Monday

Each day at the guest house starts out with devotions led by someone on one of the missionary teams or a social worker.  It's an 8:15 start which really wasn't too bad for anyone in our group.  We had a schedule that had us cooking breakfast for each other every morning.  Throughout the 2 weeks, we had pancakes, french toast, baked oatmeal, eggs, oatmeal, banana muffins, and banana bread.  It was all delicious no matter what the cooking expertise was of the cooks in the kitchen.

We met the social workers, principal of BCI, and academy director.  The social workers were busy working on sponsor letters so we weren't to spend the day with them like usual.  Instead, we headed out to the school to check out BCI Academy.

The school is grades 1-7 but they are completing construction on additional rooms and a cafeteria which will allow them to have K-8 next year.  They were in the last couple of weeks of their school year and just as ready as any kids to be on their summer vacations.  Michelle and I had visits with our Compassion kids so we were only at the school to say hi and get the tour.  The rest of the group got to teach sport, art, and music because the TiaTia family was still out of town.  More on the Tiatia's later.  

After a quick tour at the school, Michelle and I went back to the guest house and met our kids that we sponsor through Compassion.  The two translators that came were the 2 that I met on my trip last year. It was fun to see familiar faces from before.  I started sponsoring Yonatan after we got back last year.  He is only 5 1/2 and pretty small for his age.  At first, he was pretty scared but it wasn't really explained to him what was going on.  I felt bad that he was scared but after we started going through the backpack of gifts I brought him he quickly cheered up.  His mom and the social worker from his project were with him.  He lives in Northern Ethiopia and had to take a plane to get to Addis the previous there.  He was promised cake and orange pop for being brave on the trip and he got both at the restaurant for lunch. 

I had brought him some new clothes, match box cars, bubbles, and soccer ball.  We smashed cars on the sidewalk for almost an hour before going at it at soccer very seriously.  He has a great smile and takes his soccer playing very seriously.  He goes after the ball 100% every time.  He's going to be great as we gets older and has more practice.  His mom also gave me the beautiful scarf in the picture below. We had a great time playing and getting to know each other.  I loved his little smile and big personality.  It was hard to say goodbye but hopefully there will be other chances to see him again.  

 We had home church in the evening and an early bedtime to try to continue to catch up on our sleep and get adjusted for all the things still yet to come.

Sunday

Sunday, we got up and split up into groups of 3 to go to different church services around Debre Zeyit.  I was with Will and Robin and we went to a small outreach church just around the corner from the guest house.  Choo Choo walked us there and back.  We met the principal of the school and his kids there too.  Ethiopian church takes long services to a whole new meaning.  It's usually 3 hours with praying, singing, preaching, announcements, and more preaching.  In fact, at our service the evangelist spoke and then the man who was introduced to us as the pastor got up to speak.  The people translating for us turned and said, "He's saying the same things."  They repeat things a lot apparently.  They repeat it when they speak and then they hear it again from someone else.  However, that doesn't seem to lessen the value.  It makes it more valuable.

When we first got there, the service hadn't quite started yet but we could hear music being played and practiced.  We asked what it was and they took us behind the tent to a small room where high school aged young men and women were singing.  It seemed like it was worship practice for the service, but they did a lot more in the hour of practice than they did in the service.  I think they were just enjoying singing and worshipping together.  It was really fun to hang out, watch, and listen.  I have a lot of videos I want to share but I'm having issues uploading them.  For some reason it won't work through iPhoto.  I'll have to redo them straight to my hard drive and try again.  There is one of them practicing but I'll keep working on it.

The rest of Sunday was spent figuring out our meals, relaxing, meeting the kids at the foster home, and a quick stop to the Internet to tell everyone we had arrived safely.  The Foster Home has 2 mom and 9 kids.  The goal of the foster home is to have the kids placed in church homes and families in Ethiopia.  They have had a few adopted to the states and 2 are in the process of being adopted by the missionary coordinator (Mussie) and his wife (Jonnett).  Mussie and Jonnett live at the guest house and have only been married a month and a half.  They have great hearts for service noted especially by the fact that they are living their first married months in a house with constantly coming and going strangers.  Playing with the foster kids was definitely a perfect way to start off our time in Ethiopia.  Who could resist these smiles???

Ethiopia 2012-Our Team & Organization

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.

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

Leaving

I'm leaving for Ethiopia again today.  I've had a full week off to hang out, get ready, and try to stifle boredom.  I'm more than ready to just leave and be there.  I've packed 49.2 lbs of my 50 lb limit plus a computer bag without a computer (hey, it's bigger than my purse!) and a backpack.  We've been blessed with so many donations that we are going to look like we are leaving for 6 months instead of 2 weeks.  Our team is a little anxious and nervous but mostly just excited.  Excited to see what God has planned. Excited to love on a lot of people and kids. Excited to learn more about each other and our own walk with God.

On Monday, I get to meet the young man who I sponsor through Compassion International.  He's a 6 years old and just finished his first year of school.  I can't wait to meet him and just show him how much he's thought about an ocean away.  The language barrier makes things challenging but I'm bringing a soccer ball so rest assured we'll probably get along great.

I'm not taking my computer but Mark is and he writes a blog here http://www.aardsma.com/.  He'll be posting some so you can check to see some of what we are doing there.  We are also going to send some email updates to our families so if you really can't wait until I get back and have a chance to put stuff here, email my mom and she can forward you some updates.  Thanks so much for the prayers!! And remember, I might be the one leaving the country right now but our lives aren't to lived one overseas mission trip at a time.  Your LIFE is a mission trip.  Make the most of it.

School's Out for the Summer!!

It's official, and I am done with school commitments until July.  My room is packed, covered, cleaned, and organized.  My paperwork is turned in and my brain full of knowledge about Common Core writing standards.  We had a great end of the year with fun day and celebrations for almost everyone.  My sometimes least favorite friend decided that he was going to make the last few weeks happy for everyone. Which for me means that when I think of him, instead of wanting to start rolling my eyes and feeling the tension I can smile and actually have honest thoughts about missing him in 3rd grade.

It's funny how the year ends.  We have moments where I finally feel like we have arrived at a good and productive place.  We can sit on the carpet for 20 minutes and listen quietly and attentively for 30.  We can stay on task and write for almost 15.  On one of the last days, I let them play with the toys and was able to spend almost 45 minutes working on things while they got along, shared, and worked together.  Alas, it only lasted 2 weeks because once they have finally arrived it's time to send them on to first grade. I hope the first grade teachers appreciate it.  I'm going to be starting all over again.  One of the best parts of the last day was cleaning with shaving cream and sponges.  I'm bummed I didn't get pictures for my yearly picture book but the smell of Barbasol still lingers in the air.  I almost didn't get everyone wiped down and cleaned off before it was time to part ways.  I'm sure more than one went home with soap behind their ears or in the crevices of their shorts.

We leave for Ethiopia next Friday so if I don't write again before then don't expect anything else until I have time to write a full trip report.  Happy Summer!

Talli Dog

This is my Talli dog. 

This is her story.

We'd always had a dog but she was the first that was MY dog.  She came to be mine Christmas Eve of 2001 as a 4 month old sweet faced puppy.  I call her mine but she was shared by many.  First, with my grandparents as they harbored the surprise.  Then, the rest of my family as we thought about a name.  Finally, my parents when I went off to school.  She was Dad's constant companion to do chores and in the truck. She was mine on long walks and time on the couch.  She was mom's outside in the garden and under the cutting board.  She was mine but she was everyone's.  She didn't often have a favorite but we shared her as ours.      

 

 She was easy to train but I think the words she learned fastest were "walk," "truck," or "treat."  She learned fast her areas of the house - mudroom, kitchen, and the old brown chair.  She liked to test her limits with two paws on the stairs or a sleep spot by the chair.  She always seemed to inch her way further onto the forbidden spots and it was oh so hard to turn down those begging brown eyes.  It wasn't her fault she just always wanted to be near.   She was so smart we taught her a few special tricks like balancing treats on her nose or playing dead on the floor.  I always imagined that she was humoring us as we tried to show off to friends.

 She was an excellent mother two different times. Her puppies were the joy and highlight of that time in our lives.  She licked and loved them over and over but never was suspicious of strangers or cross state adventures.  

 We know they all grew up with her sweet disposition and love of people both big and small. It was a riot to see them all come when I called.












Mostly, she wanted to be where the people are.  She begged with her eyes and never a whine.  It was amazing how patiently she would wait her turn and her time.

She was quiet and sweet.  She seemed to hate to speak.  We could coax her into it with growl or a treat.  She always aimed to please and was hardly demanding.  She nosed for a hand and a scratch but never to go out or to eat.  She never liked to snoop or get in the trash.  She stuck to her toys, bones, and the occasional kleenex when one dropped within reach.  She played fetch for awhile but never very long unless there was water involved and then she would go on and on.  She seemed to always know when a big trip was in store and rode quite perfect, quiet on the floor.  For us and our family, she was just the right fit.  We couldn't have had a better dog to have by our sides, under our hands, and next to us in the seat.  

 It's going to be strange not to come home to her next time.  It's hard not to imagine no dog in my life.  No one to share my walk or seat on the couch.  She'll never be replaced, always remembered, and forever loved.  Someday, I'll have a new dog but it will always be compared to my Talli dog.  She'll always be there with me on walks, when I see a puppy, or have to give the floor an extra sweep.  "Talli" means lamb and our Talli dog was sweetly perfect and perfectly sweet - Always and Forever. 

There's a lot going on

As noted by this email conversation with my principal.

Me: Do you want me to take care of the DQ Blizzard orders for Teacher Appreciation week?
Him: Go for it.
Me: Ok
Him (after seeing that I had a sub today in the email from the secretary): Are you in Africa?

Rest assured he was dead serious.  Absolutely stone cold serious.

Me: No. I'm in the computer lab.  AIMS Web testing.

Him: That makes a lot more sense.

I saw him at 3:30 and made sure to wave as to assure him that I had not in fact ditched the last 2 weeks of school to go to Africa.  Nor was I in Africa emailing him about taking Blizzard orders on behalf of the PTO for teacher appreciation week.  His response was only a return wave and a comment about how there's a lot going on.  I think that probably about sums up what these last 2 weeks will be like.  I might as well be in Africa.