Trip #1 Day 5 and a little Basketball

This is always a very busy season around our house as both boys play basketball.  Today, congratulations goes out to my son's middle school team as they finished the season undefeated and were conference champs for the second year in a row....Yeah!!!  Also a bit sad as the realization hit that this was his last middle school game!  High School orientation was last night..ugh!!!

SO, on to Day #5  Sunday January 24th, 2011
   We woke up early again this a.m., not because we had to today, but because it was starting to feel normal.  There was also the 4:00 a.m. chanting that was especially long today, probably because it was Sunday.  I wish I knew what they were saying.
   We read, rested, had our own private church, ate breakfast with Charlie and were READY to visit the kids again.  Today, Charlie, Kathleen, Sammy and the girls were visiting too.
   When we arrived, Feven Faith and Abel along with a friend of theirs were waiting for us.  They were SO cute!  Abel was holding the soccer ball we had brought yesterday.  Feven Faith and her friend had decided the night before that they wanted to have a coffee ceremony for me. So they had their play set out and were busy preparing the ceremony.  Just precious!!
   We had another fabulous day with the kids and it was fun to have the others with us as well.  We soaked it in..appreciating all that Connie and Gabe have made here.  Every detail down to each plant planted has purpose...and to see the green amidst the desert is remarkable.  They planted everything!  It was all brown dirt when they started.  We so enjoyed being with the all the kids again and especially connecting with Abel and Feven Faith again.  It was VERY hard leaving!  The only thing that made it tolerable was knowing that Connie would lovingly explain and prepare them for what was next.  See you soon SWEET darlings.

      After lunch at the Axum hotel we had the privilege of meeting Alison, the co-producer of the documentary "A Walk to Beautiful".  This film tells of the plight of women with fistulas and the hope that is theirs when they learn of the possibility of healing.  She took us to the Mekelle branch Fistula hospital which is something to be proud of.  It is a beautiful facility!  Then she took us to the home which is new and is where a pilot group of post surgical women are living on a short term basis to be loved, educated, and trained to return to their communities and teach the women there how to avoid the tragedy of fistula.  It was an unexpected blessing to meet Alison and learn of her work and ministry.  You walk away from there humbled, sad, grateful and moved.  Actually, Ethiopia and probably most of Africa has that effect on you.  We had a quiet evening reflecting on our day.

  I love this next picture.  It speaks of the loving, affectionate culture in  Ethiopia:

A farewell to our Mekelle companions: