SURPRISE!!

Well, its nearly been two weeks, and I think I’ve had enough fun surprising people, so I’ll let the cat out of the bag.  I’m back in Canada.  I only had a 10 day extension of my visa, so I was required to leave the country.  It might take a while to get all the visa paper work sorted out for me to return, so my best option was to come home. 

I am SO blessed to have GREAT parents who have welcomed their stray child back in! I’m grateful to have many friends to visit, and I’m hopeful that I can even pick up a few shifts at work while I’m here.  My one regret is that it’s not warmer here!  Man, was THAT a shock to the system!  Snow still at the end of March is just wrong!

My time in Ethiopia was AMAZING!! I don’t regret one second of it, and I pray that if it be God’s will, He would bring me back there soon.  I am leaving that in His hands, always reassured that His plans are far greater than my own. 

Here are a few pics from my time there, I will add more later. Now that I’m back in high speed internet country, downloads are a breeze!!  

Castles in Gondar

look at those roots!

A monk praying at an orthodox church

Near Lalibella

Rock hewn churches of Laliblella. Incredible!!

Completely carved out of rock BY HAND!!

Me, my mule and the mule handler near a field of Teff

More rock churches

Traditional meal. Very yummy!

A sample of a Ge'ez bible (ancient language used in liturgy only)

Beautiful sunsets!

Near the Blue Nile Falls

Rain rain..... Go away

It has been raining here for 3 days. We have had breaks for a couple of hours in the day, but the rain has been quite steady. Welcome to the beginning of the rainy season! I’ve been told that this is early rain, and hopefully it won’t last. It’s difficult to keep your clothes clean as mud is everywhere. It’s also been very cold as the dampness in the air never goes away. The other night, I was lying in bed listening to the rain POUND against the metal roof, and I couldn’t help but think of all the homeless people with no shelter. Walking around, I see the people who live on the street with plastic bags on their heads and bits of cardboard around them to try to stay warm. They sit out in the rain all day and all night begging. I can’t imagine a life like that! Even those who have some shelter are challenged by all this rain. Few people have roofs that are completely rain proof, especially against such fierce rain that I’ve seen. Life here is challenging enough without the weather element to contend with. How do you dry your hand washed clothes when its constantly raining? How do you find enough dry wood to cook with, when EVERYTHING is wet, and the price of fuel is out of reach? How do you and your family stay warm when everything is damp and cold? I guess if I didn’t know any different, it would be easier to adapt. I can’t help but constantly be amazed at how easy life in North America is! The rain will continue off and on now until September. I’ve been told that August is the worst as basically it rains every day, all day. Yikes!


A few months ago, the government imposed rules on how much merchants could charge for various items they deemed ‘necessities’. While this SOUNDS like a great idea, and has been very nice to see the price of things like sugar, cooking oil, eggs and milk reduced, it has now caused more problems. Since the merchants don’t bring as much of a profit on these items, they have decided to limit the supply of them. It has taken a few months to feel the effects, but now it is VERY difficult to find sugar and oil. I have spoken to a few women who have had to search far and wide and pay outrageous prices for these items on the black market. Yet another challenge of living here!

My visa was only extended for a short amount of time, and it looks like I’ll have to leave the country for a short time. I have been in contact with a Canadian organization that has a request for nursing instructors at one of the hospitals near here. I was able to go visit the hospital in Wolisso (about 115 km outside of Addis Ababa), and it is very nice. There are 2 Canadians there right now, and it was nice to meet them and have them show me around. It will be nice to have an organization working to settle all the paper work and visa issues that I’ve been trying to figure out myself. The immigration process here is very disorganized and the rules change frequently. Its an incredibly frustrating process to go through, and every foreigner that I have spoken with here has had the same experience. While I’m not excited about the prospect of having to leave, I AM pleased to have a plan to return. I don’t know how long it will take to get my visa and work permit sorted out, but hopefully not too long that I forget all my Amharic! I’m bringing my books with me, and I hope to continue my studies. I really like it, and I’m my vocabulary is expanding all the time. The only problem is that I can only speak in the past tense! Ha ha

It’s sad to see a nation so crippled by its own government. They make it VERY difficult for foreigners and aid agencies to come and help the people to improve their lives. Even many of the religious congregations have a lot of problems. It’s a deliberate attempt to keep their population in poverty and therefore maintain control. Over the last few weeks, it’s been interesting to see the increased security and the outright censorship of the media. Neither the Ethiopian newspapers nor the Ethiopian TV are able to publish news about what is going on in Libya or Egypt. The only news that is available is what we can get on Al Jazeera or the internet. Even then, the telecommunications is owned and operated by the government and lately, the internet connection has been very patchy and slow.

It’s interesting to hear the Ethiopian people talk about what is going on around them in Libya, Egypt, Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan. 5 years ago, the Ethiopian people tried to overthrow their government by riots and protests. I know I didn’t hear about it in Canada. Many people died and those who were accused of organizing the protests were sentenced to death. Could it be that a land locked country that is poor in natural resources (namely oil), didn’t deserve the attention or support of more prosperous nations that are dependent upon those resources? I know this is my opinion, and I don’t mean to turn this blog into a political commentary, but its challenging to witness this injustice and not say anything. I know that if I was not here, living among it, I wouldn’t know any different. How does a nation like this escape a dictatorship government that has ruled for over 25 years? I visited the Canadian embassy for the first time the other day. I know that some of my friends’ parents will be very disappointed with that news, but I have always known where it is, I just had never gone in before. It was beautiful! I received a very warm welcome from my fellow Canadians. There were a TON of people there who were working on visas to enter Canada. It made me once again realize how fortunate I am to have been born in Canada. I am welcome to travel nearly anywhere in the world with very few complications. I have heard before how easy it is to travel with a Canadian or American citizenship, but never really thought to consider the implications of having an African passport and how much more complicated that is. I don’t know what is going to happen here politically, if anything. All I know is that the people here deserve a voice. My one consolation is knowing that people here believe in a God that is bigger than all of this. They have an unwavering trust that their eternal reward will be great! Amen!!

Joys and Sorrows

One thing that has struck me about living here is how many joys and sorrows exist.  Maybe its the same at home, but its more raw here.  I find people very free with their emotions.  When they are sad, they cry.  When they are joyful, they rejoice.  There is less concern about appearance and how you will be perceived.  Its very refreshing. 

My mom brought a few soccer balls with her when she came to visit. One Sunday morning, Hailu and I invited the street boys he works with to go play in the park. It was a lot of fun, and since we had a nice new soccer ball to play with, it wasn’t hard to find others to join us. I’ve never seen soccer played in flip flops before, but it sure didn’t slow the boys down! After that, the boys asked if they could take the ball and keep it until we played again. Since then, I found out that they’ve been getting up at 5:30 every morning to play in the street before school. It made me so happy to hear that such a simple gift has brought them so much joy! There are 5 of them that share a small room together and there is one boy who is very energetic. One of the boys told me that they wanted to sleep in one morning and the energetic boy was eager to play and wanted some company. So, he came in and poured water on the sleeping boys so that they would get up and play with him. We now have a regular appointment every Sunday morning at the park to play soccer.


I thought I should give you an update on one of the stories I wrote about in a previous post. The government had gone around and picked up a whole bunch of street children and taken them to camps outside of the city. We heard about it initially, but then didn’t hear anything more for quite a while. Slowly though, I have noticed more and more street children again. One of the workers from an organization working to help street children told me that they had spoken to one of the kids that escaped from the camps. He told them that the food was terrible, and that they were being used to work, and that they were physically abused by many of the guards . So, the idea of educating and rehabilitating these children was indeed false. Since then, I have heard more reports that the children were taken VERY far from Addis and put to work on cotton farms and doing other hard labour jobs. The younger children were taken to orphanages. My heart breaks for these poor children. Already they lead very difficult lives and now they are being deliberately exploited. The government doesn’t seem to mind that some of the children have now found their way back to the streets of the city. I’ve come to understand that the main reason for them rounding up these children in the first place was to clean up the streets for the UN meetings that were taking place here. Now that the meetings are over, there is no need to put up a good front. Please continue to pray for all those children enslaved in the work camps.

I think I’ve said before that nothing happens quickly here. Well, I have to rephrase that. Nothing GOOD happens quickly here. This weekend, one of the sisters’ workers was killed in a car accident on Saturday morning. There were 4 people in a little VW bug and they were hit by a drunk driver when they entered a roundabout. It was very sad. I was amazed how word spread so quickly and arrangements were made. One of the victims was buried that evening. The funeral and internment for the worker that I knew and his aunt and uncle was held on Sunday. I was amazed at all that happened so quickly and the amount of people that came out to the funeral. There was over 1000 people I’m sure!

Another example of things happening quickly is how quickly things change. I’ve run into a conflict with the organization I had hoped to work for with the pregnant moms and babies. I’m not sure if God is closing that door completely or if I just need to take more time to work things out. I’m trying to be patient and allow God to show me what direction I need to move in. The problem is that my visa expires March 13th. I will continue to trust that God has guided me this far and He’s not going to stop now. I am comforted by the words of Mother Teresa ‘Jesus loves you tenderly, you are precious to Him. Turn to Jesus with great trust and allow yourself to be loved by Him. The past belongs to His mercy, the future to His providence, and the present to His love.’

Learning Amharic

Tenayestaling!


This is one of the many greetings I’ve learned in my Amharic language class. I’m enjoying learning a new language, but I honestly didn’t think it was going to be as labour intensive as its proving to be! I learned French as a child, and it seemed a lot easier than this!! Amharic has a whole different alphabet. There are 33 characters, and each has 7 variations of it each with a different sound. Once you know the characters, its not hard to read, which is nice. The tricky part is memorizing over 230 characters and the sounds that go with them!! Its difficult to train your mind to give a symbol that looks like an ‘m’ the t sound!

I’m highly motivated to learn the language. Its helpful that I’m surrounded by it all the time. I find my understanding grows more every day, and its nice. Even if I can’t always respond, I’m far more aware of conversations and things going on around me than I was before. If I’m going to be working with people here, its important that I know the language. Especially the poor, have not had the opportunity to go to school. So, they don’t know English. Most people who have gone to school know some English, but unless they use it in their work, their English is very basic, and their understanding is poor. Ethiopians have been very gracious to me concerning language. They are always pleased when I make an attempt to converse with them. The lady who sells me bread is one of my biggest fans. She always tries to get me to say more when I go into her shop. She always has a big smile, and encourages me a lot. Sometimes though, I try out my new sentences and people give me a very strange look. I’ll keep trying!

I’ve taken a bit of a break from my volunteering at the sisters. I’ll only be there once or twice a week until my Amharic class is over. I was finding I wasn’t paying enough attention to my class work and I was falling behind. The class moves quite fast, and you don’t want to be left behind. I’m not much of a student, so I find being away from my patients very challenging. I like working at the sisters’ and seeing the patients every day. Whenever I get frustrated with my Amharic, I’m motivated by the idea of getting to talk with my patients and understand better what they are telling me. Its been a while since I’ve been in school, so I’m learning to learn all over again! Some things don’t change, I still hate homework.

My mom was here visiting for the past few weeks. It was nice to have her here. We had originally planned to go out of Addis to do some traveling, but we ended up staying pretty close by. There was so much for her to see and experience here, it would have been very rushed for us to take a trip as well. Maybe next time she comes! Despite not traveling, she DID get to experience quite a bit. She had the pleasure of meeting my four legged friends that live in my kitchen. She learned to push her way onto a crowded mini bus, unfortunately getting pick pocketed in the process, but she got on! She got locked in the bathroom (partly because I forgot to tell her that the door only opens from the outside!). She even got to find out how it feels to sleep with bed bugs! I honestly didn’t know I had bed bugs in my bed because they don’t bother me, they must like her better! She enjoyed playing with the babies at the sisters’ and they enjoyed having her hug and cuddle them. We went on a field trip with some of the street boys Hailu works with, so she got to meet them and see a smaller community with some beautiful lakes called Debre Zeit. All in all, I think she had a good visit and I hope she comes back again.

Now that all my visitors are gone, I will have to get back to my normal life. Honestly, I will be glad not to have to go shopping as much, and to stay in my own little area of town, where most things are within walking distance. I’m still working on getting my visa sorted out, so if you could keep that in your prayers, it would be very appreciated!

Visitors from afar

Epiphany was an amazing celebration! I felt very privileged to witness such a culturally rich ceremony. It was nice to have my Canadian friends with me as well. On the eve of epiphany, we went to a large field where there were thousands of people gathered to welcome the parades of people coming from the various parishes. Each parish had several groups of singers, musicians and people dressed in liturgical garments leading the procession of the tablets (with the 10 commandments written on them) which were carried by the priests of their church. There were some very elaborate robes and hats. It was beautiful. It took quite a while for all the parishes to process in. The orthodox pope was in attendance and a ceremony involving chanting in an ancient liturgical language called Ge’ez and dancing followed the procession. We were able to get special passes from the sisters to allow us to get closer to the ceremony. Even then, it was a little bit difficult to see, but it was really neat none the less.


The next morning, we went to a cafe for some coffee and discovered that the view on TV was better than we could get at the field. So, we stayed at the cafe until most of the ceremony was over and then went and stood along the street to see the processions leave. We had a great view of two of the parish processions leaving the field. It was beautiful to see so many people participating in the ceremony. The streets were packed with people and traffic was shut down for several hours.

The next day, it was back to work and back to my patients. I was sorry to hear that one of my good friends had passed away while I was gone. He was a beautiful little man in room 4 who only had one tooth, and the GREATEST smile ever! He would kiss my hand and ask me for more bread every morning. He was special to many people and it was a difficult goodbye for us. He had been there since I arrived here in Addis, so it’s strange for me to walk into that room and not have him there. Knowing that he is in a better place, with plenty of bread makes me happy though! Ha ha

This week we have lost quite a few of our long term patients. In a previous blog, I wrote about Aragow. He was a man in room 4 who was suffering a lot with cancer. He would often cry out in pain, and it was growing increasingly difficult to manage his pain. Many times we prayed with Aragow, mostly that the Lord would relieve his suffering. Sister Martha John had told me that we only had one day left of pain medication for him. That night before leaving, she told Aragow that she was going away for 3 months and that he might not be there when she got back. She asked him to pray for her when he got to heaven. The next morning Aragow passed away peacefully surrounded by people praying for him. It was beautiful to witness the peaceful end of such a long battle.

My friend Erinn is still here with me, and it has been nice to show her my work, and have her participate a little in some of the things I do. She has started working on the ladies side and it’s nice to hear her stories at the end of the day, and hear her different perspective on some of the things that have grown a little routine to me.

This week I started my Amharic language classes. It’s very exciting. While I have picked up several words and even some phrases, it’s nice to have a formal class to learn the proper pronunciation of things, and some more vocabulary and grammar. I can’t say that learning a new language is easy, but I’m grateful that I have been hearing it spoken for the past 5 months, so many of the sounds are familiar to me. Its fun to see the shocked faces on people when I test out my new words as well. I work at the compound in the mornings and then attend my class in the afternoon. It’s a great way to apply what I’ve learned right away. I’m anxious to be able to communicate more effectively with my patients!

Never a dull moment here in Ethiopia. Even after 5 months, I’m constantly discovering new things and being challenged in new ways. Having Canadian company has opened my eyes to realize yet again how much my life has changed over these past months. I’ve been told that I’m much more mellow and easy going. I feel like even though my days are VERY full, they are that much more fulfilling. I continue to live in a spirit of peace and joy that gives me great confidence that I am where I need to be. I’m busy finishing the paper work for my business visa that would allow me to stay here for up to 3 years. I have confidence that if it be God’s will, it will all come together.

Having my Canadian friends here reminds me of some of the funny things that go on daily that I’ve grown accustomed to. For example; have you ever wondered where all the thrift store clothes go when no one buys them? Well, I can solve the mystery for you!! The other day, we were looking for a mini bus, and one of the attendants (a guy) was wearing a ‘World’s greatest Mom’ sweater. That’s the best one we’ve seen so far, but I’ll keep you posted if I find one that surpasses it. I’ve also been able to introduce them to one of my favourite snacks... juice. Don’t be fooled, it IS in fact a snack here. They take the whole fruit and puree. It’s very tasty, and it’s highly nutritious. My favourite is avocado and guava. The juice is so thick that if you get a mix of different fruits, they sit on each other in layers, and the glass looks very pretty.

My mom arrives this week, so it will be fun to show her around. I’m looking forward to having her experience some of what I’ve come to love. My boyfriend Hailu is anxious to meet her as well. Should be interesting!!

Happy Epiphany

The last two weeks have been very full. Time has flown by and I can’t believe it’s the middle of January already! My friends Erinn and Sarah from Canada have been visiting. It’s been great to have them here and to show them around. January 7th we celebrated Ethiopian Christmas. We went to Christmas Eve mass at the compound and celebrated with the patients. It was a very beautiful celebration. Everyone was in good spirits and the music at mass was very lively. The compound was beautifully decorated; each room had made its own stable out of hay. It was nice to introduce the girls to some of my favourite patients and have them see a little bit of what I’ve been doing these last months.


Christmas day, we were invited to Hailu’s family for dinner. We were very honoured to be their guests as they had killed a goat for the feast. Needless to say the food was incredible, and it was very nice to be a part of their family celebration. We were also invited to a smaller gathering of boys that Hailu works with. These boys used to live on the street, but have been sponsored by a German organization which offers them a place to live and schooling. Hailu works with them to offer social support and counselling in varying degrees. They prepared a lovely meal that we shared with them and then played some ping pong and foosball. By the end of the day, it was very reminiscent of Canadian Christmas as we were so full of food; we fell into our beds with hardly a word.

The next day, we set out on some travel. We decided to head south this time as I had never been. I was excited to show the girls some more of Ethiopia and have them experience some of the pleasures of 3rd world travel for themselves! As usual, getting there was half the fun, and I will be forever grateful for the effectiveness of the Canadian transport system! We were disappointed to encounter that our guide book was quite out of date. It led us astray many times. One day we got off the bus, and following the advice of aforementioned guide book, walked 3km to the nearest resort along ‘beautiful Lake Langano’. At the end of the road, we discovered an abandoned former hotel. It reminded me of a bad horror film, and I was grateful that we had set out early on this venture and it was the middle of the day. So, we walked the 3km back to the main road to seek out some transportation. While I have never hitch hiked in Canada, this was my second experience in Africa. Really, we were left with no other option. Thankfully, we were welcomed into the back of the truck of a very friendly coffee salesman. He brought us safely to the next town and gifted us with 1kg of coffee. Needless to say, we never did see ‘beautiful Lake Langano’. Maybe I’ll try again another time!

It’s good to be back in Addis again though. Things here are very familiar to me now, and I miss the work and the patients I have grown to love when I am away. This week everyone is busy preparing for Epiphany. It is a big feast here, and I am excited to see all the festivities. Since the majority of people here are Orthodox Christians, most public celebrations centre around faith. For this feast, the priests from each church bring the tablets (that are usually kept in the holy of holies in the church) with the 10 commandments written on them, in procession down the streets. They are all gathered at a special place prepared in a large park where everyone congregates and there is a vigil filled with singing and dancing for a whole day. The following day, the tablets are processed (again with singing and dancing) back to their sacred places within the churches. I am anxious to see all of this, and hope to give you a more complete report following the festivities.

The longer I am here, the more the everyday things become routine, and I am able to process a little bit more of some of the political and social things that occur. I’ve started to try to pay more attention to the news and read a newspaper now and again (when I can get a good one in English). A few months ago, a project sponsored by some of the Christian aid organizations as well as UNICEF, embarked on a mission to count the street children in the central part of the city. They did an extensive canvas of central Addis, and contrary to the government claims of 4000 street children, they counted well over 11 000. Following the publication of this report, the government was obviously very embarrassed. To rectify the situation, they hired busses and trucks, and over the past few weeks have been loading up the street children and taking them to ‘rehabilitation camps’ outside of the city. Since there are several agencies here in Addis that have been working FOR YEARS to improve the conditions for children living on the streets, I can’t imagine that this is an effective solution to the problem of childhood poverty and homelessness!!!

Please continue to keep the poor in your prayers!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to the rest of the world!  We celebrated the new year here in September, and it was 2003.  So, no grand celebrations will occur here Jan.1.  But, I will be thinking of all the craziness that is occurring throughout the rest of the world during this time.

Things here in Addis remain interesting. Just when I think that I've grown accustomed to life here, something strange happens and I'm reminded that I will always be a foreigner. The weather has changed dramatically in the past week.  It's been quite cool, and today it rained all day.  Last night there was a HUGE rain storm. It was difficult to sleep as the rain was hitting the metal roof of my building, it was so loud! 

My clinical skills continue to be challenged at work. The doctor has stopped coming regularly, and when he does come, it's for a very short amount of time.  It's very challenging to work without the support of a doctor.  He is demanding more money from the sisters, and it's a problem.  Personally, I wasn't a big fan of his work anyway, but not having ANY physician is very difficult.  The sisters are in a difficult position. It's hard to recruit doctors to a poorly paid, part time position.  They are reluctant to give the current doctor more money because of his performance, but at the same time, know that it will be difficult to replace him.  We'll see what happens. In the meantime, I've been spending more time on the internet researching diseases and looking up things in this old formulary that was donated to the sisters, so that I know the dosages and appropriate medications for diseases I've only read about in textbooks.  Who would have thought there could be so many parasites?!

I've grown attached to several of my patients, but two in particular that I make sure to visit every day.  Aragow, who I spoke of in a previous post (he has cancer) is still with us.  He continues to struggle with pain control, and we are doing the best we can.  Management of his pain has improved, and along with prayer, he has become more peaceful.  Every morning I go to the kitchen and try to snag some of his favorite food. Today, he even gave me a thumbs up sign.  I wonder how long he will be with us, suffering as he is.  It's difficult to watch, but I have to believe there is a greater purpose beyond my comprehension.  My other very special patient is in the same room as Aragow.  He is a little old man who greets me with a smile every morning and kisses my hand. He calls out 'my daughter' (in Amharic) when he sees me, and it's very cute. He has the most high pitched voice ever, and he is always asking for bread. It's the only thing he eats.  Bread and tea.  I don't know how long one can live on bread and tea, but he is happy and it's a joy to love and serve him every day.
 
What will 2011 bring?! I can only imagine.  I have been thinking about how much my life has changed in the past year, and I feel so blessed! So much of what has happened has been unplanned, but has brought me to a place of joy and peace. I can't help but thank God for His wisdom and guidance. Last year at this time, I was planning my second visit to Kolkata, India.  It was during my time there that I decided to pursue full time mission work.  I felt like my life in Saskatoon was very empty and directionless.  I had everything that I needed, and WAY more, but I was still restless.  I was always searching for something more.  Thinking that there had to be more to life.

This year, as I sit in an internet cafe in the middle of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, I couldn't feel more fulfilled.  I am working with the poor, doing some really cool nursing things.  Mostly though, I am getting the opportunity to touch lives and serve in a very special way.  I don't own many things, but I definitely have everything that I need, and much more than most.  God has blessed me with so much. I feel like things in my life are finally coming together.  I felt for so long that my life was on hold.  Maybe God was waiting for me to finally give up control and let Him guide me.  Looking back now, I know that during that time, He was preparing me for the work I am now able to do, and preparing my heart to receive all that He has planned for me. 

So what is my plan for 2011?  On a professional note, I plan to stay here.  I have been offered a position working with a small NGO here.  They work with unwed mothers.  They offer shelter, skill training, education and child care for women who are pregnant.  It is very shameful for women who are not married to become pregnant here.  There are no day cares, and often family support is lacking due to social stigmas.  Unfortunately these young women are left to believe that abortion or adoption are their only options.  So many of them want to keep their babies, but they don't have the resources to do so.  By offering them a way to support their families and live independently, this organization helps them to become self-sufficient.  I'm really excited about the work that they do.  Currently, they don't have a nurse on staff, which means I get to design my own program.  It's a big job, but the potential to do great things is there, and that's what is exciting to me. I'm working on changing my visa right now. If all goes well, that would allow me to stay in the country for 2 years which would be nice.  

On a personal note, I'm excited to share that I have met someone very special.  His name is Hailu (pronounced Hi Loo), and he works with the Missionaries of Charity as a social worker.  We've been getting to know each other for a little while now, and I'm excited to see what the new year brings for us. It wasn't exactly in my plan to meet someone so quickly on my journey, but as I'm learning, some of the best things in life happen when you don't plan.
   
That's all for now.  My last post of 2010 is sent with WARM ('cause I know that even if it's cool here, it's COLD back home!!) wishes for a very Happy New Year and MANY blessings in 2011!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

{I wrote this post a couple of days ago thinking that I would have my computer working and internet access in time to post it on the day, but of course I didn't.  I should be used to the speed of things here in Africa, but still my expectations are too great. Enjoy anyways, even if it is a few days late}
Well, it’s Christmas for you. I still have to wait a few more weeks to celebrate in Ethiopia, but in my heart Christmas will always be Dec. 25th, no matter where I’m living.

I was reflecting on the nativity the other day. I feel like I have a whole new appreciation for the poverty that Jesus was born into. Stables and mangers and shepherds are common place here. It gives me a better picture of the place they must have stayed in. It seems so much more real to me this year. Walking down the street, I often pass donkeys carrying wood or other heavy loads. This time of year, I can’t help but picture Mary on their backs and wonder what that must have been like for her. It’s really neat to be amid all of this. I mentioned in my last post that there weren’t any Christmas decorations around. To get myself in the Christmas spirit, I started walking to and from work with my ipod on Christmas music. With the donkeys, sheep and other things in the street as I walk, it’s easy enough to imagine my own Christmas decorations!

My friend Sarah was here for a short visit on her way to south Africa. She will come through again in a few weeks and stay longer. It was nice to have her here, even for such a short time. It was my first taste of my worlds colliding. I feel like so much in my life has changed over the past 4 months. Having someone here who knows me well and introducing her a little bit to my new life, was fun. She was a good sport about my modest accommodations, hot plate meals and the quirkiness of electricity and water supply.

Work has been busy as usual. I met a young girl the other day with an outrageous tumour. I have never seen anything like it. This tumour was growing out of her forehead and was the size of a cantaloupe. One of the American doctors here, did some tests and they found that even if they removed the tumour, it would grow back in a very short amount of time as the cancer has spread extensively through her whole body. So, the decision was made to leave it. The problem is that the skin around the tumour is so stretched, it often cracks and bleeds. So, we have been keeping a bandage on it. The other day, when they were changing the bandage, it started to bleed uncontrollably and we couldn’t get it to stop. It was very scary. Blood transfusions are very expensive here, and blood is very hard to get. Transferring her to hospital is a complicated process, but we did our best to make the arrangements. Just as we were about to transfer her, her father decided that he didn’t want her to go. He wanted to take her home. I couldn’t blame him, as I’m sure that she would have sat in Emergency for a long time, if she ever got to see a doctor at all. The complication of THAT scenario is that her home is a 11 hour car ride away. So, we were left to try to stabilize her and keep her comfortable. Its challenging when your resources are limited, and you feel like you could have done so much more. The power was out, so we couldn’t give her any oxygen even though she was struggling to breathe. The sisters don’t keep narcotics, so our pain management choices are very small. Sometimes all you can do is use what you have, and pray. Trusting that God’s ways are much different than our own.

On a much happier note, one of my favourite little people was discharged the other day. Her name was Lemlem and she is 5 years old. She and her dad were here when I got here. She was very small and frail and had a big belly, almost looked like she was pregnant. She was under the care of an American doctor here that works with an organization to fund various operations for patients. It turns out that she had a huge tumour on her kidney and that was why her abdomen was so big. She was receiving chemotherapy. I was always amazed with how good she was when she received her treatment. She sat so patiently and so lady like holding her hand for the nurse to start her IV. She and I became friends as I would take time to acknowledge her every day. Even with her big belly and her hair missing from the chemo, I thought she was such a pretty little girl. She has amazing eyes. After a while, she started to seek me out to greet me. I think part of it had to do with the candies and stickers I always carry for the kids, but that’s besides the point! Ha ha She would often follow me around and see patients with me. I liked having my little shadow. She had surgery to remove the tumour a little while ago. Turns out, it wasn’t cancerous at all, and so her chemo treatments stopped. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen her get strong and gain weight and even her hair has started to grow back. She looks even more beautiful. It’s so nice to see her regain her strength and be able to go back to her family! She’s a very special little girl, and I hope that one day I get to see her again.

I feel like I’ve had the privilege of getting to know MANY special people here. I love that I’ve been here long enough now to build relationships with people and with the patients. I know that I will remember certain moments forever, some good and some not so good. I’m so blessed to have these opportunities to be changed and formed into a better, more loving person. I couldn’t ask for a better Christmas present than that!

Merry Christmas everyone! May your eyes be opened in a new way to all the beautiful gifts that God has put into your lives!

I'm flattered!

I've been neglectful of my blog!  It's nice to know that people actually read it, as I've gotten a few emails saying that people missed my blog.  I'm happy that others are enjoying my ramblings.

The last little while has been SO busy! When I have come to the internet cafe, either the power has been out, or the connection too slow to make anything productive.  Add to that a typhus outbreak amongst the sisters, and it's a bit of a challenging week!

A HUGE blessing for me is that I found a place to live.  It's in a condominium building, and it's quiet, private and generally really great!  Its about a 15 minute walk to the sisters, so it's nice.  It took me nearly 3 hours to clean the bathroom, but I"m grateful for the western toilet and hot water.  I feel very spoiled to have so much space to myself.  By N.American standards, it's a very small studio apartment.  But, I found out the other day that the previous tenant was a family of 4. I've slept there two nights now, and it's an adjustment to sleep without the noise that I've grown accustomed to.  It's nice to have a place to go to after work.  Its very emotionally draining sometimes to work with some of the situations that I encounter, and it's a relief to get away a bit and allow my brain to process some of what I'm experiencing.  I feel like for the past 3 months, so much has been new and although I've been journalling and reflecting a bit, I haven't really been able to enter into the emotional aspect of things.  It's becoming more and more real every day. 

I was hopeful that things would begin to get more Christmassy once advent started.  But, then I realized that poor people don't decorate! ha ha!!  I HAVE seen a few Christmas trees in shops and when we passed the Sheraton (the ritzy hotel here), they had garland and bows and stuff.  But, at the compound, outside of an advent wreath in the chapel, there are no signs of Christmas.  In some ways, I'm kind of grateful.  I think Christmas gets TOO crazy at home.  It's a relief to me not to have to go do all that shopping and get all stressed out about gifts and such.  I've been listening to Christmas music on my ipod and I have a nice manger picture in my new place, and that's enough. It helps me to focus more on the real meaning of Christmas and to work on preparing my heart instead of gifts.

The longer I'm here, the more I get involved in things.  It's kind of fun to be given more responsibility, but at the same time, its sometimes challenging.  I had the opportunity to take a patient to a hospital here.  The patient's condition worsened significantly despite any treatment we offered, so we decided to transfer him to hospital.  I was kind of dreading the experience as I have had terrible experiences with hospitals in Gambia and India.  Thankfully though, it was a private hospital and I was pleased to see the high quality of care that is available here in Ethiopia.  Unfortunately, they were not able to give any clarity as to why our patient is not improving.  They refused to keep him after his tests were completed, so we took him back and we will continue to pray.  I find it interesting to see how hospitals can refuse to admit or keep patients.  This seems unethical to me.  So often we admit patients who have gone to 2 or 3 hospitals and been refused care.  It blows my mind.  We are NOT a hospital and the services we can provide are very basic.  Its frustrating to see these patients suffer for no reason.  I honestly don't know how they can turn them away and still sleep at night. It makes me angry to see people treated so poorly. Some of the patients we get from hospital barely survive long enough for us to give them a bath.  It's inhumane!

Every patient has a green admission card. On the card is written their name, their age, where they are from and what they are admitted with.  We write any tests that have been done, and any medications that are ordered.  Twice a day the cards are passed out, and all the patients line up to receive their medications.  Somehow, on Sunday afternoon, the cards for room 2 went missing.  All day Monday, they were missing, so no one in that room received any medication.  We thought that one of the workers who was absent on Monday might have put them somewhere.  But, on Tuesday when that worker returned and we still couldn't find the cards, it was beginning to be a bit of a problem.  Wednesday we had the task of trying to fix this problem.  Remember that I said that there was a typhus outbreak amongst the sisters?  Yeah, well that means that the men's ward is up to me and my 4 nurses.  So, all we had to go on was a list of men who gave their names saying that they didn't have their cards.  We went through the register, found their date of admission and the diagnosis they came in with.  After that, we had to meet and assess each patient and prescribe medications all over again.  There were about 50 patients.  It was okay with the malaria and typhus patients as we could generally figure out how many days of treatment they should have left.  But, when it got to the hypertensives, strokes and ascites patients, it got more challenging.  The whole time, I was praying that I wouldn't kill anyone!  I only prescribed for 5 days of medications, so after Sunday, I'm not responsible for any of the deaths in room 2!  I'm hopeful that he doctor comes in the next day or two and he can alter what needs to be altered.
I have to be going.  Thank you for all your encouraging comments. I hope you are all enjoying the cool weather and snow! The weather here is warm and sunny. It gets cool at night, but you never need more than a sweatshirt to keep you warm. Not missing the cold at all!

Happy Advent!

 

Very special

I got to be a part of a really special moment this week.  One of our patients has cancer in his hip. His name is Aragow.  Unfortunately, it's inoperable, and there is nothing we can do.  We work very hard to manage his pain, but its very difficult with the medication we have available. The sisters are not licensed to carry many narcotics.  This man cries out often.  Especially when the sisters or I are in the room because he knows that we are the only one who give him pain medicine.  I know that some of it IS real pain, but some of it is attention seeking as well. It's really challenging to be charitable to him sometimes.  I can only imagine that the other men in the room grow very tired of his noises and carrying on.  The other day, I went into the room, and it was eerily quiet.  It's never quiet in that room.  When I went to his bed, he didn't look good. His face was swollen, and his voice was very weak.  Even though he often drives me crazy, my heart went out to him.  I sat with him a while, and one of the sisters came in.  She noticed that he wasn't doing well either.  She called one of the workers, and we decided that we were going to pray for him.  The worker clapped his hands, and immediately the room went silent, and everyone joined in praying for Aragow.  It was so beautiful to see all the men praying for this man.  Even though he is often the cause of huge disruption in the room, and is a very difficult person, they all cared enough to pray for him.  It was so special to be a part of it.  If nothing else, we were able to show Aragow that he is loved and that he is worthy of our time and care.  I was concerned that he would pass away quickly, so I watched him very closely over the next few days.  He has been quieter and a lot more patient with us and the workers.  He seeks our attention less, and I'm more willing to spend extra time and care with him when he doesn't demand it all the time.  It's amazing how much more peaceful that room has been since our special prayer time!
I would like to say that I'm getting excited for Christmas, but I"m not.  It's hard to get excited about Christmas, when there are NO signs of it around. It's really weird because it IS a mostly Christian country. I don't think the weather helps, but I've been kind of confused by all of this.  I went to mass on Sunday, thinking we would celebrate the first week of advent, but we didn't.  THAT really confused me.  THEN, I realized that we have been 2 weeks behind in the liturgy since I got here.  Not only in Ethiopia, do they have their own calendar, their own time, but they ALSO have their own Christmas.  They celebrate Christmas on January 7th (in our calendar).  By this point, I shouldn't be surprised! ha ha  So, as a result, I have to wait 2 more weeks for Advent to start, and then maybe things will get a bit more festive around here.  I'm thankful that I didn't start seeing Christmas things in Oct, like we do back home, but I'm hopeful that there will be SOME decorations or sign of Christmas soon.
I tried again to post photos, but the internet connection is so choppy, they can't download.  I"m getting my computer at the end of Dec, so I"m hopeful to share some pics with you then.
This post is short, I know. Its been a very full week, and I have a TON of stuff to do.  Please continue to pray for me. I"m exploring the possibility of working with a small NGO here after my volunteer time with the sisters is over.  Still trying to work out the details. Please pray that God would open or close doors as He sees fit.
Have a blessed Advent season!

Its good to be here

I went to a movie last weekend. It was a nice treat. -yes, it was in English! I enjoyed it a lot, but it was disturbing at the same time.  Being SO immersed in this culture that is SO different from N. America, I didn't realize how my perception of 'normal' had changed. For 2 hours, I entered a world that I had lived in for 30 years - but it was as though I was seeing it with new eyes. It was a small taste of what it would be like to go home.  When the lights turned on and I found myself still in Africa, I was relieved.  It was a good feeling.  Another reminder that I am where I need to be.

Things have been busy around the compound.  We've had quite a few very sick patients that have been challenging to care for. One of my very special patients died this week as well.  He was a simple man, but so kind.  Every morning he would call out to me 'farenji' (white person) as I passed and laugh and blow me kisses. He had a great laugh! What a great way to start the day. Tuesday, however, I didn't see him in the courtyard when I went for mass.  When I was walking out of mass, Sr. told me he had died that morning.  Thankfully, we were able to spend some time praying for him before they removed his body.  It's hard to see my special patients go.  Sometimes it makes me wonder who is making more of an impact; them on me or me on them.  I'm almost positive its the 1st.

Community life at the compound with the other volunteers has grown more challenging.  I'm looking to get my own place and am hopeful to move this weekend.  Last week one of the patients got into the room where we hang our laundry.  She tore 2 of my shirts and one skirt.  In the grand scheme of things, not a big deal. BUT, when you only have 6 shirts, and you have to wash them by hand, loosing 2 is a big deal!  Couple that with the fact that shopping here presents a whole new set of challenges.  Finding something that you like, that fits adn that you can barter down to a reasonable price takes WAY more effort than running to the mall and picking a shirt off the shelf.

Many of you who know me, can appreciate how I value sleep.  After 3 months of 5am wake ups by patients or loud music, repeated late night disturbances and as many as 7 other volunteers sleeping in the same room - I am anxious for some quality sleep.  A REAL shower with hot water, a REAL toilet and some personal space are also plusses to having my own place.

The nurses that I've been teaching are now preparing for a big licensing exam.  They are all very anxious. They write the theory portion in 2 weeks.  If they pass, they have a practical portion later on.  I"m confident that 2 of the boys will pass, but I'm not sure about the other 2. The sisters said that they can only hire those who pass.  I was asking one of the nurses some questions about basic physiology.  He's the weakest one, and he didn't know the answers.  He knows he's struggling and he can see that the other boys are catching on faster adn that I give them more responsibility.  He started to cry - it broke my heart.  He frustrates me the most out of all of them, but I couldn't help but have compassion for him.  He was telling me how much pressure he is under.  He's the oldest of 10 children.  His father works as a guard at one of the other MC houses.  The sisters paid for his nursing school.  Its his responsibility to get a job and to help his family financially adn younger siblings get an education.  He told me that one of his brothers struggles with mental illness and lately has been out in public naked.  It has brought a lot of shame to their family.  The small business that his mother runs has lost most of its customers.  He was pleading with me to petition his cause to the sisters to give him a job.  It was heart wrenching! I already know that the sisters won't hire him.  If he doesn't pass this exam, it will be very difficult to find a job.  I can't imagine having that much responsibility placed upon me at 20 yrs old.  Another very real reminder of how incredibly blessed my life has been!

There is so much need here.  A day doesn't pass that I don't meet a child that should be in school, or a patient that needs treatment the either no one can afford or no one can perform.  Hunger and malnutrition are everywhere.  I feel like what I"m doing is such a small drop in such a huge bucket.  I am grateful for the opportunity to experience all that I have.  I know that my heart has changed in ways I can't even recognize. It brings me so much joy to serve the poor here.  It reminds me every day to cherish each moment, accept everything as a gift and to choose to love in all circumstances.  I still have so much to learn! Good thing I didn't buy a return ticket!!! :)

Back in Addis

My friend Leah (from California) and I jsut got back from a 2 week trip through part of northern Ethiopia.  It was incredible! The sights were amazing and the natural beauty defies explanation.  I couldn't help but wonder, on several occasions, why I am so priviledged to see these sights.  I am truly blessed!
As with travel in any developing country - part of the fun is getting there!  We travelled by public bus mostly.  We were fortunate to be pretty lucky as far as achieving our destinations.... eventually.  The public busses are big busses that carry 50-65 people, they are a real cultural experience!  You can't buy tickets in advance, so you have to get there when the bus depot opens at 5am, find the bus that is going the way you want (don't even think they're labelled), run to get a seat and then wait for the locals to negotiate a price with the driver.  If the driver charges too much, everyone gets off the bus in protest.  You have to make sure that there isn't another bus going in your direction that the others can get on in the meantime, because your bus won't leave the station until its full.  So, after all of that, you wait for them to totally overfill the bus with people and then you actually leave the station around 8am. 
Ethiopia is an extremely hilly an mountain filled country, the roads are not in the best condition, the vehicles are old, and around every turn you find a herd of oxen, sheep, goats or monkeys. As a result travel is SLOW!!! The funny part is that if a vehicle hits an animal on the road, the driver has to pay the farmer for the cost of the animal.  Needless to say, if you achieve a speed over 60km/hr, you're really cruising. 
Our first stop was a city called Bahir Dar. One day we went out to a small village just outside the city to see the Blue Nile Falls. We were trying to be thrifty and hopped on a public bus. Who would have expected a 34km journey to take 2.5 hrs?! It was an experience to say the least! I was sitting between two shephards - hook and all!  The smell of the goat/sheep didn't bother me as much as the hole in the bottom of the bus that I was sitting over.  Gravel road + old rickety slow bus + 2 shephards = cost efficient travel.  I was sneezing dust for 2 days.  The sight of the falls was totally worth it though.  I guess their size has been dramatically reduced as a result of a hydroelectric dam, but I was still impressed!
Also in Bahir Dar, we rented a boat and visited some orthodox monasteries.  They are on little islands of Lake Tana (have you pulled out your atlas yet?).  Some of them we weren't able to visit as they don't allow women, but the ones we got to see were really neat.I was thankful for being taught all my bible stories and saint history as all the artwork in the monasteries was religious.  They depicted the lives of the saints, the life of Christ, or other biblical stories.  It was a lot of fun to pick stuff out and many of the monks took extra time to show me stuff when they understood that I recognized some of the stories.
The history was phenominal.  Stuff dating back to the 14th and 16th centuries.  The Ethiopian Orthodox church has a lot of traditions and it was nice to learn about it and see a lot of history which has formed and continues to guide the culture here.
The next place we visited was Gonder.  Its a smaller city built near the base of the Simean Mountains.  At one point, it was the capital city.  The emperors built castles there.  Of course, each emperor had to have his own castle, so there are several.  It was neat to see the different things they built including lion cages and turkish baths.  There were hawks everywhere - which gave the city a very mideval feel.  I can't say that the hawks didn't make me a bit nervous as they swooped down on people quite regularly. 
Next was Lalibella.  This is the part where transportation got a bit more interesting.  We couldn't get a bus from Gonder to Lalibella.  So, we got dropped off at a junction.  The first bus that came by, tried to charge us 3 times the appropriate amount.  Refusing to be swindled, we let that one go by.  Sitting on the side of the road in the heat of the day in the middle of Africa for 2 + hrs is really quite the experience.  I made friends with a few of the kids as I had some bananas and candy in my bag.  They turned out to be good allies when the next bus cam by and they petitionned for our cause.  I wish I could describe the scene of Leah pleading for a ride for a reasonable rate.  Its one of those moments I won't soon forget.
Lalibella turned out to be my favorite.  A smaller town with an incredible history tucked away from everything and thus maintaining a lot of innocence.  King Lalibella comissionned the construction of 11 rock hewn churches.  How these churches could have possibly been constructed with the technology that existed over 1000 yrs ago is mind blowing.  The details of the architecture and intricasies of the connecting cames and caverns are really neat.  We hired a really good guide adn spent 2 days exploring.  Another day we hired mules and climbed to the top of a steep hill/mtn to another monastery that was carved into the rock.  I'be been kind of fascinated by the donkeys since arriving in Africa.  Getting to ride a donkey up the hill was pretty cool! In the end, the monastery wasn't as impressive as the view, but the whole experience was worth it.
After a very boring 15 hr drive (only 700 km), I made it back to Addis.  It's good to be back.  White people are a bit more plentiful here, so we're not as big of a spectacle when we go outside of the compound. I'm not anxious to get on another bus anytime soon, so I think I'll be staying put for a while.  I also missed my patients. It's good to be back at work and in some sort of routine.  The patients and the workers were very welcoming upon my return, and it was nice.  It made me realize how much this has become my home.
As with anywhere, the longer you are there, the busier you seem to be.  I've been back at work now for 3 days, and I'm already behind! It's great to be serving in this way though, and I am blessed that every day I get to touch Jesus in a very special way.
My internet time is running out. Thanks for all your emails, prayers and encouragements.  I keep you all in my prayers, but please let me know of any special intentions you may have. 
God bless!

Expect the unexpected

Well, you know how I always have said that I'm expecting the unexpected?  Just when I think I can't be shocked anymore, I am presented with a new challenge.....

I started to feel ill on Saturday - high fever and body aches.  Sunday wasn't much better.  I started to feel better on Monday, but was still very weak and by then had been alone with my thoughts for FAR too long.  I started to dream up what tropical diseases I could possibly be suffering from.  It wasn't until I was feeling better on Tuesday that I finally found a mirror to brush my hair and go out for the first time that it all came to me.  My face was covered in small red spots. (not sure why no one cared to inform me of this earlier) Upon further examination, so was my chest, arms and back.  MEASLES!!! Of all the things!  I was very relieved however - because of course I had predicted far worse.  We had 4 patients with measles last week and I had cared for them.  Thankfully, my immunization gave me a MUCH milder form, but it didn't protect me 100%.  So, I've been in isolation for a few days.  I actually just snuck out to get to the internet, but Sr. Martha Joan caught me.  She laughed when I said I was bored and she sprayed me with holy water and told me to enjoy technology.  ha ha!  I've had plenty of time to get my laundry done, clean up my corner of the room, read a book and rest up.  Not ALL bad, but I'm happy to be feeling better, and sister said I can go to work tomorrow.  I'm a much better nurse than patient!

This week has been challenging in other ways as well. We lost power and water for 3 days.  Not incredibly welcomed when these are among the few 'conveniences' we enjoy.  Still, we don't have warm water, but at least we can boil it to shower.  I'm hopeful it too will return, but I'm not incredibly expectant.  We got a new influx of non english speaking volunteers.  Living in community always has its challenges.  But, combine that with a language barrier and different habits /sanitation/ personal space issues and the challenge becomes even greater!  I've been praying for patience a lot! 

Leah and I have definitely decided we need a break! We leave Monday for some travel in the North.  We will visit Gondar and Lalibella as well as some other smaller places.  We're looking forward to having our own schedule and getting to speak English at a normal speed!

I can't say that things this week have been ALL bad though! I'm feeling well now, and I'm very rested.  The patients missed me, and I feel like every day I learn a bit more and I am able to help them better.  My Amharic is improving - slowly but it IS improving.  I'm finding my comprehension is better than my spoken.  Its nice to be able to understand a little when the patients talk to me - instead of just holding their hands and smiling.  A big victory - I found soya sauce at the market!!! We found a restaurant that serves GREAT Amercian food.  It was nice to watch a soccer game on TV and have a non rice meal.  It was hard knowing that 3 of us had a meal that cost half an Ethiopian's monthly salary.  I showed me that when your eyes are openned to the realities of poverty, you can't shut them so easily.  What a gift!

The longer I am here, the more I develop relationships, the more I hear people's stories, the more grateful I am for all I've been given.  Sometimes its very overwhelming.  I'm so grateful for an opportunity to give back - even just a small amount of what I've been given.  People here live such a challenging life.  Its so hard to get ahead.  Even just providing basics for a family is a challenge let alone an education or any kind of savings.  Its not a wonder that so many look for opportunities to go abroad.  This month is the American Diversity Lottery.  Its all the buzz.  Everyone who can afford 14 birr (less than $1) applies.  I'm not sure how many they draw a year (I think around 3000), and provided you have a clean bill of health and enough money for a plane ticket (I've been told you borrow from everyone you know and pay them back after you've struck it 'rich') you get to go live in America.  I'm not sure if you get a green card, or citizenship, but you get to live in America and that's what everyone dreams of.  It's amazing to think of how much I've taken for granted!!

I hope my blogs aren't too depressing.  I know my last one was a bit of a downer.  The truth is, I'm very happy here, and there IS a lot of joy here.  The people here have a great sense of humor and are a lot of fun.  There is a lot of reality here though too.  Sometimes the reality of it just seems to impact me more and that's why I share.

I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to blog again, but I'm excited to tell you more about the beauty of Ethiopia following my travels.  Hopefully by then, I'll have solved the picture downloading issue and I can include visual as well. 

Once in a lifetime

'I shall pass through this world but once.

Any good thing that I can do,

or any kindness that I can show to any human being,

let me do it now and not differ it,

for I will not pass this way again.'

This quote was on the door of the room we moved into for a few days while they painted the volunteer room.  It's very fitting and I liked it a lot, so I thought I would share.
The weather in Addis has been really nice.  Cool in the mornings and evenings but sunny and hot during the day.  We haven't had any rain in over a week. 
This week, the frailty of life was even more evident to me.  We lost two babies, and it was really hard for me.  They were both little girls.  The first one was only admitted in the morning and died in the afternoon.  I was surprised to find out that not even the sisters here are trained in CPR.  I've never had to do CPR on an infant by myself before, and thankfully my clinical brain kicked in faster than my emotional brain. I was able to think clearly enough to offer what help I could, but God chose to take her home.  I spent a good part of the afternoon with the mom.  Its amazing how much you can communicate in a situation like that, even if you don't share a language. 
The second little girl was a twin.  Her and her brother arrived only one day old with their mother.  She was 1.5kg, her brother 1.8kg.  They were both so small and weak, I was shocked that the hospital discharged them.  They weren't nursing well, and even with syringe feeding were not getting enough nourishment.  I put feeding tubes down, and they were tollerating the feeds well.  I was going every 2 hours to feed them because I was so worried about them.  Unfortunately the little girl was too weak, and she passed away yesterday.  The little boy is stronger and I'm hopeful for him.
I just keep thinking 'This would never happen in Canada'.  It's hard to understand why God allows little children to come into the world for only such a brief time.  I grieve for the mothers who lost those babies this week, and I think of how many women here have experienced that same pain.  Life is so incredibly fragile.  You really never know when God might call you home, and it reminds me that every day, every instant is an opportunity to love.
On a happier note, we're back in our new and improved volunteer room. ha ha! The truth is, they painted over the mold and we cleaned.  The toilet is still broken, but it doesn't smell any more.  I'm learning to rejoice in small victories! ha ha  Leah (the girl from USA) and I did a major clean, and it looks really nice and we're happy to have our own space again. 
I can't believe another week is behind me.  Time flies! Leah and I have been planning to do some more traveling, maybe leaving Addis for a few weeks at the beginning of November.  There is tons of history, and beauty to explore here.  I'm looking forward to it! A break from teaching the nurses would be welcomed as well.  You know, sometimes it takes so much energy to teach someone to do something when you could do it yourself 5 times faster! I've been helping them study for their big exam.  Out of 6 nurses, 3 might have a chance of passing. 
Not much else to write.  Hope all is well at home. 
Blessings!
Kerry

The beauty of the earth

Last Sunday I escaped the city for a few hours.  I took a mini bus (well, actually 3 minibusses) to Entoto Mountain.  It was a very steep ride.  Picture a VW van, with 22 people in it going through the mountains.  Yeah, it wasn't a speedy climb, but it was much better than walking!
At the top of the mountain, there is an orthodox church and a spring that people claim has healing water.  The view was unreal! It was really nice to see.  I could pick out areas of the city that I knew.  It had kind of a village feel even though it's pretty close to the city.  Mud huts and fields of wheat and other crops I wasn't familiar with.  Donkeys carying wood down the mountain to sell in the city and a lot of open space.  It was a really nice get away.  The weather was beautiful and I ended up getting a bit sun burned, but it was totally worth it.  Did a lot of walking and reluctantly came back to the city late in the day.  It was so nice to have the quiet and to get a good walk in.  Seems like during work days, there's not much time for exercise or even leaving the compound that much. 
Yesterday, I took off to a small town about an hour away called Debre Zeit.   It was gorgeous! There were three lakes that we saw.  The air was clean, the water was beautiful.  I was tempted to go swimming, but didn't have my suit.  Leah and I definitely plan to return and spend some more time there.  The landscape here is gorgeous, and the people are so friendly, it's really easy to move around and go places without having to worry too much about safety or even getting lost. When I planned to come to Ethiopia, I didn't anticipate the beautiful lanscape.  The guide book doesn't really drum it up much either, and I can't figure out why.  There is SO much beauty here! One of the great things about it too is that a lot of it us so untouched.  There are these beautiful rolling hills and mountains, filled with trees and shrubs.  In Canada, someone would have built a big house on these hills or something, but here, it's uninhabited and the natural beauty is able to be enjoyed.  Even with such a big population, there is still so much open space.
Sunday is my day off, so I've decided I"m going to try to get out of the city as much as I can on Sundays.  There's so much to see, and I really feel like it rejuvinates me for the week. I get to be away from the patients and  the compound and experience some of the beautiful culture and landscape of Ethiopia.
My work continues to challenge me.  Specifically, one of the nurses that I"ve been working with.  He just doesn't seem to be catching on very quickly.  My patience has been tried many days and I"m convinced that I'm earning time off purgatory! The other day, when I told him to go check on a patient, he came back and told me he was sleeping, so he didn't want to disturb him.  I knew full well that the guy wasn't sleeping, he was unconscious!  There's a big difference!!!  I've spoken with Sister Martha Joan, and she understands.  They have to write their board exams next month, and the sisters won't hire anyone who doesn't succeed in the exam.  In the meantime, they are welcoming 3 MORE new nurses for their practical experience.  They start tomorrow, and guess who's their teacher?! Now, I'll have 5 to run after and supervise.  Should be interesting.  I"m definitely going to have to keep praying for extra graces to teach them well and to be patient as they learn.  One of the boys that I've been working with is really excelling and I think he'll be great.  I hope the boys that are coming are as keen!
My favorite patient died this week.  It was a hard day for me.  His name was Abraham, and he was a wonderful man.  He was one of the few patients that I could sit and talk with.  He was very well educated and spoke English well.  He had a family and a good job, but when he got in the later stages of HIV and got sick, he was abandonned by everyone.  He had been living with the sisters since March.  I knew that his health had been declining and he had been suffering a lot more.  Last week he broke out in a herpes infection which took over half his face and he could only see out of one eye.  We were treating it, but it really wasn't responding, and I knew his immunity was virtually non existent.  The thing is, he never complained.  I would have to ask very specific questions to get the real information about his pain and stuff.  He was a real testament of strength.  Thursday, I went to say 'hi' in the morning and he was unresponsive.  So, me and one of the sisters took some extra time with him and washed him up and put him in a clean bead.  We prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with him and I was able to sit with him for a while.  I went to check on him again before lunch, and I knew he was very close to death.  One of the other workers and I were able to be with him when he died and it was very peaceful.  It was so nice to see him in peace and to share that special moment with him.  Another victim of AIDS, a disease that is so prevalent here!
There are only 2 female volunteers left now.  Sister has moved us to another room for a little while as they deal with the plumbing and mold issue in our room.  It's nice to be in a different place. We're right beside the chapel. I"m hopeful that we won't hear the patients as much at night, but we'll see.  It was funny to see the reaction of the patients when we were moving our bags. They thought we were leaving and they were very sad.  It was nice that they felt that way, but it took some work to try to explain what we were doing.  My Amharic skills are improving slowly.... a lot slower than I would like, but they are patient with me and I'm trying to learn a new word a day.  It's very complex and if you intone in the wrong way, it could have a very different meaning.  This week I'm tackling numbers.  We'll see how that goes.
Even though I'm not able to be at home to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and eat turkey.  I am definitely thankful for where God has placed me.  It's wonderful to be here, and I don't doubt for an instant that this is exactly where I need to be right now.  I"m thankful for my family and friends, and I"m thankful that God has given me this wonderful opportunity to love Him in the poor.  I'll eat my rice and lentils and think of all of you with LOTS of love and prayers!
As usual, never a dull moment.  It's always nice to hear from home though, so throw me an email every once in a while!!!!!
Happy Thanksgiving!