Thanksgiving
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Daylight is breaking over the mountains that surround Addis Ababa where all has been peaceful and quiet for the past week, thank God. The Moslem call-to-prayer came from a speaker attached to a nearby towering minaret, before the rooster crowed, and I just heard the first chirps of one of many birds who will soon add a warm melody to the cool crisp air.
The Kindergarten is moving into the new school year, smoothly.
The major hurdles of organizing, setting up classrooms and curriculum were done last year and with all of the same staff we had last year every teacher and teacher aide knows exactly what needs to be done in an orderly way.
The students learn English quickly and will repeat the sounds accurately. The Amharic language, which is their mother-tongue, has just about every sound in it that can be made. These children have been using many more muscles for making oral sounds than we ever knew existed. I am getting better at making the clicking sound that is much like the ending on the word, “joke” but much more exaggerated.
A pattern designer for Butter Rick is coming soon to teach sewing to some of our students. She has written several books on sewing, one of which I had given to my daughter when she was beginning sewing and is now a fashion designer. This new volunteer will also be bringing a weaver who will teach warping a loom and weaving to the local people. So, our skill building program is expanding.
Sometime this year we expect to have our house-kids (orphans and foster children) out of the renovated cow shed and into a dormitory. Construction is moving along as prices for construction materials increase.
The Ethiopian marathon took place this weekend. We have four house-boys (or orphans and forter kids) who have been training all year to participate, as before.In their training they run two miles up the mountain twice a week and run long distances twice a day. We were so proud of them. The fastest runner among our house-boys was first in the regional competition last year and is well known and respected in the village. There is an elite group of runners in Addis who belong to a club and have sponsorship from others. This group was placed in front of all the other runners in the race and was organized in such a way that they blocked others from moving past their fastest runners. The one who took first place ran 6 miles in 24 minutes, 23 seconds. Our fastest runner had a time of 27 minutes and I don’t remember the seconds.
Everything is so controlled and manipulated here in Ethiopia. It seems to have become a way of life. However, all of our runners were really happy that from among 27,000 who ran the race, they were among the first who came in. They chose to be thankful rather than resentful—and some would say that they had a right to be angry. If one could win one of these races it would be his ticket to prosperity. Our fastest runner, Endoshaw, is one of 4 siblings who live on the compound and I know he wants to succeed to help his family have their own home and become self sufficient.
We are running into similar problems while trying to renew my residence visa. Marta has been to the office of immigration four or more times to get a sealed and signed document for my visa and each time there is a problem. I asked her to let it go because it is taking so much of her time but she said, “No, we go through this all the time. If we show them that we will give up easily they will give us even more problems in the future. We have to just be persistent and patient.” So, meanwhile, I wait here in Addis taking care of other things until the final step of the visa process when they need my signature.
I had gotten my $30 Document from the American Embassy last May, which is the first step toward getting an Ethiopian drivers license. Yesterday, I was able to take the second step and had my money ready to pay the same as everyone else, $15.00. When my number was called I was told that I would have to pay 300 birr which is about $30 and I didn’t have it with me so I had to leave and take a taxi to the Hilton, exchange money, return and get the documented receipt, after taking another number. I was told there is a different price for forengies (the name for foreigners). Now, I have to take the last step to get the license and pay another fee. Nothing is simple.
I have a niece whose daughter is working not far from me but communicating with her is a difficult as communicating with you.
I have to e-mail her or work out a way to phone her from the hospital or Addis Project Mercy office in the middle of the day.
Some day we hope to visit each other. I took a trip in that direction a couple of weeks ago when we took students to medical college and because of road construction it took 4 hours over rough terrain to travel what would have been less than a 2 hour journey on paved roads. I am thankful for progress here because 2 years ago I could have been traveling 4 hours instead of 2 over very rough roads between Addis and Yetebon.
We had prayers answered when we prayed for the 4 days of rain at harvest time to stop. The people in Yetebon were really concerned and it could have caused famine in this region. We are so grateful and give God the glory.
I’d better get into the office and send this before the staff gets busy there.
God bless you and I am sure we will get together.
Love to All,
Dee
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Daylight is breaking over the mountains that surround Addis Ababa where all has been peaceful and quiet for the past week, thank God. The Moslem call-to-prayer came from a speaker attached to a nearby towering minaret, before the rooster crowed, and I just heard the first chirps of one of many birds who will soon add a warm melody to the cool crisp air.
The Kindergarten is moving into the new school year, smoothly.
The major hurdles of organizing, setting up classrooms and curriculum were done last year and with all of the same staff we had last year every teacher and teacher aide knows exactly what needs to be done in an orderly way.
The students learn English quickly and will repeat the sounds accurately. The Amharic language, which is their mother-tongue, has just about every sound in it that can be made. These children have been using many more muscles for making oral sounds than we ever knew existed. I am getting better at making the clicking sound that is much like the ending on the word, “joke” but much more exaggerated.
A pattern designer for Butter Rick is coming soon to teach sewing to some of our students. She has written several books on sewing, one of which I had given to my daughter when she was beginning sewing and is now a fashion designer. This new volunteer will also be bringing a weaver who will teach warping a loom and weaving to the local people. So, our skill building program is expanding.
Sometime this year we expect to have our house-kids (orphans and foster children) out of the renovated cow shed and into a dormitory. Construction is moving along as prices for construction materials increase.
The Ethiopian marathon took place this weekend. We have four house-boys (or orphans and forter kids) who have been training all year to participate, as before.In their training they run two miles up the mountain twice a week and run long distances twice a day. We were so proud of them. The fastest runner among our house-boys was first in the regional competition last year and is well known and respected in the village. There is an elite group of runners in Addis who belong to a club and have sponsorship from others. This group was placed in front of all the other runners in the race and was organized in such a way that they blocked others from moving past their fastest runners. The one who took first place ran 6 miles in 24 minutes, 23 seconds. Our fastest runner had a time of 27 minutes and I don’t remember the seconds.
Everything is so controlled and manipulated here in Ethiopia. It seems to have become a way of life. However, all of our runners were really happy that from among 27,000 who ran the race, they were among the first who came in. They chose to be thankful rather than resentful—and some would say that they had a right to be angry. If one could win one of these races it would be his ticket to prosperity. Our fastest runner, Endoshaw, is one of 4 siblings who live on the compound and I know he wants to succeed to help his family have their own home and become self sufficient.
We are running into similar problems while trying to renew my residence visa. Marta has been to the office of immigration four or more times to get a sealed and signed document for my visa and each time there is a problem. I asked her to let it go because it is taking so much of her time but she said, “No, we go through this all the time. If we show them that we will give up easily they will give us even more problems in the future. We have to just be persistent and patient.” So, meanwhile, I wait here in Addis taking care of other things until the final step of the visa process when they need my signature.
I had gotten my $30 Document from the American Embassy last May, which is the first step toward getting an Ethiopian drivers license. Yesterday, I was able to take the second step and had my money ready to pay the same as everyone else, $15.00. When my number was called I was told that I would have to pay 300 birr which is about $30 and I didn’t have it with me so I had to leave and take a taxi to the Hilton, exchange money, return and get the documented receipt, after taking another number. I was told there is a different price for forengies (the name for foreigners). Now, I have to take the last step to get the license and pay another fee. Nothing is simple.
I have a niece whose daughter is working not far from me but communicating with her is a difficult as communicating with you.
I have to e-mail her or work out a way to phone her from the hospital or Addis Project Mercy office in the middle of the day.
Some day we hope to visit each other. I took a trip in that direction a couple of weeks ago when we took students to medical college and because of road construction it took 4 hours over rough terrain to travel what would have been less than a 2 hour journey on paved roads. I am thankful for progress here because 2 years ago I could have been traveling 4 hours instead of 2 over very rough roads between Addis and Yetebon.
We had prayers answered when we prayed for the 4 days of rain at harvest time to stop. The people in Yetebon were really concerned and it could have caused famine in this region. We are so grateful and give God the glory.
I’d better get into the office and send this before the staff gets busy there.
God bless you and I am sure we will get together.
Love to All,
Dee
posted by John | 8:08 AM
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