In Addis

I arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia a week ago with the wheelchair for Mulu. He will also like the wheelchair bag. I need to get the straps reinforced by a tailor in Hosanna and will to that before giving the wheelchair and bag to Mulu. I am scheduling a physical therapist to fit the chair and
give instructions to Mulu.

I was permitted to use the chair so I did not have to put it on as checked baggage. However, it really limited my own carry on allowance. Three pieces were not allowed so I took the wheelchair bag and my small backpack purse. I knew I couldn't handle a roll-on with a wheelchair. The straps of the wheelchair bag broke because I had so much weight in it.

Most of my time has been spent networking with other missionaries. The team that
came from the "Water for Life" organization will be returning in Feb. and they have
been working in Hosanna for the past 2 months teaching Health and Sanitation.
One of the projects they are teaching is "Arbor-Lobe." It is a shallow latrine which
is covered with dirt when nearly filled. Then a tree is planted in this spot. It could be an idea for relief on the mountain-top lot, right? They also teach water purification and well digging. One member of this team has already agreed to help me teach trainers when she returns in Feb.

Another team is with the "Hope for Ethiopian Orphans." They took me with them to meet a precious Ethiopian Woman named Hanna who has a project of taking children out of prison where they were stay with incarcerated mothers. It has been so helpful here in Addis Ababa that she has gone to two other cities in Ethiopia and done the same. She has agreed to come to Hosanna to investigate to find out if children are in the prison there. If so, there will be a cooperative effort to work with my friend who is Dir. of Social Services in Hosanna to get the children into orphanages there.

Then, yesterday, God answered a prayer for other women to have fellowship and Bible Study with me. They are from Sodo, just 2 hours South of Hosanna. They have been living there for a long time and their husbands are doctors. I have an open door to go, when I feel the need to be with other English-speaking families---something I really missed last year.

I have to stay here in Addis while I wait for my Resident's Visa to be renewed. There is never a clue about the length of time it takes to process these documents through the Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Immigration. Meanwhile, in addition to making contacts with other missionaries, volunteers, and not-for-profit administrators, I am getting other needed things done like writing "Project Request Proposals" to be approved by my CBF African Team; paintings to sale for ministry support, and gathering consumable supplies to take to Hosanna.