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Published: February 13th 2009
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Since 2001 we (mostly Cheryl) have sponsored Emebet Tsegaye a young girl in Ethiopia through Compassion International, a Christian organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, USA. They have corresponded every two to four months with the letters translated and forwarded each way by the Compassion staff.
When we first started getting serious about this trip, part of the timing was nudged by the fact that Compassion is holding a 10-day Ethiopia tour that actually started today. That coupled with our summer church’s tour of the Holy Land starting in late Feb (more on that later when we get there) we said “This Is The Year To Do This”.
When we contacted Compassion about the tour, we found that it would involve a lot of traveling around the country and visit various project. We “might” be able to spend a couple of hours with our sponsored child at a park where several of the children would be bussed in. However, we would have the option of a private tour for a very reasonable price to meet Emebet at her school and visit her home and meet her family. Basically the only cost of this option would be the transportation to
Finally we meet!
and how sweet the meeting is and from her town and meals along the way. Is this a “no brainer” or what?
About 7:30 AM we met up with Yoseph Kentiba, the field worker from Compassion, and Fish, Daniel and Getu, their driver, for the 100 km (60 mile) trip to Nazareth (about 900,000 people) for the next three and a half hours. The roads are paved the whole way, but are still bumpy and congested. In many spots we found ourselves 3 vehicles abreast going in the same direction while meeting vehicles coming from the other direction and dodging cattle, oxen, donkeys, horses, sheep and goats who had decided it was an appropriate time to cross the road. Never mind the stupid humans in their vans, truck, cars, etc. - this is “our” road!
We finally arrived in Nazareth and picked up the program director, who is responsible for 262 children ages ranging in age from about 6 to 18 years old. All of the children live with their families but are quite poor. Most if not all are from single-parent homes and as she described them are the “poorest of the poor” as a qualification for joining the program. She guided us
Coffee Ceremony
performedf by Emebets best friend in the school office to Emebet’s school by about 11:00 where we actually got to meet her. (it get’s a bit emotional here)
We greeted Emebet and she us. We hugged and exchanged tender words of endearment. After corresponding for about eight years, exchanging pictures, Bible verses and prayers for one another, the day had finally arrived to meet.
We sat in the school office for about an hour and a half, heard about the work of Compassion in Nazareth, were treated to a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony performed by two of Emebet’s friends, feasted on Ethiopian snacks and received gifts of Ethiopian shirts that Emebet had for us.
Emebet has taken her nation exams an passed the 10th step (10th grade) after which students graduate to either Prep School, for those who will go on to University, or begin to learn a trade. Emebet has chosen to study auto mechanics and is in her second month of school at the project.
She agrees that there are few if any female auto mechanics but it interests her greatly and she wants to succeed at it. She is doing well in her studies which have been only theory so far and
will be a couple more months before she gets hand on (hands dirty) experience.
We toured some of the rest of her school - library, computer room, health room and chapel before departing to Emebet’s home. The trip to her home was over some pretty rough ground about 4 kilometers across town. They assured us that she could take a shortcut when she walks to school and doesn’t have to follow the same route we took in the van.
When we arrived at her home, we were greeted by Emebet’s mother - a delightful serving woman who couldn’t hold back the tears of joy and couldn’t stop hugging and kissing us. The Ethiopian custom among dear friends is to kiss both cheeks of the other person. She is too short to reach Cheryl’s cheeks and kissed her neck for what seemed an eternity.
She brought out more Ethiopian snacks that I’m sure she had been preparing all day if not longer. They are served in a large flat bowl (pan really) that I think was heated over the fire outside. The snacks were a sort of small nut and a baked cookie sort of thing. She kept
Our gifts from Emebet
traditional Ethiopian garments passing the bowl every few minutes to make sure that her guests were well attended.
The house is a single room with a table a few chairs a bed and rack with a TV and VCR she used to show a video of Emebet’s brother’s graduation. He had graduated from University in May 2007 and is now teaching “medium sized” kids in the public school in Nazareth.
Her brother took a couple of hours off from work to meet us at the family home and then went back to work.
The single room is where her mother raised Emebet, her two older brothers and her older sister. It’s hard to imagine how she could manage with herself and four kids in that little house. There’s no running water, no cooking facility but there now is electricity. She is very proud of her home and rightfully so.
She demonstrates a deep love for Jesus and has instilled that in her children. The front door (the only door) has “Jesus” printed in magic marker. Since she does not speak English nor is she likely used to seeing our alphabet, it is certainly a testimony to everyone around her.
Emebet at home
it is one room and this is half of it Finally the time came when we were able to give Emebet the gifts we brought her. Cheryl had purchased a lavender tote bag, two lavender bath towels, some hair care, skin care and bath lotions, candy, and a small K-mart watch with hearts on it. She also had some washcloths that are compressed and expand to full size when placed in water. These actually came from Myrtle, a 97-year old lady from our church, who wanted to give Emebet a gift too.
She was overwhelmed. There was probably more in that little tote bag than she had seen in her entire life - at least over the last few years combined.
Emebet and her brother rode back to the center city where they left the van and each went back to their respective schools. It was a tearful goodbye and we certainly wished that the moment could have lasted forever.
After returning to our hotel, we walked out for dinner at a small local restaurant nearby. I ordered Kitfo and cheese - I didn’t know what it was, but the waiter told me it was chopped meat served with injera. How far wrong could I go?
Emebet and her mom
washcloths from Myrtle I discovered later, much later, like the next day, that Kitfo is chopped meat, spiced and warmed but not cooked. A real bacteria factory! I paid the price for the next couple of days despite my new found relative, anti biotic.
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Tony
non-member comment
Finally saw your enteries
I've played with the site long enough that I fianlly figured out (by coincidence) how to bring up your enteries. Sounds very cool. Have fantastic weekend and safe travel to you next destination. All's good on this end. A little touch of the flu running around the house but nothing like what it sounds like Dad got to experience with his "new food" ventures - Be careful!! Love you tons, Tony