Day 3:

What a day! Knowing we wouldn't see "G" until this afternoon, we had a leisurely breakfast and then made a point to contact the airport to see if our remaining 3 totes of donations had arrived yet on the KLM flight they were suspected to be on. Praise God! They were! After asking the airport what their hours for luggage claim were, we made plans to have the hotel shuttle bring us shortly after breakfast, but just as we were about to leave, the airport called us back telling us THEY would bring them to our hotel for us! God has been so good to us! Apparently this is very unusual for Ethiopia: according to Wass, our Hannah's Hope driver for today, he has never heard of this happening before. I was so thankful, because this was one of our "free" mornings, and we had hoped to do a little shopping for "G" and the kids, but we knew it would be unlikely if we had to make the trip back to the airport. Like I said before, God is so good! Because they couldn't deliver them until the afternoon, we decided to proceed with our shopping plans, and then another blessing! The taxi driver who was on duty for the hotel today happened to be "Solomon"—a driver who has been highly recommended by other AGCI families because of his hospitality and tendency to go out of the way.

Solomon took us into the city to two small market areas when we told him some of the things we were looking for, and on the way pointed out some important buildings and landmarks in Addis. What a blessing to have him with us today: he translated, helped us bargain a bit, carried our bags for us, and escorted us into every shop. We spent a couple hours shopping: I found two traditional, beautiful dresses for the girls, an outfit for Landon, 3 woven scarves, a table cloth, and some small wood carved animals. We hope to find things representative of the Ethiopian culture so we have gifts to give "G" each year on her "gotcha day" until her 18th birthday.

Our eyes were opened much more to the extreme poverty here in Ethiopia, but Addis specifically. The contrast here is really hard to take in: gated houses next to shacks of metal and whatever materials they can come by for shelter. Many people begging on the streets, filthy, with tattered clothing, while others walk by in business suits. As we shopped, I wished I could purchase something from everyone trying to make a living, but this of course is impossible. I have been impressed by the humility of those who live here.

 A definite highlight and honor of the day was when Solomon invited us to visit his home and meet his family and partake in a traditional coffee ceremony. This is very much an honor in Ethiopia. Aaron was a little nervous though, as he is definitely NOT a coffee drinker! As we entered the small compound where Solomon lives, we saw one main home in the middle surrounded by probably 8 smaller homes around the outside which is surrounded by a corrugated metal fence. These homes were mostly made of cement and corrugated metal with dirt floors.  Solomon explained to us that he rents his home from the landlord who lives in the middle. Solomon's home consists of a 2 room cement block building with dirt floors. A small living room area with two old couches to sit on, and then a bedroom that Solomon and his wife share with their two sons: a double bed on one side and a pair of bunk beds on the other. He proudly introduced us to his family: his wife and 2 sons who are 8 and 13. "Thanks be to God," with his hands raised toward heaven was a phrase he used often today in regards to his home which for most in the U.S. was probably about the size of one bedroom. Solomon's sons were extremely well mannered and shy. Solomon states they are good students who enjoy school immensely as well as playing "football," (soccer). His eldest enjoys physics and math in school. His wife has been ill and on medicine for TB, and so some of her friends have been staying with her during the day while she recovers her strength. She is trying to finish school so she can get a job to help with the family income.  Her friends assisted with the coffee ceremony today which began with them washing the coffee beans (raw and light tan in color). Next they roasted them over a small fire until they turned the characteristic dark brown. While this was happening, incense was burning, filling the home with a very intense smell of the sweetness of incense mixed with smoke from the fire and the roasting beans. Once the beans were roasted, they were taken outside to be crushed into coffee grounds with a mortar and pestle. I was given the chance to try this, and the neighbor was amused to see a foreigner attempting this task I think! Once this was finished, the coffee was then boiled and brewed over the fire, and then served to us. We probably used about 2 teaspoons of sugar in our espresso sized coffee cups: definitely stronger than what we're used to in the U.S! I was so proud of Aaron as he drank most of his coffee: this I think was a first for him! He knew it would be extremely impolite to refuse as this is an utmost sign of hospitality and welcome in Ethiopia. Coffee prepared in this way has a very different flavor than what we're used to because you can taste the smoke of the fire from roasting the beans. Very delicious! I was humbled today, knowing how little Solomon's family has but wanting to share what they did have with us.

As we visited with Solomon and his family over coffee, I asked him if his family needed anything, and the first thing he requested was shoes for his sons and his wife. When I pressed him a bit more, he told me that pants that his sons could use for school would be the next most helpful thing. And when I pressed him further to see what HE might need or what size he wears, he made it very clear that he takes care of his family first, but finally told me his shoe size and that medicine for his stomach (antacids) would be helpful. This man loves his family and wants to provide the best for them that he can, putting himself last in terms of needs. When we return to Ethiopia, I will be bringing some of these needs for Solomon's family. We exchanged addresses and look forward to keeping in touch with him in the future. We most likely will hire him again yet this week for one more short outing as he is going to help me find a coffee ceremony table to save for "G" some day. What a privilege, honor, and blessing it was to meet this man and his family today.

We returned to the hotel just in time to grab a quick bite of lunch before Wass came to drive us to Hannah's Hope for the afternoon. We were a little concerned that our donation totes hadn't been delivered by the airport yet, but decided to leave and let the hotel claim them for us if they arrived. Only down the road a couple miles, and Wass' phone rang. It was the hotel asking for us to come back because the airport staff had just arrived, but needed us to claim the totes in person. Perfect timing, since we could then bring the donations to Hannah's Hope right away. They were in great condition considering the journey they'd been through and everything was intact, praise God! These totes held the bulk of our donations with lots of formula, diapers, and medicine. We thanked the airport staff profusely for delivering them and were on our way!

Wass helped us find "G" who was awake and being held by one of her special mothers. I was able to get her to coo a little more today and even giggle a few times playing with her feet and talking to her! She seems to recognize me a little more now I think and smiled quickly today when I picked her up. After just a few minutes downstairs, they invited us upstairs to participate in her bath time! I was able to give "G" her bath today and then massage her skin with lotion and her hair with baby oil, and then diaper and dress her again. What a little cutie pie! She is tiny, but is chubbing up a little bit and has some of the cutest little wrinkles on her thighs! By this time this was all done, she was getting tired, so I gave her a bottle and rocked her to sleep. A short while later, in true "G" fashion, she woke up and gave us her precious little grin and looked back and forth between Aaron and I.

By that time, we needed to start heading out, but we were able to stay in the courtyard for a little while and meet and play with some of the older children at Hannah's Hope. The silly bands I brought were very popular, and Aaron was a big hit since he could lift the kids up and down. After doing this a number of times, he was getting tired, so we all started playing "ring around the rosy" and boy was this a hit! They would laugh and laugh when we "all fell down" and clap their hands in glee. Some of the kids were more hungry for affection than just attention and just wanted to be held and I was happy to oblige! A little boy and girl in particular wanted me to hold them at the same time and would just gaze in my eyes and play with my watch or necklace. The little girl loved to repeat English after me and would mimic everything, while the little boy was just quiet and would only speak if I had to put him down to rest for a minute, saying, "up, up!" Too soon we had to leave so Wass could drive us back to the hotel and I had the heartbreaking task to say goodbye—especially to the little boy as he clung to my neck when I tried to put him down. I gave him a kiss on the forehead, and then each of the kids who were outside gathered around waiting for their kiss too. Each got one, and several came back for seconds! Precious.

Another great day in Ethiopia: ready for another one tomorrow. First, time with "G" in the morning. We may be able to visit Bethzatha, the orphanage where "G" first came from,  and then the Hannah's Hope staff will bring us to a local restaurant attached to an art gallery, and then probably rest: or more shopping if I can talk Aaron into it!