I got back to the guest house just as the coffee ceremony was ending. And there were a couple waffles left on the table, so I slapped some peanut butter and jelly on them - so good! It was a great morning - I got a shower, wifi, AND peanut butter for breakfast!
The power went out again, but I didn't really care. I charged my phone last night and didn't really need electricity for anything else. I packed up most of my stuff, and went outside to wait for the bus. Helena was playing with some of the kids outside, and lost an earring in the open gutter on the side of the road. While we were all looking around down there for it, we spotted three little puppies huddled together by some rocks! I don't know bow they got down there, and i really don't know how they're going to get out!! It's a couple feet deep I bet!
We left at 10:18 for 10:30 church. (A couple more girls are sick and stayed behind. I'm lucky I guess! I've really felt fine the whole time - and I think I've wiped more snotty noses than anyone. I just can't take the green snot down to the kids' lips!)
On the way to church, we drove right by the huge trash dump... Korah was just on the other side. That is the place I've read so much about - the place I really want to go and work. It is the poorest of the poor. A community where they used to send lepers. Now, the people there literally live of of what they can pull from the trash. Some people - children - even live IN the trash dump. It kills me to even think about. Project 61 and Ordinary Hero both do amazing work there. If (or when) I come back to Ethiopia, I will make it to the people of Korah.
We pulled up to a little community and the church at 10:40. Late!! In typical American fashion, ha! It was just a little tin building with tarps for walls on the inside. I felt so rude interrupting the service when we walked in. And we definitely interrupted because everyone turned around and stared at the white people walking in. And of course the little kids clapped and giggled when they saw us...
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| One of the translators wrote out what the message was (since it was in Amharic) |
So it was a very small church, but they had a very large spirit! They sang songs for us and welcomed us so openly. It was a pretty cool experience, even though 95% of it was in Amharic. They really get in to their songs, too! I recorded one of them. And man was it HOT in there! It was pretty packed, and no open windows...just tarps, remember. I was sweating after about 5 minutes. It lasted just over an hour, and then we all wen out in to the grassy area out front and greeted everyone. Lots of little kids there, and a very poor area - its called Gemo and is really close to Korah. Hope Chest is about to launch a care point there, but they don't even have profiles on the almost 200 kids who will be attending. I'm definitely going to have to get one of those kids to sponsor, too!
YouTube Links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lziw5fGvW7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4-brL0-NcY
While we were out in the courtyard, I found a little baby boy to give my other hand-made blanket to! A little girl was carrying him around, and he had a big cut on his face with flies all over it! I wrapped him up in the blanket and took some pictures, and he screamed when I picked him up, so that didn't last long. Maybe all of the white people scared him!
Of course I had to pee before we left. I swear my bladder is the size of a pea! The bathroom was awful! It was just a little hole built on the side of a mud hut - no ventilation - and the smell was enough to knock you out! Whew!
The kids all stood around and smiled and waved as we left. A few ran along side the bus. Too cute.
We left the church area at 12:30 and went to Island Breeze for lunch. On the way, we saw a wedding taking place! They were all dressed up and dancing and singing. It was quite the event! Also heard the same Adele song on the radio for the fourth time. So weird...
Island Breeze is a brick oven pizza place, and the translators said it is the best pizza in Addis. I bet you can guess what kind I ordered: it was called cheese and more cheese! I was so hungry and it takes a loooong time to do anything with 20 people! Of course mine was he second to last one to come, and that wasn't until 2:20! Aaaaand it was a giant block of soupy cheese! It was by far the cheesiest pizza I've ever had - even the crust was stuffed with cheese! The middle was way too much for even me to stomach, but I did manage to eat three pieces of the crust! Even the Ethiopians were coming over to look at it and they all cracked up! You know it's bad when even they won't eat it! Needless to say, we had lots of leftovers in boxes to give away!
We didn't get out of Island Breeze until almost 3, and went right to a shopping area by the post office. It was kind of a touristy place, and I joked that the prices tripled as soon as they saw a bus full of white people pull up! We were supposed to try and stick together in groups with the translators, but as soon as we got off the bus, Julie and I took off. We ended up doing okay on our own, and we bartered for some scarves, necklaces, and paintings. Also got a black baby doll for my niece and a pencil (and some Ethiopian money) for my nephew. I think I've got everyone covered! And that's good, because I'm officially broke! I spent every dollar and birr I had!
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| The painting I bought |
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| Where I bought several scarves |
We had an hour and a half to shop, but I finished way early. Sooooo I just started playing soccer / keep-away in the street with 9 boys and little blue plastic ball. I didn't do too bad! They even made me be in the middle a couple times and it never took me long to steal the ball! It was actually really fun and they thought it was so cool that a white GIRL would play with them. (All the other girls just watch.) I'm apparently out of shape and needed a break, so I moved on to tickling the babies that the beggars carry around. Oooooh my goodness - they're cute regardless, but when they get to giggling and grinning, it was just too much to take! I played a little more keep-away, and then passed out all the left-over pizza from lunch we had on the bus. I about got mobbed once they figured out what I was doing, but it was worth it! They were so excited for some food! Playing with those boys and giving away the food was definitely the highlight of the day! And I didn't even get any pictures because I put all my stuff on the bus for safe keeping! (I guess I did snap one once I got on the bus to leave...)
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| The one picture I got. This boy could seriously move on those crutches! (And he has a bag of pizza in his other hand!) |
I ran back up to the other guest house real quick for wifi (it's still no working at our guest house) - and as soon as I get back we should be heading to the airport, so you won't hear from me again until I'm back home tomorrow!
Pic for today (from my phone) is me eating my super cheesy pizza at Island Breeze!
Sent from my iPhone
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