Day 6- Worship in Ethiopia

Two sisters wearing their Sunday best.

This morning we all loaded up into the vans and headed to Dr. Frew's church. It is located in Addis near his house. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was immediately blown away by the enthusiasm of these people for God. The worship music was not only fast-paced and passionate, but the people yelled and cheered and clapped like nothing else I've seen. Well, let me take that back, I've seen people that enthusiastic at a rock concert, but never at church.

The Preacher.

The Preacher was just as excited and animated about what he was preaching. Dr. Frew translated the highlights of the sermon by write them on notebook paper and passing them around. (If you are interested in seeing the notes, let me know and I will e-mail them to you.) It was very uplifting and encouraging to see someone so on fire for the Lord in another country, 7000 miles from home.

A lazy Sunday afternoon at Dan Butera's house.

After the service, we went to Dan Butera's house for homemade pizza and fellowship. Dan grew up at Living Word and after a few mission's trips to Ethiopia, met a school teacher named Ruth, and soon after moved to Ethiopia and married her. You can read more about his story and his work at his blog here. I enjoyed talking to Dan throughout this week. I learned a lot about the culture from him and enjoyed hearing about the events that led up to his decision to move to Ethiopia and become a full time missionary with very little financial support.

Day 5- Completing Projects and Sharing a Bond

Ethiopian Praise

This morning Mike Parthree invited a group of young people from Ethiopian Outreach Ministries (EOM) to lead worship for us at our morning devotions. They sang two traditional Ethiopian praise songs, and then we all joined in on the last song in English. It was so powerful to be on the 7th floor of the hotel, viewing the entire city, and the sun came up, and praising God with these brothers and sisters from halfway around the world. I could almost imagine God looking down and smiling and nodding His head. (I bet He was tapping His foot too)

I felt privileged to work with these men.

Back in the village, we headed back to the water tank to wrap up the structure. The concrete was cured, and the mason had cemented in the main support poles for each corner. A few minutes after we arrived, the mason arrived with a crew of two men and a woman (the same woman who helped him with the cement a couple days ago)

No girlie-men here!

We got right to work putting up the rest of the frame and cutting everything to length. None of the workers spoke English, but it was fun communicating with them non-verbally. We all had a common purpose in mind, and by the time the project was complete, we had a sort of bond between us.

The completed structure atop the water tank.

We finished putting the last piece of steel up just after noon or so. It felt so good to have completed the project. Even though we would not be installing the actual chlorinating system on this trip, we were so much closer to accomplishing that goal than we were five days ago. As I looked around at the Ethiopian workers, I knew that they had the same sense of pride and accomplishment in a job well done as we did. I didn't need to speak their language to see that. We said our goodbyes to the construction crew after giving them all of the snacks and water that we had with us, and headed back to the Sendafa Hotel to meet the rest of the team for lunch.

Dr. Frew had left in his truck to bring out team leader to a meeting, so we walked back. It was about a half mile walk, and we really enjoyed it. Walking down a dusty road under the bright sun, sharing smiles and waves with kids as we pass by... there's nothing like it.

Dr. Frew Tangene and I

Later that night at dinner with Dr. Frew and his staff, I had to opportunity to learn a lot more about his program that ministers to prostitutes in the red light district of Addis Ababa. He helps them with vocational training so that they can get new jobs, and helps with tuition so that their children can get a good education and not have to resort back to that way of living. I will tell you more about the ministry in another blog. Dr. Frew is a good man, and I enjoyed getting to know him this week.

Day 4- Touched by God

Patients waiting to be seen at the Clinic

Since we had to allow the concrete at the water tank cure today, Kevin and I got to join the village teams for the first time. I was excited to be able to work with my wife. We started off the day by touring the clinic. We met some absolutely wonderful people there. We met the head nurse who was the nicest lady, and we met a patient counselor who had the heart-breaking task of telling patients that they tested positive for HIV and what their options were. The were 30 or 40 patients at the clinic today in various stages of being seen or cared for. Dr. Frew explained that many of them traveled for miles on foot to be seen at the clinic, and sometimes their health was so poor when they arrived that they would have to stay for a week. The Doctor to patient ratio in Ethiopia is one doctor to every 30,000 patients. (general practice Doctor, not specialist) The average life expectancy for a man is 52 years and 55 years for a woman. When we heard that, Bianca and I looked at each other and realized that both of our parents would be gone. Later that day I was haunted by those two numbers as I walked through the village and realized what I had missed earlier that week: there were no elderly people. Anywhere. The children have no grandparents.

My wife Bianca with the Head Nurse

As we toured the clinic, we greeted the patients with smiles, handshakes, and hugs. In Ethiopia, they treat AIDS as though it were leprosy. Since they do not know how it is contracted, you are often cut off from society if you have it. Of course we knew better, and it was nice to see the appreciation in their eyes for a human touch and a look of understanding. Up to this point, I had been pretty good about not openly crying in public, but when the head nurse approached a few of us as we were leaving, I almost lost it. She wanted to thank us for treating the patients with grace and respect and then she told us that a couple of the patients told us that when we touched them, they felt as if they were being touched by God. Wow. I thank God for using us in such a powerful way. I still tear up days later as I type this.

The Sendafa Library

From there we all drove a couple blocks over to the library. We were told that it is not the single largest collection of books in the entire Country, with the exception of the capital city. The coolest thing about that number is that Living Word Community Church donated almost every single one of those books! It was incredible to see them all. A few team members recognized their books and pulled them off the shelf to show us their names in the front. It was a blessing to see teenage kids in the library studying diligently. Although their were plenty of fictional entertainment-style books, every person that I saw was studying history or math. They were focused too. By now, we were used to our celebrity status in the village, but these kids were so intent on their studies, that they only glanced up occasionally.

Presenting wheat to an HIV-inflicted Mother

At this point we split up into our smaller teams. Our team was tasked with distributing wheat and oil to families on the anti-retroviral drug program that did not have enough to eat. We were not simply dropping off a bag and running though, each house we stopped at, we would sit down and talk to the ladies of the house and say a prayer with them after presenting them with wheat, oil, and toiletries. We visited six homes in all, and out of them, only one woman was still married. The other five did not have a husband, either because they were never married, or because it is common for the man to leave once the woman is infected with HIV.

An HIV-inflicted woman who is now a successful business owner

On the way home today, we stopped by a large compound on the outskirts of town. It belonged to the first woman to benefit from our micro-economic loan program. This woman was so successful by using our program, that not only did she pay back the money in record time, she now provides a comfortable living (by Ethiopian standards) for her immediate family and also provides for much of her extended family. Her main business is processing and selling eucalyptus poles and lumber. Her home was larger than most and she had a small 13 inch TV in one corner. (this was only the 2nd TV that I saw in the village) She and her family looked very healthy, and she was very excited to see us. She made sure to give each of us big hugs. It was very encouraging to hear her success story and her about how she encourages others to participate in the program.

Day 3- Encouragement

The completed block walls

Shortly after arriving in Sendafa this morning, Kevin Sterner and I headed over to the tank to check on the progress that the mason had made in getting the first rows of brink laid. He seemed to have everything that he needed, so I rode with Dr. Frew over to the clinic for the clorinator parts were stored for safekeeping. We loaded up all of the supplies that we needed to mock one up and brought everything back to the tank. We were getting back in the truck when a very sick woman approached us and Dr. Frew offered her a ride up to the main road. She was holding a new Bible in her hands, along with her medication that she had just received from the clinic. She spoke no English at all, but the Doctor explained to us as he showed her where he wanted her to begin reading, that she had just become a Believer last week. We smiled at her and gave her the “thumbs up” sign, and she grinned from ear to ear.

Kevin Sterner with the mock-up system

As we arrived back at the tank, the seventh and final row of brink was laid and the mason and his helper were doing the finish work by making sure the joints were properly filled. We worked with them to get a small platform for the system set and cemented in the center of the shelter. Then we were able to mock up the system to get measurements for the supply pipe and the exit pipe. After that was done, the mason explained that he would like the concrete to cure for two days before any more building was done.

We suddenly realized that it would put us on target to finish the structure on Saturday, which would be our last day in the village on this trip. We would not have time to get the chlorine water treatment system assembled and operating on this trip. After talking to Mike Johnson, our Team Leader, we were relieved to find out that it was a good thing that we were delayed. The system that we were planning on using was quite complex and not easy to maintain. It may have only run for a few weeks after we left before they were back to square one. Mike had been working with some contacts that he had and devised a plan to get a much more efficient system installed on the next trip. Not only would it be more efficient, but it would be very simplistic and easy to maintain. (Replacement parts can be very difficult to obtain in Ethiopia) So the bad news is that they chlorination system would not be complete until the next trip in late July. The good news is that the structure will be complete when they arrive, and all of the supplies will be on hand when they get here. They should have the new system up and running within a couple of days of their arrival.

The corrugated steel being delivered

While we were waiting for Dr. Frew to come back and pick us up, a few teenage boys came by to see what we were doing. They did not speak very much English, but as soon as I said the word “chlorine”, they got very excited and started yelling “Clean water?”, “For us?” and jumping up and down and smiling from ear to ear. It was very encouraging.

On the way back to meet with the other teams, we stopped by a store to purchase the corrugated steel and eucalyptus poles that we needed to complete the structure on Saturday. We also arranged to have it all delivered by mule cart.

The pottery shops

After another relatively late lunch, we headed back to town. We were halfway back when we saw a row of small shops that were selling homemade pottery. Dr. Frew stopped our little caravan and allowed us to make a few purchases. Bianca and I are now proud new owners of a traditional Ethiopian coffee pot and set of bowls. (the ones you use for sugar and cream, etc.) While we were waiting for the others to finish their purchases, we saw a seven year old boy approach from across the street. He had a stick in his hand. He was immediately seen by a man near the shops (we assumed was the Father) who grabbed the stick from him and began to beat him with it. We were horrified, but could do nothing. The boy was sent back in the direction he came from. As we watched he slowly walked away with his back hunched, we saw a small herd of cattle in the distance and realized that he was supposed to be watching them. I could only think of how we don’t even trust our kids to cross the street at that age, let alone supervise the family cattle.

Day 2- Changed Plans and Changed Hearts

The Sendafa water tank

Last night and this morning we had many of our plans changed on the chlorination project. The local water authority informed us that they would be discontinuing the use of the tank that we had begun building a structure on, and using only the second tank, because it was higher in elevation and could provide water to a larger area. The second tank was about 1/2 a mile from the tank that we had begun work on. So this morning, Kevin and Jordan Sterner and I helped moved 200 cinder blocks from atop the water tank to the ground, load them onto donkey-drawn carts, and unload them at the new tank. It was tough work, considering Sendafa is above 8,000 feet in elevation and something as simple as climbing two flights of stairs can leave you winded. I was glad to have Kevin along, who is twice my size and Jordan, who is following in the steps of his Dad as a hard worker. I never heard Jordan complain one time. Even when we had to haul all 200 blocks back to the top of the new tank.

Laying out the first row of block

Once we laid our first row of block (without mortar) to show the mason what size and shape structure we wanted, the water authority told us that they were concerned about the amount of weight that we be resting on the top of their concrete tank. The tank lid was about 5 inches thick and made of concrete, but their concrete is much more brittle than ours and it appeared that they had only used 3/8 inch re-bar for reinforcement.

We devised a new plan that would allow for seven rows of block, and then the rest of the walls and the roof would be built from eucalyptus poles and corrugated steel. Eucalyptus is a building material that is very prevalent in Ethiopia. Anything that is not built from concrete or blocks seems to be made with it. It grows quickly, like bamboo, but is solid and strong, yet flexible. It is a great product to work with it, and all of us were impressed by the versatility of this new building product.

The Sendafa Market

After lunch, we went to visit the Sendafa market. It is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays. On other days of the week, there are markets in some of the surrounding communities. It was set up much like a flea market, only much dustier, and without tables. All of the produce was spread on blankets or tarps on the ground. Some vendors had booths made from eucalyptus poles from which they could hang things. They sold fresh fruits and vegetables, clothes, scarves, blankets, and shoes. We bought two or three scarves that were just beautiful! It was a nice way to show the people of Sendafa that we were interested in their culture and support them financially.

The shops made possible by our Micro-finance loans

The highlight of the market was when we saw the small row of shops that were opened as a result of the micro-finance loans that our church provides to HIV-inflicted single Mothers. (for more information on this program, click here) I intentionally bought a music CD from one of the ladies. She was very grateful, because she knew we were from Living Word.

Tenagn: HIV+ small business owner

At one point, we purchased to pieces of sugarcane that the local kids love to chew on. It cost 1 Birr (Ethiopian Dollar), which is about 6 cents in American money. We had the boy who was selling it cut it into small pieces for us. After our group had all tried it, my wife gave the two remaining pieces to two small boys. They were so grateful for something that cost us less than 1 cent. It  was heart-wrenching to think of how much we take for granted in America.

My two new buddies

 Those boys held my hands and walked everywhere with me for the rest of the time that I was in the market. (about 45min) They only let go when I told them that I had to leave.
Later that night, when my wife and I thought about those sweet boys, wearing ragged, dusty clothes, looking up at us with innocent big brown eyes and smiling from ear to ear, we both broke into tears and wept.

Day 1- The Start of a Heart Transformation

The sun rising over Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

This morning we met on the seventh floor of the hotel as a team for devotions. The view of Addis was amazing! We talked about how blessed we are and how rather than feel guilty about it, we can use our wealth and talents to help others, as God would want us to.

Soon after the meeting, we gathered our supplies and left for Sendafa. The van drivers were members of the PAAV (Project Adopt a Village) team, and some of them doubled as translators. When we arrived in Sendafa, we were immediately struck by the level of poverty that the village was steeped in. I mean, you see those things on television, but when you see it firsthand, it really hits you hard.

Two boys watching us work on the water tank

The children are what really breaks your heart. Those dark, innocent eyes staring up at you, untouched by the hardship surrounding them, as they smile at you and try to hold your hand. It is so heart-wrenching. You want so badly to help each and every one of them.

We split into five teams of five people each. Two teams distributed ionized salt in one kilo bags to the people in the village with children. This is one way of getting them the healthy minerals that they need and that we take for granted. Two more teams went to visit single Mothers with AIDS. While they were visiting, they laid vinyl on the dirt floors and stapled fabric to the mud walls. This gives them a huge improvement in quality of life. They now have a surface on the floor that they can wash, and the bright fabric patterns on the walls lift their spirits.

The first chlorination system mock-up

I was on the fifth team. We are working on a chlorination system that will make the city water supply safe to drink without boiling for the first time… ever. We dry-fitted two chlorination systems (one for each water tank) to determine the dimensions of the block building that we would build atop the tank to contain the system. We also needed to ensure that we had all of the parts that we needed. After that, we went out to purchase enough cinder blocks to get started on one of the structures. We also hired a local mason to help us (mixing concrete is a little different, since they do not have bags of ready-mix in Ethiopia) and a horse-drawn cart to deliver the blocks to the tank.

After a late lunch, we all headed back to our hotel in Addis Ababa to inventory and seperate all of our supplies that we would need for the rest of the week. (we brought a couple dozen suitcases full of vinyl and fabric from the States)

Pile of dung patties

One thing that I saw today that I will never forget is this lady that we saw working near the water tank. In Sendafa, there are a lot of cattle, and not a lot of extra to use as fuel, so people use dry dung to burn for cooking fires. On the way to the village this morning, I noticed there were nicely shaped dung patties of uniform size stacked in piles for sale along the road. I knew someone had to have formed them into patties, but I had no idea how… until I saw this lady. She had a large pile of dung to which she would add some water to small amount of it at a time and pat this dung mixture into “cakes”… with her bare hands. You read that right. Bare hands. No gloves. She had dung covering her hands and halfway up to her elbows. After the patties dried in the sun, she would stack them to sell and make another batch. This is how she made her meager living.

To think that we complain about our cushy 9-5 jobs or our long commutes, or that we shake our fist at some jerk that cut us off and delayed us by about 2 seconds…

This was day one of a painful yet cleansing heart transformation process.

Safely Home

We are home safely, with large pieces of our broken hearts remaining in Sendafa. It is bittersweet to be back. If it wasn't for our children being here in the U.S. I am sure that we would have been tempted to stay. Needless to say, we are already planning our next trip.

I did keep a journal while in Ethiopia, and will begin posting my journal entries tomorrow, along with pictures and stories from our trip. God bless you all and God bless Ethiopia!