Our first trip to Ethiopia

We left the airport bright and early.  We flew from Spokane to Seattle and then to Frankfurt and then on to Addis Ababa Ethiopia.  We had a few layovers.  Our total flight time was 1 hour, 11 hours, then 6 hours.  Our layover times were 4 1/2 hours and then 2 1/2 hours.  It was very long but worth it.  We flew Alaska and Lufthansa on the way there.  Both airlines were very nice.  We especially enjoyed the Lufthansa with it's food, service, and personal tv screens.  James and I watched different movies at the same time.  I had a hard time keeping my eyes on my own movie. :)

We arrived Friday evening about 9:30 and began the wait for visas and security.  We were so glad to leave that area and see a young man holding a sign that read Lee.  His name was Bianessa (of course all of these names are being spelled to the best of my ability).  We took a 30 minute ride in the dark to our guest house.  James and Bianessa exchanged friendly talk and I took in the scenery.  There were still what I thought several people out on the streets and I think we went through only 2 stop lights the entire drive.  There wasn't much traffic so I couldn't make out the rules of the road.  We were brought to a gate that looked like metal and our driver honked.  Someone opened the gate and soon we were ushered to the 3rd floor and locked in our room. (we did the locking).  We went to sleep that night not knowing what to expect the next morning.  We hadn't been asleep long when we were awakened by what we now know were prayers being chanted from the Muslim church throughout the city.  That started the roosters (mind you it is still dark - 3am) and that started the dogs.  We thought it was over and then the prayers started again at 5am but it was the Orthodox church.  This started the cycle again.  Needless to say we were up and showered and ready for the day by 6am.  This is what we saw as the sun came up.

We hung out in our room til 7 and then ventured out the door.  As we were descending the stairs, I thought I heard the fussing of a baby.  As we entered the main room, sure enough, there was a woman with the cutest little dark baby ever. We soon exchanged info and she was there waiting for an Embassy date.  Her little one had been sick and in the hospital twice since her court date and she decided to come to his aid and wait it out.  She had been there 3 days and had a returning flight for March 19.  She is hoping to keep that flight but must simply wait for Embassy.  That was comforting to meet a fellow American.  Then we were approached by a very pretty Ethiopian girl who asked us if we were Daniel's parents.  We said we were and she replied, "I am so happy.  Daniel is my best friend".  It was wonderful to hear.  This was the beginning of a wonderful trip that has changed our lives forever.
I have created this blog for two reasons.  One - that our children Daniel and Jaleta will have it to look back on and two - those that wish to see Ethiopia through our eyes can and that the answer to several inquiries of "how can I help?" might be found here.  I hope everyone enjoys the pictures and stories.

 Christian Orthodox  Church.  70% of Ethiopia is Christian.

 Burros carrying grain

 The blue cars are private taxis.  They also have little blue buses (maybe the size of a mini van) that several people share for taxis.

 Construction?!

Shops line every street in Addis Ababa.  Shops that sell everything from candy to batteries to food.  Most of the "shops" are like a double gym locker.  They are pad locked at night.  Along the side streets are little shops that consist of a tarp put up with poles or just a tarp on the ground.

This was the Museum which housed the replica of Lucy, the oldest skeleton of a hominid ever found.  She was found in Ethiopia in 1972 and dated to over 3 million years ago.  Science says Homo Sapiens derived from Hominids.  They are very proud of this discovery.  Lucy is a replica because she is actually located in the US, New York I think.  Anyway, Lucy is on tour and Ethiopia is receiving compensation to help improve and fund their museums.  This museum was very quaint and the guides very informative.  

 The famous Lucy

 An elephant skull

 Notice the little picture to the right.  This shows how big these animals were in their day.  Yikes!

 When we came to this display, the guide was very proud to say we, the human race, all came from this guy (his species) who was found in Ethiopia.  Armed with this new knowledge, James wanted to know why he had to pay the foreigner price for entrance to the museum and not the Ethiopian price since we all came from Ethiopia!  Our guide had a good laugh.

 Beautiful paintings.  Many were gifts from other countries.

 Kitchen tools used since the beginning in Ethiopia and are still used today.

 Hunting tools.

 Musical instruments.

 The largest mancola game ever!  6 feet long!

 This drum was used to call to other villages.  It puts out a very LOUD sound.

 An emperor's throne.

 A model of the dwelling of the Queen of Sheba.

 Various emperor crowns.

The people we met in Addis Ababa  had such wonderful senses of humor.  They were so kind and gracious.   As an example I'll share this story.  We were having lunch at the Lucy Restaurant with our driver.  He spoke Italian and we asked if he had lived in Italy.  He said he had lived there for a month or so visiting friends.  James told him his brother had also lived in Italy, for 2 years. Our driver asked where in Italy.  James said he didn't know and the driver continued to explain that the north was very nice but the south not so much because of the mafia.  James answered, "Oh yes, my brother is mafia" and our driver about choked on his food and then tried to cover up his astonishment.  I kindly reached over and held his arm and said, "He is just joking with you".  To that a look of great relief came over his face and we laughed and laughed throughout the rest of our lunch.  

 A lot of these pictures are of children and teens in their school uniforms.  I took these for the benefit of our children.  They have public school and private school which you pay for.  Private school is very expensive for them - 350 birr.  For us that is just $22.00.  The different colors represent different schools as well as different grades.  The other pictures are of the life in Addis Ababa.

 There are unfinished construction sites for roads and buildings all over Addis Ababa.  A main street close to our guest house was being torn up.  It upset a ton of sidewalk shops.  The people just laid their products out on the broken up road and even used the big rocks as tables.  These people were selling everything under the sun, literally.  Someone told us the government was paying to have the streets done but they hire out to China to build them and sometimes they arrive immediately to finish the job (building the actual street) and sometimes they arrive months later.  It's amazing, the people just adjust to anything.  A torn up street just means less space for 4 lanes of traffic!

 The poverty in Ethiopia is incredible.  I need to preface this paragraph with the statement that the Ethiopian people are some of the kindest and most definitely the happiest people I've ever been around.  They are survivors and they are humble and grateful.  I will never be the same after spending as little as 7 days with them.  This picture is life for most of the people.  Keep in mind we were really only in Addis Ababa - the rich part of Ethiopia!  The city has about 4 million people living there.  Addis Ababa is very compariable to Spokane in size.  But Spokane only has 400,000 people.  There are people everywhere in Addis!  As we walked down the streets we saw, according to us Americans, so much poverty.  There were young mothers selling anything they could.  I bought a lot of Kleenex packets.  James had his shoes shined and the price was 2 birr (12 cents).  When he gave the man 100 birr ($6.00) the man refused saying that was too much.  James explained that was how much it would cost him at home and the man still said too much and thought James might not understand the birr money exchange.  Our driver explained James knew how much he was giving and that it was the best shoe shine he'd ever had.  The man smiled gratefully and nodded his head in acceptance of the money.  Everything was like this.  Us not taking change at the little market or not taking change from a restaurant or even giving money to a beggar.  The only stressful time I had was at the market on a Saturday when the police weren't around.  As Americans, we would take out our money to pay and tons of sellers surrounded us asking us to buy.  Also scam beggars (Ethiopian description, not ours) would hound you.  These were people who weren't really down on their luck but trying to earn an easy birr or two.  It was really hard not to give to them because it seemed so little to us but this next experience might help explain.  We learned that true beggars would shake coins in their hands and some would just sit or stand with their hands outstretched.  While walking one day we saw a very old man with coins in his hand.  James handed him some money and he sweetly thanked us.  Another man looking in about the same condition was a couple of feet close by.  James handed him some money and he refused.  James said it's alright and he was happy to give.  The man replied he was fine but thank you.  So as not to offend, James and I continued.  Another few feet, some younger men motioned us over.  James stopped and this is what they had to say.  "You are very kind sir and you did the right thing not to push money on that man.  He is not a beggar and he would feel guilty taking your money knowing you would give it to another beggar who needed it.  Thank you for being so kind."  I am in tears now as I write this and just remembering the sweet experience.  Another experience - we were again walking and we saw a very old and crippled man walking towards a young mother (no more than 19 years) with a toddler on the ground in front of her with a shawl over him and another child maybe 14 months.  The man reached in his pocket and gave her 2 birr notes (6 cents each).  Probably his last.  As we walked towards her she began to nurse the younger one and I thought - How does she even have enough milk for that baby?  She is so thin herself and obviously doesn't have much to eat.  James handed her some money and she smiled and nodded.  As I followed, the little boy reached out and touched my leg.  I reached down and stroked his cheek.  This sweet mother then took my hand and kissed it and mumbled thank you.  I won't ever forget her face and the generosity of that sweet man.

These things just roam about.  They aren't sacred, they're just part of life.

Burros packing water.

A little "grocery store" where our driver made a "milk run".  It was actually fruit he bought to take home.

 Would you want to live in something built with these materials?  They use what they have.

 This is a school.  The colors denote the grades of the school.

 Building material for sale.  Women walk miles with bundles of these on their backs to bring them to sell.

 Another beautiful day.  The weather was wonderful.  76 - 78 degrees every day.  The nights were 55 - 60 degrees.  Very nice since we left and came home to snow.

 These were very nice homes.

 Don't let the cement fool you.  In an earthquake this thing would be flat as a pancake.  They do use a lot of rebar in their construction of cement buildings.  I hope Ethiopia isn't on any fault lines.

 The cats would lay on the tin roofs in the sun.

 This is the torn up street in front of our guest house.  This goat owner decided to stop and visit and watch the construction.  People were using some of the rocks to set their merchandise on and others were using the rocks to sit on.  Others just laid their tarps on the rubble and placed their merchandise on top.  Like I said, very resourceful people.

Here is a picture of an amazing woman.  She runs an orphanage in Addis Ababa.  She runs it because she wants to.  She does not need to be there.  This orphanage is where our boys came from.  The orphanage receives no money from the government.  The support for the orphanages come from people in Ethiopia (mostly donating their time and care) and from people like you and me.  These children are not attending school right now because there is no money for a taxi to take them to and from.  All of these children have not been referred yet to parents for one of several reasons; there are no families in the process of adopting, papers are still being gathered to make them available for adoption, and some of them will probably never be adopted because of age or health.  For simple selfish reasons, I did not want to visit the orphanage.  I didn't want to have my heart broken with the sight and plights of these children.  I didn't want to have the helpless feeling of not knowing what to do to help.  I am so glad, by circumstance, we had to visit.  I have never felt such love and appreciation for someone like I did and do feel for these amazing people who care for these children.  I fell in love with each one of these little souls and their happy, sweet dispositions were contagious. I am so glad we went.  What a great blessing it was to us.

 Playing during our visit.

 The little boy in pink and the little girl in the white striped shirt are siblings and they both are crippled.  Neither one of them can walk, but that did not keep them from engaging in a game of football (soccer).  They were a joy to watch and play with.  If they were able to attend school, they might learn a trade that could support them.  As it is now, they will live their lives here in the orphanage until the orphanage can't care for them anymore.

 Sweet babies

 This wonderful nanny was caring for 7 babies.  Here she is holding one in her arms after a feeding and one on her back while the others wait their turn.  She was so loving and gentle with them.

 This is where our son and his best friend slept while in the orphanage.

 Formula anyone?  They go through it like you can't believe.

 A kind of grain they dry out and then make into a paste and then a sauce called used in a stew type stuff called wat.  They eat it on a flat bread called injera.

 A little garden growing corn and beans.

 A coffee ceremony in our honor.  They always serve it with popcorn and usually bread.

 One of our drivers.  He and James became fast friends.  He was very sweet and I will always be grateful for him holding the sign reading Lee at the airport. :)

 Happy little people.

Well you may be wondering where are all the pictures of us and our boys.  I am saving that for another blog to be posted when Embassy is complete.  I will include two picture of us, they are cute ones.  

I am also saving some of our experiences of meeting new lifetime friends for another blog.  Just let me say this,    I am forever touched by the people we met, Ethiopian and American.  We have a bond that will last forever.  I thank them for allowing us into their lives.

I also want to mention that the flight home (to London) was filled with families bringing children home.  I have never been so impressed with children.  They each had their little moments, but all in all, it was a quiet 12 hour flight.  We flew BMI which I didn't enjoy as much as Lufthansa, but oh well.  We had a 4 hour layover in London, cut down from a 7 hour because the flight was delayed 3 hours in Addis Ababa.  We then got on a plane to San Francisco.  We literally flew over Spokane.  That flight was 10  hours long on United with a 4 hour layover in San Francisco.  We spent much less time in the lines for checking and customs in SF than in Ethiopia.  We also had the treat of eating at Burger King.  I must admit, it tasted divine.  And our last plane ride was a short 2 hour trip on what seemed like the littlest plane ever.  We were use to 8 seats and 2 isles.  This plane was 4 seats, one isle.  We arrived in Spokane to snow and the comfort of home, even though our hearts had been left with our boys in Addis.

I want to let everyone know that if you desire to contribute to the cause of these sweet children in the orphanage you can do so by sending your contributions with us on our next trip.  We hopefully will go again in May.  We found that the best way for us to donate is to send money.  Traveling with supplies is very expensive and everything the orphanages need can be purchased in Addis and most of the time you get more for your money in Addis than in the US.  Something as little as $10.00 makes such a difference to them.  You can email us at mommylee12@gmail.com for more information if you'd like to offer help to these people.