Friday, November 27, 2009

Thanksgiving in Boranaland

Hi Everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s a quick synopsis of my thanksgiving: I wonder if yours was just as exciting.

 

Amber & I were in several “Thanksgiving parades” in the last few days. We were staying in a neighboring town and 2 white people and one german shepherd dog walking along a road draws a crowd, and so we provided our own little parade—and even walked down the middle of the main road (everyone else does that anyway). Then later while eating lunch we saw a boy with a mattress on his head (we decided he must have chosen a mattress when he didn’t have a big helium balloon), then a goat followed by a donkey pulling the nicest water cart I’ve ever seen here. –so that was the TG parade we got to watch (oh, and it took approximately 9 people to disconnect the donkey from its cart). We had some lovely tibs (roasted/fried thinly chopped meat served over charcoal) for lunch. Yum! It was even tender, and we invited a church guy to eat with us. The lunch excitement was the dog lunging at a cat under the table which spilled some coke and ended our nearly finished meal. Miaa had been doing good laying under the table until that point but the cat snuck up pretty close to her and was just too tempting. (We were sitting outside on the porch and of course EVERYONE had to comment on how awful my dog was.) TG evening we had French toast (after all there was no leftover turkey). Oh, and on thanksgiving eve we roasted some marshmallows over my camp stove.

 

My first couple weeks at home in Yabello have been nice. I’ve been catching up with everyone here. A few of my Ethiopian friends thought that I would have came back married since I was away so long. I thought that was pretty funny. The first week was spent getting settled back into my home. The friends that stayed in it kept good care of the house and my helper also kept my dog and cats looking healthy too. Last week was spent preparing for some veterinary meetings with the healers. And this week we (Daniel, Baharnish, Amber & I) went out to visit them. We had sent messages, but in true African fashion we found 1 out of the 6 guys we were looking for during the week, so instead of having the meetings that I wanted to have we made appointments for meetings next week instead. I actually had a nasty cold this week and could barely talk, and so I was kind of happy not to have to do as much talking, and it was still a worthwhile time of visiting people. They were happy to receive us as guests and gave us fermented and fresh milk to drink (at separate places). The short rains seem to have stopped, but it seems that most people have received rains and their cattle are pretty healthy and giving milk. We got to pray together with one village/family of Christians, and during our visits I got to collect one of the plants that I wanted to identify.

 

My guard was happy to see me, too. I have been treating his sheep if they get sick and he let me choose a lamb from his flock. I also bought a pregnant nanny goat at the market a couple weeks ago. With my 2 dogs, 2 cats, 7 chickens, goat & sheep I feel like I have a lovely little farm here, and will have some nice animals to give away as gifts when I leave.

 

Thanks for your prayers. I have been thankful to be here and for the home I have and people I get to work with. Please continue to pray for me in the next couple weeks that I can meet with the healers, have a fruitful time with them and that I remain safe & healthy in His hands.

 

 

 

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Travelling to my Borana home

I’m in the last phases of packing to go to my home and meet my team in Dilla and then Yabello. The first couple days here in Addis Ababa were rough dealing with being back (I swear the potholes in the streets got bigger while I was gone). It has been fun to connect with missionary friend her, and now I am so excited to go down and see my teammates and my home. I hear good news that we have had good rains in the Borana area and so I am looking forward to a green yard and seeing people full of hope.

 

My helper, Amber came in last week uneventfully. We had some issues with her visa and so her orientation to Ethiopia was visiting immigration to get a longer visa so that we don’t have to cut our time in Borana short. We were able to get a new visa, but it meant about 3 hours in lines and visiting something like 7 different rooms. What a first day. She is doing well and even braved the world outside the compound gates to retrieve the visa yesterday. I look forward to her being with me for these 6 weeks.

 

I am now the owner of 2 dogs, my African dog, Gegeessa and I just got my German Shepherd, Mi’aa Dha back yesterday. She was causing a little trouble at her old home with the neighbors and so I hope that she does ok with me for the next few months.  I was so excited to see her and after she got in my Landcruiser I felt like a little kid at Christmas with a really cool new toy. She will be travelling with me the next couple days.

 

Thanks for praying for a safe and smooth journey!

 

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Back in Ethiopia

Hi All,

I made it safely to Ethiopia! With only 2 checked bags it was the most uneventful trip ever. (Although Ethiopian customs did open a bag to look at several pieces of PVC pipe that I brought to use as balling guns (pill poppers) for livestock.) I’ve had one day here and the jet lag hit about mid afternoon. I was thrilled to greet lots of friends in English, Amharic and Oromo languages. It was a good exercise for the mind! I was able to pick up my landcruiser from the person who was truck sitting her…It felt good to be driving it again.

 

While I felt ready to go when I was in America now that I am here lots of emotions and questions keep popping into my mind. Am I ready to be here? Will my health go downhill? Will my back pain return? The reality that I am only here 4 months and then pack up and say good-bye is hitting hard also. It will be hard to say good-bye to lots of friendships. I know that it is the right decision as God has not provided other missionaries to come alongside and to build a team.

 

I know that I am in a much better state of mind than I was in 4 months ago when I left Ethiopia for a break. At that time I found myself very fearful of getting close to anyone. I am reflecting on the power of Christ that I have in me and getting strength from His Word. As always He is the one who will equip me and provide. I am looking forward to Amber coming on Thursday. Pray for her travels and that we would be good encouragement for each other.

 

Pray for me this week as I discuss with the SIM Ethiopia offices what I need to do in the next 4 months to finish my project well and to wrap up my ministry here for the time being.

 

The first day back always seems to be the toughest, and I am looking forward to a little easier day today.

Blessings from Addis Ababa!

Denise