Wordless "Thursday?!"

Today is Thursday, but it feels like Wordless Wednesday. I have a couple more updates from our trip, but am feeling "wordless" tonight. Here are some pix of posters that they made for us at our "thank you" party in Kechene Friday before we left.

Campfire

Here are some pix from our campfire night. We worshipped, sang, danced and shared about the trip. We had neighbors peeking over the walls, and kids standing outside waiting for the door to open to see what all the commotion was. Worship will never be the same after what we experienced in Ethiopia!

Also, Tsige blessed us by coming from Legedadi Orphanage (over an hour away) came to thank us for the work that we did. However, we received so much more that what we gave. I felt selfish leaving....you come, you give and then go home, to your very (too) comfortable life. What next?

Thirsty?

This is a bottle of water that I took from a little boy in Kechene. I gave him a clean bottle instead. Believe me, what you see here is what you get. I came across this website, they help provide clean water to villages in Africa, check it out!

Traditional Bar-B-Q

One of the nights before we left, we had a traditional campfire and yes, we slaughted a goat. I will keep you all in suspense of the hows, but if you are really interested I have a video (that I did not film!) Here is our friend before......

Viola! I kid you not, about 30 minutes later, he was on the bar-b-q. Later that night, in the dark, I was clearing the buffet table. The jaw bone on the plate, was something I had grabbed to bring in. Yum, imagine my surprise! The big question is "did you eat it the meat?" Lance, couldn't. I had a few bites, but even knowing I had eaten goat since I arrived, I had a hard time finishing!

Tsion Gets Her Groove Back

Sagenet giving Tsion "gusha." Gusha is a mouthful of food that is traditionally given and is affectionately placed an in a guest's mouth. At Young Life camp I received WAY TO MUCH Gusha one night at dinner (it is rude to turn it down). That is when learned to stay out of the dining hall! Lance also received Gusha at camp, but the boys had put a napkin in the middle. Young Life kids are the same world wide!! :)

One of our last days, we all went out to a Cultural Dinner. 10 tribes were represented thru 10 different types of dance. There were opportunities for others to join in (I sat this one out!). We all finally got Tsion up there, and actually Sami, Josh, and Zach did as well! I was such a proud mom relaxing in the booth. :)

Special thanks to Issayus who got her out there!!

January 2, Legedadi Orphanage

This was day one here for our group, day 2 for the other. This was the orphanage that we visited early on, that had 60 boys in one room, 20 sleeping on the concrete floor. Our group made some connections there, and found a contractor whose sister runs Project Mercy (half us us spent 3 days there). He was willing to finish the other building, and plaster her kitchen (to keep the rats out) at a nominal fee. So in the meantime, we spread gravel to keep the mud at bay, and painted. We brought blankets, a ton of food, and shoes for the kids. The building projects should be finished shortly, and I hope to post updated pictures!

This was my baby for the day. I thought I was out of the baby stage.......he/she fell right asleep in my arms. Everyone said, it is a boy or girl, what is his name??? I said DO NOT tell me, it would make it so much harder to leave.

Tsion finds a friend!

Lining up for shoes!

Here we were in Legedardi for a day. Here (besides my baby) was where the older kids really grabbed my heart. We sat with a handful of teenagers that couldn't remember how long they had been there, or how they had arrived there. Essentially their entire lives. They called Tsige their Mother. We asked the kids what they needed, or what they would like to see at the orphange, and they shrugged their shoulders, "ask our Mom", she knows what we need.

**Soon after we were home, we received an update fron Ethiopia that Tsige had recieved $5,000 USD from Meseret Dafar. Selling cow dung (for fuel) and cow's milk is how they survive, so tthose extra funds will help feed these kids this year!

Back to Work!

The blue taxi's picked us up and we drove to Kechene with painting supplies on New Year's Day. As we pulled up to the school, we could hear a roar in the distance, and kids came from nowhere in their Arsenal jerseys and tennis shoes and surrounded the taxi. They were all so hungry for a hug, to be held, or just an acknowledgment. Eventually, school was cancelled for the day so we could paint. Today we had brought Sami and Tsion's cousins with us, so they could see what we were doing in Addis, and to help! We had the best lunch that day, avacoado's, banana and "dabo" (bread).

Sami and Tsion's cousins. From L Melish, Helen and Rediet.

Cousins, Melish and Helen!

Back to Reality

Although it was only 6 hours, it was still shocking to leave the Sheraton. As we walked thru the lobby on "New Years Eve" everyone was dressed head to toe, as you would see in any big city in America. All the personal cars with tinted windows were pulling up, and right behind them came our trusty blue taxi drivers, we eagerly jumped in, anxious to get "home!" Home to no water (glad we were all clean!) :)) and no flushing toilets, but to an amazing cook, Alemwork, who had our Mexican dinner ready.

Rihanna in Addis (New Year's Eve!)

We had scheduled a rest day at the Hilton, to get geared up for the next week. When we arrived, their pool was drained to be cleaned, so we trekked over to the Sheraton. I had never been to the Sheraton in Addis before, and it was the most beautiful hotel I had EVER been in! It actually was too beautiful. At the Hilton, you at least get some sense of Addis when you are there. If you have ever seen the fake sky background at Toon Town in Disnyland, that was the pool backdrop that the Sheraton offered, so you could not see the city.

But yes, we did enjoy the chocolate milkshakes and the posh bathrooms that they offered! Back to my headline. Some of our team was approached by some Americans who saw their Young Life Ethiopia t-shirts. Turns out, they were in Young Life in high school, and were now dancers for Rihanna. She had a concert that night in Addis, which was New Years Eve. To make a long story short, they were able to get 4 tickets for our group, which we gave to the Ethiopian leaders....Rihanna showed up with her bodyguards, and all our kids went crazy. We were told no pix, but we did get pix with our telephoto lenses as she was in the pool. (we had dreams of selling them to PEOPLE magazine to make some extra $$ for YL) I have decided to keep my blog rated G, and will not post them. :)

The funniest part of the day, which reminds me how old I am, was that I didn't know who she was. Lance mentioned an umbrella song, but I was clueless. So clueless, that until that night, I had thought her name was Brianna.




Evidently, in Ethiopia, Santa DOES visit the Sheraton....in a big way!

A Weekend at the Ocean

We spent this weekend at Ocean Shores, at a Young Life Discipleship camp. Sami and Tsion had not seen the ocean yet, so we decided to tag along. For the first time in our lives, we had 4 kids in the childcare room (if you know my kids you know what an accomplishment this is!) and Lance and I were able to sit uninterrupted (!) listening to Tony Kriz. If you have read Blue Like Jazz, he is Tony the Beat Poet. We even had the pleasure of meeting two high-school girls from Ethiopia who live in a neighboring city! It is such a small world. We found some deer close to the beach one day, (like they are never in our yard), and Tsion said "please, can we go hang on them?"

This was the end of our fun afternoon. Sami and Zach jumped off the log, and Sami's glasses got pulled off into the surf. I knew that was my cue to return to the room, as all the boys searched aimlessly in the waves for the glasses. So, now Sami is back to 20/2200 vision for the next week till he can order his new glasses!

Young Life Camp

While we were waiting for 150 kids to come to camp, the number that showed was 250. :) Luckily God knew, and we had enough t-shirts! There was no Malibu horn to keep us on-time, as everything ran 1-2 hours behind the printed "schedule". The biggest snafu and what we laugh the most about, was everything was stolen at the Little Nemo skit, and that ended club for the night. The Manchester/Arsenal soccer game also put us back a few hours one night, cuz heaven forbid we would turn off all t.v.'s so kids could enjoy camp!

The kids need no "ice breaker" games, as they were ready to go when they arrived. One game we played was "teach the white people to dance". I was not briefed on the skit, cuz I would have made sure I was busy OUTSIDE for this one. I found myself in a circle, dancing, as there was a limited number of white people available. If you know me, you will know that I do NOT dance. :) I had a guy come up to me that night and tell me he appreciated "my effort". Hmmmmm......I could take that a couple different ways.......

Bainbridge Island Review

Dec 26 2007

By BROOKE JARVIS

Special to the Review

On the night before Christmas, it’s usually Santa who flies over rooftops and kids who lie in bed dreaming of sugarplums.

This year, 21 local students were the ones flying through the air, en route to Ethiopia and their own mission of goodwill.

The trip “is all about meeting the needs of the people. And in such an extremely impoverished country, there are a lot of needs,” said Lance Klopp, one of the trip’s planners.

Along with 10 adult chaperones, the students – mostly from Bainbridge Island or North Kitsap High Schools – will take part in a two-week mission trip organized by the Bainbridge Island, North Kitsap branch of the international Christian youth organization Young Life.

The group will be involved in a number of separate service projects during their stay in Ethiopia.

In Addis Ababa, the capital city, they’ve rented a hotel where one part of the group will help run a three-day camp for some 200 Ethiopian high school students involved in local Young Life chapters.

“Summer camps have been a big deal for our students, so we thought it would be cool to set up an Ethiopian Young Life camp,” Klopp said.

Though the camp, which will feature religious speakers, will be the “most evangelical” aspect of the trip, its main purpose is to foster friendship.

“Ultimately it’s just a chance for these high school kids to love other kids in Ethiopia and show them that they care,” Klopp said. “The hugs are going to show so much more than anything they could expect to say or explain.”

See article at www.bainbridgereview.com 12/26

My Favorite Quote from Tsion

Leave it to kids to always make you laugh. As we are bouncing along the dusty streets of Addis, Tsion says "Mom, can we stop at Starbucks for an ice water???" :)

How Was Your Trip.........

So many people ask this question. It is a blanket question which is so hard to answer?? Check the blog. (Just kidding!) Course it was amazing, and went fairly smooth with a team of 31. Someone else asked, "what was one highlight." I drew a blank. How do you choose one highlight from 19 days in Addis? Today, it came to me. Closely tied with the baby I held all day at Lagadarde Orphanage, who peed on me mid-day and I still wouldn't give him up (no water at home to shower in either).......was a little boy that I fit shoes for at a school in Kechene.

I cannot recall his face, for there was a line of 80 kids, who all patiently waited their turn (yes, it was unbelievable). If I saw his old boots, I could identify him. They were short rubber boots, and he had marks/scars on the front of his legs where the boots had rubbed as he ran. If you can imagine wearing rubber boots while it is 80 degrees outside, with no socks, you know what his feet looked like when I took them off. They were caked with mud, with dirt between each toe. I froze, so wishing there was a hose nearby. What could I use to clean off the dirt? I remembered I had a water bottle in my bag, which I grabbed. I rinsed his feet with my water, and dried them with my skirt (quickly thanking God that Genet was doing laundry).... :) I laced up his new tennis shoes, and sent him on his way. That is why we were there. We were there to love kids.

The Kids Teaching the Alphabet

We were so proud of all of our kids there, and their willingness to reach out and go out of their comfort zone. Zach began on the plane, hanging out in the back chatting with all the Ethiopian people he could meet. They all gave hugs, served food, fitted shoes and clothes, and shook every one's hands. Here is a video of Zach and Tsion reviewing the alphabet with 80 children in a tiny schoolroom. You will notice Josh running for his life. :)

The Lifegaurd

He deserves a post all of his own. Since 90% of the poeple cannot swim, a pretty important job. Funny thing was, he was never in a hurry to reach any any of these people, but would slowly saunter over, and hold out the stick. We also witnessed another use for the stick, Young Life leaders would hit their kids over the head, if they wouldn't get out of the pool. I am not kidding!

Josh's Shoes

Here is why you do not purchase $9.99 shoes at Target.

The Team Arrives

One month before the team left, the travel agency let us know that Ethiopian Air cancelled all flights going out on the 26th. That was when the team was scheduled to leave. The only other flight left the 24th, and would arrive on Christmas Day. Amazingly, all the parents still let their kids come, and once again, everything and everybody, arrived safely. Woohoo ETH Air.

Merry Christmas!

A ferenge Christmas at the Hilton!

We visited Dave and Lynn Hunt with CityTeam Ministries, on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day we walked up to AHOPE orphange, where kids under 6 live that are HIV positive. We spent the morning loving and holding all the amazing kiddos there!

Our Daily Game

Every morning while walking to the taxi we would play.....where did the skull end up overnight. :)