Moria'h Boys and Staff, We'll Miss You (March 9)

Jerry and Wanna hand out gifts and certificates from Moria'h House to our small mission team.  Here, Jerry holds a certificate recognizing  my home church and our dedication to international mission work.

Jean receives a hug from Wanna as she, too, gets her gift and certificates.  Our time with these devoted people at Moria'h House was very special, indeed.  Hugs were the order of the day...every day.

Here, Brad demostrates an Ethiopian greeting by shaking Wanna's hand and then touching his right shoulder to Wanna's right shoulder.  This was a sign of affection we often participated in.

Jean received this lovely deep red scarf as a remembrance of our time here.

Here, the whole gang gets together for one last photo before we prepare to depart for the airport.  We had a wonderful time getting to know everyone.  We sang praises to our Lord together.  We prayed together.  We laughed and played together.  We ate together.  We built relationships that spanned two continents, two cultures and thousands of miles.  We came together with one thing in mind...to glorify our Lord, Jesus Christ, by serving the "least of these," our new and eternal friends at Moria'h House in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Our Awassa Trip Concludes (March 8)

Here I am on the boat on Lake Awassa with my good friend, Esaiyas.  Please take note of his Penn State Nittany Lion cap.  Anyway, Esaiyas lives part time in Addis and part time in Awassa, so we were fortunate that he was able to join us for the Awassa trip and serve as our unofficial tour guide.  This gregarious man seemed to have friends everywhere we went in Awassa.

This was just after we disembarked from the boats on Lake Awassa.  All of our Ethiopian friends were donning these straw hats and I particularly liked this photo of Jerry and Million.

Bikes are abundant in Awassa.  We didn't see so many of them in many of the other towns we passed through, but in Awassa, it seems to be big business.  I think there may well be hundreds of bike washes/repair shops lining the sidewalks throughout this city (the second largest in Ethiopia).

Here, Million makes his first attempt ever at playing miniature golf.  None of our Ethiopian friends had ever encountered this game before, but we saw the course at the Lewi Resort on the Lake the night before and decided it would be great fun to try our hand at it the next morning.  Hana had natural putting abilities, but Jerry took the prize along with her teammate Brad.

Esaiyas and I came in at runner-up.  I was just lucky he was carrying me on this day, for my putter was definitely lacking.  Ah well, it was great to be in the sun enjoying fun and laughter among friends.

Brad and Jerry took the win in a playoff.  It was a good way to cap our brief time in Awassa.

It's a Great Day for Hippo and Stork Viewing! (March 8)



We hired two of these little boats to carry all nine of us out to one end of Lake Awassa where the hippos live.  I'd waited three years for the chance to go see them in the wild.  The boats had an inch or two of water filling the hull, but they moved about on the water just fine.




Million and Addis took advantage of the binoculars we had along to get a close-up and personal view of the sites along the lake.  We saw plenty of fisherman, the famous Haile resort (named after a very famous Ethiopian track star), the hippos and the storks.



There were at least a half dozen or more hippos, but it was difficult to get close-ups of them together, so I opted for these shots.  One mamma was keeping a close eye on her baby.  They also kept a close eye on us, but our boatsman knew the proper distance to keep us from causing them any fear or aggressive moves.

And this little baby decided to give us a beautiful pose.  I think I'll call her Thelma.  Isn't she a cutey?

These birds are huge.  They can be found all around Awassa and often sit in the very tops of trees.  One can't miss them, for they stand out among the leaves.  I'm not a bird watcher, but how can anyone not find these creatures intriguing at the least?

A gaggle of storks?

Building Relationships on the Way to Awassa (March 7)

This young cattle farmer gave me a great photo op as we passed by on the road to Awassa on March 7, 2011.  Time and again, I've seen Ethiopians smile and wave at the mere passing of a Ferengi (white person).  Life might be difficult, but smiles are abundant.

Here, Addis, Hana and Million play in the water along the shore of Lake Langano.  The drive to Awassa from Addis Ababa takes about five hours, so this stop at the Sabana Beach Resort was a welcome respite along the way.

We were missing two of our travel mates, Esaiyas (who served as our unofficial tour guide) and Ady (who liked to avoid the bright sun).  It was great to be able to take several of the Moria'h House staff to Awassa with us and strengthen the bonds we were building with them.  I was grateful that they readily took my boy Million under their wing and showed him great love and affection also.  Here, from left to right, are Karen, Addis, Hana, Brad, Million, Jerry and Jean.

Even during the dry season it rains sometimes, and we had a doozy of a storm on Monday night upon our arrival in Awassa.  So, we chose to drive over to the Lewi Resort on Lake Awassa for some evening refreshments and a few lively games of Crazy 8s.  Million seemed to have a special knack for the game and kept winning.  I think that was the competitor in him shining through.

The Boys Experience Big Treats on Saturday (March 5)

We treated the Moria'h boys and staff to pizza, burgers and soft drinks at a local restaurant for lunch on Saturday.

The little boys made a beeline for the 24-volt battery-powered jeeps at the small amusement park we visited following lunch.

We were determined to teach the kids to play whiffle ball but the only field available that was big enough ended up being a goat pasture on the side of a hill.  No problem!  We had two whiffle ball games, some American football tosses, and a bit of soccer all going at once.  The kids loved learning our newfangled ball sports.

More Compassion Visits; Brad Plays Santa in Disguise (March 4)

Jean and I left for Nazaret at 7 a.m. this morning to meet our Compassion kids who are studying at Adama University.  It was much warmer there, hot in fact.  Nazaret is about two hours from Addis to the south in part of the Rift Valley.  My boy, Ashenafi, had a four hour final exam in the morning, so we visited his project in the morning - without him.  He had left me a beautiful Ethiopian traditional dress as a gift.  It is worn on special occasions.  His female Compassion staff workers told me I needed to change into it for my meeting with him.  I felt that this certainly qualified as a special occasion, so it seemed perfectly appropriate to make the change.

Just before lunch, Jean met her girl, Zahara, a Leadership Development student, and shortly afterward, I met Ashenafi.  We all went to a lovely restaurant and then we moved on to visit Ashenafi's home.

His mother had graciously prepared lunch for us, so we ate a bit again.  This time, it was Ethiopian food.  This lovely lady hosted us in her very tiny home that consisted of a single room, perhaps 6 by 8 feet in size.  The boys, Ashenafi and his brother, sleep on a 3/4 size bed that nearly fills the room, and their mother sleeps beside them on the floor.  I look forward to telling you much more about this family's story.

Back in Addis, Brad again visited the Peace Center in the morning.  Today, however, was a special day there.  Addis had planned on spending time in song today, and Brad, representing our entire little team from America, handed out gifts of clothing to all of the boys there.  We learned that some of the items, like windbreakers that can double as rain slickers, would be held back until the rainy season.  Otherwise, it is very likely that some of the boys might sell them on the street.  This is life in their world.  Style is style, however, no matter where in the world we are.  The boys informed us that certain colors like light blue and green are not necessarily the best for them and are more atuned to girls.  Nevertheless, the boys were happy to receive these gifts, just as we were so happy to be able to provide them.

Afterward, Brad went with some of the Moria'h staff to purchase bulk food supplies.  He had a private $200 donation that was enough to cover 300 kilograms of teff, the grain from which Injera is made, and 20 liters of cooking oil.  These supplies will help to feed the boys for up to three months.  Cooking oil is a necessity for Ethiopian food preparation and the price has been inflating dramatically, so this donation is indeed very important.

Tomorrow morning, Jean is going shopping in the textile market with Jerry while Brad will begin working on downloading the hundreds upon hundreds of photos the three of us have been taking.  He's also assisting Wanna with editorial review of an important Moria'h House Powerpoint presentation.  These are big efforts.

Following that, we'll take all of the boys and staff out to lunch at a restaurant (an extra special treat for the boys), and then have an afternoon of play in a nearby park.  You'll receive and update all about it tomorrow.

Brad the Preacher, and Jean and Karen the Compassionate! (March 3)

Today began about 9 a.m. for all of us.  Attakielt arrived from Compassion headquarters bringing two of Jean's Compassion children and their mothers to visit for the morning.  I tagged along because my Compassion visit with my girl, Beza, would take place in the afternoon.  We first retired to the garden behind the guest house where we are staying to get acquainted, take some initial photos and plan the activity ahead...which ended up being a trip to a small amusement park near the airport.  The girls and Jean had a wonderful time, and I was able to assist by taking many photos. 

About 1 p.m., we departed for Beza's project in another part of Addis.  We were warmly greeted by the project director, and Beza presented me with a bouquet of beautiful multi-colored roses.  Her English, to my delight, was excellent.  She actually has the least accent of anyone I know here.  After enjoying another coffee ceremony and learning much about the project, we drove to Beza's home.  Anyone interested in learning more about these visits, or the visits I'll share about briefly tomorrow should contact me upon our return.  I'd love to tell you more about our Compassion kids.

Meanwhile, Brad joined Jerry for the trip over to Peace Center.  He was invited to give a little homily and chose to do it on forgiveness.  Just yesterday, at the end of the morning at Peace Center, there had been a fight between two boys, so this topic was particularly timely.  Both boys were again in attendance and before the morning was over there, the instigator had apologized to the other and they had hugged each other.

Brad took a few staff members and the oldest of the Moria'h boys to lunch at one of our favorite Ferengi (white people!) restaurants.  They closed the meal with a real treat...ICE CREAM all around.

About 5:30 or so, Wanna, Jerry, Addis and David (our driver today) took us up to the top of Entoto Mountain which overlooks Addis Ababa.  On top, there is a well-known orthodox church and also an historic emporer's palace that is now a museum.  We got there after normal visiting hours but the caretaker opened it just for us.  No one would guess that it was a palace, for it is nothing like the historic palaces we see in Europe or many other locations around the world.  The emporer's wife actually gave the capital city its name as she visited the fountain in what is now Addis Ababa and saw beautifully colored flowers all around.  The two words, in Amharic, mean "new flower."

We treated everyone to another Ferengi meal at a restaurant we had not yet tried where our selections ranged between Italian and Mexican.  It turns out that our Ethiopian friends seem to like American style food well enough, but it's a little more difficult for us to get used to their common foods.

Tomorrow, Jean and I must depart for Nazaret at 7 a.m. to meet our two remaining Ethiopian Compassion kids, and Brad is going to hold down the fort here in Addis for our team.  He's been a trooper these two days, but all of us feel right at home with our wonderful hosts and friends, so I don't think it is a hardship.  :)

Addis, Injera and Economics (March 2)

We visited the Peace Center again this morning.  It is an Ethiopian holiday today honoring soldiers from the past, so many people had time off from work. It was interesting to see some old soldiers walking down one street in uniforms that still fit many years later.  Anyway, this holiday allowed Mike (pronounced Mickey) to join us for our taxi ride over to meet Addis and the boys.  Addis is an inspiring young worship leader, even though we don't understand his words when he speaks to the boys in Amharic.  His expressions and delivery tell a lot.  I've had the great good fortune to chat with him at some length, and this 27-year-old dedicated Christian who is finishing up studies in medical technology is on fire for the Lord.  He has great warmth of personality and a solid faith that shines through everything he does.

Later, when we returned to Moria'h House to share in a traditional Ethiopian meal consisting of Injera (the standard sponge-like pancake that is served with virtually all meals and used in place of utensils), different kinds of Wot (made of green beans and onions, cabbage and carrots, and potatoes for this meal), and Shiro (one of the most traditional of all Ethiopian foods).  These foods take a little getting used to for American palates, and all of us found the Shiro to be the most challenging in the taste category.  I enjoyed tasting everything, practicing my Ethiopian style of eating, and being served by the staff we've come to love very dearly.

Before the meal, we shared a time of singing with the younger boys. First, we sang them some songs we knew, and had them enjoy helping us clap hands, stomp feet and shout for one tune.  Then, they sang us many songs they have learned in Sunday School.  One boy, who it turns out has taken the most quickly to American football, sang a lovely solo.  And just about all of the boys joined in small groups to lead other songs.

Following the meal, we offered gifts to the five new children we met today for the first time.  They were from Moria'h's other house that is much farther away.  We may go to this smaller house on Saturday morning to see the facility and share more time with the children there.  After this was done, the children went outside to play, and we were provided with another coffee ceremony.  This provided the perfect time for us to deliver a donation of $230 American dollars, which is approximately 3800 Ethiopian birr.  This will cover an entire month's rent for both houses, and was received with great appreciation.  An additional donation of $60 American dollars was made by our Tennessee trip-mate, Jean.  This will be put toward food supplies which have been rapidly inflating in price.

Jerry kindly took us shopping late in the afternoon so that Jean and I could purchase some food supplies (rice, sugar and oil) for the families of our Compassion kids who we'll be meeting tomorrow and Friday.  Then, we went to her home where we met her husband, Teme, for the first time.  They are most gracious hosts and we were pleased to take them to dinner before we returned to our lodging for the night.

Our experiences so far are wonderful, informative, interesting, enjoyable, eye-opening, and many more adjectives we'll surely speak about in upcoming messages.

Visiting the Peace Center (March 1)

Our first order of business today was to go with Wanna to Peace Center in the Piazza district of Addis Ababa.  This is the place where Moria'h staff goes every Tuesday through Friday morning to serve breakfast to many boys who live on the streets.  Addis and Hana are the staff who lead this particular effort.  Wanna explained to us that there are other places in the city where various charities provide food for street boys, but they don't offer the love of Jesus Christ with their meals.  The boys who come to Peace Center, about 30 on this day, receive much more than food. They come because they are loved there, and they learn about Jesus...and they return day after day.

Right now, they are studying the gospel of John.  Jean, Brad and I were asked to speak to the boys, which we happily did, relating our love for Christ and encouraging them to know an accept His love.  Brad encouraged them to then go forward and share what they are receiving with others.  The meal we then helped to serve consisted of hot tea, bananas and bread.  We will go to Peace Center again tomorrow morning.

In the afternoon, we went back up to Moria'h House where Brad assisted some of the men, along with my Compassion boy, Million, in painting three bedrooms and some outside walls.  Jean and I wanted to help, but the men seemed to have that part of the work well under control, so we returned inside to work on some studies with the younger boys (reciting the alphabet with English words to accompany the letters) and play games.  We broke out the marbles and checkers.  Eventually, when the painting was nearing completion, everyone returned outdoors to play some more.

We were told how important it was to paint the rooms, showing the boys that we are serving them and caring for their needs.  Jerry also noted that one of the small boys who is very shy, was laughing and smiling more than she'd ever seen.  All of the smiles and excitement have warmed our hearts a great deal, for when life can sometimes be very difficult, the weight can grow heavy, and we, along with the wonderful staff people at Moria'h House are helping to not only reduce this weight, but to instill in the boys a new way of life through Jesus Christ.  I think He is surely smiling on what is happening there.

The Greatest Greetings in the World (Feb. 28)

Today, we met the boys living at Moria'h House's main location for the first time.  Currently, nine boys live there, ranging in age from six to eighteen.  After asking for God's blessings, Jean, Brad and I introduced ourselves and explained what had brought us to Ethiopia and, in particular, to Moria'h House.  The boys, with their song leader, Addis, sang us a song with great gusto.  All of the staff joined in.  Then, we had a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony where green coffee beans are roasted, ground with a mortar and pestle, and made into a strong brand of coffee.  This is commonly done to show honor and respect to guests.

Next, we had the joy of giving many gifts that we had brought from the U.S. to the boys.  Like most kids, they didn't seem overwhelmed with joy about receiving the blankets, shirts and socks, though they were polite and thankful.  They got more excited when they saw the whiffle ball sets, games and footballs.  Finally, when we got down to the cheapest of all gifts, two party bags of plastic kazoos, they were at first puzzled.

It didn't take long for them to learn how they functioned and before we knew it, they hummed us the same song they'd sung moments earlier. The smiles and giggles were nonstop, even among the staff.  This turned out to be a perfect ice-breaker.

Playtime ensued outside and everyone expended lots of energy.  This was the end of day two, another great day.

Non-stop All the Way, Baby! (Feb. 26-27)

Ethiopian Airlines is the largest air carrier in all of Africa. To our great pleasure, Jean, Brad and I boarded the maiden Boeing 777 in the fleet and flew non-stop all the way from Dulles International in Washington to Bole International in Addis Ababa. We disembarked 12 ½ hours later after an uneventful flight, very tired, but happy to be at our destination and prepared to meet our hosts for the next week plus.

Once we got through customs and retrieved our baggage, all eight large and heavy suitcases full, we moved out into the main terminal lobby where, in no time at all, we had lovely warm greetings all around. Four of the Moria’h House staff, Jerry, Wanna, Ady and Mike (pronounced Mickey), were on hand to offer big hugs, and three of the youngest residents of Moria’h House shyly presented each of us with yellow and red roses.

We quickly loaded a couple of vehicles and came to the Yeka Guest House where we are staying, and settled into our rooms. Jean had prepared beautiful wedding photo albums as a gift for Jerry, our good friend who had gotten married just a few months ago, so they took time to look at them together. Then, the three women donned “magic bubble” shirts Karen had supplied for a very colorful picture.

Jerry, Wanna, and the entire Moria’h House staff realized that we would be very fatigued from a long flight and an eight hour time difference, so no activities were planned for us on this first day. We went by taxi, which in Addis Ababa means one of the hundreds of small blue and white vans that traverse the city streets, to a local restaurant frequented by ferengis (white foreigners), had a tasty Italian lunch, and then returned to our rooms to relax, sleep and re-energize ourselves so we could be ready to get rolling with our mission efforts on Monday.

At the end of our travel day, we indeed felt as though we’d been going non-stop (well, we actually HAD been) for about 28 hours. But it was all good and we are very glad to be here.

Coming...A Complete Look Back at the Ethiopia Trip

Hopefully, most of you who are reading this got the word that it turned out to be "impossible" to blog from Ethiopia over the past two weeks.  The internet connections were spotty and slow, and using the blogsite was not an option at all.  We simply could not access it.

That said, there is a lot to tell and plenty of photos to upload.  Look for many posts to come that review the time we spent with our Moria'h House colleagues and the young street boys they serve.  If you saw some of the email updates we sent out, there will still be new things added, so drop by and take a look.

We'd love your comments on anything you read or pictures you view.