Thursday

Today was the last baby care class (did I mentioned we had women drive 10 hours to be trained? We had NO idea…) and after it was done, a local woman thanked me profusely because she had never been trained in how to care for a baby before. What an honor to serve her in that way. I was so blessed to be in their presence.

Jennifer then was asked to teach an American class-she chose recycling and the environment. In Ethiopia, the trash and litter is absolutely disgusting. It litters every corner, flies in the wind, flows through the water system, and clogs drains. Ethiopians have not been taught where to put trash. There are no trash cans, no recycling containers and no regard for the way the city looks. That is one thing that is hard to get used to. It makes everything very dirty. The kids seemed to warm to the idea of how to put trash in its place—and so for a “field trip”, we cleaned the compound. They didn’t care for it, but they learned their lesson. Our favorite phrase: (Us: “Where does the trash go?” Students: THE GARBAGE!” They got it.

This afternoon we were privileged to attend a good-bye ceremony for a young boy who was leaving the orphanage with his new adoptive parents. The tradition is to dress the adopted child in white. As the child and parents entered the meeting room, the children all gathered in the orphanage and sang beautiful Ethiopian songs, accompanied only by an African drum. Throughout the wild singing, the children would shout loud shrill calls, a sign of excitement and praise. The joy of being a part of a family and one day it possibly happening to them was a precious sight…you could tell they all couldn’t wait to be the child in white one day.

An older girl sat in the back of the room and quietly sobbed—her family (a sibling group of 4) is now the longest waiting group at the orphanage. Jennifer held her as they watched the ceremony…she prays every day to have a family. We will now pray with her for that dream to come true. Another note: Mimi has a family, and we are thrilled for her!

Later we donned our best tourist gear and headed to the local market to buy traditional Ethiopian gifts (coffee, scarves, jewelry). Beggars are constant-even babies as young as 2. When they see you are spending money, you can be swarmed in an instant. Our driver acted as our bodyguard and kept us safe. We didn’t shop for long but it was an interesting experience to share together.

Tomorrow is our last day. Jennifer and I hope to pray over many of the children for homes and families. I’m sure it will be emotional for all of us as we prepare to go. I know (and Jennifer does too) that this is not our last trip here. We have already been planning to come back in 2010. Please consider joining us on what I can only say has been the trip of a lifetime.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. We have been covered in favor throughout the trip—our entire group has been sick, but Jennifer and I have not. We are the only ones who have been able to work the entire time—without even being tired—so I know it’s only because of your prayers on our behalf. The other group is recovering and will be able to travel tomorrow, so that is an answer to prayer as well.

Again, thank you. We believe our work has only just begun.