Serendipity

I almost laugh as I read the subject of this blog that I attempted to post last Tuesday. Somehow, thanks to Internet Explorer, the system lost all of my writing. But I'm back in Addis now after four days of some of the most incredible experiences. I won't even attempt to recall each day of our trip, but rather give you some highlights.

Ethiopian Airlines- I have never been in a plane with such small seats that actually "stopped off" at different airports to drop off and pick up passengers. But as we began our descent into Gambella, I was immediately struck by the colors of green- the mountains. We had touched down in rural Ethiopia.

Sister Evelyn- A 4'9" Filipino nun greeted us in Gambella. I knew immediately that I was going to love her. She has this cute voice that would give you an initial impression of naivety, but it didn't take long for you to realize that this woman is a powerhouse. She has discovered treatment methods for podo, runs more programs than most major non-profits in the U.S. and manages to do it all powered by solar energy. Her insights over the four days will be with me always.

Car rides- We drove around for the majority of our trip in a 4x4 land cruiser. And we needed it. There were moments when we were driving in the middle of fields, up steep stony hills and digging through the mud. At one point, Josh and I rode in the back of a 4x4 pick up truck on our way to one of the places we stayed. That, for me, will be a memory I carry forever. It was a bright, sunny day and we were able to enjoy the striking beauty of the Western Ethiopian countryside, ducking occasionally to avoid being knocked out from a branch or two. Another one of our car rides on our way back to Addis took us past a refugee camp of relocated people from the north. I can honestly say that I have now seen poverty. These people were living in makeshift tents of sticks covered by government-provided tarps. Babies were walking around, drenched in their own urine. The closest town is about an hour's walk away.

The Catholic Compounds- Over the course of the past four days, we stayed the night in a couple Catholic compounds. These are beautiful guest houses surrounded by colorful gardens. One night, we stayed in Sakko- a very poor rural village with some sisters from India. Between the food, the coffee ceremony, the children's choir and our multicultural music exchange (which included a debut performance of Josh Tetrick's version of Vanilla Ice), it was enchanting. During our visits, we also had the opportunity to see some serious cases of podoconiosis. It was hard to internalize the malformation of the feet, the festering wounds, and even more so, the faces of the women and men suffering from this disease. But as Sister Stella, the Superior in Sakko, said to us on Saturday morning, "We must not lose hope".

The children- Regardless of where we were, Josh and I always enjoyed playing with the kids. Josh even did a circuit workout with a group of boys in the field in Sakko. We would sing random songs and even entertain ridiculous conversations with them in English. Kids are always a reminder that there can be joy in devastating situations.

Conversations with Christel- Christel-a TOMS consultant- is one of the most amazing women I've ever met. When it comes to development, she is deep in the field, knows the people, and is passionate about her work. She has mastered the Western language and brings a steady and poignant presence anywhere she goes. We had ample time to talk with her during our 6-hour car rides when we heard stories of her first years here, her thoughts Ethiopia's development, and her insights on the NGO community. 

The moments I cannot capture in words- Among all of the meetings, travel, and conversations, Josh and I both agree that if we were to define a theme of this trip, it would be "serendipity". The exploratory nature of this trip allowed for us to enter it with little expectation. The people we have met- from Jema, the Sudanese 8 year old, to Mark Bennett- the CEO of the Addis Fistula hospital- we have been blessed.

We are here for just a few more days- we leave on Wednesday. Our last days in Addis will involve a few meetings, a trip to a silk worm farm, and some good Ethiopian food.

What would you like to know?  Feel free to post any questions you have as a response to this blog. I'd love to devote a blog (or two) to addressing anything you all would like to know.

Thank you for following with me on this journey! Next stop? Argentina!

Until next time,

ACW