catching up: part one

I know, I know... we've been a little slow in updating guzo since our return. It feels like the last few weeks have been a crazy, whirlwind dream, and I'm still trying to comprehend our new reality. And finding the words to describe everything is almost impossible!!

In terms of the actual trip, I don't think any of my words can do it justice. We very much enjoyed our time in Ethiopia and look forward to going back over the years with Simon so that he can continue to learn about and appreciate his homeland. The people, the city, the culture... they are a part of us now.

Addis Ababa is a sprawling, bustling city. There is great poverty and there is also tons of construction, signs of new business and opportunity. It was not quite what I had expected, although I cannot tell you what exactly it was I did expect.... Having traveled during the rainy season, we were also greeted by land that was so green and vibrant; it was hard to imagine a country that suffers from serious drought at other times of the year, though we know this is a very harsh reality for the people there. Oh, and previous travelers were not kidding when they describe the poor air quality in the city. The smell of diesel is so, so strong, that my throat burned and my lungs felt congested for much of our stay.

Due to the generosity of Grace, we were lucky enough to stay at Ayat House with Grace and her family when our original travel arrangements had to be changed due to new in-country travel guidelines. Ayat's owner, Wagayu, is a gracious host who wants to make sure that all the families who stay there are comfortable and cared for. Wagayu was also hosting some of his family members from Europe and kept apologizing to us for "neglecting" us, but I didn't feel neglected in the least! We felt very fortunate to have shared this part of our journey with the Kirks and Wagayu.

Travis and Joanna were in NYC while we were in Ethiopia (go figure!), so we did not get to meet them, and Belay was only in country for the first 2 days of our stay, so we did not have much opportunity to get to know him. We spent lots of time, however, with Ryan and Abby Brown (probably too much if you ask Ryan B!) and also with Phillip Garret (Frank Garret's college age son who is spending a few months there helping out and learning about the program). They really are terrific and care so much for the children in Ethiopia. We will be working with Ryan to raise money for a yet-t0-be-determined project for the boys at the Kolfe facility, so stay tuned. Ryan is dedicated to making life better for these boys who are often forgotten by others.

Speaking of the boys of Kolfe... We are not supposed to post pictures, which is a shame, because if you could see them, you would see wonderful, sweet, generous young men. Our visit to Kolfe was absolutely one of the best experiences we had in Ethiopia. Despite every hardship, these boys are kind, funny, engaging, and full of life.

Within a few minutes of our arrival at Kolfe, the boys had swooped up Simon (and my camera, which I retrieved about 150 pictures and a dead battery later!), grabbed my hand, and regaled me with a tour of the facility and questions about my life and home... stories about their studies.. and, of course, boasting about their soccer skills!! They are all in school and interested in learning about and seeing the world. I hope they will all get the opportunity. Certainly, they deserve it. I know that our future visits to Ethiopia will for sure include more visits to Kolfe!!

Since my little boy is beckoning, I will have to stop here for now. But I promise to write more about our trip, as well as our return home very soon.