A Sri Lankan Christmas

A Few highlights from our trip.... I went with my friends Tracy, Joe and Diane (who all live in Kenya),
The pretty beaches of Sri Lanka. Breathtaking and simply beautiful. We were able to spend about 2 1/2 days here resting and sunbathing. We spent Christmas on the beach and on Christmas Day we watched Joe rescue a man drowning in the ocean.


At Pinnewala (I have no idea how to spell it) there is a big elephant orphanage. Here about 65 elephants big and small live and take trips two times a day down to the river. We got to see them play, roll in the mud and even got to bathe them :).

This is a rock temple. We had to climb up maybe a 1,000 stone stairs in the pouring rain to reach this place. White and beautiful on the outside and beautiful paintings and more Buddah's than I could count inside.
This is an old castle of an king of Sri Lanka. This king LOVED water and he had small ponds, natural bubbling fountians, 4 large pools to watch all of his concubines bathe and up on top of that big rock was an impressive castle (now ruins) and even a swimming pool up there. We climbed rickety metal stairs poking out of the cliffs to get up to the top. The view was breathtaking and we felt like we could see all of Sri Lanka.



An ancient temple. It was a part of another old kingdom & and if I remember right some of it was from BC!! Although I can't exactly remember when this temple was built-- but it has a chamber of treasures in the middle, but no passageway to get to it-- it's solid through!


This is yet another part of the palace that is a part of the kingdom where that temple was. Ancient & beautiful. I had no idea that Sri Lanka had all of these ancient kingdoms and ruins to explore... I felt a bit like Indiana Jones.

For more pictures- click on my photos in the right column of my blog or Click Here.

What an Adventure

Quick overview:

1 miracle with my visa to India
1 miracle getting 4 people onto an overbooked plane from Kenya to India
3 Lost bags in India
3 Nights without baggage
1 Ancient Kingdom visited
1 Cave Temple
Endless rice patty fields
Tsunami torn buildings
Endless beaches
1 man rescued by my friend from the oceans on Christmas Day

.... I'll post pictures when I return to Ethiopia

Incredible!!!

All I can say is wow! I was shaking and laughing with joy as I left the Indian Embassy in Kenya. Despite not having a kenyan re-entry and not giving the consulate sufficient time to process my visa into India, by the Grace of God I have been granted a visa and told to return to the Embassy this afternoon! Which means that I get to go on my vacation. Just a few hours ago, I wasn't quite so sure if it would happen. After my experience with the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia, and the buraucracy and the harsh treatment I recieved for not being a good international traveler, I didn't think I would fare all that better in Kenya. We prayed on our way to the office & found that the assistant who processes applications was in a far better mood than my friends had seen him before. He was even joking and laughing with us. He already knew my story because my friends had seen him multiple times. And I contributed a little bit from my experiences with the Embassy in Ethiopia. He started processing my permit and said we would have to talk to his superior.

We found his office and he sent us out. A few minutes later the assistant came with another man and spoke with t the superior about his case. Then we were told to come in. Immediatly the man tried to send us out again, but the assistant stopped him and quickly said a 20 second version of the story. The superior asked us where we were going and he waved us out of the room. Just like that I was approved for a visa- something that should have taken 72 hours or a week to happen and it was approved with the nod of a head.

They even agreed to have it ready by the end of the day because tommorow is a holiday. Really and truly a miracle!!!

Lessons Learned

I rushed to Addis Thursday afternoon after I recieved an email from my friends in Kenya that I needed a visa for entry to India & that we were on a time limit. I'm leaving for Kenya on Monday and heading to India/Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Sri Lanka's no problem they issue a visa apon arrival but we all forgot that we were going through India. There is confusion about whether or not a visa is needed just to enter the airports of India. I spent all day friday traveling to various embassys and trying to get my plane tickets changed. But none of it worked. I ended up in the same position that I was in before I arrived in Addis.

Please pray that the Indian Embassy in Kenya will be reasonable and helpful. My friends there have been working with them and alerted them of my situation. The outlook seems fairly hopeful, but still a little worriesome given the bureacuracy of the Embassy's system and the time limit we're facing.

I have been nearly giddy these past few weeks about my vacation and can't even imagine not being able to go on it.

You could say this is yet another lesson learned in life.

Simply Amazing!!!

I take 2 minibus taxi's to reach my house when I stay in Addis Ababa. They're both pretty short with the first one being maybe 3 minutes (depending on traffic) and the other one being about 10. I have a small change purse that I use for quick access to money when I'm using public transportation. Well, yesterday it wasn't in the pocket I thought I put it in, it was at the bottom of my stuffed bag.

When I got on the first taxi, I realized the little change purse wasn't where I thought it was so I pulled out my wallet- I had one birr in there (for the fare of 65cents). Whew. Then I realized I needed to find some change for the next taxi. I started digging around- and put my wallet, phone and some other stuff on my lap (the taxi was nearly empty). I found some change in a pocket but a 50birr note flew out of my bag and went under the seat in front of me. So I climbed down and reached and reached and finally got the birr.

By the time I found it, we were at the bridge which was my stop. I quickly shoved all of my stuff back into my bag. By the time I my 2nd taxi arrived at our destination, I had this sinking feeling that I left my wallet on the other bus. After I got out I checked and I did forget it. I sped walked all the way home-- brewing over my stupidity, forgetfulness and my keen ability to do things too fast.

I shamefully told Mimo, Mulu, and Aynalem what happened. And was told I was careless. I agreed. I knew I would never see my wallet or money again. The bad thing was I had a credit card and my new debit card for an Ethiopian bank in the wallet. I prayed that the cards would be safe until I could report them missing.

This morning I recieved a phone call from my Ethiopian bank. They had recieved a call from a girl who had found my bank card. They gave me her number and told me to call her. She spoke only in Amharic, but I understood that she had my wallet and possibly everything that was in it. We agreed to meet in the afternoon. I traveled to an area called Arat Kilo- which is where the Universities are in town. She said to meet me at the post office there. I began to get worried that this was some sort of a set up or something, but it wasn't. I called her when I arrived and she was there the moment I hung up. She asked me for my passport, and I gave her my Ethiopian ID--so she could varify that I was who I said I was. And she handed me my wallet with EVERYTHING in it!!! I gave her some Thank-you money, took her to tea and she asked to be my friend. I thanked her and thanked her and thanked her.

Now just think to yourself how difficult it can be to find a lost wallet or purse in the US. You never know if you will get it back, or what will be there. Now, here lost stuff is simply that lost-- something that you will never see again. In fact in some ways once you've lost it, it is no longer considered yours but now belongs to the one who found it.... something only belongs to the person who has possession of it.

So many people here, have such a great need for money- my wallet was brand new and could have been sold as well as my cards. I had nearly 200birr (about $21) in the wallet- which would be a nice find for anyone. So really and truly, the fact that my wallet was returned "untouched" is an absolute miracle in itself. I am blessed beyond words.

Where Am I??

Yesterday, I was getting ready for church and was grabbing some last minute things off my bed and saw my recent package from my mom. It said my name and my address. I had this momentary flash in my brain... where in the world am I? Am I really in Ethiopia.... that is what the package says, isn't it? Life is normal here, not some big exotic thrill like is seems that it should be. In reality, for many people this life might seem surreal, but it is real. I walk outside and am greeted by the noise and hustle and bustle of the big city of Addis. I am in Africa, I am in Ethiopia, and it is normal.

Happy Turkey Day!!

Well, I didn't actually eat any turkey or meat on one of the best days of the year. But it really was a fabulous day. I made my way from Zeway yesterday afternoon by bus to Addis and found my way to my friend Corrie's by the evening. There we had somewhere around 18 people gathered for a meal of stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce and rice. it was great and the house was filled with some people I knew and some people I didn't. When you're in a room full of people from all over the US (and even other parts of the world) it's incredible what thing draw people to Ethiopia. Some people found official jobs, teaching at private schools, working in medical programs, veterinarian programs, research, teaching English or law. But there are also many people like me who could be termed "missionaries" doing all sorts of different types of work. it's really an adventure getting all those people together.

The finally of the evening though, was the key lime pie, chocolate pie, pumpkin pie, and apple pie. OOOOOh I think the visions of those yummy desserts are etched forever in my mind!!

(sorry no pictures of the pretty pies)

A Weekend Trip

It's incredible how just two nights away from anywhere can feel like a vacation. I went to Awassa, a lake about 2 hours from Zeway) 2 weekends ago and it was absolutely phenomenal. I went with an Kiwi friend and a Brit on this little adventure. This place was just simply relaxing. Lush and green, located on a hill at the edge of the lake. The first time I went to Awassa I didn't really think it was all that beautiful - I only saw the lake for maybe 30 minutes but it was brown and looked like thick mud. This time it was different. I don't know if it was simply a different perspective of the lake or what it was but I felt like I was back at lake Victoria- looking over a purple blue lake at sunset with hippos in the distance and birds filling the air with their chirping and hollering. Simply relaxing. We stayed at a retreat place owned my the Norwegian Lutheran Mission. Our cottage that we had a screened in porch. We sat on it for hours chatting, reading and simply gazing out at the incredible view.

We also went out to dinner and lunch every day. There are a few restarants in the place which have foreign type food. So I ate LOTS of pizza and had a rather disappointing lasagna. There was a supermarket there (which is smaller than the size of a US mini mart) that we went to at least 5 or 6 times. i think that the people who worked there must have thought that we were absolutely crazy. My friend Broni has a truck, so I was able to bring a box full of food home with me... so the remains of my trip will last for months. I now feel relaxed and ready for whatever will come my way over the next few weeks.

Future Pilot in Zeway

When leaving a school the other day, hundreds of children chased the truck and tried to hitch a ride. But I feel lucky to have captured this shot.... he looks like he's going to take off!

OH MY GOSH!!!

That was all that went through my mind at that moment! I was sitting on the curb waiting to see the doctor with one of my co-workers. We thought that I was exhibiting signs of malaria-- but it turned out just to be the flu. While I was sitting and waiting ever so patiently, I saw the strangest thing happen. A mother with her small child on her lap were sitting on a bench. This woman is Oromo (a tribe) and not from the town of Zeway. She is from the countryside which was evidenced by her clothing, hairstyle, and the belongings she had with her. A woman walked out of the clinic and when they saw eachother they began the traditional greetings of kissing each others cheeks multiple times. But in the middle of this the standing woman spit on the child's head and continued greeting. Now, this spit seemed like it just fell from her mouth like an accident... in fact I almost didn't see it happen.. but no it did! The mother smiled and happily smeared the spit into the child's head. Then the standing woman made noises and landed a huge loogie on the childs head. With that the mother was even happier as she rubbed this onto her baby's head.

My co-worker didn't see it happen and when I explained what I saw he laughed and almost couldn't believe it either as he had never seen something like that happen. He thought that it must be that she was spitting on the child because of the all seeing eye. It's a spiritual belief out in the countryside: neither Muslim or Orthodox-- just a belief. By spitting on the child she was saying that the had no part in the sickness and was showing good will toward the child getting better.

The ironic part is this happened in a doctor's office!

Been A While

Wow!! I'm so thankful for the great internet connection of Addis Ababa! I don't think that I ever thought that I'd say that (that it's great) but it really is true. I've been trying to access blogspot for the past few weeks but to no avail. I bet you thought that I didn't like writing. Well that's partly true, because I have a heck of a time coming up with things to write about-- but I do love to keep you connected and informed about life here.

Last Monday (10/29) we had another group of visitors come. Unfortunately, the day they arrived I began to feel a bit under the weather with a scratchy throat and a balloon head. I was able to get the last minute preparations in order. The team that came represented LifeLight- a wonderful Christian ministry based in South Dakota. Alan & Vicki Green (the founders of this ministry) were actually the first people that I went with to see Zeway over a year ago. It was great to see them and meet the other people of their team. It is always great to have new life and energy come through the placer.

Having Vicki and Alan return reminded me of how much has changed since I first went to Zeway as a stranger and a visitor. Simply put, it is now my home. I have seen so many changes in the project since that first visit. We have doubled the number of children involved in our child sponsorship program in Zeway to nearly 2,000 children. People from Lifelight are responsible for sponsoring over 850 of these children!

There are other changes as well. Our favor has increased with the government and as you know we were given a new building and grounds for our offices. Then over this last summer the government gave us the other half of the compound, even further expanding our offices (and allowing for me to have my own).

In July we began food support through the Canadian Food Bank for the families in the program who have the greatest need. Currently 800 children are receiving support and we are praying that it will increase to include even more children in the future.

We have started a savings group which is now its own entity outside of Food for the Hungry. Many people (primarily women) are now able to better provide for themselves through the small businesses they were able to start through these small loans.

The HIV/AIDS program was fazed out at the end of September. If you remember this program was the reason I came to Ethiopia in the first place. We are praying that the proposal for the next phase (focusing primarily on rural prevention) will be approved to begin in January.

There are simply so many changes that could be mentioned. It is simply through the grace of God and the faithfulness of those serving with Food for the Hungry which has allowed these changes to take place. Thank you for being a witness to it!!

UNO Bonanza

I decided to spice things up in my neighborhood with a little bit of UNO and boy has it been a blast. All of the card type games people know are pretty simple and all use a regular deck of cards. The other night when i brought out my deck of uno cards. Everyone's eyes lit up. The had never seen cards like that: so full of colors and designs. They even feel differently than regular cards because they're coated in a thicker layer of plastic. I almost didn't need to teach a new game because having new cards might have been enough. But then we started to play. I explained it in Amharic and surprisingly they got it after a number of rounds. And really once one person's light bulb went on- they were able to tell the rules to the others. So the first night we played, we played sitting in a circle on the dirt floor with adults and kids cheering and yelling until 11:30 at night. The next night another group of neighbors heard about the game. Our game started with three and by the end of the evening we had 9 people playing and I was begging to go home so I could go to bed (I had work the next day). So there you go. These cards are pretty popular. A new and fun game. Some people have even got it down to a science- perfectly peeking over people's shoulders or planning when their draw 4 can be most effective. I'd better watch out or else I'm gonna end up loosing all the time!

My First Visitor

My brother Josh is really my first visitor, but he helped me move in to my place and I wasn't really set up to host him. Saturday my girlfriend, Sara (who works for an NGO in Addis) came down for a one night visit. It was really great to be able to show her my house, my neighbors and life around Zeway. We walked down to the lake while being trailed by a bunch of kids asking for her water bottle and took a horse ride to the big outdoor market in town.

For me, it wonderful to have a friend who knows where I live and what it is like for me. When I got to Addis and tell my friends there about my day or about something that happened, its difficult for them to picture- just as you can only go off of what you've seen, experienced or imagine. So, it's a blessing for me to have yet another person who can understand a little bit of my life.

Peace & Joy

The other night I was visiting one of my neighbors houses. There I sat on the floor in their mud walled house singing songs and watching the children dance. Then one of the girls who is about 10 years old said she knew a song from school (she goes to the Catholic school in town). They were trying to sing all of the "Christian" songs they knew. If any of you know the song "I've got joy like a river, I've got joy like a river.... Peace like a fountain"

In all her earnest it went something like this:
I've got joy like a liver I've got joy like a liver, I've got joy like a liver in my soul.
I've got peace like a lotion, I've got peace like a lotion, I've got peace like a lotion in my soul.

let me tell you I tried my hardest not to laugh--- just gave her a great big smile & asked her to sing more.

Is it possible??

is it possible to be so full that you feel like you can't eat for days. It's a strange sensation when that feeling doesn't come from turkey and stuffing but from injera, coffee and doro wat (red chicken stew). I've just finished welcoming in the new year Ethiopian style. we are now officially 2 days into the year 2000 according to the Ethiopian calendar. I celebrated by doing what we do during holidays: eat and eat some more. Really, it's incredible how much our ever expanding stomachs can hold, when just keep eating more and more food.

The nice thing about this new year is that it was nice and warm. In the 80's maybe even into the 90's... I don't think that can be said of any new year I've experienced in the US.

So I'm back at work. Eagerly typing away at my computer. I'm supposed to be working, but the internet has decided to work today-- even so much as to let me use Blogger-- that i'm catching up on face book and checking out everyone's blogs. It's great to feel connected to people even though we're so far apart. So thanks to all of you for keeping me and the rest of the world updated.

OK I've gotta go and actually get some work done. We've got some visitors coming next week-- which means we've got a lot of planning and organizing to do. Here's to a great weekend!

from August 30: Child Celebration Days

This past week was exciting but also VERY exhausting. We held the first annual Child Celebration Days in each of our communities. Everyday of the last week we held one of these events. Sometimes it was outside under a cluster of trees or we packed into a government building or school. All of the children in our program and their parents or guardians were invited to attend. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the achievements of the supported children. Many of the children in the program did not have the opportunity to attend school until FHI came into their lives. It’s incredible how much potential was wasted by these children not being able to attend school. Now their lives are changed and many work extremely hard to gain high ranks in their classes. We had government officials attend each of the events. At each of the events we had between 500 and 1,500 people in attendance. Just picture 600 people packed into a room that should comfortably seat 200. At each of the celebration days we had different speakers from the government and FHI who spoke about the importance of school, health, HIV and many other topics. At a two of the celebrations everyone was given candles which were all lit from one central candle. It was a gleaming display of community and the influence one person can have on another as the flame spread from candle to candle. The highlight of the event was the awards of achievement. The children who ranked in the top 5 of their grade at their schools received new English or math exercise books. Those ranking first received big dictionaries. These children and their parents were beaming with pride. Following the award ceremonies the Food for the Hungry Drama team did comedy filled and touching dramas educating about HIV. Then came the mass distribution of bottled coke and cookies for everyone. At our biggest event it took over ½ an hour just to open up all of the coke bottles.

Each of the celebrations was a giant success. Nothing like this had ever taken place in any of the communities. People left feeling special and appreciated. It was a blessing to be able to participate.

Candles

At the Bulbula Celebration Day a government official lit a candle and the flame was passed throughout the whole room. Incredible.!

Food for the Hungry's Celebration Days

From one of the Food for the Hungry's Celebrations days. LOTS of people at every one. By the time the week is out I will have attended 5.!!

Children

Children enjoying their soft drinks and cookies during the celebration.

Kristen's Little Wish List

Some people have asked me to post different things I'm craving or needing from home. So here's a little list I've put together:

Jello No Bake Cheesecake (you can take out the can of cherries)
Jello No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie
Mac & Cheese
Meat Rubs
Knorr Sauce Mixes
Granola Bars
Chocolate Pudding
Chips- Cheetos/Doritos
Snack packs (of various things)
Movies
Music
Candy (but without nuts)
Pretty much anything you think I can't get here that is also light to send.

*** Warning**** It does cost a bit to send packages to Ethiopia****

Just to let you know

So, I'm having a little trouble accessing blogspot. It seems that Mondays are the day to actually gain access, as I tried every other day last week and only Mondays have worked. I've also tried adding pictures today but to no avail. Sorry, as I know pictures are a bit more fun look at.

Also, I can't read your comments from here. Please feel free to leave them... just know that I can't read them.

Thanks for reading!

Community and a Wedding

Sometimes I hate being different and sometimes I enjoy it. The part about being different is that I have been easily taken in by neighbors into their community and lives. It really is a beautiful thing. Often I have more than one request to be at a neighbors house for the evening. Yesterday, my neighbor Mattios visited me at the office. He hadn’t seen me for a few days and was wondering where I had disappeared to. After a 45 minute visit I was able to assure him that I am alright and have simply been busy, working late, visiting with other neighbors, and even suffering a bit from a cold. I assured him that I’d come and visit him that night.

On my way home from work I was greeted by my co-worker Solomon’s wife, Himanot. I was quickly ushered over to her house for coffee, injera, and popcorn. I played with their two sons. Apparently the youngest who is 5 gets very excited when I come over and he talks about it for days afterwards. Apparently that night there was going to be a gift giving ceremony at one of the neighbor’s houses. When someone gets married the celebrations begin far before the wedding day. At this celebration the neighbors were presenting their gift to the groom and his family.

We arrived at the party and sat on short stools and talked with one another. The Gurage tribe was well represented throughout the dancing, singing and drum playing. It was the first time I saw their dancing first hand. The dancing and clapping would get faster and faster as the women competed to see who could do different moves faster. The air was filled with laughter. The dancing subsided as we gathered together for the gift presentation. Three women blessed the groom as the unwrapped the gift and put the gold necklace on him. As the women said their blessings, the crowd simultaneously uttered their blessings for the groom and future wife. Then one of the women took a bowl of butter and rubbed it onto the heads of the groom’s sisters. I have come to understand that butter represents wealth and blessing. Women often put it in their hair as a way of conditioning it. This is the first time I have seen it as a part of a ceremony. It was really beautiful, fun and special to be a part of.

Friday night was another celebration. This time it involved men and women dancing. The courtyard of the wedding house had a big tent set up with benches and stools all around. I arrived at sunset bringing 20 or 30 children with me. They proceeded to dance and dance. The boys dancing for the girls and the girls shyly watching. We waited and waited for the show to begin. Eventually many many men showed up and the party began. we sat in a large circle with the elders to one side. There was one drum and a woman started to beat and sing, with the other women joining here, then the men got up and danced two by two. Almost in a competition like, seeing who could do a particlular dance longer. Then the men would take the drum and the women would start dancing. Everyone was laughing and smiling, singing and clapping. It was so much fun. It went on for hours.
Then the mother had the groom and his two groomsmen sit on a mat infront of the elders. She covered them with a thin cotton cloth then the elders started playing the drum and everyone repeated their chants. After the drum went around to all of the elders, they had the groom and his groomsmen get up and they danced. The groom wore the white cloth as he danced. It was incredible.

Then on Sunday was the wedding. Events started early in the morning and i could hear drums and cars honking. At 6PM I got all dressed up in Ethiopian clothes and went with my neigbors to the wedding. we waited for 2 hours for the wedding party to show up. Then they came, did a little ceremony with the orthodox priest. The wedding party then got their food, then we waited forever to get our food. And we returned home at 10PM! All that was sitting and waiting....

Chilling with my co-worker Zena in my new office...too bad you can't see much of the office ;)

A Different Sort of Sunday

It had been a week of bliss. I guess I hadn’t fully adjusted to the culture here. My mistake. This morning I set off for a church that is right around the corner. When I go there I realized that there was no one there (I found out later that this church meets in the afternoon). So I decided to go to Gospel Light Church. It’s on the far side of Zeway, maybe a 45 minute walk from my house. I flagged down a gari (a horse carriage). He set off in the wrong direction and I told him where we needed to go. We arrived at the church and I gave him 10 birr and asked for my change knowing that a horse ride costs only 1 birr. Well he pocketed the money and said that he didn’t have any change. I didn’t budge from the cart and said that he had told that he had had change and that he lied. So he pulled out a birr and said that was all the change that he had. I told him I didn’t believe him and that he was a bad man. Soon a lot of people surrounded us. To a few people asked me what was happening and I told him that I gave the man money and he refused to give me change. People started yelling at him to give me my money, so he pulled out 2 more birr. I refused to take it and I refused to get out of the gari. Finally a lady came up and said that she was going to call the police gave him the money, demanded mine back, and I got out of the cart. The problem was taken care of. My blood was boiling and it was embarrassing.

I ended up sitting with the woman through church, she translated bits for me, then had me over to her house for lunch. Kind of crazy, but I made a new friend through the morning’s catastrophe. The day ended up being pleasant, between staying a while at my new friend’s house as well as some of my neighbors’ places. Another day of endless coffee to go around.

*** Today after our morning devotions, one of my co-workers came up to me and asked how yesterday was. She started laughing… and I knew exactly what she was talking about. One of her friends had told her about the altercation with the gari driver. I guess a story like that with one of the only foreigners around gets around.

On the Way to Church

Time for Chocolate

Yesterday I hitched a ride with Dereje (My Ethiopian Dad) to a drop off point along the way to church. I was an hour early for the 11:15 service, but if I hadn't hitched a ride I would have had to leave at the same time (to travel by foot and mini-bus) and would have arrived at the my destination just when the service was starting. So, with all the extra time I had gained I set off for Kaldis. Now if I haven't talked to you about kaldi's it's a fabulous coffee shop. One where you can buy some of the best ice cream in the country and get great drinks. As you can see from the picture of my hot chocolate they serve some pretty good looking stuff. Actually that hot chocolate is much better than any Starbucks hot chocolate.

So I chilled for a while by the window watching the cars, the rain as it poured down, people pour in and out of mini-busses, boys walking up to cars to sell newspapers, and more boys walking by with their small crates of shoe cleaning supplies. It was nice to be able to sit and watch and remember what life is like here in Ethiopia. I rememberd that I missed it and felt thankful for the opportunity to be a part of it and see these glimpses of normal life.

I’ve Arrived!!

It's a cloudy day in Addis Ababa, but that's not much of a surprise to me. It's in the 50's too. I arrived safe and sound this morning via Ethiopian Airlines. I made a beeline over to the office and have spent the morning visiting with my co-workers and chatting it up. It's actually surprising to me how much Amharic I have retained, but so far I'm just sticking to the simple stuff. Things are good here, in fact it feels almost like I never left this place.

As we were landing I got glimpses out of the window of the shacks and terrain of this place. A flood of pictures and memories came to mind as I visualized what it is like to really be here to live and breathe Ethiopia. I'm thankful and so happy to be back.

I'm Off!!

Today's the day! I leave SF at 1:50 for Frankfurt. After a nice long layover there I'll depart for Ethiopia and arrive in Addis Ababa Thursday AM. It's hard to believe that I'm actually heading back today. A big thank you for Everyone for everything.

You'll be hearing from me soon!

Kristen

13 Days and Counting!!

Yep that's right... only 13 more days until I depart for Ethiopia! I leave August 7th.
Below is a short slideshow pictures from the past few months. Click on My Photo album for more pictures.
Enjoy!

We Made It!!

After endless hours on the road, we finallly made it to wonderful Denver, Colorado. It's not quite the Denver I imagined, but there's lots of trees and beautiful mountians in the distance. Here are a few pictures from the road:

Waiting in traffic on the side of the freeway... there was a burning car up ahead.

Bummer... the Tercel broke down only 1 1/2 hours from Denver. So close yet so far!

On The Road Again...

I'm in Utah with my friends Darbi & Phil on the way to Denver, CO. It's been a long day of driving but lots of fun, good music and conversation. More to come :)

A simple reflection

I've discovered that I'm not very good at sharing about things that I've just experienced. I've been traveling for about 3 weeks now and will soon be traveling for another week to Colorado. Everyone who knows I've been gone asks me how's it been?? What did you do?? and on and on. I just say it's been fabulous and awesome. I've learned a lot and seen so many people. How do I put into words all that has transpired. My few words just don't do any of this justice. In all honesty I can't even count all of the relationships and friendships that have been strengthened and the simple increadibleness of being able to see so many people who mean so much to me.

I guess what I can say is that I am astounded how God can work a stupid mistake that I made (aka losing my passport) and turn it into something life giving and beautiful. Yet another lesson among the many lessons for me to learn more about the one we know as Father.

Spoiled

The Thinkers

That's the only word I can come up with to describe how I feel right now. Blessed might be a better word... but I feel too selfish to use it.

I'm in Kansas City (in the great state of Missouri or Kansas) at the moment. It's after midnight and I'm just reflecting on my circumstances. I'm hanging out in this great place simply because I lost my passport and my path has now led me here for the time being. I am spoiled because for this moment in time I am being treated not as I deserve to be treated. I've been taken all around this great city, eaten tons of great food, explored museums, cruised around a lake on a party boat, and simply relaxed. It's extremely humbling to join in the lives of dear friends whom I only briefly met on their recent visit to Zeway.

I think back to that time in Zeway hearing about their church and lives, thinking how I would probably never be able to see it, breathe it, and experience it, yet here I am. I am so thankful that GOD can see beyond my finite mind and into the unimaginable and incomprehensible.

The Way Home

Aside from attending a week long training, I also had the incredible opportuntiy to visit with numerous friends and supporters. I got to go to the drive-in, walked in the beautiful Oregon woods, and had incredible conversations. Below are some pictures from my road trip with my cousin, Greg. We took Highway 101 home. Although I've driven between Portland, OR and SR, California more times than I can count, I've ALWAYS driven the I-5 stretch. Not so pretty, if you've ever driven it you'd know what I'm talking about. Anway, my cousin and I had a relaxing trip home, one in which I got to breathe in the beauty of God's creation.

The wide world of CHE

Luke & I working on a lesson at CHE

Practicing group involvement

The entire group at the CHE training.

Are you wondering what the CHE training is? Well it's a training in the concepts of Community Health Evangelism by Lifewind International. The goal is to train nationals to work within rural communities to bring community and personal change. Many lessons revolve around a physical issue/problem (worms, malaria, clean water, interpersonal relationships) and also spiritual issues and lessons. The goal is to empower the community to recognize and work through its own issues of need through this program. Through this proven method thousands of people have come to Christ and hundreds of churches have been planted across the world.
to find out more about Lifewind and its incredible work, go to lifewind.org

One of the beautiful Covered Bridges of Oregon....thought you'd enjoy

Something New!!!

It arrived!! As you can see, I've got my new passport in my hands. I thought that it would take over a month to get my replacement passport... but surprise, surprise the passport people were speedy. So, now I send the thing off to the Ethiopian Embassy for my business visa. But there's not too much of a hurry, because as you may know, I'm not scheduled to leave until August. Unless things change, I'll be around here for a while with a shiny new passport!

Time

Yeah... you all know I'm staying in the US longer. Now I'm trying to figure out what to do with this time I've been given. I'm heading to Portland for a training in health work in communities, I'm going to Kansas to visit friends and a fabulous church that is involved in the work in Zeway, and I'm hitching a ride to Colorado to visit some friends there. Before I know it will will be traveling for about a solid month. Whew! It's incredible how God has worked all this out so that I can see so many people.
But you know what really gets me is the question: am I using my time wisely and am I doing what I should be doing? A kid, named Kevin, from my neighborhood died last night. He was only 21. Here, I've got precious time to spend with people... am I doing it? Am I encouraging and being the smile people need? I don't know. If this was my last 24 would I be content with what I made of it.

Here's the Deal

Just to clarify... I am going to be here in the US for quite some time. I've got somewhere around a month before I receive my new passport. And a few more weeks after that for me to get my Ethiopian Business Visa. Also, my travel agency says the soonest they can get me back to Ethiopia (without me buying a new ticket) is August 7th. Please pray that when I do get all of my passport issues worked out, that I'm able to squeeze myself onto a plane a bit earlier than August.

In the meantime, I am here and available.

Whoops :(

To my surprise around midnight the night before the reception, I decided to look for my passport. I couldn't find it- so I didn't sleep much and felt sick all night long. It's Monday & I'm supposed to leave Tuesday and I still haven't found it.
What does this mean?? It means I'm sticking around here for a few more weeks while I get a new passport and business visa. I'm bummed as I was very excited about going back to Ethiopia and digging into some work. Thought you'd like to know....

Wedding Fun

May 12 was Josh and Abby's Santa Rosa Reception. After days of cleaning, preparation and planting flowers-- the stage was set and the event went off without a hitch. We had a blast at our simple but very nice party. To the envy of most women, Abby wore her beautiful wedding dress again (and also the next day for pictures). She looked fabulous and my brother was the happiest I've seen him.
It was great to be able to catch up with family and other friends whom I hadn't seen for a long time. And I got to answer many of the same questions such as how is the food, what do you normally eat, and what does a typical day look like. But overall it was just a great blessing to be able to share with my brother and new sister in their wedding day and their celebration day. Whoo hoo!!!

Traveling

Hey All!

After a very long journey and an unexpected overnight stay in Washington DC, I finally arrived safely in Colombus, OHIO. Yesterday I was fitted for my bridesmaid dress, which actualy fit me far better than I had anticipated. We also decorated the church and I met up with my parents. It was a busy day but great to have my feet on US soil. I think the best thing was the hamburger I ate for lunch and the tacos I ate for dinner. Well today was busy again- with a bridesmaids lunch and more running around. It's really hard to believe that my little brother's getting married tomorrow. I'm excited for him and excited that I get to be apart of it all!

Oh-- This is a picture from Frankfurt, Germany. I spent the day roaming around the city. Behind me is the Opera House, which was rebuilt after WWII.

Back in Addis

So I'm spending my last few days in Addis before I head home for Josh & Abby's Wedding! It's Sunday afternoon and Bemnet (my Ethiopian sister) and I are at one of my favorite places to eat-- the Lime Tree. It just so happens that some building around here has high speed wireless internet--- I just found out and I had forgotten how fast the internet really is. So this is a pic of Bemnet checking out my blog!
Hope you have a great day!!

Bye-Bye Bicycle

I bought a bike for getting myself around Zeway. It was nice while it lasted because it's already gone. We had 4 days of meetings all in Amharic. Needless to say I was exhausted by the end of it. On the last day I came home late from the office, made some dinner and went to bed early. Unfortunately, I completely forgot about my bike. The next morning I soon realized that I left my bike outside and it was gone. Bummer for me!! The crazy thing, is my compound is locked at night and we have a high wall surrounding the compound. Either the thief came climbed over the wall then had a friend help lift the bike over the wall, or the thief was a friend of one of my neighbors.

I went to the police office with my boss and we filed a report about my missing bike (something I never would have done if I were in the US). So now, the theft of my bike has been the talk of my neighborhood. And it's been embarrassing explaining that I simply left it outside, unlocked. It is absolutely incredible how fast news can be passed around. I guess I'll be looking for a new bike when I return from the US… but given that I ride my bike with skirts all the time… this time I'll buy a "girls" bike. Now I'll be styling!!

When it Rains it Pours….

A few days ago I was traveling with some of my colleagues from Addis Ababa to Zeway. It had started raining the night before in Addis and I was surprised to see that it was also raining outside of Addis. The roads were wet and flooded in various places. Flash floods are common in the rift valley as there will be a torrential downpour in one place, then that water will flood a place where there was no rain. On our way down we saw many flooded houses and rivers in places where there should be no river.

That afternoon we received a phone call from a government official in Abossa (one of our sponsorship sites). Outside of this town, there had been massive flooding. Many houses were flooded, stored food was destroyed, and even some cattle drowned. I was given the opportunity to join Food for the Hungry and some government officials to visit the village. We were met with people in shock from what had happened. As we trudged through the water and mud we saw first hand the aftermath of the events that had taken place.

Although houses can be restored, the biggest loss was that of the food that is saved and rationed to last through the year. This food that was destroyed had been the previous season's crop. This crop was their livelihood and a devastating loss for the people. Apparently, this was not the first time for this village to be flooded. They were moved to this area during the government's relocation program about 4 years ago. I wonder what will happen as the long rains will be beginning in just a few months. Please pray for them as they rebuild once again and slowly recover. Also pray for creativity as FHI looks into working with the community to take preventative measures against disasters such as this in the future.

This is a photo of a man showing his ruined store of corn. the water level was over a foot in the little hut. The other photos below are from the flooded village that I uploaded while in Zeway.

P.S. It's now stopped raining and the sun is shining!

Pictures bring things to life

I saw many sights, including this man dragging a dead cow to dry land. Something I have never seen in my life.
This other picture is of a woman walking away from some of her food storage containers. She later showed us all of her destroyed maize. Once again I cannot express how devastating this flood was for the people of this village