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
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment