As we neared the end of our time in Addis Ababa, we had to find at least a little time to shop in the small shops dotting the city. After a restful morning, we had lunch with two of our Habesha friends and then went directly to a shop for Ethiopian scarves. A new American 501(c)3 has sprung up in North Carolina to aid this organization called Connected in Hope Foundation. It is helping to empower women who were formerly fuel wood carriers, a very hard and labor intensive job that makes women old before their years. Now, these women are weavers and operate 16 looms, making scarves at a price of 60 Ethiopian Birr a piece. This is the equivalent of about $3.60 or so. Our little group purchased 14 scarves.
We then departed for a coffee shop to fill orders for friends and relatives who had requested Ethiopian coffee. This is the largest export produced in Ethiopia. Next, we were off to another local market area for souvenirs of a wide variety, from earrings to wood carvings.
We took a couple of hours off in the late afternoon to review hundreds of photos, especially from the weekend, and then went off to a cultural dinner near Bole International Airport at a place called Yod Abyssinia. We ate traditional food with Injera and lots of various wots and other foods that I surely don't know the names of. All the while, we watched dancers and musicians regale us with music and motion from many different Ethiopian tribes. Near the end of our stay there, I even got a chance to do a mirror dance with one of the male dancers. Woohoo! I think I passed the test. All in all, a pleasant day.
Tomorrow, it'll be back to Grace House for another afternoon to help tie up loose ends with the website work, and also to work with the little boys some more, as well as to do at least a bit more video work. Then, Andy and Dannette will be off to Rwanda, and Jo and I will take Million on his first airplane flight for a few days of R&R in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
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