. We will arive in Addis Ababa at 7:30 pm (their time) and Mike will (hopefully) be there to pick us up, gather all of our boxes and bags, and then take us to the SIM (Serving in Missions) Missionary House in Addis Ababa for the night. We will try to get some sleep and then make the trip to Langano in the morning. You know what they say about best laid plans, right?
We will try to post as often as we have something interesting to write, but don't feel obligated to read our Blog if it doesn't interest you. Have a great Holiday!
We have been packing for months, it seems. We will be taking with us, in addition to our own items, 7 boxes each weighing about 50 lbs. These boxes contain supplies for Mike and Amy, things that they miss having or can't get in Ethiopia, as well as a bunch of Christmas presents they had shipped to us to bring. We will also be taking to them arrows for hunting, several baby items including an exersaucer for their newly adopted baby who was abandoned at their clinic, a ton of shoes and other clothes for their family, and about 10 huge bags of chocolate.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong this week. Our dog became very sick to the point where we we worried that we would have to put her down (she's ok now), major orthodontic issues with Meg, John had a high fever and was home for several days, Susan destroyed the garage door...it was a ridiculous week. Somehow everything managed to get packed and we will be driving down to my sister's house this morning. Jennifer and her husband Ward will drive us to the airport this evening and care for the dog while we are away. So off we go for a sixteen hour flight with our four young children. We will arive in Addis Ababa at 7:30 pm (their time) and Mike will (hopefully) be there to pick us up, gather all of our boxes and bags, and then take us to the SIM (Serving in Missions) Missionary House in Addis Ababa for the night. We will try to get some sleep and then make the trip to Langano in the morning. You know what they say about best laid plans, right?
We will try to post as often as we have something interesting to write, but don't feel obligated to read our Blog if it doesn't interest you. Have a great Holiday!
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