(update: pictures added to previous posts below)

June 14, 2010

3:30PM

The guesthouse/compound we are staying in for our first two weeks is located right across the street from the Black Lion Hospital (or from what we’ve heard, the only hospital to use in Addis). It’s secured behind a wall made of cinder blocks and topped with shards of glass. A large gate is opened and closed by a 24 hour guard, and a pedestrian gate is our entrance onto the sidewalks of Addis.

This area is quite busy with I don’t even know how many people walking past over the course of the day. Hundreds. Thousands.

Our room is on the second story of the guesthouse, and our window overlooks the parking lot and front door. We can see all the way across the street to the hospital, but we cannot see the street itself.

I have found a little perch, though, on the opposite side of the guesthouse, that gives me an incredible view of the street. If I had a rocking chair, I could sit here for hours. Instead I have a plastic patio chair, but I don’t feel I’m missing anything.

From where I sit, I can see right onto the street…but the street doesn’t even notice me.

This is the extreme opposite from when I am actually WALKING on the street. There is hardly time to take in the street while on it gripping Josie’s hand and monitoring the stray dog situation as well as the beggar situation as well as the cars zooming past situation. People can't take their eyes off of my daughters. If they aren't smiling and touching Josie they are smiling and admiring and trying to hold Lucy (who is snug in a wrap). In a lot of ways, my eyes are focused on the end goal, and I’m unable to let them wander.

When we walk ON the street, WE are the ones being watched.

But from up here on this little porch - above the wall and above the glass, I can really see and be unseen.

Right now I see shoe-shining boys begging passer –bys to stop. A little girl dancing a jig in front of her brother just to annoy him. A hospital guard not letting a family in the gate. A woman pouring dishwater from a huge bucket out of a second story window. Two men hopping into a mini bus headed for who knows where. A little car barely making it up the hill. I think I can I think I can. A little boy running into the street. Oh my. A lady eating roasted corn and talking on a cell phone. A Mama wrapping her baby tight on her back (mid stride of course). A man carrying a HUGE pink plastic bag over his shoulder. Another man riding atop a dump truck inching up the hill. A customer buying bananas from the little tarp covered shop right next to our wall. Three uniform wearing school girls with linked arms taking their time. A Mercedes. What? Oh, U.N. license plates… A line forming outside a public pay phone (haven’t seen one of those in awhile). Two little boys kicking trash at the passing cars. A man carrying a wooden casket (there is a casket shop right across from the hospital…convenient and sad.) A contract taxi leaving a mini bus in it’s dust up the hill. And just lots and lots and lots of people in general.

I wish naptime could be a little longer so I could sit and watch!

So many people bring so many stories…I couldn’t even think up enough stories! I wish I knew some of them. And I guess that’s the beauty of not just sitting here all day, but walking the streets. ON the street is where some of those stories are told.

I’d say the only downfall of being up here is inhaling the constant diesel exhaust from the vehicles going up the hill we are positioned on. (Jeremiah says it smells a lot like Egegik, which he loves! Sadly, I have no fond memories of diesel exhaust to lighten the fumes.)

But now I do. And I’ll take it with the view.

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We said goodbye to Emily this morning as she jumped in a bus headed for Langano. She is so brave. I felt really old and really proud as we hugged her goodbye.

The Lunsfords also left this morning for two weeks. They are teaching Ethiopians in team-building and things of that nature, who are going to be missionaries all over.

Then Jeremiah left right after breakfast for his first day of class! It was like Christmas morning – he was so excited. So anxious to know the students.

Josie ran after him and cried when he left…maybe she has realized that Papa’s new job in Ethiopia doesn’t come with a daily free “special drink “ from Starbucks. :) I explained to her that Papa was going to help people learn about the Bible, and Papa corrected and said “no, I’m going to learn”. Very true.

We are excited to hear about his first day! And know that it will come with lots of stories.

Jeremiah's first day of class

After we said goodbye to Papa, we joined Heather, our British friend, and Mary, our German friend on our DTS team, and we walked to a few little shops down the hill, then sat on the upstairs porch of a café and split two chocolate donuts and pressed juices. Josie was thrilled with the donuts and not so thrilled with the pressed juice which consisted of a layer of food processed papaya, a layer of food processed avacado and some orange juice on the bottom. Lovely. Donuts and that. Not exactly an American three year old’s typical snack. When the waitress asked if she could take Josie’s picture with her cell phone, I think I heard Josie try out a little Amharic… “goldfish, please”…Yes, I’m sure that’s what she said.

Josie just might lose her buddha belly while we're here. Now, if only I could lose mine.

We stopped at a street vendor on the way back and bought a small package of cookies…the lady selling them held a basket of tissues, cookies, peanuts and gum. Her two young daughters, I assume, sat nearby.

Josie bought the cookies and as I opened the package I noticed the lady’s two daughters talking and looking our way. I asked Josie if she’d like to share her cookies, and she immediately handed one to each of the girls. What fun it was to see their faces light up. What fun to see Josie share so willingly and without a command. I wanted to buy another pack of cookies just to watch it all over again.

Instead, we marched right on “home” through the mud and urine (yes, that is also one of the things I’ve seen perched up here…man says: “the world is mine”) and trash and exhaust for naps.

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Church yesterday was so great! Over 65 different nationalities represented in one service! WOW. A little bite of heaven. I hardly sang a single song, because taking in the different faces was overwhelming worship in and of itself. So thankful we get to be a part of this group of believers for the next few weeks. It will be quite an experience I'm sure.

I so hope we can be an encouragement to these families living so far away from "home"...and not just missionaries, but NGO workers and government employees as well.

Josie loved her little (well, not little - there were 25 kids in there!) Sunday school class and became fast friends with two little boys Abi with a shaved head and Noah with dreadlocks and one little girl Dinora with a princess dress that sent Josie into an almost fit. She made a glittery craft, so the only difference for her on Sunday was the fact that we didn't carry the craft away from church in a white paper bag. :)

We had lunch out with our team after church and Jeremiah ordered pizza. Ha...not exactly the Red Baron he loves so well. And I nursed Lucy on the side of a bathtub in a bathroom covered with a good amount of water on the floor at the restaurant. Yes, you read that right...lots of water on the floor and bathtub. In a restaurant. You never know. Lucy didn't seem to notice. I, on the other hand, tried to master the art of not touching a thing with hand or foot or any other part of my body besides my booty. And only a portion of it on the side of that tub. Good gracious. No boppy could've made that comfortable.

Among other things, my back is having to adjust to Ethiopia. Any nursing mothers out there, surely you feel my pain.

Well the wind is blowing and the sky is getting darker. Which means the rain is on it’s way….time to close the computer and head inside. Naptime is near over anyway.

Lucy Dawn has learned how to laugh!