Well, I have returned from my latest venture to Ethiopia and am sitting on the White Lake front porch ready to do a series of tell all posts about this year's trip. It's tempting to start at the end because that's what happened most recently, but I suppose it will make more sense to start at the beginning.
I was dubbed the "fearless leader" of our group because I was drafted into the position after we returned a year ago. There were 8 of us who went and 6 from my church in Champaign. 1 college friend who knew I went last year and wanted to go on a trip so she picked mine and a woman who went on one of WRCC trips last year and knew someone on this year's trip. I knew most of them from my small group here and of course Michelle from college. This is us minus Michelle who met us at OHare because she was traveling from Iowa where she has a law internship for the summer. From left to right, we are Nancy, Mark, Will, Robin, Larissa, April, and Jessica. Will and Robin made our t-shirts and they generated several good conversations in airports about who we were and where we were going.
I was dubbed the "fearless leader" of our group because I was drafted into the position after we returned a year ago. There were 8 of us who went and 6 from my church in Champaign. 1 college friend who knew I went last year and wanted to go on a trip so she picked mine and a woman who went on one of WRCC trips last year and knew someone on this year's trip. I knew most of them from my small group here and of course Michelle from college. This is us minus Michelle who met us at OHare because she was traveling from Iowa where she has a law internship for the summer. From left to right, we are Nancy, Mark, Will, Robin, Larissa, April, and Jessica. Will and Robin made our t-shirts and they generated several good conversations in airports about who we were and where we were going.
We left Friday at noon for OHare and had an 8 hour flight to Frankfurt. In Frankfurt, we only had enough time to chug our water bottles empty, go through security, (at which the security guard looked at me and my empty bottle and said, "water or Schnapps??") and board the second plane. We landed in Addis Ababa Saturday evening and met our ride to go to Debre Zeyit. We were tired and ready for a bed even if the barking dogs were determined to keep us up.
The organization we worked with is called Blessing the Children International. It is a child sponsorship program that is only in Debre Zeyit, Ethiopia. They have 150 kids in their program and 5 social workers to manage them. They have a foster home and a growing private school. BCI is a great organization with some wonderful people working to make the lives of children and families in Debre Zeyit better. Check out their website, sponsor a child, and go on a trip to visit him or her. You won't regret it. www.blessingthechildren.org
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