Still V Day back at the Guest House

We got back to the guest house and there was a new family there. They were from North Carolina. They had adopted a 2 year old girl and already two children biological, a 9 year old boy and a 5 year old girl. They can't take the little girl out, that is a rule from their agency. So if they want to go anywhere one stays at the guest house with Malowi and the other goes out with the kids.

Yonatan was glad to see us, he had had the day off on Thurs. Bill asked him how many days he had off a week, 2 or 3 but he usually only takes one because he enjoys being with the families so much. How about over time? No

I went up to rest, really weak. Laid down for a long time. Gretchen decided to take a bath and Yohanna would join her there later. While she bathed Yohanna and I went down stairs and visited with our new friends. Dave told me he was an internist, and his wife, Elizabeth is a pediatrician. Malowi which means honey, is 2. She was dropped off at the orphanage at 18 months. Her mother had 3 older children and her husband dies. Malowi was starving, she weighed 6 1/2 kilo at 18 months. Yohanna weighs 5 kilo at 5 months. Malowi is full of energy and plays games, runs up and down the halls and outside and repeats words. She really is taking to Daddy. Georgio and Fredrico are making us spaghetti for supper. The Sauce is from Genoa and th noodles are from Naples, they brought it with them. It's pesto sauce. Georgia says he grows Basilio on his balcony at home. Spaghetti there in Italy is a snack after work not a main course at a meal. They have an evening meal of fish and meat. They didn't have much luck boiling the water, only a hot plate. The house girls cooked it for them. Bill visited with Georgio and I tried to get on facebook but it wouldn't let me post.

I read post about Darren Wight's accident and could hardly read it to G and B, I was crying so hard. Malowi and her family had bread and Nutello for supper. It was the 1st time mom and the kids went to the market, later Dave went.

Yonatan was playing with Yohanna, showing her herself in the mirror. Rememeber she wasn't keeping much down so one time she threw up all over him. There was a lot of noise out there. Jokingly Yonatan said, "It's a war out there." We almost took him as his word. It was fireworks for Valentine's Day.

Eyob for Jacob like in the bible,is the gate man here, he keeps up the grounds, washes cars and opens the gate. He lives in a hole in the wall by the gate. It has a door and a hole for a window and isn't much bigger than 6 ft long, 6 ft tall and 4 ft wide
He takes his meals here, who knows if he gets a salary maybe just room and board.

Yonatan didn't know what to get a girl for Valentine's Day. We told him flowers and candy. He said "Why didn't you tell me that earlier?" He also kidded if you don't like someone now is the time to shot them because no one would hear because of the fireworks. They shot off fireworks on New Years too. They can go on for hours. Mostly it was pop, pop, pop. We couldn't see anything over the wall but flashes of light. Firecrackers in a barrel.

We had supper, drizzling olive oil over the top of the spaghetti. We talked about food, customs, etc. We went to bed after much talk, fun and laughter. Gretta from Germany joined us and if they didn't understand our English they would talk to each other in French. Three languages to understand each other and then Amheric too.

I took a bath, B, G , and Y were asleep pretty quickly.
Later the Italians and Gretta came upstairs and went to Georgio and Fredrico's room. A little wine and a little fun, lots of laughs and talking. Later they came into the hall, Gretta's room was right across from ours. Fredrico stayed to talk. I guess yesterday he pretended to be Gretta's husband when she went to talk to a priest about adoption. She was thanking him. He wanted to go with her again the next day. " You can't always go with me." Little more talk and they a long silence, kissing I think. Then the 2 doors shut.

Sunday Valentines Day

It's Valentines day. When I got home the gifts for my grandchildren and niece and nephew for V Day were still there. Speed forgot to give them to them. Got up and checked facebook. We are still at the hotel. No Hot Water even with the hot water heater turned on. I guess later Bill got hot water. I tried again let it run for 10 minutes, nothing but cold. Then it started changing the valves are so sensitive that just the tiniest movement changed it from boiling to ice. We talked about that Greg guy when we got back to the room last night. He was making fun of Abraham, insinuating that they breed like dogs/rabbits and when he asked Abraham what his degree was Abraham answered Sociology, that Greg guy said "Your a smart one." The Bethany people wanted to make sure that he had nothing to do with the orphanage. I guess that's what you get for talking to someone who was sitting at the next table. Beware in the future of who you talk too.

That night we stood in the parking lot talking it was very dark and Abraham pointed out the moon. It was really a hotel sign in the shape of the moon with a triangle in the center.

We talked at dinner about children. Abraham wants 1 maybe 2, have one wait 5 years then another, then done. Mahi wants 6, 2 girls and 4 boys. I wonder if that will ever happen. Mahi is about a size -2, negative 2, what would she look like after 6 kids? Mahi laughed when Abraham only said 2 kids.

When we were at the Hilton on Tues the fridg was taped shut you paid for everything. Here we had beer/wine/soda/ water. Remember you have to buy bottled water and carry it with you. NO DRINKING THE WATER FROM THE TAP In the lobby the bell boy opened the elevator and placed a key on the floor pushed the button of the floor someone was waiting for it on and away it went.

We had breakfast again at the hotel. Buffet, ethnic food, donuts, pancakes, thick french toast, mango and pineapple juice. Got on the internet and asked Ill if they had had snow. Twila answered yes 6-8 inches, and no school one day. Summer got on just as I was getting off it was 11:30pm in the states.

People just walk in the street here, even if there is a sidewalk or a large dirt area on the side of the road. We would pass by people sitting there within inches of the van. People were holding hands, girl/ girl, guy/ guy and I don't think they were all gay. I just think it is something they do here. Not much guy/girl hand holding. Maybe they are prepared to pull a friend out of the way of an on coming bus.

The monkeys here are smart, at the park Gretchen had a few nuts in her hand and offered one to a monkey. She was going to give the rest to another monkey but the first one opened her hand to get the last nut.

I know that these paragraphs are all over the place but I wrote them as I remembered them.

There was a garden surrounded by a fence of brushy sticks, to keep the animals out.

We saw a Humvee (sp) last night $60,000 US dollars, 2 million birr. Abraham used his cell as a calculator. He kept redoing it because he thought it had to be wrong. Bill had to say, 6----0-----0-----0-----0. Unbelievable.

The beds had coverlets on them, like a top sheet and a bottom sheet tied in several places and fluffy stuff in the center.

Our driver listens to American music, Bonjovi, Chirstian, Rock, God of this City, Give Me Your Eyes, the Beatles. Don't ever think I will ever hear them again and not think of Africa. Was almost in tears thinking of how appropriate God of this City is here and how it describes this place.

Kids are selling lottery tickets, they cost 1 to 20 birr. They were attached to a long piece of paper and each piece was torn off. There are daily, weekly and monthly drawings, the numbers are broadcast over the TV. Mahi asked if I wanted to buy one. Now I wish I had just for the souvenior.

Getting back to Addis the alltitude is changing so your ears pop. Gretchen is tired again. We talked about lots of things and explained to Mahi about cow catchers on trains and the orphan trains that headed from the east to the west, history of US. I think I mentioned that Mahi wants to come to the states to eat turkey.

We passed a square hay bailer. Water jugs, like our gas cans, hung on poles along the road. Some were wrapped in baskets.

Elliott is dressed in a Valentines Day outfit.with a matching bib.

How many days a week do kids go to school? 5 but they only go to school for 1/2 a day.
Do you have a summer vacation? No 2 months in the winter rainy season which is really our summer.
How early do kids start school? Depends on family situation, maybe age 3.

Each religious center has their own cemetary that is named after a saint. We saw one. Each monument had a fence around it. In the country there were shrines of 2 - 6 stones some brightly colored or with a design or statue. One was of a man riding his horse, they were always in the shelter of trees.

When we got back to Addis our driver announced, one of the few times he spoke english, Welcome to Addis"

Mahi asked if we should get Yohanna and then have lunch. Gretchen didn't have a bottle so we went to lunch first at the Lime Tree a pizza place. It was sweet but very good, each of us ordered one I think two people could have eaten one and been satisfied. They had green olives not black, and peas. We sat and talked to Mahi about American stuff again. We tried to explain Chili. She asked about eggnog and now to make it. About taking classes over the internet, "Like correspondance?" We talked about the grandkids and how Laural and I had gotten our nails done for her birthday. "Your a Cool Grandma"- Mahi. We then went to Shalom and got Yohanna. When we got there they took her upstairs and changed her into the clothes she came in on Friday. Gretchen checked out what size one of the kids wore. That little girl will soon go home with one of Gretchen's friends. It would have been nice to know exactly what size Yohanna wore. Gretchen had to take several sizes of clothing.

First time to make a presentation about the trip.

Sunday I am presenting at two churches about our trip to Africa. Excited and Nervous. Praying that everything goes right. Then I offered to to an assembly at school at the end of May for the 7th and 8th graders on the trip too. Then Seth is getting Married on the 5th of June. Have a birthday party for someone who is 91 on the 23rd of May. Two nights of conferences on the 26 and 27 of May. June 28-July 2 Vacation Bible School. B and G are going to Haiti the 8th of June so will have all 4 kids for a week. Rehersal dinner on the 4th of June. AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

One Week ago we left for Africa

I got to thinking we have been gone from home for a week. But only 4 and 1/2 days in Africa.

It was a short ride to the hotel for lunch. We invited the driver and Abraham, our driver declined, fasting, but Abraham joined us. The 3 of us had the same thing we had last night. We sat on a balcony area and were there by ourselves so it was nice to be able to talk. They brought us salad again. Of course we didn't eat it. While we were eating the manager came to tell us that we would have to change rooms. They had over booked. Why I couldn't just move into G and B's room I haven't figured out. I slept on a roll away anyway. There was no electricity for a while so no elevator but only for 20 minutes or so. I think I said this already but while we were at the park, Bill tried to pay the guy for helping us with the birds, 15 birr, about $1.25, but it wasn't enough, so Bill made an enemy. Not his last. When we got back to the van we were kind of surrounded by people who wanted money or to sell us something. It was really hard, you can't understand what they are saying and we were told not to give them things. Here's the Caleb story again, at least I think I told it before, I can't remember what I wrote and what I have told people. At lunch we told Abraham about Caleb's seeds. While watching a movie, Caleb, 6 years old, told his mom that we needed to take seeds to Africa so people would have food to eat, later he came back and said we should take 2 packages so they wouldn't fight over it. We didn't know who to give it to. Gretchen had several zip lock bags of seed packages with Caleb's picture and his name and age written on the back. Abraham was very touched and said that they had a garden and they could use the seeds. He held the bags to his heart and kissed them. He said that they would pray for Caleb.

The next event Mahi our guide would rather not have us talk about but it is a part of my journal. We were on our way to the hospital to see Elliott's finding place and suddenly out of now where, actually out of a drive way came a motorcycle. Our driver swerved to miss him and laid on the horn. Gretchen and I saw it all happen, there was no time to react. HE HIT US. We ran right over the motorcycle and the guy flew about 30 feet off to the side of the road. All I could think of was Oh My God, he's dead. But he got right up. It all happened in a matter of a few seconds but when you are there it seems like it was forever. We couldn't move the van because of where the bike was. Our driver of course was upset and on his cell phone immediately. I think there was a lot of cussing but we wouldn't know because we didn't understand. Mahi said if we were in Addis they would just pay the guy off but someone called the police. Everyone was trying to comfort the motorcycle driver, who seemed to have scrapes. It was his fault but they were all blaming Abeselom. He and Abraham were out of the van. The van was surrounded by people. Here in the US police try to avoid crowds at an accident, not in Africa I think there were 75 or more there.

The van had two bucket seats in the front, and three bench seats. B, G and I were in the first bench seat. Elliott and Emily were in the second and Mahi and Terri were in the third. The first and second were smaller so you could walk back to the third. When the accident happened Mahi threw herself on the floor grabbing Elliott in the process, keeping her from hitting the floor. Remember there are no carseats. The motorcycle didn't look too bad but everyone was pointing fingers at Abeselom.

Mahi made us close the windows because of all the people, they might take things out of the van. She moved up to one of the bucket seats and I told her how to turn the key to roll up the front windows. We had to wait for an accident reconstrutionist. (not sure if that is a word)

Speed us cooking mushrooms, the first of the season, nothing to do with Africa but thought you'd like to know lt;


It was hot and very hard to watch the people outside, coming to beg for money, food and water.

Our driver had to go to the police station. Another van and driver came for us. We were assured that it would all be cleared up. We were all afraid for Abeseolm. Maybe he'd be arrested. We really liked him even if we couldn't understand what he said, he laughed with us and showed us pictures of his family and shared Christian music with us.

The hospital was just around the corner. It was a large campus a University Hospital. Beggars were following us around inside and outside the hospital. We were not able to take pictures here. Someone chased them away.

We met Elliott's nurse who took care of her . Elliott's mother had delivered the baby at the hospital, placed her on a bed in an empty room and walked away. I can't imagine the heart ache she felt, but knowing that it was the right thing to do.

The nurse named her Meron, which means Merry, yes that is the right spelling. The people at the orphanage called her Merry. Emily had lots of question, and she was able to take a picture of the bed that Elliott was in and the nurse. I stayed in the hall. There were two mothers who had recently had babies sitting on one bed with the babies in a crib near them. They were talking to each other. I think they all thought we were crazy because we were all crying at one time or another.

The smell here was horrendous. The rooms had up to 8 beds in them and there could be 20-30 other people in the room with the patients. I assume family members. There were puddles of urine on the floors under the beds the size of a card table. On the wall beside the nurses station was a poster with operations or procedures and how much each one cost.

On the way out we hid our cameras in my backpack. It made things easier.

We left the hospital and headed to Yohanna's finding place. It was only a block or two from the hospital. The van stopped in at the end of a street. We left Emily and Elliott there, Abraham said it would be better not to take the baby out. The road into the market wasn't really wide enough for the van, it was foot traffic only, or donkey/wagons. We walked into the market. There was drying grain on blankets laying beside the road. There were potato bags hanging in one stall for sale. People gathered around us, just beyond where we stopped there was more grain on the ground. To the right was a building for cooking, you could see the smoke rising out of a make shift chimney. On the left be the potato sack shop was a dwelling where people lived.
I'd say we walked into the market about a half a block, by our standards, and we stopped. Abraham told us this was the place. Gretchen asked at least twice what he meant. And twice more he told us that this is the place, the finding place, the place where that wonderful  police woman happened upon our beautiful Yohanna. Not along the edge of the road, or beside a building or even near a trash dump or a back door. Right in the middle of the road where people and donkey carts were racing by. Here was where Yahanna's biological mother decided to place her in that dirty towel, hoping that someone would come along and do something. Something she couldn't do. Take care of her. We had may hypothesise before we came to Africa and they are listed above but we never expected that it would be a piece of dirt. Gretchen thinks she had the baby at the hospital and left. I personally believe that she was on the way to the hospital and didn't make it. Possibly she left her after waiting to see if she could take care of her, perhaps she was in the same hospital later that Elliott was found at, perhaps this was her last effort before she herself gave up to die. When they took Yohanna to the orphanage they estimated her at 4 days old. 4 days with a mother who was most likely very very sick and unable to feed her. How she survived is a miracle but the true miracle is that that police woman was smart enough and fast enough to save our angels life. We were never able to meet this wonderful woman because she had recently moved to another town and had a baby. She was pregnant when she found Yohanna, thank you Lord for her motherly instincts. Thank you Lord that her mom made the choice to leave her there. Thank you Lord for the orphanage and the transitional house. Thank you Lord for the Plumpy Nut and the nannys. Thank you Lord for Yohanna.

We didn't stay very long there but before we left Abraham took off running after one of the boys who had been making comments near us. We later all remarked that we thought he had stolen something and we all looked at our cameras and fanny packs. Abraham was none to nice when he talked to that young man. Abraham said he was joking, not nice. I wish we knew what he said. Maybe I'll ask Abraham on facebook sometime.

We somberly and slowly went back to the van. I tried to take in everything for future reverence. I knew that B and G were in shock.

We asked to go to a shop to buy something for the girls from their home town. The store had all kinds of things, jewelry and carved items. I spent 465 birr which was about $36 for 7 things. A zebra, elephant, 2 giraffes with their heads intertwined, a vase, and 3 bowls, one which the airlines broke. G and B bought several things also. Here there were no price tags and Mahi had to barter. She is very good at it and got very verbal with the salesman. If fact we each got something free, if you can call it that. I'm sure we really paid for it.

Then we went across the street to a clothing store. Gretchen bought an outfit for 350 birr, less than $30. Mahi wasn't please with the prices at one time and told us to all walk out of the store. The store keeper called us back and made a better deal. Mahi looked over each piece to make sure that there were no holes and that it was in good shape. Emily and Terri spent about $100 or 1300 birr.

We went back to the hotel and got our key. I had Elliott in my arms feeding her so I carried her up to their room. Terri and Emily had a round bed with a mosquito net hanging from the ceiling. They had lots of trouble with their rooms , leaks and mosquito's. I'm glad we were where we were. We rested for a while in our rooms, G and B had a round bed too. And the floor manager came in to plug in everything and turn on the TV and stereo in the headboard. There was a message chair, kind of scary, I tried it out and it grabbed your legs and squeezed and didn't let go for quite a while, wasn't sure I would get out of it. Maybe that is how I would die, messaged to death. If you don't remember Speed kept saying that I was going to die in Africa. There is a whirlpool bath but no hot water. Free beer and wine in the room. G and B took the wine with us, B packed it in our luggage and it broke in flight somewhere between Addis and Peoria.

It was raining again, the hotel had a tin roof. There was a balcony next to the roll away bed but the knobs were broken so we couldn't get the door open. Bill took lots of pictures out the windows. A parade went by someone had won something. Lots of shouting in excitement. Terri and Emily were right beside us room wise but we had to walk around a triangle walkway to get to them, it was like they were on the other side of the hotel. There was no direct way to get to their room. Along the inside balcony edge were two buckets with mops in them, one soapy water, one clear water. The mops were mops heads on sticks, real sticks with no bark just sitting in the water, waiting. Bill is flipping through the channels, Gretchen is video tapping the room.

I forgot to tell you when we got back to the hotel there was Abeselom the driver. We all hugged him or shook his hand, he is warming up to us. I'm curious what he does when we eat, is there a lounge for drivers. Where does he sleep, Mahi has a room at the hotel. Abeselom just shows up when we need him.

We came down about 6 to go to another hotel for supper. We mentioned that there was no hot water so Mahi went to the desk and someone took Bill up to show him how to turn on the water heater. Terri took a minute to check facebook.

On the way to supper Mahi and Bill talked about his work and being in the Reserves. She asked " You don't get to kill people?"

Abraham showed me how to spell her name in Amheric, sorry I can't show you. But instead of 7 letters it is 3 symbols, one for each syllable.

When we ordered drinks we have to say cold coke or cold mirinda. One restaurant had Healthy Breasts, chicken, and Lomb Chops, lots of misspellings that we think are funny, but they don't understand the humor.

The hospital we visited was the finest in this region, imagine that.

There was a Bethany group of workers at the restaurant we ate at for supper. They had been to the orphanage and visited with Abraham. We met a gentleman, Greg, now I'm not sure I would call him that, from Virginia who works with health aide, distributing supplies. He comes twice a year for a few weeks. He talked to us and then Abraham came down to visit too. Then this man started to make fun of Abraham.

Some of the things Greg fished out of Abraham were interested though. Abraham has over 100 cousins, his grandfather has 4 wives. He brought over a friend to do a shoulder dance, and wanted Mahi to do one. She just laughed and brushed him off. He was drunk.

I had chicken kabob, Gretchen had the house special kabob with lots of meats, and Bill had chicken schnitzel. They offered us fruit but we didn't eat it, the water again. Abraham brought over Greg to meet the other Bethany people. They were very upset and told Abraham they didn't like him and that Abraham was the master and should tell him to leave. He finally did.

E, T, and I talked to Mahi she had lots of questions about the US and we invited her to come and visit us. She said the one thing she would like to try was turkey.

Ok, I have typed for an hour and a half and have finished Saturday. My shoulders are killing me. What a day.

Sat. Feb 13th the beginning

Just as a side note I ordered my shoes for Seth's wedding today. Hopefully they will fit and go with the dress.

Called for a wake up for 7am, it didn't come through till 7:30, I was up and showered and listening to CNN. Olympic Sledding Crew Member died in practice. The guy who invented the Frisbee died at the age of 90. We went to breakfast at the hotel buffet. We had thick french toast and potatoes, mango juice or pineapple juice. The rest of the dishes were local and I choose not to try them. Our guide got a beautiful little cup of milk and coffee- Latte? We headed out to the fish market and Hippo Boat Ride. We each had to pay 20 birr to get into the gate. There were UGLY birds there to who men threw fish too so they would fly around and we could take pictures. Of course the men wanted money for their services. We didn't get to go to the Fish Market because Mahi said "It smells". I think it would have been interesting to see, but oh well. We walked on through the trees and along a path, there were lots of monkeys around begging. A little girl followed us with a dog. The dog was hers or so she said and she had another one at home. B or G asked if they had other pets, she said a pig, our guide said she thought that was impossible. She wanted money of course, I gave her suckers. Our guides chased her away 2 or 3 times. Men tried to sell us Hippo Tooth Scoops. We walked on to the shore where the boats were tied. Abraham negotiated and negotiated and negotiated until he felt we got a fair price for the boat ride. We all had to have life jackets, even though the water wasn't much more than waist deep in most places. We passed a new hotel going up on the waters edge. There were 10 of us on the boat including the captain and cabin boy, 2 guides, the 3 of us, Terri, Emily and Elliott. Almost as soon as we left the dock, if that is what you can call it. G noticed that there was a leak in the boat. We didn't know that the lake was fairly shallow at the time. She made a motion to B and we all laughed. Emily said that she had heard it was very common. The cabin boy came up and stuffed something in the hole. Like the boy in the dyke. At times the Captain rowed and other times there was a motor. There continued to be leeks. Now the boy was bailing with a flat sided container. Lake Hawasa is a very large lake, full of reeds along the edges, this is what the Hippos eat. There were men fishing in reed boats, like Thor Heyerdahl, only small. The water wasn't very deep in places so we ran aground and the Captain had to get out and push. We saw many Hippos, snorting, and swimming under the water, then mouths open wide. We weren't any closer than 50 yards. I was totally soaked going out because we were hitting the waves that were coming in. Another leek under G's seat. The cabin boy propped up one of the seat cushions to help me from getting any wetter. It really was to late already, lucky it was my whole pants or I might have had some "splainin" to do. I think the water could have been up to our ankles if that young man hadn't kept bailing. In fact at one time both the boy and the Captain were bailing. We headed back in to shore. They let part of us out at a very rocky piece of ground. Native youngsters were jumping in and splashing and having a great time, reminded me of Lake Story. We had to be very careful, one at a time alternating sides of the boat. They then moved the boat to a flat part of the beach to let the rest of the group out. Terri said,"Now I really feel like an Ethiopian Princess.There were white tailed black monkeys in the trees, they were very big and Gretchen had one on her shoulder as a profile picture for a while. They had large basket type nests in the trees. Men brought buckets of nuts for us to give to them. Bill tried to pay for some but the guy didn't think it was enough and wouldn't accept. Ok, sorry for you. Elliott did so well on the water, she flirted with Abraham. At the beach I saw a gerbil, I guess there are lots here. We tried to describe squirrels to them, it's hard to tell someone about a squirrel unless they can see one.

Last parting visual picture of what we saw before lunch. Along the side of the road in a filthy ditch was a dead donkey, a local dog was enjoying his lunch. This was in the middle of town just a few feet away from the gate of an enclosed compound, someones home or maybe a guest house.

More about Friday Feb. 12th

The donations were given out, and every time something came out of a suitcase the nannies cheered and clapped. Formula, diapers, meds ex. Tylenol, Oragel. When the donations were all opened, they asked Terri to pray over them. Then the manager prayed. It was almost time to go. The found the towel that Yohanna had been brought to the orphanage in and gave it to Gretchen and Bill. It stinks. I really expected a raggedy old towel, but it was large, one that you would wrap a baby in after the bath with the little hood in one corner. Emily got Elliott's clothing too.

This was the hardest part of the trip, the prayers really got to me and then walking back through the house and had to leave all those kids behind. I cried for about 10 minutes. It was soooooooo

sad to watch the gates close. Everyone was quite for most of the trip back to the hotel. We checked in. The rooms were very weird, triangle shaped. It was hard to get the door unlocked, the floor assistant even had trouble. A few minutes after getting into my room there was a knock on the door and in came an assistant to plug in the TV and turn on the lights. Later I went down to G and B's room. They said mine had the best view of the lake, well I couldn't see much. Their room was the tin roofed village. I think they were both very interesting to look out of . No screens and no air conditioning. Emily and Terri's room had a mosquito net hanging over the bed but there was none in our rooms.

We went down for supper, Gretchen had stuffed chicken, Bill, steak with mushroom sauce, cold Cokes and cold Mirinda (Orange soda). I ordered grilled lamb chops, I expected them to be grilled like pork chops but they were covered in some kind of sauce that wasn't listed. I tried one bite I never did finish chewing, I finally just swallowed. Mahi said that I didn't have to accept it so she sent it back. Then I ordered Chicken/ Mushroom soup, thinking it was safe but it was just as bad as the chops. So I ate bread. There was always bread on the table. We weren't able to eat anything fresh because it was probably washed with contaminated water. When we got home the first time we went out we went to a salad bar, nothing ever tasted so good. We asked for soup instead of salad but they wouldn't switch. I tried a tiny bite it was very spicy, I wouldn't have liked it anyway. We talked and laughed at the restaurant, the patrons thought we were weird.

We made plans for 8:00am and breakfast in the dinning room. Then to the fish market and the Hippo Boat Ride. Lunch and then to were Elliott and Yohanna were found. I hope tonight we all sleep better. I slept maybe 3 or 4 hours the last 2 nights. The beds are hard and king size. I decided to take my shower and write in my journal, there was a banana there in the room so I had it, I decided it was safe to eat, no rinsing. The shower was cold, each room had it's own water heater and they had to be turned on, of course no one told us that. There was a Nicholas Cage movie on in English with Amheric subtitles. Next to the toilet in the bathroom is a phone and a ba-day (sp), true connivance. Actually it was like a hose next to the toilet, I suppose that is what it was used for. Even if we can't seem to call out to home. Here at least we can get on facebook and post things. I think the people at the orphanage were WONDERFUL. They truly enjoyed the pictures Gretchen brought from other families who had been there months earlier and taken children home. Everyone was so nice. Many were shy but very respectful. The boys were told to stand when we entered a room.

Awasa is the second largest city in Ethiopia. It's a good thing we got out of DC on Monday. They got 6 more inches of snow on top of the 36 on the ground. The next flight to Addis was suppose to be Wednesday and it was cancelled. The next flight out of DC would have been tomorrow, Saturday the 13th. The USO would have gotten old if we had been there from Mon-Sat. I wonder how we will get back. They say that there was snow is 49 out of the 50 states this week.

The south is getting more snow and it is heading north.

Too tired to type more

Exhausted all the time

I don't know what it wrong with me but I am exhausted all the time. It hits about 2 in the afternoon and I am totally wiped. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. I just had a blood work up and it was the best it has been in forever.

Still on the way to Awasa

There were schools and colleges along the way. But you can't see much because of the metal fences. One town we went through had a crude drainage system, a cement ditch, very deep on each side of the street. And every once in a while there were little bridges for people and animals to cross over safely, did I say safely, sometimes it was rotten planks, not so safe. I most likely was their sewer system. They have large grain bins here to store grain in, kind of like the ones ones in Galesburg near the railroad tracks.

After leaving the Resort it was 75 minutes before we entered Awasa. There was a rope across the road. Their kind of barricade, a customs check. Our driver just went around. A little farther down there was a police check and our driver was pulled over. We all made jokes about there being a "Problem", yesterday Terri took a picture of the Ethiopian FBI before our driver could tell us no. Maybe they were just catching up with us. They just checked documents and let us go on. There are a few places that you can't take pictures the FBI,or it's equivalent, No military compounds, and the Prime Ministers compound or the Embassy.

We met 2 men standing in the middle of a very busy road that were waiting for us. One gentleman walked on while the other tried to slip in the front seat with Mahi. The driver made one of them get in the back . So of course Mahi climbed back with us and we drove on for a short, very short distance, maybe a block. This was the Orphanage, another gated area, this time the gatekeeper had on a uniform. Gretchen was able to use the camcorder. Bill had charged it up. We stood and took pictures for a few minutes. They took us to the front boor where 3 posters hung of people who had come to get their children. We changed our shoes, they had to come up with more crocs for us and we entered the day room. The transitional house in Addis was very, very clean. This place was ok but you could tell that they weren't able to keep the building up as well or as clean. There were children mostly boys from the age of 18 months to 8 years sitting in a row of Barbie lawn chairs against the wall. When we walked in they all stood up and said hello, with a small bow. Across and down the hall were 2 infant rooms and a toddler room. They showed us the crib that Yohanna had had, in the corner and Elliott's bed was there too. The staff was wonderful. In the second infant room there were several babies, two that were sooooo tiny that it got to Gretchen because they looked very much like Yohanna would have when she came to the orphanage. Gretchen left the room in a big hurry, in tears. I took pictures of the two babies and even held one of their hands in mine and photographed that. I was afraid to even touch the other tiny angel, she was sooooo small, such shallow breathing, if I touched her would I hurt her. ( Come to find out after we got home one of Gretchen's friends received a referral for the baby that I had held hands with, Gretchen sent her that picture, I only wish I would have taken more) The toddler room across the hall had several beds side by side, some bunk beds all brightly colored. That is one thing about this place, this land, they may not have much but there is so much color. Things are painted in not just one color but many and the colors are deep and rich.

The House Manager Abraham, guided us to the office and they pulled up pictures of Yohanna, ones that we had never seen before. I didn't go in, didn't think it was my place and they were suppose to save them on a flash drive. Well it didn't work but Gretchen has some on the video.

I have yet to see them, G says Yohanna was skeletal, Her head and body nothing but bones. There was a bar of soap laying next to her and she was only twice it's size. They presented G and B with the towel that they found Yohanna in. Back at the hotel we looked at it. It was filthy and smelly and looked like the bath towels that you put on a young child that has the little wash cloth corner. That was it, that was all that protected her from the sun, the insects, the world. Later at supper Mahi said that it was a true miracle that Yohanna lived. IT WAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to the orphanage. We were graced with a coffee ceremony: lightly sweetened popcorn, very dark coffee with lots of sugar. The popcorn wasn't quite kettle corn, not as sweet. They cooked the coffee over an open fire in the breeze way. The metal tea pot they heated up on the coals was like one of our regular tea pots here, not too large, not too small , just right, middle size. Into this pot they put 12 1/4 cup scoops of coffee grounds. Then let it simmer over the fire. There were several women helping serve and one came out with a bowl of soapy water and rinsed all the cups and put them back on the tray, never drying them, readying them to have coffee poured into them. The cups were the size that you would play tea with your little girl. They thought it was funny that in my whole lifetime I had only had 2 cups of coffee and this was #2. The other was at the Ethiopian Restaurant in Indianapolis, just a few months before. The only way to get through the thick coffee was with sugar, plenty of it. Half way through the cup you had to stir it again or you'd have to eat it with a spoon out of the bottom of the up. Caffeine fix for three days at least.

We took lots of pictures while G and B talked to the man who gave YoYo her first assessment. He flirted with Elliott and she flirted back with him. Elliott had been there several months, she is 8 months old now, and usually she talks and talks and talks, you know babble, she will be a champion debater or something but while we were there she was silent and wide eyed. I finally took her and we wandered around the compound looking at the flowers and things.

At the coffee ceremony they asked Gretchen to pray, tuff call for someone overwhelmed by the surroundings and stimuli. Emily and Gretchen went back into the home to find the children who's parents requested photos of and to give them kisses and hugs. Terri handed out suckers.

A little 4 year old who looks 2 1/2 was very shy and hadn't been there very long and didn't know any of the language. He folks in the states wanted pictures and so they tried. I took pictures of the doors, halls, where they wash and dry the clothing, a small garden along the wall that maybe had something like broccoli or cauliflower growing there. There was another building, I think might have been a type of gym, we could hear children playing inside. There was a small kitchen inside the building but also a cooking open area in another building where they also heat up water for washing clothing. The smoke was rolling out from under the rafters, no chimney.

When we went to leave we had to put our shoes back on again. G asked one of the little boys if she could take his picture, he had an Obama t shirt on, with short sleeve shirt over the top. He was very pleased to get his picture taken and straightened up his hair, shirt and pants so he would look good for the picture.

Funny thing there was a beer calendar in the main room. Along with pictures of Christ and a poster of children who had left there and another poster of the children who were sponsored students. They showed off for us while they were there, writing and doing math problems. One child had beautiful handwriting. Another boy was trying to impress us with math problems. I read one. 20 divided by 20 is 0, he was in a hurry to show us he could get done first.

Some of the last pictures I took there were of the kids out on the porch, you can see that the building is crumbling around them. There was a beautiful flower garden in front of the building, with a large Persian rug . They sun the babies for 15 minutes a day, naked.

My journal entries are a little boggled here. I thought of things during and after we were at the hotel, I hope you can keep up.

It's time for bed, good night my precious Ethiopian Princess and her sisters and brothers that we left behind.

Women have 1 flaw

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,

but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.

They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy

and laugh when they are nervous.

They fight for what they believe in..

They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer

when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.

They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel

and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about

a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member,

yet they are strong when they

think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss

can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you

to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what

makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ideas.

They give moral support to their

family and friends.

Women have vital things to say

and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

Sabana Resort

We had lunch at a Beach Restaurant. It was a beautiful place the windows were opened and the view was spectacular. It looked like a Tiki Bar. There was even a tree growing in the center of the restaurant. Again with the food, Bill and Gretchen had kabobs and a dessert called Carmel cream. I had grilled chicken and Carmel cream. Actually Bill had a vanilla ice cream cone, boy was he daring. After lunch we walked down, down, down, down to the beach. I was going to count the steps on the way back up and I started to but by the time I reached a 100 I was more concerned in getting to the top than the number. I pushed my self too hard and if I didn't blow out the stents in the airport I am sure that I did on those steps. The beach area was very hot, the sand looked like tiny lava rocks, dark grey in color. The water was like fairly warm bath water and brown in color. But it was beautiful. In the distance were mountains. We sat at a table under a huge tree and rested for a while before heading up the cliff/steps and back to the van. While we were eating near us there was a table of American adults and Ethiopian boys. They went down to the beach too and enjoyed splashing in the water. It started to thunder and we headed back to the van. When we got back to the parking lot they were there too and we talked to them for a bit. There were 7 boys ages 8 to 17 1/2, one set of twins. The adults that were with them were sponsoring these boys and were taking them on a vacation. They were a part of a group from the US that sponsor many children, sending them through school, providing food and clothing, etc. Most of the boys were straight A students. In April this US based group will be adding a new house and will be able to serve another 100 children. On the way out of the Resort to the main road we raced, first us ahead, then them in 1st place, then us again. We thought that everyone was having fun but the other driver not Abeselom, got mad and basically cussed out our driver and gave him the HAND. People in the US give others the finger, in Ethiopia they use the whole hand in a exaggerated upward thrust, hanging halfway out of the drivers side window while doing so. This gesture was very common in Addis among drivers, when you got cut off or someone did a u turn. The little children were still trying to sell us things on the way out. Abeselom talked to them, we shut the windows, which was hard they are so needy but we were told not to give them anything. They didn't like what Abeselom said and one little girl cussed him out in Amheric and hit the back of the van. We have a very good driver, Abeselom, and so far we haven't had a fender bender, it seems funny to say that now that we are home, I'll tell that story later. He did pass another vehicle on a 2 land road at the top of a very steep hill, G and I caught our breaths, but we got around it just in time. Of course we had seen this happen with other drivers many, many times. He drives the speed that everyone else does, whipping in and out of traffic to get there as fast as possible. I think I told this story before but here it is again. Yohanna will have to get used to no horn honking in the US at least not like it is in Ethiopia. Most kids say vroom, vroom when they drive their toy cars, Ethiopian kids say beep, beep.

After thought. When we got into the van at our guest house we each had a small bag. Able and the driver asked "Is that all?" Emily and Terri had large suitcases on the top of the van and they were very heavy, full of donations. Emily commented that they liked us better because we traveled light. Sorry E and T but thanks for what you took to the orphanage.

Off the record

This isn't a usual blog entry for me. Yesterday I got my so called pink slip from ROWVA. That is I had to sign a paper that I understood that they were RIFFING me. Today there was a pink slip in the mail for the official letter and another letter that said the same thing that I signed yesterday. Three ZAPS in less that two days. (I knew they were coming but it's one thing to know and another to have it in hand) One was bad enough. I'm really not sure why my signature yesterday wasn't good enough. I know that we, members of the union, were suppose to show up at the board meeting on Monday but why would I want to pour hot wax on something that was already burnt. Sitting there and hearing them read off my name and many of my friends who will not have a job in the fall. It is hard to believe that we live in a state that doesn't see the impact that these educational cuts will have on our children in the future. I am not pleading for my job

(well I guess I am) but for our kids. The state legislature members are worried about being reelected in the fall if they instate an income tax but I think they should be worried about being reelected if they don't do something about the cuts that they are instituting. It's time to stop blaming the other guy and insure that our kids have a chance at the best future that they can possibly imagine. I think there is a SOS (Save Our School) trip on the 24th of April if you are interested look into it. (there is a poster on the bulletin board by the copy machine)

On our Way to Awasa

Yohanna was up 3 times during the night. She was so congested and no bulb snot puller. Bill finally figured out that they could use an eyedropper of course she hated it but felt better afterward. We all got up and to ready to go to Awasa. Poptart for me again, G and B had nothing. We were ready for a 5 hour van ride with Emily, Terri, Elliott and a new guide, same driver. We will stay 2 nights in a hotel and will see her finding place and maybe meet the person who found her. Abel came early, he's not going with us I am sad. He and Bill went to the bank and got money exchanged. Terri and Mahi, our new guide, a little size 0 thing, went to the market to get baby wipes and diapers, Elliott is having diaper issues. Now we are running an hour late. We went to Shalom Transition house to drop off Yohanna. G and B decided to leave her there because of unknown conditions in Awasa and how many shots, etc that she has had and malaria. I went in with Gretchen, she handed Y over to a nanny, kissed her goodbye and was out the door in a matter of seconds. It was pretty tuff on G. Bill and I comforted her in the van and she slept most of the way to our first stop at the Beach side resort.

We drove about 4 hours through the country that we normally think of when we think about Ethiopia. Passing many, many mud huts with grass roofs. Some had mud sides and others had grass, or wood sides. The well to do, and that isn't saying that they were really well to do, had corrugated tin roofs. People walked along the road, 2 lanes very new and well maintained. Constantly there were animals grazing and seemingly alone. Lots of unused land, our guide says it belongs to the government, it is just grass. We did see some tilled ground, she said that they raised grain and had just had their harvest. We saw piles of straw outside houses, they use it on the floors. The stacks were huge and almost perfectly round.

We saw very few children on the streets of Addis, probably they were in school, but here, what looked like 5 years olds were in charge of a herd of goats or cattle. The cattle here look like Burmese. They just cross the road where ever they want. in one town a goat just laid in the middle of the road and never moved even with horns honking and cars zooming by. It was still cool this morning and it rained on us.

Gretchen slept quite a bit of the time and so did Elliott, the baby. There are termite mounds the size of an overhead fuel tank. People carried wood bundles on their backs probably 10 foot around and up to 12 foot long. Several children are wearing just shirts, often 2 shirts and no pants. No shoes just barefoot.

We drove by several greenhouses and flower markets. The flower markets were at least a mile long, ferns, yucca, flowering seedlings. The greenhouses would have covered the same area that Williamsfield covers or more. If people didn't walk to work there they rode bikes, you could see them lined up outside the buildings.

There were lots of Bonsai looking trees and mountains in the distance. The road was very smooth. The families before said the travel was hard and ruff, but really it was pleasant, except for sitting to long with not much leg room. 2 wheel carts and people pulling them could be seen along the road. the carried everything from food to people to even animals. One cow was strapped down to one of the carts. We went around the corner and there was a truck full of camels, they were all laying down and all you could see was their heads, there was 19 to 20 in the back of one truck.

Many goods were just sitting along the roads. Charcoal, potatoes, wood and hand crafted items. There was a little harvesting being done but the guide wasn't sure what it was they were harvesting. There were LARGE mud puddles along side the road where animals were drinking and people were washing their clothing,. Kids were waving at us, one little boy was blowing kisses. Babies were in carriers on the backs of their moms. Burlap bags full of produce were carried on their heads. People were almost bent in half carrying bundles of something.

About this time we had enjoyed the smoothness of the road but it was time for lunch and we left the main road. WHAT A MESS. Potholes as big as the van. Along the main road no one came up to the van probably because we were going to fast but here everyone came up to the van. Children trying to sell us carved incense burners or wood cars. Chasing us and waving. The house here were more tin roofed. There were buildings that were large poles fixed in the ground with a door and a roof, I think that they were a barn/corral. Enough to keep the animals in and safe from wildlife but open enough for air. The poles looked like the ones that the scaffolding in Addis was made with.

The next post will be from 23 pages of my journal so far I have made it to page 42. So you can tell that this day is very important to us. This is the day that we visited the orphanage where Yohanna was brought after being found in the street. I'm tired now but will begin soon.

Now to finish up Thursday Feb. 11th

Packed my bag for Awasa. When we got back to the guest house we were discussing the day and Gretchen described her experience with the bathroom at the museum. Sorry I had to write about it G and B, it was just too funny and takes up 2 pages in my journal. If you know my children you will know that they are prone to problems with upset stomachs and running to the bathroom, usually on a dead run. We were on the second floor of the museum and G asked Abel if there was a bathroom to use. He took her down stairs and outside as the rest of us continued to tour the museum. The restroom if you could call it that was a tin shed near the fence outside the museum. When you entered there was no outside door to close and of course like most of the restrooms here it is coed. The men's stall on the left and the woman's on the right. Again no door. No toilet either. Just a hole in the floor with a water hose running water on the floor to wash everything away, yeah right. There was no toilet paper either. No backpack, no baby wipes, no napkins, nothing. And to make matters worse Yohanna was with her in a front pouch. Now that was a feat trying to go to the bathroom, by holding yourself up, leaning on the wall, disgusting, squishing the baby, and nothing to wipe with. 1st G thought about using a sock but then she'd look pretty dumb running around with one sock and that was sure to grab someones attention, with need for explanation. So G decided her underwear was the best choice, at least no one would see that that was gone. Now came the test of taking off her shoes, socks, underwear and capris. This in as few seconds as possible to get the deed done before anyone else happened to walk into the building. G stuffed her socks in her shoes, stripped from the waist down and squatted. Scrunching Yohanna in the process, now not only did G have to worry about someone coming in to use the restroom but someone might come to find out why a baby was crying her eyes out. At last finished she returned to the group shaking her head as she went. Emily asked if there was a place in the restroom to change the baby. Are you kidding? No. G later remarked to B and I. "I might be short on underwear but better to wipe than not to wipe."

Later we visited with Greta the German lady, who was interested in the adoption process. We had spaghetti at the guest house, Drew a friend loved it when he was there, it was a very sweet sauce, tomatoes and onions. Pretty good. The Italian gentlemen had eggs and Ethiopian food. Panjera, the pancake stuff you use as silverware. It's interesting to listen to them talk. The sounds here are different, the water pump runs often and it has a whistle sound.

There we go Thursday is finished. On to Awasa tomorrow.