Mission Trip

I had tried to schedule this trip for several years, but life got in the way.  I finally decided that I could go on letting things interfere or I could go while the opportunity was still there.  I had been warned that it was not an easy trip to make, and though I found that to be true, I did make it - and I'm glad that I did.

My church partners with International Crisis Aid  to provide several avenues of assistance in and around Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - as well as areas in other countries.  The focus of each trip is different, depending on the needs at the time.  This trip would include attending the second graduation of some of the 'safe home girls' who had been saved from the trap of sex slavery.  Sex slavery is a problem in several countries, including the US and some consider it rampant in Addis, Ababa.  It is something I've always had a heart to help with, but I had no real venue until my church developed a relationship with ICA.

We would help clean up, cheer-up and re-face Mercy Chapel Vocational Training Center, where the girls receive training in another profession so as to be able to re-purpose and redirect their lives, be self sufficient and not feel a need to return to their old one.  In other words, we would clean and paint.

We would meet and greet and spend time with some of the currently enrolled safe home girls as well as a few graduates, visit the orphanage we sponsor and have a party for the sponsored kids that are able to live with their own families.  These last kids are blessed to live with their own families but need financial assistance to supply enough food and the opportunity to receive an education.

There are feeding clinics, water well projects, and a medical clinic - but these were not our focus this trip.

Each of us packed two 50# suitcases - one for ourselves and one filled with things (clothing/school supplies/toys) to give to each of the categories listed above, plus the housemothers and staff.  In addition to that, we had a backpack, a carry-on and I had a (horrors) fannypack.  We were told not to pack our best clothes as we'd often be working and our hosts would not be expecting it anyway.
                                                                                   

The 17 of us boarded a bus headed for ATL on Friday November 8th, 2013.  We'd been told to expect the unexpected on this trip.  When we boarded the berth party bus that had been sent in error, that was the first surprise.  Since I knew the flight would be long and cramped, I took advantage and stretched out and relaxed in one of the berths for the 4 hour ride to ATL.

If you get tempted to try the Gelato in Concourse F in ATL, please keep walking.  I got two flavors, pistachio and chocolate.  They were not good.  In fact, they were pretty awful and cost $5.00.

We boarded the plane at 5 PM  and landed in Frankfurt, Germany at 1:30 AM Saturday, where I promptly purchased a  Euro-hairdryer and adapter.  More importantly, we met our guides, Jennifer and Phillip. Jennifer ( Phillip is her husband)  runs the Ethiopia ICA concerns stateside while Betty heads them up in Ethiopia (we will meet her later).
ICA prefers to have Ethiopians manage the hands-on aid to Ethiopia and has a network of people doing so. Part of their mission is to raise strong Ethiopians to strengthen that nation so that they can manage themselves, not to encourage them to leave their country.

From Frankfurt, another 8 hour flight we made a stop in Khartoum, Sudan to take on more passengers, which took about an hour.  We landed in Addis at 11:45 PM on Saturday, exchanged $200 in Birr and went through a huge line at customs, before retrieving our luggage.  We were met there by Pat Bradley, founder of ICA, boarded a charter bus which would take us to our first night's stay, and  arrived at the Kaleb Hotel around 1:30 AM. And, boom right off the bat, the moment I'd dreading has arrived.  As I'm trying to get all of my luggage off the bus and into the hotel, suddenly, I'm face to face with a heart rending female beggar with babe asking for food.

After checking in our group and quickly getting settled in our room, my roomie and I made our way to the dining room for dinner - did I mention it was 2:15 AM?  I hadn't slept more than a couple hours on the plane, if that much and eating was the last thing I wanted to do. But we were to get our instructions for the next day then and, being the curious creature I am, I went for the experience - and because it was expected.

The dining offerings tonight were a choice between spaghetti with meat sauce or without, coffee, macchiato, bottled water or Mirinda - a popular orange soda.  No garlic bread, no Parmesan cheese, no salad and no water until I'd finished my meal.  But generous servings of flavorful spaghetti - I had requested a half order which I was told was a mistake.

Just a few 3-4 hours later, we were up and showering for breakfast.  Breakfast was an elaborate buffet compared to our limited dinner menu.  I'm not much of a breakfast person, but the offerings looked good.

After breakfast, we got our luggage back downstairs ( there was one small elevator) to wait for the large van sized bus that would be our mode of transport for the rest of the week.  It was then that I learned that one of the men with us had been mugged on the corner while taking some photos.  Three young men took his camera.

There was lots and lots of construction going on in Addis.  This was across the street from our hotel.

At first, I thought this young beggar was a big sis caring for a sibling.  But, after hearing some of the stories of the safe home girls, this girl may more likely be a child mother.  She kept trying to get to us to ask for something, but the hotel guard kept her at bay.

We boarded and headed off for The Riv Tropic, where we would board the rest of the week.  Our luggage was transported in the back of a truck and our bus driver never let it get more than a few yards ahead of us. 

Here are some sites along the way  to the Riv Tropic.

Each building had a water tank or multiples.  

And, more quickly than expected, we are here.

A nearby mosque from which prayers are loudly broadcast from 5 AM - 6:30 AM daily.

                     Each of us received a warm greeting from Raj, the owner, and his family.

Susie, the 10 year old spoke fluent English and acted not only as helper but as interpreter for her mom.

We retrieved our luggage and made our way to our rooms to unpack and change for the graduation we would be attending this afternoon.  We met Betty (R) our first night - at the airport and the hotel, but she was here to greet us as well.

Our spartan room for the week.

We got the deluxe shower - it had hot water, so we shared with our next door neighbors.  :)

We'd been told to bring TP, wet wipes, towels & disposable washcloths and soaps as there were no amenities provided other than bottled water ( provided by ICA) and our breakfast and evening meals.  I duct taped the faucet to remind me not to wash my face or brush my teeth with the water.

Here, we wait for our bus to Mercy Chapel for the graduation.  Jennifer gave each of us a gift bag with necessities for the week which included a small roll of TP and wipes as well as gum and such.

Our gracious hostess, Teddy.

Sites along the drive to Mercy Chapel Vocational Training Center.  The cylindrical baskets are protecting trees from the goats, cattle and donkeys.  The highway median is extremely wide and serves several purposes, from soccer field, grazing pasture to garbage dump, depending on where you are on the highway.

I believe this was a bus or taxi stop?

The lean-to tarps appeared to be a outdoor market area - maybe of a live-in type.

            Most all of the taxis were this brilliant blue - no matter if it was a van or this little trike.  Buses were                                                                    red and yellow.

All of the side streets I saw off of the main highway were unpaved dirt and rocks.  A cluster of taxis and people hurrying to them or from them.

                            Carrying heavy loads was a scene that would often repeat itself.

Addis had a 'city beautification' drive going on in the way of dressing up the roundabouts.

And, we arrive at Mercy Chapel for their second graduation since inception in 2008.

  

Roses to be presented to the graduates.

            The program was in the Ethiopian language, Amharic so she's just looking at the photos!

Pat Bradley and a local politician of whom I did not get the name.

Betty presented gifts to the grads.  

After all the pomp and circumstance, we were asked to serve the guests at the graduation as we had at the last one.  All was going well enough, if slowly when chaos broke out with an impatient few girls ( not the graduates or affiliated with ICA) who were in a hurry to get their free meal and leave to go to work.  They started snatching the plates from our hands as we were passing them down to the front, working our way towards the back.   

Suddenly, we were instructed to make our way to the door quickly and that someone would hand us our backpacks, then board the bus ASAP! 

Teddy has our home cooked supper ready and we dine in their home.

                                     This is the usual method of street crossing in Addis.

This lounging outdoor tailor looks like he's about to have some business brought to him.

A shepherd watching his goats.

Shanty on the curb of a bridge.

They use a lot of manual labor.  This was one of the few times I saw heavy machinery at work.

I observed NO lawn mowers at all in that city.  Here, workers use scythes to cut grass handful by handful.

School children arriving.

This driver looked like he was about 2 inches from hitting our bus broadside - where I was seated.  It seemed the accepted way to merge into traffic here.

Every business had guards and guard houses.

Busy streets are no deterrent to some in wheelchairs. 

Street workers - that scythe is used to cut the roundabout grass.

Interesting name on that gas station.

Stuck in traffic, I make a temporary friend.  The polluted air burns your eyes and throat in the city.

Major construction was going on in front of the police department.

There are no lanes and and lots of merging with people weaving across amongst all the craziness.

A nice pot hole.

People crossed the street helter skelter amongst the haphazard traffic.

Sitting on the narrow median with feet in the busy street.

We finally arrive to clean up and begin painting Mercy Chapel.  We get a few 'looks' as we disembark.

                          Yes, this is where the crowd was sitting the night prior.  I had picked up/swept the                                                                         trash from the previous festivities.

                       The stage for the graduation was set up in front of those dark gate doors.

This is the hair salon, manicure training area prior to painting.

                       The green will be replaced with orange. I'm scrapping the old paint drips off the                                                                                          white tiles.

After painting.

 The green will be painted the following day.  The pain was oil based - which we weren't expecting, since it is no longer legal here in the States. The fumes were horrible and the paint dripped/ran terribly.  The brushes and rollers were inferior as well, leaving heavy pillage on the painted walls.  The roller handles also broke easily.

Jeff, the paint meister.