Our first weekend in ET!

Saturday and Sunday kind of blend into one long day. We switched from weekday visiting hours at the TH to the weekend hours, so our morning had to be filled with something. AW provided us a driver to go on a tour of a local church and church museum. It was so beautiful and the art work inside the chapel was amazing. You had to remove your shoes to enter and Craig of course had his lace up boots on, he was so against having to remove his boots that he almost sat that part of the tour out. I enjoyed the museum more than most but I love history and seeing all the items donated by the royalty of Ethiopia’s past. The beautiful crosses, crowns of the kings and queens. The detailed clothing and bibles dating back to mind blowing dates hand written. For me it was AMAZING. As we were putting our shoes back on when Craig was invited by the priest who had unlocked the doors of the church for our tour to sit next to him as he laced up his boots back up. Craig accepted his offer but didn’t take kindly that then the priest asked him to pay him some Birr, especially after reading our pamphlet that came with the 30 Birr we each paid for the tour and learning that it’s only 3 Birr to get in if you are a local. We waited around for our driver to return seeking the comfort of shade anywhere we could find it and as we sat there it gave me the chance to just watch people. I love to people watch, but in Ethiopia it felt socially awkward to look longer than a brief second not to mention gut wrenching to see what I would call despair that they live in and yet joy shines out of every smile. I took in the street people, hoping for a helping hand, the police/guard walking around with a wood club ready to strike beggars or looters how are bothersome, the man helping to guide vehicles into parking places, a family, all dressed up exiting the car and going into a cemetery of political figures and royalty, and as I sat taking in the blend of people from all different walks of life I just saw happiness and peace, I wonder where has that disappeared to for our society in America. Why do the rich not build their elaborate mansions next to the recycled sheeting found by a family and used to build a shack, why do we put on the face of fear when it comes to walking down the streets that we call the ghetto. Why do we have large populations of CHILDREN dropping out of our free education system to join gangs compared to the boys here who spend the morning sitting on a rock shining shoes for tips to pay for their afternoon classes of basic education. We as a country have done so much right but still have so much wrong, and as all that deep emotion was streaming in my heart and mind our driver arrived to take us all to our lunch destination.

Afternoons on Saturday and Sunday at the TH are the best because it is quiet and peaceful. I very much enjoy hearing the older kids in school on the weekdays and playing with them during recess but it takes away from the one on one time we need with Roza and Sada so on weekends only the children of visiting families join us at the TH. It’s a special time of parents and children bonding. No profound progress was made, no major breakthrough just, laughter and smiles as we spent time together and learned more about each new little personality that is joining our family.

Sunday morning began with a lovely church service and as we stood singing familiar praise songs my heart ached at the desire to be at home with ALL my children, in our church family, doing just that, court is on it’s way this week and it is heavy on the hearts and mind of each and every parent and child alike. Lunches are taking FOREVER because of the size of our travel group. I think we spent 3 hours trying to order eat and pay today. I don’t mind the slower pace but it cuts into the time we are allowed to visit Roza and Sada so I was anxious to get going. For gracious sake people it’s just food, your going to eat more of it in a few hours, lets get a move on, kept buzzing in my head. The afternoon was much the same as Saturday except Craig got his wish and it began to rain. Not much, just a quick down pour but it sure did help to cool things off and made for fantastic picture taking!!