Dear friends and family,
I'm HOME! I came home in time for Thanksgiving. So far my experience home has been a blur of family, friends, and a lot of sleep. I'm enjoying being home a lot. My body is doing well and continuing to adjust to the time difference…but my emotions are a different story. I feel like I haven’t even begun to process my experience. As my professor says, I’ve been in sort of a "honeymoon stage"….extremely happy to be back with family and friends and enjoying the love and comfort of home. But I’m starting to realize that those feelings will soon fade (not completely of course!) and I will have to face the reality of everything that I went through and experienced in Ethiopia. Which of course will be emotional and draining...but necessary and all apart of the process. I will write one final update on my experience and how I'm doing in a few weeks. I'm excited to talk with and see everyone. Thank you all for your prayers and support. They mean more to me then I can express.
In Christ,
Dana
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Preparing to come home!
Dear friends and family,
I am in the mental process right now of preparing for the end of my trip. I feel like a lot of my time these days is spent reflecting on my experience. My global learning term (GLT) has been NOTHING of what I expected. I expected the "picture perfect" GLT...going to another country, feeling like I belong and fit in, working for an amazing organization where I was able to have hands on experiences with the poor, loving them and caring for them. I expected to have so many pictures and amazing life changing stories to tell people. But I came here and reality hit me. I was EXTREMELY lonely and had a hard time at the beginning of my trip, then I started to adjust and get use to life but became overwhelmed by the poor and poverty I saw, I also became overwhelmed by city life. Then I started working at an organization where I thought I would be involved with the poor- talking with them, crying with them, laughing with them...but instead I spent most of my time in the office, writing reports and editing papers. I then found out that the organization I was working for was corrupt. I soon realized that I didn't agree with a lot that was going on. My world crashed when I saw the struggles and pain of the clients that the organization was working for. I can't get into too much detail here but it was hard to see. I felt powerless to do anything about it and right now I feel very discouraged and hopeless.
This GLT hasn't turned out how I thought it would. I have seen intense pain, hurt, and corruption, I have felt lonely, powerless, and discouraged. It's interesting because I have realized that what I have experienced is most people's everyday reality. So many people in this world feel lonely, powerless, and discouraged most of the time. So many people live in poverty and pain. And those people can't just pick up their stuff and go back to a comfortable life with loving family and friends. So even though I don't feel like I have experienced the "perfect" GLT-I don't have the stories of seeing lives transformed, or holding a mother in her last moments before the AIDS took her life, or seeing a street child come off the streets into a loving home. I don't have stories of hope. I have stories of pain and desperation-I do feel like I have experienced real life. After awhile of being here it soon just became my life. I don't feel like I'm living in another country most of the time. It's hard to explain, but it doesn't feel like a one month mission trip where you go, are so taken with the people and culture, help some people, have your eyes opened, and then come home. It feels like I came here to live...make friends...work...and just be. I feel like I'm just going through daily struggles, talking with people, experiencing/seeing the pain and suffering around me. I have realized that I came all the way across the world to experience life. I know this isn't the most encouraging message. I know that there is hope in this world. There are organizations that haven't allowed money to get in the way of doing good and helping people. I know there are people out there fighting injustice and seeking to make this world a better place. But the other side of life is full of pain and suffering...and it is important to open ones eyes to that side too. It's important to hurt, it's important to cry, it's important to realize the realities in this world. So even though I'm frustrated, broken, extremely tired, and ready to come home, I have to believe that God will still use this experience to stir in me even more passion to DO something. I expected this to be my time to DO something, but it has turned out to be my time to just live and observe.
Anyways, I don't know if this is really making sense. But I do want to say that being here has made me realize that I have taken a lot for granted. I miss my friends and family so much. I am looking forward to being home again with everyone.
Thank you so so much for your continued support and prayers. I still have a little bit more to go...right now I'm working on language AND my huge research project...along with my other little daily assignments. Pray for strength and stamina for Amber and me as we finish up. Also pray that in these last weeks God will bring pockets of joy into our lives. It can be pretty discouraging and hard at times but I'm still seeking to find God in everything and allowing Him to move through me.
Thank you again for your love and support, Dana
p.s. Amber and I were woken up at 7:00 am this morning to my host mom and little sisters running in our room screaming- "Obama is President!!" It was a great way to wake up. Amber and I just started crying for joy right then. This is a day to remember for sure. It has been interesting to experience it all the way across the world. These elections have really impacted not only the U.S. but the rest of the world as well. I know that some of you are disappointed and some are rejoicing. I want you to know that even if you aren't happy about Obama being president SO many people all over the world are impacted and touched by the fact that he is now president. Our host dad was saying that the rest of the world looks to the U.S. as a role model, and today he is very proud of America. It is a big deal and people all over the world have a lot of hope for Obama.
I am in the mental process right now of preparing for the end of my trip. I feel like a lot of my time these days is spent reflecting on my experience. My global learning term (GLT) has been NOTHING of what I expected. I expected the "picture perfect" GLT...going to another country, feeling like I belong and fit in, working for an amazing organization where I was able to have hands on experiences with the poor, loving them and caring for them. I expected to have so many pictures and amazing life changing stories to tell people. But I came here and reality hit me. I was EXTREMELY lonely and had a hard time at the beginning of my trip, then I started to adjust and get use to life but became overwhelmed by the poor and poverty I saw, I also became overwhelmed by city life. Then I started working at an organization where I thought I would be involved with the poor- talking with them, crying with them, laughing with them...but instead I spent most of my time in the office, writing reports and editing papers. I then found out that the organization I was working for was corrupt. I soon realized that I didn't agree with a lot that was going on. My world crashed when I saw the struggles and pain of the clients that the organization was working for. I can't get into too much detail here but it was hard to see. I felt powerless to do anything about it and right now I feel very discouraged and hopeless.
This GLT hasn't turned out how I thought it would. I have seen intense pain, hurt, and corruption, I have felt lonely, powerless, and discouraged. It's interesting because I have realized that what I have experienced is most people's everyday reality. So many people in this world feel lonely, powerless, and discouraged most of the time. So many people live in poverty and pain. And those people can't just pick up their stuff and go back to a comfortable life with loving family and friends. So even though I don't feel like I have experienced the "perfect" GLT-I don't have the stories of seeing lives transformed, or holding a mother in her last moments before the AIDS took her life, or seeing a street child come off the streets into a loving home. I don't have stories of hope. I have stories of pain and desperation-I do feel like I have experienced real life. After awhile of being here it soon just became my life. I don't feel like I'm living in another country most of the time. It's hard to explain, but it doesn't feel like a one month mission trip where you go, are so taken with the people and culture, help some people, have your eyes opened, and then come home. It feels like I came here to live...make friends...work...and just be. I feel like I'm just going through daily struggles, talking with people, experiencing/seeing the pain and suffering around me. I have realized that I came all the way across the world to experience life. I know this isn't the most encouraging message. I know that there is hope in this world. There are organizations that haven't allowed money to get in the way of doing good and helping people. I know there are people out there fighting injustice and seeking to make this world a better place. But the other side of life is full of pain and suffering...and it is important to open ones eyes to that side too. It's important to hurt, it's important to cry, it's important to realize the realities in this world. So even though I'm frustrated, broken, extremely tired, and ready to come home, I have to believe that God will still use this experience to stir in me even more passion to DO something. I expected this to be my time to DO something, but it has turned out to be my time to just live and observe.
Anyways, I don't know if this is really making sense. But I do want to say that being here has made me realize that I have taken a lot for granted. I miss my friends and family so much. I am looking forward to being home again with everyone.
Thank you so so much for your continued support and prayers. I still have a little bit more to go...right now I'm working on language AND my huge research project...along with my other little daily assignments. Pray for strength and stamina for Amber and me as we finish up. Also pray that in these last weeks God will bring pockets of joy into our lives. It can be pretty discouraging and hard at times but I'm still seeking to find God in everything and allowing Him to move through me.
Thank you again for your love and support, Dana
p.s. Amber and I were woken up at 7:00 am this morning to my host mom and little sisters running in our room screaming- "Obama is President!!" It was a great way to wake up. Amber and I just started crying for joy right then. This is a day to remember for sure. It has been interesting to experience it all the way across the world. These elections have really impacted not only the U.S. but the rest of the world as well. I know that some of you are disappointed and some are rejoicing. I want you to know that even if you aren't happy about Obama being president SO many people all over the world are impacted and touched by the fact that he is now president. Our host dad was saying that the rest of the world looks to the U.S. as a role model, and today he is very proud of America. It is a big deal and people all over the world have a lot of hope for Obama.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Two Months to Go
Dear Friends and Family,
Hair: So last week Amber and I went and got our hair done again. We decided to get different styles since MOST people think we are twins anyways. Amber got her hair braided down in little braids using a lot of fake hair...she sort of looks like a Rasta! It looks good on her. : ) I got my hair in a traditional Tigringna (one tribe in Ethiopia) style. It's super hard to explain, but I'll try....ok, the front part is a corn-rows....but then about half way back they added fake curly hair that sticks out everywhere....it's all fake hair that can be seen...the rest of my hair was attached in the back (by sewing) and is covered by the fake fro. Usually I wear a head band over the top braided part and let my fake fro stick out...seriously, I have a white girls fro...it's pretty sweet. I'm enjoying it! Oh and the fake hair they added is brown...so right now I have a brown fro! Haha don't worry, I've taken a lot of pictures. Overall it took them about 5 hours to do our hair!
Friends: Last week Amber threw me a "surprise" birthday party. It wasn't quite a surprise though...haha she did a good job at hiding it, BUT this is Africa...so everyone showed up super late....by the time most of them arrived, Amber had already told me what was going on. Haha it was fun to hang out with our friends once they got there!! It was so sweet of Amber to do that for me. I also got many e-mails and wishes...thank you all!)
Holidays: Ethiopians like to celebrate! Last Friday was Meskel- an Orthodox holiday to celebrate how they found the true cross- the cross that Jesus died on. Amber and I went with our friend Hirut. We went to a BIG square, where there was literally thousands of people gathered. We got a decent spot to see the ceremony. In the middle of the square all the priests put on a dancing performance....they were dressed in the colors of the flag and they formed into a big circle and did some dances with a small cross. The prime minister and president were there. It was a nice ceremony of faith but it seemed very political. Some people did some speeches, and once it started to get dark everyone lit candles....it was beautiful. Then they had a fire works show and they lit a HUGE bon-fire. It was interesting to experience it and be among such a HUGE crowd of people. Also, on Tuesday it was Eid- a holiday for Muslims for the breaking of their fast- Ramadan. Ethiopia is about 50% Muslim...so it's a national holiday. Everyone had school and work off. The streets seemed empty. Early in the morning they gathered in a stadium and had a service. I saw some of it on the news, it was crazy to see THOUSANDS of Ethiopians doing the prayer in-sync. Amber and I wanted to go...but we heard they wouldn't let us in since we aren't Muslim...and I would have a hard time covering my fro....)
Voting: We voted for president on Thursday!!! It's exciting to me that we got to vote before everyone else!)
Life: Things are still hard. City life is so draining. I've always, always, wanted to live in the city. I grew up in the city and LA term confirmed that I'm definitely a city girl, but after being here, all I wanna do is live in a little village or town out in the country (overseas OR in the US)...away from all the people, away from the cars/busses, the big buildings, the exhaust, away from the surface friendships, away from the beggars...when I go home I feel like I'm gonna need to go somewhere in the wilderness and stay there to re-coup from city life. Luckily Amber and I are planning a few trips to go outside of Addis Ababa. We need it! God is good, he's getting me through. Right now finding the importance of surrendering EVERYDAY to God and asking him to show me how to love...just for that day. Cause it's too overwhelming to think about doing it for two more months. So that's some things that are going on. Thank you for your continued prayers. Much love -dana
Hair: So last week Amber and I went and got our hair done again. We decided to get different styles since MOST people think we are twins anyways. Amber got her hair braided down in little braids using a lot of fake hair...she sort of looks like a Rasta! It looks good on her. : ) I got my hair in a traditional Tigringna (one tribe in Ethiopia) style. It's super hard to explain, but I'll try....ok, the front part is a corn-rows....but then about half way back they added fake curly hair that sticks out everywhere....it's all fake hair that can be seen...the rest of my hair was attached in the back (by sewing) and is covered by the fake fro. Usually I wear a head band over the top braided part and let my fake fro stick out...seriously, I have a white girls fro...it's pretty sweet. I'm enjoying it! Oh and the fake hair they added is brown...so right now I have a brown fro! Haha don't worry, I've taken a lot of pictures. Overall it took them about 5 hours to do our hair!
Friends: Last week Amber threw me a "surprise" birthday party. It wasn't quite a surprise though...haha she did a good job at hiding it, BUT this is Africa...so everyone showed up super late....by the time most of them arrived, Amber had already told me what was going on. Haha it was fun to hang out with our friends once they got there!! It was so sweet of Amber to do that for me. I also got many e-mails and wishes...thank you all!)
Holidays: Ethiopians like to celebrate! Last Friday was Meskel- an Orthodox holiday to celebrate how they found the true cross- the cross that Jesus died on. Amber and I went with our friend Hirut. We went to a BIG square, where there was literally thousands of people gathered. We got a decent spot to see the ceremony. In the middle of the square all the priests put on a dancing performance....they were dressed in the colors of the flag and they formed into a big circle and did some dances with a small cross. The prime minister and president were there. It was a nice ceremony of faith but it seemed very political. Some people did some speeches, and once it started to get dark everyone lit candles....it was beautiful. Then they had a fire works show and they lit a HUGE bon-fire. It was interesting to experience it and be among such a HUGE crowd of people. Also, on Tuesday it was Eid- a holiday for Muslims for the breaking of their fast- Ramadan. Ethiopia is about 50% Muslim...so it's a national holiday. Everyone had school and work off. The streets seemed empty. Early in the morning they gathered in a stadium and had a service. I saw some of it on the news, it was crazy to see THOUSANDS of Ethiopians doing the prayer in-sync. Amber and I wanted to go...but we heard they wouldn't let us in since we aren't Muslim...and I would have a hard time covering my fro....)
Voting: We voted for president on Thursday!!! It's exciting to me that we got to vote before everyone else!)
Life: Things are still hard. City life is so draining. I've always, always, wanted to live in the city. I grew up in the city and LA term confirmed that I'm definitely a city girl, but after being here, all I wanna do is live in a little village or town out in the country (overseas OR in the US)...away from all the people, away from the cars/busses, the big buildings, the exhaust, away from the surface friendships, away from the beggars...when I go home I feel like I'm gonna need to go somewhere in the wilderness and stay there to re-coup from city life. Luckily Amber and I are planning a few trips to go outside of Addis Ababa. We need it! God is good, he's getting me through. Right now finding the importance of surrendering EVERYDAY to God and asking him to show me how to love...just for that day. Cause it's too overwhelming to think about doing it for two more months. So that's some things that are going on. Thank you for your continued prayers. Much love -dana
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Extended Time
Dear Friends and Family!
Selam, denah nacho? Selamno? Egzabier Imskin (Hello, how are you all? Peace to you? Praise the Lord). This is the greeting that everyone does when you see each other. There are different ways of greeting someone…usually it is with three kisses on the cheek, sometimes it’s a shoulder bump, sometimes it’s a hug and then a hand shake….you always ask them how they are…usually multiple times in different forms…and the response is always along the lines of I’m good, or fine, or praise the Lord. So in the states, if you get tired of the casual, “hello, how are you? I’m fine” greeting….believe me, it’s nothing compared to here!! Ha ha I have grown to love it though. Although sometimes I get nervous because I’m not sure how many times we should kiss on the cheek, or if they are gonna do the one shoulder bump, or go in for the hug…sometimes it’s awkward, but usually I sense what they are doing and end up pulling it off. : ) It seems that most people have their favorite way of greeting people, so with my friends I try to remember when I see them to do it their way…for instance my boss is a one shoulder bump/hug kind of guy…my best friend Hirut is a hug, kiss on the cheek, handshake kind of girl. Usually when you meet someone new it’s a three kiss greeting. : ) It’s hard to explain it in writing, but I hope you can get somewhat of a picture!
News: Ishi, (ok) I have to tell you all some very important news. I have prayed, talked with people, and thought about this a lot….and I have decided to extend my time here for one more month. My original plane ticket home was for November 5th, but I have extended my time until December 2nd. Because I struggled so much with things at the beginning I lost some time and have fallen a bit behind in my work, thus I really need the extra month. I also started my internship late, and still have a lot of work to do for language and my research project. So that is the main reason why I have extended. Some more news- Amber’s family that she was living with have been going through some really hard times…thus Amber had to leave. So my family opened their loving arms to her and we are now living together! So yes, we work together and live together. It’s not the “ideal” GLT- where you are out there roughing it on your own. Butttt, it’s what we both need right now. God has really brought us together. Life isn’t always roses here…there are many confusions, miscommunications, and difficult times. So it has been such a blessing to have someone to debrief with and experience things with. All of our friends are habisha (Ethiopian) and we are still very much involved in the life…so it’s all good. ; )
Ethiopian New Years a.k.a. sheep/goat genocide: It was Ethiopian New Year on September 1st, (actually for our calendar it was Sept. 11th…they have a different calendar and time schedule then we do). New Years is a BIG deal here in Ethiopia. Everyone buys new clothes, gets their hair done, and spends hours preparing food! Basically everyone in Ethiopia…rich or poor buys a goat or a sheep. It was hilarious, a day or two before New Year there were goats and sheep everywhere…cars would have to stop to let the herds go across the road, people would be buying them, dragging them around, strapping them to the top of their cars, and bringing them on the mini buses! There were a couple times when I almost tripped over the goat while getting off the mini bus. They were everywhere!! Then, New Years came...and the next day…the city was quiet….there were no more sheep or goats left. I was talking with some of my friends and we decided that probably THOUSANDS of sheep and goats where slaughtered in one day. There’s also an area that I travel through everyday on the mini bus to get to work…it’s a butcher house…and it’s known for it’s MOUND of bones…the mound got a LOT bigger after New Years…and the smell got A LOT worse!! That area it known for its smell…but now it’s terrible!
Health- So my body seems to be really sensitive to everything here. I ended up going to the doctor to get it all checked out. After doing some tests, the doctor told me that I have Typhoid and Typhus!! When he told me that, I causally said, ok…got the medicine…and went home. Then it hit me…. “oh dear! I have Typhoid AND Typhus!!” I started to freak out a little. When I told my friends, a lot of them were like WHAT? Amber told one of our good friends and he was like… “oh no, I think I need to visit her”…like I was on my death bed or something. After freaking out for a bit…I finally was like “koi, koi, koi (wait, wait, wait)….I feel fine.” Haha Honestly I had none of the symptoms that I should have for the two Ts. So I went back to the doctor to talk with him. Luckily it was a different doctor…so I explained to him everything and he told me that I was definitely misdiagnosed. PHEW! So I don’t have Typhoid and Typhus…they did give me some meds to take for it and I was told to continue taking them…hoping that it will cure whatever I DO have. : ) So pray for my health.
Awakening: So…as I mentioned in my previous e-mail…I’ve sort of had an awakening. When I first got to Addis, I was SO overwhelmed by everything I saw. I was almost paralyzed…I didn’t feel like I could do anything, or comprehend what I was seeing. But now that I’ve been here for three months, I realized that my coping mechanism was to just shove it all aside. I was tired of having my heart hurt every time I saw a street child, or a disabled person…etc. So that, along with the body and minds natural adjustment to things…I all of a sudden realized that I was very self consumed and numb to what’s around me. I feel like I don’t know how to truly love….in fact, I really just haven’t been myself lately. I’ve been extremely self consumed….extremely overwhelmed with work and all of the frustrations that come with that…and extremely overwhelmed by all of the demands and people here in the city. Amber felt the same way, so we decided to get away and re-asses our lives. So Friday evening, after work…we reserved a hotel room… went to the bus station…got on a bus and traveled about an hour and a half outside of Addis Ababa. We turned off our phones…and spent the weekend reading, praying, and journaling. The area we went is known for its crater lakes. So we got a cheapo hotel to sleep in (I have some funny stories about that) and in the day time we went to the more high class hotel with a GORGEOUS view over the lake…there we sat and read and journaled and ate bomb food. It was very relaxing, and a good time to reflect. I’m really praying for God to open my heart and show me how to love him by loving others. It’s hard to explain in words what I am feeling right now…even though I still don’t feel completely myself, and I still don’t know really what to do or how to take care of “the least of these” and follow after Jesus’ example….I am feeling more refreshed and I’m ready to wake up every morning and surrender my day to God…praying that He will guide me each step of the way….thank you for your prayers and e-mails. It all means so so much to me. Life isn’t always easy here in Addis….but I’m living and learning….learning how to love and be loved.
Thank you again for your prayers. I love you guys. Oh! One more thing….IF anyone wants to use Skype and give me a call (I know it cost money so honestly don’t feel pressured!!)…here is my cell phone number- 0913325765. It’d be fun to hear from you! Ishi, ciao! (ok, bye!) -
dana, dayna, donna, dionna, diana, dina, da….whatever my name is…. ?
Selam, denah nacho? Selamno? Egzabier Imskin (Hello, how are you all? Peace to you? Praise the Lord). This is the greeting that everyone does when you see each other. There are different ways of greeting someone…usually it is with three kisses on the cheek, sometimes it’s a shoulder bump, sometimes it’s a hug and then a hand shake….you always ask them how they are…usually multiple times in different forms…and the response is always along the lines of I’m good, or fine, or praise the Lord. So in the states, if you get tired of the casual, “hello, how are you? I’m fine” greeting….believe me, it’s nothing compared to here!! Ha ha I have grown to love it though. Although sometimes I get nervous because I’m not sure how many times we should kiss on the cheek, or if they are gonna do the one shoulder bump, or go in for the hug…sometimes it’s awkward, but usually I sense what they are doing and end up pulling it off. : ) It seems that most people have their favorite way of greeting people, so with my friends I try to remember when I see them to do it their way…for instance my boss is a one shoulder bump/hug kind of guy…my best friend Hirut is a hug, kiss on the cheek, handshake kind of girl. Usually when you meet someone new it’s a three kiss greeting. : ) It’s hard to explain it in writing, but I hope you can get somewhat of a picture!
News: Ishi, (ok) I have to tell you all some very important news. I have prayed, talked with people, and thought about this a lot….and I have decided to extend my time here for one more month. My original plane ticket home was for November 5th, but I have extended my time until December 2nd. Because I struggled so much with things at the beginning I lost some time and have fallen a bit behind in my work, thus I really need the extra month. I also started my internship late, and still have a lot of work to do for language and my research project. So that is the main reason why I have extended. Some more news- Amber’s family that she was living with have been going through some really hard times…thus Amber had to leave. So my family opened their loving arms to her and we are now living together! So yes, we work together and live together. It’s not the “ideal” GLT- where you are out there roughing it on your own. Butttt, it’s what we both need right now. God has really brought us together. Life isn’t always roses here…there are many confusions, miscommunications, and difficult times. So it has been such a blessing to have someone to debrief with and experience things with. All of our friends are habisha (Ethiopian) and we are still very much involved in the life…so it’s all good. ; )
Ethiopian New Years a.k.a. sheep/goat genocide: It was Ethiopian New Year on September 1st, (actually for our calendar it was Sept. 11th…they have a different calendar and time schedule then we do). New Years is a BIG deal here in Ethiopia. Everyone buys new clothes, gets their hair done, and spends hours preparing food! Basically everyone in Ethiopia…rich or poor buys a goat or a sheep. It was hilarious, a day or two before New Year there were goats and sheep everywhere…cars would have to stop to let the herds go across the road, people would be buying them, dragging them around, strapping them to the top of their cars, and bringing them on the mini buses! There were a couple times when I almost tripped over the goat while getting off the mini bus. They were everywhere!! Then, New Years came...and the next day…the city was quiet….there were no more sheep or goats left. I was talking with some of my friends and we decided that probably THOUSANDS of sheep and goats where slaughtered in one day. There’s also an area that I travel through everyday on the mini bus to get to work…it’s a butcher house…and it’s known for it’s MOUND of bones…the mound got a LOT bigger after New Years…and the smell got A LOT worse!! That area it known for its smell…but now it’s terrible!
Health- So my body seems to be really sensitive to everything here. I ended up going to the doctor to get it all checked out. After doing some tests, the doctor told me that I have Typhoid and Typhus!! When he told me that, I causally said, ok…got the medicine…and went home. Then it hit me…. “oh dear! I have Typhoid AND Typhus!!” I started to freak out a little. When I told my friends, a lot of them were like WHAT? Amber told one of our good friends and he was like… “oh no, I think I need to visit her”…like I was on my death bed or something. After freaking out for a bit…I finally was like “koi, koi, koi (wait, wait, wait)….I feel fine.” Haha Honestly I had none of the symptoms that I should have for the two Ts. So I went back to the doctor to talk with him. Luckily it was a different doctor…so I explained to him everything and he told me that I was definitely misdiagnosed. PHEW! So I don’t have Typhoid and Typhus…they did give me some meds to take for it and I was told to continue taking them…hoping that it will cure whatever I DO have. : ) So pray for my health.
Awakening: So…as I mentioned in my previous e-mail…I’ve sort of had an awakening. When I first got to Addis, I was SO overwhelmed by everything I saw. I was almost paralyzed…I didn’t feel like I could do anything, or comprehend what I was seeing. But now that I’ve been here for three months, I realized that my coping mechanism was to just shove it all aside. I was tired of having my heart hurt every time I saw a street child, or a disabled person…etc. So that, along with the body and minds natural adjustment to things…I all of a sudden realized that I was very self consumed and numb to what’s around me. I feel like I don’t know how to truly love….in fact, I really just haven’t been myself lately. I’ve been extremely self consumed….extremely overwhelmed with work and all of the frustrations that come with that…and extremely overwhelmed by all of the demands and people here in the city. Amber felt the same way, so we decided to get away and re-asses our lives. So Friday evening, after work…we reserved a hotel room… went to the bus station…got on a bus and traveled about an hour and a half outside of Addis Ababa. We turned off our phones…and spent the weekend reading, praying, and journaling. The area we went is known for its crater lakes. So we got a cheapo hotel to sleep in (I have some funny stories about that) and in the day time we went to the more high class hotel with a GORGEOUS view over the lake…there we sat and read and journaled and ate bomb food. It was very relaxing, and a good time to reflect. I’m really praying for God to open my heart and show me how to love him by loving others. It’s hard to explain in words what I am feeling right now…even though I still don’t feel completely myself, and I still don’t know really what to do or how to take care of “the least of these” and follow after Jesus’ example….I am feeling more refreshed and I’m ready to wake up every morning and surrender my day to God…praying that He will guide me each step of the way….thank you for your prayers and e-mails. It all means so so much to me. Life isn’t always easy here in Addis….but I’m living and learning….learning how to love and be loved.
Thank you again for your prayers. I love you guys. Oh! One more thing….IF anyone wants to use Skype and give me a call (I know it cost money so honestly don’t feel pressured!!)…here is my cell phone number- 0913325765. It’d be fun to hear from you! Ishi, ciao! (ok, bye!) -
dana, dayna, donna, dionna, diana, dina, da….whatever my name is…. ?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Reflection on the poor
"In the words of our Holy Father, each one of us must be able 'to cleanse what is dirty, to warm what is lukewarm, to strengthen what is weak, to enlighten what is dark.' We must not be afraid to proclaim Christ's love and to love as He loved. Where God is, there is love; and where there is love, there always is an openness to serve. The world is hungry for God. When we all see God in each other, we will love one another as He loves us all. That is the fulfillment of the law, to love one another. This is all Jesus came to teach us: that God loves us, and that He wants us to love one another as He loves us. We must know that we have been created for greater things, not just to be a number in the world, not just to go for diplomas and degrees, this work and that work. We have been created in order to love and to be loved." Mother Teresa -"No Greater Love" p. 29 I have been convicted. I have been here for three months now and have found myself very self-consumed and disconnected with the marginalized and the suffering here in Ethiopia. I have become desensitized. Everyday I walk the streets and constantly have little hands reaching out to me, tugging on my hands, looking at me with sad eyes. Every day I walk by literally tons of crippled, suffering people. Young poor mothers with their infants curled up on the side of the road. People with no eyes, half their face burned, or abnormal sized body parts. People without legs or arms, people who walk on all fours like dogs....intense suffering. And what do I do? I walk on by it all. I look through them and not actually at them. I say no. Yesterday I was eating lunch with some friends and a little girl came up to our table, wanting money or food. We all ignored her until she went away. I thought nothing of it. It's a daily experience. When I first came here I kept on asking people what they do about all of the beggars...how they choose, when to give and when not to give...many people have different opinions. Most of them say never to give to children. There are SO MANY street children in Addis. Many of them are forced on the streets, some of them choose it, most of them learn to live that life and thus don't even try to work. It's a hard balance, but most Ethiopians say not to encourage the children to beg. Most Ethiopians do give small coins to the crippled and the old, because it's obvious that they can't work. Why are there so many crippled? People give different reasons...the diseases here, the lack of medicine and treatment....they don't have anywhere else to go but the streets. I still don't know what to do though...so I walk on by. I feel like I've lost the personal touch of God's love. At work I know we are helping the poor and suffering to come out of poverty...the work is amazing and it is transforming lives...but I usually am in the office writing papers, editing...etc. and when I do get to go and actually interview the people, it's very professional. It's so different then at home. At home I was able to pour my heart and soul into the Pomona community. Everyday I prayed for Gods love to pour out through me to those kids, and through that I felt God's love radiating back to me. It's hard to feel that here. It's easy to get disconnected and self-consumed. Pray that I will find a way to let God love through me. "God is within me with a more intimate presence than that whereby I am in myself: 'In Him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:28 NAB). It is He who gives life to all, who gives power and being to all that exists. But for His sustaining presence, all things would cease to be and fall back into nothingness. Consider that you are in God, surrounded and encompassed by God, swimming in God. God's love is infinite. With God, nothing is impossible."
Thursday, August 28, 2008
I love Ethiopia!
Internship: So I am constantly kept busy. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have worked as a computer teacher. I also helped out with the library and other paper work. The other days I helped out with accounting work (you should be proud dad!!). I still LOVE the community at the school. My best friend here, Hirut, is the principle of the school. We connected right away and I spend a lot of my time with her. Summer school just ended, so I am no longer a teacher. It was fun while it lasted! I love those kids. Also after a lot of prayer and advice, I decided to stay with the first organization that I was connected with. I also brought Amber one day to see if they needed another person, and they did, so we are working together there. We work there on Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays, and some weekends. The organization is called Integrated Urban Development Department (IUDD). This organization works with the poorest of poor in Addis and in the surrounding cities. They help form groups of 15-20 members, teaching them job skills, how to save and manage money....etc. They don't give ANY MONEY. They have each group member give what they can weekly. Most groups start giving 50 cents each per week. Then with that money they are able to save and then give loans to the members. So lets say there are 20 members, and they each give 50 cents a week, after saving for around three months they would have enough money in savings to give a member a loan of 100 birr. Then the member takes that money and uses it to start or expand their business. Some of their businesses include: a clothes shop, selling corn, making injera or local bread...etc. Usually the members have to pay back the loan within four months with a certain amount of interest...like 5% or 8%. So the group makes some money. Many of the groups have grown in their capital, which allows the loans to be bigger, which allows their businesses to expand. And the best thing is, they feel empowered because they are doing it all on their own!! It's an amazing program, I have never seen anything like it. IUDD really is fighting and actually solving the issue of poverty. Amber and I meet with the self-help groups (SHG) and interview them. We also get to meet individually with members to hear their personal stories. Then Amber and I write case studies about the members. It's an absolutely amazing opportunity and I am so grateful for it. I also am really enjoying spending more time with Amber. Two weeks ago our work took us to a small city 5 hours outside of Addis Ababa called Awassa. Amber and I found ourselves squished in one car with 7 guys! It was hilarious. We felt like sardines. We had a great time, hanging out, seeing Awassa, and meeting with/interviewing the SHGs there. I am so encouraged and excited to continue to learn more about how IUDD helps the poor. We recently just wrote a paper explaining more about the organization and what they do. If you are interested in reading it, email me and I'll try and send it to you! Friends: So I feel like everywhere I go I am making new friends. It makes me laugh because when I first got here I would pray everyday for a friend and I felt really lonely. But now...I actually am starting to feel overwhelmed by the amount of friends I am making. I'm thankful for it...but I feel like I haven't really gotten true alone time in over two weeks! I'm either working, with my family, with my close friends, or having coffee with random people...then I come home and I'm exhausted. Wow, I love Ethiopian culture though. Seriously, everyone is soooo nice. I think I said this last time, but honestly, most people genuinely just want to hang out and get to know you. : ) You literally can just be walking down the street and have someone come up and invite you to coffee, or to their house for a coffee ceremony. For the most part Ethiopian's have a culture of respect towards foreigners. It still cracks me up though, because everywhere I walk I have people shouting, "ferenji!" or "Kiyu" (which means white)...I usually laugh and joke around with people... "Oh I'm white?! Wow, I'm glad they told me." Also, in their language when they talk to someone they say, "ange" for a girl and "anta" for a boy...directly translated it means "you." So many times I'll get people saying "you, you, you...comehere" Or "you, you, you, you, wheredoyougo?" Or just plain, "youyouyouyou." Religion: The three main religions here are Orthodox, Protestant, and Muslim. One of my really, really good guy friends, Ahmedin, is a Muslim, although he's not really a practicing Muslim. He doesn't pray...he's thinking about participating in Ramadan, but he's not sure. The Islamic culture is everywhere. Woman wearing hijabs...some just cover their heads, some are completely covered from head to toe. We hear the call to prayer all the time, I can hear it from my room. But surprisingly, Ahmedin is my only friend who is Muslim. I feel like for the most part, they keep to themselves. Ethiopian Orthodox is the main religion in Ethiopia. Most of my friends are either Protestant or Orthodox. It's just like the states....there are the more conservative and the less conservative. Some of my Orthodox friends aren't practicing Orthodox and some are more committed. When Orthodox convert to Protestantism, everyone says "they found Jesus," which means they didn't know Jesus before. I'm still not sure what I think about that...I need to continue to talk with my Orthodox friends to learn more about their faith. I do feel like some of them really are genuine about it. I have noticed that many of the Protestants here are VERY conservative and VERY judgmental. They seem to have many many rules of what to do and what not to do....One time one of Amber and my friends pointed to Amber's nose ring and told us that in the Protestant faith, facial piercings are forbidden. I asked him why and he said he didn't know....I feel like many of the conservative protestants don't truly know why they believe what they believe...they just do it because they were told. That's been hard for me. BUT God has brought me to an AMAZING church that I really connect with. My best friend Hirut goes there. I feel like for those of you who know Brian McLaren's work, this church would make him proud. They are all about asking questions and truly being open to the truth. They reject "religion" and all of the baggage that comes with that word. Their main focus is on Jesus and becoming more and more like him....allowing Jesus to truly manifest himself in our entire lives. They aren't all about rules...they are about love...loving God and loving others...once we do that, the rest will fall into place. It's a small church, and I'm starting to make friends with the people there. I've met with the pastor once, and am going to continue to meet with him every once in a while. The whole service is in Amharic, but Hirut translates the sermons. I like praying and worshiping in Amharic, even though I don't understand, I still feel the connection with the church community and with God. Amharic is a beautiful language. I brought Amber one day and she fell in love with the church too. We are growing closer and closer with the members and feel so welcomed by everyone. Anyways, I'm excited to get more involved and connected with this church. Hair: Sooooo, hair is a BIG deal here. Actually...public appearance is a really big deal here. Amber and I constantly feel...frumpy. Haha Anyways, hair salons are everywhere. Woman are constantly getting their hair changed. Amber and I decided to get our hair braided!! We were gonna get our hair braided down...but with some miscommunication...we ended up each getting multi-colored cornrows!! (with added hair) We decided that Amber looked like Little Bow-wow, and I looked like the elf man from Lord of the Rings!! : ) Here, cornrows looks GOOD on the Ethiopian woman...but I felt a little ridiculous. It was a good experience. I covered mine most of the time, but Amber was free with hers! I'll definitely show you all pictures. We left it in for a week. I suppose we could have left it in for maybe a week and a half, but it was KILLING my head...very itchy and painful. It took us 4 hours to take it out! After taking it out, we went back to the salon and got our hair straightened...and curled. It felt nice and my hair was clean for 5 days! Now it's back to natural, but I think we'll make going to the tsagore bait (hair house) a bi-weekly event. : ) I'm glad I got to experience the cornrows...now I know how the woman feel when they cringe and hit their heads (it's better to hit the head then to scratch)...or when they always have to wrap their hair at night....I feel a bit more connected with the culture. Amber and I want to get our hair braided down next time. I'll make a hair portfolio to show you guys when I get back! Life: So I love it here. Seriously, sometimes I have my bad days, sometimes I feel really sick, sometimes I feel really confused and lost, sometimes I feel taken advantage of, sometimes I feel exhausted, many times I miss home....BUT I'm constantly filled with an overwhelming feeling of love for this place. I'm drawn to it. I feel like this is my second home. I love the people here, I am constantly impressed and amazed with the culture....I'm still enjoying learning Amharic, I'm overjoyed with the org. I work with....I love my family and friends....I feel independent and love exploring, meeting new people, getting around by myself, I see God guiding me all the time....I really have fallen in love with Ethiopia. Amber and I are actually starting to talk about when we can come back!! Sometimes I think about how I was the first three weeks here and I can't believe how much things have changed! Seriously...I can't even truly express how I feel. Prayer Requests: Pray that I stay on top of my work. I feel like I've fallen behind because I am CONSTANTLY doing things, as I mentioned before. But I am here as a student...I have to remember that. Pray for my health....I'm sort of getting used to feeling icky...for the past couple of days I have felt fine, but it comes and goes quite often. I LOVE the food sooo much, but my body doesn't love it very much. There are still communication issues that need to be worked out at IUDD, where Amber and I work. Our time there is very up in the air...our boss never really tells us what he wants us to do until the day of...even if we try and ask him....pray that we will be able to communicate well and actually get a "set" schedule. Pray for time management....I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to balance my life....work, friends, family, school....also continue to pray for my language learning...I'm TRYING and I can understand a lot, but I still have work to do on that!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
A Fresh Start in Ethiopia
Dear Friends and Family!!
I am so so sorry it has taken me so long to write you! LOTS has happened in the past
couple of weeks. First of all, I have gotten a fresh start here in Ethiopia. My new
family is amazing. God knew what I needed. Thank you all for your prayers and your
e-mails. I seriously love hearing from you guys. Know that you are in my prayers. I'll
break up my e-mail in sections to make it easier to read…
Family: My host mom has become my “mom” (don’t be jealous mom, no one will ever replace
you!), my boss, and one of my closet friends. I love her so much. Our personalities
really connect. : ) I have two younger sisters- a 7 year old and a 4 year old. They are
still fascinated with me so every time I come home I usually find them both in my lap or
tugging at my arm to come play with them. My host “dad” is great as well. He seems to
be a wealth of knowledge and I love sitting with him after dinner, drinking chai or
coffee and talking with him. The electricity issue in the city is starting to get better
(the city is run by hydro-electricity and this year there has been a shortage of water so
they have been turning off the electricity at different times throughout the city. When
I first got here it was every other day…now it’s maybe once a week) so that’s nice. They
also usually have running water…although we lost water for about 5 days…it’s back now and
I’m ready to take a shower! My home is my haven. I love it. Oh also living in the house
is “mama” who is my host dad’s mom. She’s in her 70’s (which is rare here considering
the life expectancy is 43!). Also we have a girl in her mid twenties living at the home.
She was born in the country and came to Addis a while ago. We are becoming good
friends. We laugh and joke constantly. And there is a maid (which is very normal here),
she just arrived and is super sweet!
Internship: So most mornings I wake up around 6:30 am, have breakfast of dabo (bread) and
boona (coffe) around 7, then leave around 7:30 for the school ( I usually stay there
until 5)! My host mom runs a primary school. So like I said…I wasn’t planning on it, but
in the past two weeks I have become a computer teacher! I teach grade 3-6 on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. I LOVE the community at Destiny Academy. The teachers (Ethiopian teachers)
have become good friends of mine. There are a couple of foreigners working there…but I
keep my distance. Haha just kidding…but I do find myself connecting and growing closer
with the Ethiopians. Today one of them said that soon I will become a Habisha
(Ethiopian). : ) Anyways, I am supposed to do an internship at that other place that I
originally started with…but I don’t wanna work there anymore. I feel sooooo needed at
Destiny! I love feeling needed. People need to feel needed. Anyways, everyone at
Destiny wants me to stay full time. So on Friday I am going to go talk to my other
boss…I’m bringing Amber so maybe she can take over for me….we’ll see. If I’ve learned
anything this trip it is to trust God. He has guided me thus far…so I’m praying and
trusting that my internship will work out. Pray for me about that!
Daily Life: So I finally have a cell phone that works. Which is nice. I have been able
to make friends and connect with people. I’m starting to really feel at home here. I’ve
learned to take the mini buses by myself and I am finally learning the city. Although
Lofto (where I live) is not right in the center of the city, it is MUCH closer. The mini
Bus system is great. One guy hangs his head out of the side door and yells the
destination like- “PIAZZA, PIAZZA, PIAZZA” and…if I’m going to Piazza, I get on that
mini bus. They are also really cheep…only 2-4 bir…which is 20 to 40 cents. There are no
street signs anywhere, so I just have to learn how the city looks…which has been a little
nervousing at times….but so far it’s worked out. People are SUPER friendly here.
Seriously, I feel like everywhere I go people help me, or want to go to coffee…(which is
a common daily activity). Just now actually a guy sitting next to me wants to go to
coffee (haha don’t worry…I’m being safe!). Honestly, Ethiopians are known for their
friendliness. They are not violent people. I asked my friend why that was and she said
because if they do anything violent…the government will just out right shoot them.
Seriously…the military just walks around with machine guns…So no one wants to take that
risk. The only risk I really have is for my stuff to be stolen…but even that…especially
where I live…isn’t too much of a concern. Anyways, I’m starting to feel more
independent, which is SUPER nice. I’m making friends, I love my internship, I’ve been
able to see Amber more (which has been a huge BLESSING….we are good support for
eachother), I love my family, I’m adjusting to life. Things are good. I’m loving
Ethiopian culture sooooooooo much! One thing I love a lot is...every morning I wake up
and have NO IDEA what the day is going to be like. I feel like every day is SOOO
different. I was talking to my host mom about it and she said that is definitely
Ethiopian culture. It's hard to plan anything...I just "go with the flow" most
days. I didn't think my personality would like that...but actually I LOVE it. I think
because I love surprises so much...each day is a surprise for me...who am I going to
meet? where am i going to go? who am i going to talk to? It's always a surprise. : )
Food: I forgot to tell you guys last time…but I did try a piece of raw meet. It was
ok. It didn’t make me want to eat anymore….haha. I love the cooked meet though. Goat
is one of my favorites!
Health: I haven’t been very healthy, which is a bummer. So pray about that. When I
was with my other family, they fed me fish and I got BAD food poisoning. I threw up a lot
and I was in bed for a whole day. And now it seems about once a week or more I have
diarrhea. : ( If I get it again soon, I may go to a doctor. But we’ll see. It seems
like getting sick is common around here. Luckily my mother packed me with an ample
supply of meds. I am very thankful for that!!!
Money: So just to give you a perspective on money from a U.S. stand point- I can get a
plate of spaghetti, yummy bread, vegetables, a coke, and a macchiato (which are amazing
here) for 15 bir…which is $1.50!! : ) But for the people living here, the economy is not
doing well. Prices of everything continue to rise. MANY people are out of work. It’s
sort of a joke that Ethiopians just “sit around.” For instance, Amber doesn’t have an
internship yet so she hangs out with friends and practices her Amharic (she’s better then
me for sure!), and her friends tease her that she is becoming a “true” Ethiopian. But
it’s really not a laughing matter. It’s serious, people are struggling a lot. The
beggars and street children are overwhelming. Also the other night some friends and I
went to an area in the city where the prostitutes are. We walked down the street and saw
many girls standing around waiting to be picked up. Wow, it hit me hard. Many of the
girls are 14…15…many of them come from the country hoping that they can find a job in the
city…but realize that they can’t. Thus their option is to sell themselves…pray for the
people.
PRAYER Requests: So pray for my internship…if I should work full time at the school or if I
should also work at that other place. Also as my mom has reminded me…since I am starting
to settle in and get “comfortable”….and I am kept VERY busy at the school, it’s easy to
just set aside my school work (which I have a lot of)…so pray that I keep on top of
things, and that God will continue to open doors for me. I am learning the language but
I am STILL looking for a consistent language partner. So pray about that. Also pray for
my health!!!
I feel like there is so much more I could tell you!! But I’ll wrap it up. Thank you so so
much for your prayers. God is soooo good. I have experienced him and felt him in such
powerful ways here. He’s got my back for sure. : ) I miss you all a lot. Know that you
are in my thoughts and prayers! Keep me updated on your lives!!
In Christ,
Dana
I am so so sorry it has taken me so long to write you! LOTS has happened in the past
couple of weeks. First of all, I have gotten a fresh start here in Ethiopia. My new
family is amazing. God knew what I needed. Thank you all for your prayers and your
e-mails. I seriously love hearing from you guys. Know that you are in my prayers. I'll
break up my e-mail in sections to make it easier to read…
Family: My host mom has become my “mom” (don’t be jealous mom, no one will ever replace
you!), my boss, and one of my closet friends. I love her so much. Our personalities
really connect. : ) I have two younger sisters- a 7 year old and a 4 year old. They are
still fascinated with me so every time I come home I usually find them both in my lap or
tugging at my arm to come play with them. My host “dad” is great as well. He seems to
be a wealth of knowledge and I love sitting with him after dinner, drinking chai or
coffee and talking with him. The electricity issue in the city is starting to get better
(the city is run by hydro-electricity and this year there has been a shortage of water so
they have been turning off the electricity at different times throughout the city. When
I first got here it was every other day…now it’s maybe once a week) so that’s nice. They
also usually have running water…although we lost water for about 5 days…it’s back now and
I’m ready to take a shower! My home is my haven. I love it. Oh also living in the house
is “mama” who is my host dad’s mom. She’s in her 70’s (which is rare here considering
the life expectancy is 43!). Also we have a girl in her mid twenties living at the home.
She was born in the country and came to Addis a while ago. We are becoming good
friends. We laugh and joke constantly. And there is a maid (which is very normal here),
she just arrived and is super sweet!
Internship: So most mornings I wake up around 6:30 am, have breakfast of dabo (bread) and
boona (coffe) around 7, then leave around 7:30 for the school ( I usually stay there
until 5)! My host mom runs a primary school. So like I said…I wasn’t planning on it, but
in the past two weeks I have become a computer teacher! I teach grade 3-6 on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. I LOVE the community at Destiny Academy. The teachers (Ethiopian teachers)
have become good friends of mine. There are a couple of foreigners working there…but I
keep my distance. Haha just kidding…but I do find myself connecting and growing closer
with the Ethiopians. Today one of them said that soon I will become a Habisha
(Ethiopian). : ) Anyways, I am supposed to do an internship at that other place that I
originally started with…but I don’t wanna work there anymore. I feel sooooo needed at
Destiny! I love feeling needed. People need to feel needed. Anyways, everyone at
Destiny wants me to stay full time. So on Friday I am going to go talk to my other
boss…I’m bringing Amber so maybe she can take over for me….we’ll see. If I’ve learned
anything this trip it is to trust God. He has guided me thus far…so I’m praying and
trusting that my internship will work out. Pray for me about that!
Daily Life: So I finally have a cell phone that works. Which is nice. I have been able
to make friends and connect with people. I’m starting to really feel at home here. I’ve
learned to take the mini buses by myself and I am finally learning the city. Although
Lofto (where I live) is not right in the center of the city, it is MUCH closer. The mini
Bus system is great. One guy hangs his head out of the side door and yells the
destination like- “PIAZZA, PIAZZA, PIAZZA” and…if I’m going to Piazza, I get on that
mini bus. They are also really cheep…only 2-4 bir…which is 20 to 40 cents. There are no
street signs anywhere, so I just have to learn how the city looks…which has been a little
nervousing at times….but so far it’s worked out. People are SUPER friendly here.
Seriously, I feel like everywhere I go people help me, or want to go to coffee…(which is
a common daily activity). Just now actually a guy sitting next to me wants to go to
coffee (haha don’t worry…I’m being safe!). Honestly, Ethiopians are known for their
friendliness. They are not violent people. I asked my friend why that was and she said
because if they do anything violent…the government will just out right shoot them.
Seriously…the military just walks around with machine guns…So no one wants to take that
risk. The only risk I really have is for my stuff to be stolen…but even that…especially
where I live…isn’t too much of a concern. Anyways, I’m starting to feel more
independent, which is SUPER nice. I’m making friends, I love my internship, I’ve been
able to see Amber more (which has been a huge BLESSING….we are good support for
eachother), I love my family, I’m adjusting to life. Things are good. I’m loving
Ethiopian culture sooooooooo much! One thing I love a lot is...every morning I wake up
and have NO IDEA what the day is going to be like. I feel like every day is SOOO
different. I was talking to my host mom about it and she said that is definitely
Ethiopian culture. It's hard to plan anything...I just "go with the flow" most
days. I didn't think my personality would like that...but actually I LOVE it. I think
because I love surprises so much...each day is a surprise for me...who am I going to
meet? where am i going to go? who am i going to talk to? It's always a surprise. : )
Food: I forgot to tell you guys last time…but I did try a piece of raw meet. It was
ok. It didn’t make me want to eat anymore….haha. I love the cooked meet though. Goat
is one of my favorites!
Health: I haven’t been very healthy, which is a bummer. So pray about that. When I
was with my other family, they fed me fish and I got BAD food poisoning. I threw up a lot
and I was in bed for a whole day. And now it seems about once a week or more I have
diarrhea. : ( If I get it again soon, I may go to a doctor. But we’ll see. It seems
like getting sick is common around here. Luckily my mother packed me with an ample
supply of meds. I am very thankful for that!!!
Money: So just to give you a perspective on money from a U.S. stand point- I can get a
plate of spaghetti, yummy bread, vegetables, a coke, and a macchiato (which are amazing
here) for 15 bir…which is $1.50!! : ) But for the people living here, the economy is not
doing well. Prices of everything continue to rise. MANY people are out of work. It’s
sort of a joke that Ethiopians just “sit around.” For instance, Amber doesn’t have an
internship yet so she hangs out with friends and practices her Amharic (she’s better then
me for sure!), and her friends tease her that she is becoming a “true” Ethiopian. But
it’s really not a laughing matter. It’s serious, people are struggling a lot. The
beggars and street children are overwhelming. Also the other night some friends and I
went to an area in the city where the prostitutes are. We walked down the street and saw
many girls standing around waiting to be picked up. Wow, it hit me hard. Many of the
girls are 14…15…many of them come from the country hoping that they can find a job in the
city…but realize that they can’t. Thus their option is to sell themselves…pray for the
people.
PRAYER Requests: So pray for my internship…if I should work full time at the school or if I
should also work at that other place. Also as my mom has reminded me…since I am starting
to settle in and get “comfortable”….and I am kept VERY busy at the school, it’s easy to
just set aside my school work (which I have a lot of)…so pray that I keep on top of
things, and that God will continue to open doors for me. I am learning the language but
I am STILL looking for a consistent language partner. So pray about that. Also pray for
my health!!!
I feel like there is so much more I could tell you!! But I’ll wrap it up. Thank you so so
much for your prayers. God is soooo good. I have experienced him and felt him in such
powerful ways here. He’s got my back for sure. : ) I miss you all a lot. Know that you
are in my thoughts and prayers! Keep me updated on your lives!!
In Christ,
Dana
Thursday, July 10, 2008
New homestay
I have moved into my new homestay and I love it here! My new host family's names are Hareg and Yonatin. They are 30 something and have two small children. They own and operate a school for poor city children and take in US and European students to suppliment their income. They speak excellent English so communication should be easier! Yeah!
We went to the country side today. It's BEAUTIFUL!! And the air is so fresh...especially compared to the city!!! Anyways I took a lot of pictures. : ) Now I'm back at the school just chillin. I love Hareg. She's so thoughtful and kind and a really good communicator. I feel like we are going to be good friends. Thank you for your prayers. I am still praying that I'll make some more friends...and to figure out language and the internship. Hareg asked me today if I would help her teach computer class while I'm waiting for my internship! I said YES! It starts on Monday!! I think it'll be a fun experience. haha I'll be Mrs. Parker! It'll be interesting to help her out since the class will probably be in Amharic. haha I'll have to have a crash course on computer words.
It is such a different experience that I am having being here by myself...opposed to living with other Americans. Sometimes I feel the benefits of being alone and other times I feel like I'd rather live with a bunch of Americans! haha I was thinking today...this will probably be the only time that I ever am living overseas by myself, so I just have to make the most of it!! I feel myself slowly healing from my past three week emotional low....so that's good. I'm so happy to be in my new homestay and to feel like there is hope for me to feel adjusted and maybe even at home here.
We went to the country side today. It's BEAUTIFUL!! And the air is so fresh...especially compared to the city!!! Anyways I took a lot of pictures. : ) Now I'm back at the school just chillin. I love Hareg. She's so thoughtful and kind and a really good communicator. I feel like we are going to be good friends. Thank you for your prayers. I am still praying that I'll make some more friends...and to figure out language and the internship. Hareg asked me today if I would help her teach computer class while I'm waiting for my internship! I said YES! It starts on Monday!! I think it'll be a fun experience. haha I'll be Mrs. Parker! It'll be interesting to help her out since the class will probably be in Amharic. haha I'll have to have a crash course on computer words.
It is such a different experience that I am having being here by myself...opposed to living with other Americans. Sometimes I feel the benefits of being alone and other times I feel like I'd rather live with a bunch of Americans! haha I was thinking today...this will probably be the only time that I ever am living overseas by myself, so I just have to make the most of it!! I feel myself slowly healing from my past three week emotional low....so that's good. I'm so happy to be in my new homestay and to feel like there is hope for me to feel adjusted and maybe even at home here.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Selam Friends and Family
Selam Friends and Family!!
It has been hard for me to get to the internet this past week. Power has been on and off and the internet I normally go to is always closed! So today I ventured out and found a new one. : ) There is so much to update you guys on! Honestly I wish I could write to you each a personal e-mail. But even though I can't, I want you to know that I think about each of you, and each of your e-mails brings me so so much joy. I feel the love from you all and it means so much more to me then I can even express in words. It is hard to be alone so far far away from home. But even so God has encouraged me and shown me the importance of receiving love from strangers. Although often I feel like a burden on every one. It is a humbling experience that's for sure. Lets see, I'll try and break this up in headings so you can read it easier.
God Moments: When I said in my first letter to everyone that I would learn to depend on God in new ways....God took that very seriously! I have been lonely...confused...sick...unhappy....and in my times of joy and peace...God has met me in new ways. God brought me a friend last week! I woke up one morning praying and praying for a friend and God placed a girl named Jalalee that I had met in the internet café the other day, on my mind. And so my family let me go and walk around. So I went to the internet café to see if I could find Jalalee, but it was closed. So I just decided to walk....I walked and walked not know where I was going...and all of a sudden I heard "Selam, Dana!" I turned around and it was Jalalee!! I knew at that second that it was a moment arranged by God. It was so random, it had to be! So Jalalee and I went and sat in a coffee shop and talked for more than an hour. I don't have a cell phone yet, so I haven't been able to see her for a week, but even so, it gave me peace and hope and reassurance that God really is guiding me and taking care of me. Also, the first week I was in Ethiopia, I was thrown into a crazy experience with my internship...I didn't know what they wanted me to do...they had me interview a pastor and a group of poor women, and honestly I just threw together questions and bs-ed my way through it....so after that I was sitting in an office feeling very lost and confused and I looked on the wall...and in ENGLISH (which is rare) it said "If God brought you to it, He will bring you through it." WOW! God is good. I took a break from my internship to get oriented, but I am going to start it again this week. They want me to do some research and write some proposals for them. I'm still not quite sure..but I'll let you know once I get into it! Pray that God will give me clarity and knowledge to know how to best serve them. They are a Community Development organization that works with a holistic approach towards the poor...so basically they help them help themselves...instead of just being a charity. So far it seems like an amazing organization, I just don't feel very qualified to do what they want me to do!! Only with God's strength. : ) Also the other night when the power was out, I sat by candle light...drinking tea and talking to my host dad. It was an amazing experience! He has an amazing story. His family was taken and he was put in Jail at the age of 8 by Somalians...he stayed in jail for 11 years! It's a long story so I'll tell you about it when I get home.
Food Moments: So everything I eat seems to be HOT! And for those of you who know me and my family...we don't really eat hot foods. So my goal has been to kill my taste buds and get used to eating spicy things. The other day I was eating my normal...injera with some sort of meat mush....and my family offered me a jalapeño pepper stuffed with some sort of tomato mush. I decided to eat it...my personal goal was to finish the whole thing and to not cry!! I accomplished only one of my goals. I finished it, but tears came! Haha I also drank a lot of water. But that was just the first step. By the time I come home I'll be able to eat jalapeno peppers- Minum Idelem (no problem!)! : ) haha
Street Life: So unfortunately I still have not gotten used to all of the stares and comments from people. I've never been overseas by myself...usually I'm in a group of foreigners so I can distract myself from all of the stares. But not this time!! I am constantly made aware that I am a ferenji (foreigner) and that I look and talk different then everyone! The other day I took my little host brother out to eat some cake at a local coffee shop (coffee shops are everywhere...just like Seattle!! ) and since he only six...he commented the WHOLE way there and back about how many people were staring at us. Haha I've gotten some funny comments, "sister, sister I love you" or "hellohowareyouwhatisyourname?" It interesting...it seems that many little little kids...like 2 or 3 years old have an impulse to stick their hand out to me and have me shake it. I've done that I couple of times now. : ) It's still hard for me because when people see me they immediately associate me with whatever they think about foreigners....rich is a common one...mean...greedy....doesn't know any Amharic...who knows!! I guess I shouldn't worry about it, but I hope that I can make a positive influence on people about how they view foreigners. On my route to my house there is a field...it is my favorite field to pass by because it always has different animals. Sometimes it's goats...horses....cows....donkeys....sheep....dogs....it's always a surprise!! : ) I'm still getting used to all of the sounds I hear...my favorite sound is a donkey naaaying. Haha I don't know why, but I like hearing it.
Language Moments: So I still haven't found a language helper. My host brother and sister speak English and they have been helping me. Also my host mom speaks A LITTLE English, so she's been helping me. I already know more Amharic then I do Spanish...and I've had Spanish classes!! Basically anyone who is willing to help me, I try to learn. It's been fun, but its hard!
Homestay: My family is going to Seattle so I have been on a search for a homestay. Amber helped me find a nice family who lives inbetween her and my internship!! The pasrents speak English so they can help me with things. And they can help me with learning more Amharic! I'm moving there tomorrow night! Wow. I'm going to miss my family so so much, but it's fun to know that I will see them in Seattle when I go home! Yay! Anyways, I'll let you know about my new family!
Prayer Requests: Pray that the transition to a new family goes well. Pray that I will find a friend there!! Pray that I will understand my internship!! I love you all. Thank you so much for your prayers and love. They are felt. You are in my prayers as well. I'll write more when I can!In Christ, Dana
It has been hard for me to get to the internet this past week. Power has been on and off and the internet I normally go to is always closed! So today I ventured out and found a new one. : ) There is so much to update you guys on! Honestly I wish I could write to you each a personal e-mail. But even though I can't, I want you to know that I think about each of you, and each of your e-mails brings me so so much joy. I feel the love from you all and it means so much more to me then I can even express in words. It is hard to be alone so far far away from home. But even so God has encouraged me and shown me the importance of receiving love from strangers. Although often I feel like a burden on every one. It is a humbling experience that's for sure. Lets see, I'll try and break this up in headings so you can read it easier.
God Moments: When I said in my first letter to everyone that I would learn to depend on God in new ways....God took that very seriously! I have been lonely...confused...sick...unhappy....and in my times of joy and peace...God has met me in new ways. God brought me a friend last week! I woke up one morning praying and praying for a friend and God placed a girl named Jalalee that I had met in the internet café the other day, on my mind. And so my family let me go and walk around. So I went to the internet café to see if I could find Jalalee, but it was closed. So I just decided to walk....I walked and walked not know where I was going...and all of a sudden I heard "Selam, Dana!" I turned around and it was Jalalee!! I knew at that second that it was a moment arranged by God. It was so random, it had to be! So Jalalee and I went and sat in a coffee shop and talked for more than an hour. I don't have a cell phone yet, so I haven't been able to see her for a week, but even so, it gave me peace and hope and reassurance that God really is guiding me and taking care of me. Also, the first week I was in Ethiopia, I was thrown into a crazy experience with my internship...I didn't know what they wanted me to do...they had me interview a pastor and a group of poor women, and honestly I just threw together questions and bs-ed my way through it....so after that I was sitting in an office feeling very lost and confused and I looked on the wall...and in ENGLISH (which is rare) it said "If God brought you to it, He will bring you through it." WOW! God is good. I took a break from my internship to get oriented, but I am going to start it again this week. They want me to do some research and write some proposals for them. I'm still not quite sure..but I'll let you know once I get into it! Pray that God will give me clarity and knowledge to know how to best serve them. They are a Community Development organization that works with a holistic approach towards the poor...so basically they help them help themselves...instead of just being a charity. So far it seems like an amazing organization, I just don't feel very qualified to do what they want me to do!! Only with God's strength. : ) Also the other night when the power was out, I sat by candle light...drinking tea and talking to my host dad. It was an amazing experience! He has an amazing story. His family was taken and he was put in Jail at the age of 8 by Somalians...he stayed in jail for 11 years! It's a long story so I'll tell you about it when I get home.
Food Moments: So everything I eat seems to be HOT! And for those of you who know me and my family...we don't really eat hot foods. So my goal has been to kill my taste buds and get used to eating spicy things. The other day I was eating my normal...injera with some sort of meat mush....and my family offered me a jalapeño pepper stuffed with some sort of tomato mush. I decided to eat it...my personal goal was to finish the whole thing and to not cry!! I accomplished only one of my goals. I finished it, but tears came! Haha I also drank a lot of water. But that was just the first step. By the time I come home I'll be able to eat jalapeno peppers- Minum Idelem (no problem!)! : ) haha
Street Life: So unfortunately I still have not gotten used to all of the stares and comments from people. I've never been overseas by myself...usually I'm in a group of foreigners so I can distract myself from all of the stares. But not this time!! I am constantly made aware that I am a ferenji (foreigner) and that I look and talk different then everyone! The other day I took my little host brother out to eat some cake at a local coffee shop (coffee shops are everywhere...just like Seattle!! ) and since he only six...he commented the WHOLE way there and back about how many people were staring at us. Haha I've gotten some funny comments, "sister, sister I love you" or "hellohowareyouwhatisyourname?" It interesting...it seems that many little little kids...like 2 or 3 years old have an impulse to stick their hand out to me and have me shake it. I've done that I couple of times now. : ) It's still hard for me because when people see me they immediately associate me with whatever they think about foreigners....rich is a common one...mean...greedy....doesn't know any Amharic...who knows!! I guess I shouldn't worry about it, but I hope that I can make a positive influence on people about how they view foreigners. On my route to my house there is a field...it is my favorite field to pass by because it always has different animals. Sometimes it's goats...horses....cows....donkeys....sheep....dogs....it's always a surprise!! : ) I'm still getting used to all of the sounds I hear...my favorite sound is a donkey naaaying. Haha I don't know why, but I like hearing it.
Language Moments: So I still haven't found a language helper. My host brother and sister speak English and they have been helping me. Also my host mom speaks A LITTLE English, so she's been helping me. I already know more Amharic then I do Spanish...and I've had Spanish classes!! Basically anyone who is willing to help me, I try to learn. It's been fun, but its hard!
Homestay: My family is going to Seattle so I have been on a search for a homestay. Amber helped me find a nice family who lives inbetween her and my internship!! The pasrents speak English so they can help me with things. And they can help me with learning more Amharic! I'm moving there tomorrow night! Wow. I'm going to miss my family so so much, but it's fun to know that I will see them in Seattle when I go home! Yay! Anyways, I'll let you know about my new family!
Prayer Requests: Pray that the transition to a new family goes well. Pray that I will find a friend there!! Pray that I will understand my internship!! I love you all. Thank you so much for your prayers and love. They are felt. You are in my prayers as well. I'll write more when I can!In Christ, Dana
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Update from Addis June 26th
I don't have too much time, so I will keep it short. I just wanted to thank you for your prayers. They are definitely felt. Emotionally I am doing better! Praise the Lord. My culture shock is starting to wear off and I am starting to feel more adjusted here. My physical state is still up and down, but it's not too bad either. I think once I fully decided to surrender everything to God, I started to see things in a whole new light. I realized that I have no control, but God is completely in control. I also realized that I was worrying too much and looking too far ahead in the future...wanting my GLT to be EXACTLY as I had thought it would be...which made me stressed and anxious because it's NOT what I thought it would be. But now I am surrendering each day to the Lord and trying hard not to worry about tomorrow. : ) I recognize that my family situation is not ideal to what a GLT asks me to do....we live too far from the city and they don't let me do anything by myself...so I'm having a hard time meeting people and doing what I need to do for my GLT. Buuuttt I'm figuring things out. My host dad is trying to find me a language tutor, so maybe that will get me out of the house more. PRAY for me on that one. I do LOVE my family so so much. They really have made me one of their own. I owe them a lot, they have done so much for me and I am truly, truly thankful for them. I believe that God placed me here for a reason. It looks like they are moving to Seattle July 17th. I will miss them dearly, but it will also give me an opportunity to maybe be placed in a home closer to the city. We will see....pray for that too!!! Just a fun thing- Today my host mom and her brother came home with a goat! Then we sat down for lunch and the next thing I know, they brought a tub of skinned goat into the living room! It was amazing. I took pictures....they showed me the liver, the stomach...etc. Then they started eating some of it. I was SO CLOSE to eating a piece...but I didn't. Since I'm still trying to get my body adjusted, I don't know what raw meet will do to me....maybe in a couple of months. ; ) Even though I'm with my family 24/7 I'm still getting around....they take me on their errands, so I get to see and experience the area. I'm really loving this place, and each day I wake up...not knowing at ALL what I'm going to do or what is going to happen to me....I'm not used to that because I'm such a planner...but I'm learning to LOVE it. : ) Oh ya, real quick- the WEATHER! It's similar to Seattle summer actually. Although when it rains...it rains HARD, and then it stops. Out where I live things get muddy. It feels like its in the mid 70's most of the time...maybe low 70s. Everyone here thinks it's cold, but I think it's perfect!! In the night time is gets a little chilly, but not too bad. Its been a big blessing because it hasn't been difficult for me to get used to the weather. Thank you for you prayers. Much much love,In Christ,Dana
June 23rd Update
Unfortunately internet is not the best here. The power is often out and once I finally get to an internet café, it takes FOREVER to even upload my e-mail page. Also it looks like my blog website doesn't work here. I don't know why...anyways I just wanted to e-mail you all and let you know that I am safe. I am living with an amazing, loving family who has accepted me as their own. Unfortunately I have been experiencing EXTREME culture shock...and my body has been having a hard time adjusting to the altitude, food, water, lack of normal hygiene routine...etc. It seems it will just take my body a couple of weeks to fully adjust. But I have also been experiencing some emotional culture shock as well. I've been crying a lot...and I've been feeling really lonely. Even though I have a loving family, they keep me pretty sheltered, so I still have not made ANY friends my age. My host brother and sister are fun, but you can only hang out with 6 and 10 year olds for so long...ya know? So those are my two main prayer requests...that my body and emotions will adjust...and that I'll be able to find a friend my age. Also my class work is quite overwhelming...so until I've adjusted I'm trying to put it on the back burner...but for a perfectionist/over achiever like myself...I still get overwhelmed by it. On a good note...I have been learning to completely surrender to God and even others in new ways. I wish I didn't have to learn it this way, but oh well. Upon entering Ethiopia I have reverted back into a child-like-state. I know that sounds silly...but not being able to communicate...and really not being in control of ANYTHING I do...has turned me into a child. It's been hard because I'm so used to having my own schedule, communicating with whoever I need to, making my own food, cleaning my own place, hanging out with all of my friends whenever I want, doing my hw when I want...and so much more. All of that freedom has been taken away from me...and I'm realizing that I'll have to gain my independence very very slowly as I learn the language and adjust to my surroundings. But I'm finally realizing that I need to just completely surrender each day to the Lord, not worrying about the next day, but believing that God has everything under control. Also I have to let go of my ego and depend fully on God and others...phew! It's easier said then done. Just to give you guys an idea of Ethiopia! It seriously is such a special place. Since it has never been colonized, it really has a culture of it's own. The center of the city is very BUSY. Lots of people, beggars, street children, venders, hotels...everywhere. Ethiopia is a very poor country, there are shacks...houses made of mud...people living on the streets. As most places there is a disparity between the rich and the poor. I'm learning more and more about the poor..many of the street children and beggars have come from the rural areas...thinking that city life would be better in the city, but when they come, they realize it isn't. Of course, I've heard many different opinions about the poor, for the most part I am told not to give money to street children, but old people and crippled are ok...some think that the beggars make such good money begging that they just do that instead of working...that's hard for me to believe, but as I do more research and ask more questions I'll get more insight into that. For now, I'm just observing.Transportation sucks. Taxi's or mini buses are the way to go...but I still haven't been able to do a mini bus by myself yet...it's hard when I don't know the language!! I still don't know how to get around, and unfortunately my home is FAR from the city...I sort of live in the suburbs of Addis, in a fenced community. I wish I wasn't so far away...the community I live in is pretty wealthy too. Oh well, this is where God has lead me. Even where I am its pretty amazing. I do have a potential internship through my host dad that seems amazing. I'll hopefully start it in a month...its an organization that does holistic community development among the poor. I'll tell ya about it once I cross that boat. Street life is pretty much amazing....sheep/goats (I can't seem to tell the difference very well!!) and cows everywhere. A couple times my taxi has gotten stopped in the middle of the street to let sheep or cows pass...oh ya and donkeys! Uh...they eat raw meet here too, I went into a "restaurant" (with dead caucus's hanging in the front window) with my family and noticed everyone was eating raw meet! My family ordered some to eat but luckily they ordered me cooked meet. I would have tried it if my stomach would handle it...haha. Uh what else...power and water go on and off all the time....I shower (when I get a chance...) with a bucket...flies are everywhere...um...and not very many people speak English! But everyone seems to be super nice. The people are BEAUTIFUL ( I feel very pasty white....and not so attractive here haha). The coffee (boona in Amharic) is AMAZING!! I have coffee maybe once a day....oh its good. Its interesting to see how they do it. Maybe I'll explain it in another e-mail. I do like the food...it's spicy but my mouth is learning. I've even been able to bite into a jalapeño pepper! I ate one on accident at first and started crying...but now I'm getting used to it. Wowow it's an amazing culture. With my culture shock, surprisingly I have not become frustrated or angry at the culture. I LOVE it, it will just take awhile to get used to. I feel like I've been here for a month already...theres more stories I could tell, but I'll leave it at that. I am starting to pick up a little language...it's a fun language but hard!! I'm sorry if this e-mail is random...this is how my thought process is lately. I think about you all often, and love you guys a ton. I appreciate your prayers...I am still struggling a lot! If there is anyone else that is interested in hearing how things are...or who would be willing to pray...pass this on. I wish my blog would work....Mom could you pass this on to family/friends? Thanks!! Love you all,In Christ,Dana
Blog update
Dana is safely in Ethiopia, but internet service is not the best and she cannot access her blog. Her family will be posting e-mails so you can stay in touch, but if you want to contact her, you will have to e-mail her as she cannot respond to you on the blog site itself.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Embark with me on a new journey to Ethiopia…
Dear Friends and Family,
As June quickly approaches, I am finishing up my final plans to head off on a new adventure to Ethiopia! As a part of my Global Studies major at Azusa Pacific University, I am required to do an independent study in a 3rd world country. After much research and a lot of prayer, I decided upon Addis Ababa, which is the capitol of Ethiopia. I am leaving June 12th and will return home November 5th. I am traveling with one other girl from APU who will also live in Ethiopia, but we will be doing independent work. My assignment was to find a country, a home stay, an internship, a place to learn the language, and then go! With the Lords help and guidance, I met an Ethiopian pastor in Seattle through some family friends. His wife and children are living in Addis Ababa and he offered his home to me. When I arrive there I will live with them and start right away on learning Amharic, one of the main languages of Ethiopia. After about a month, I will volunteer at an indigenous organization that works with urban poor.
Ethiopia caught my attention because it is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Along with most African countries, it is a huge victim of the AIDs epidemic. Thousands of people are affected and die every year. Because of that, along with poverty and other economic and cultural factors, Ethiopia has thousands upon thousands of street children. For the past year and a half I have been working with homeless and poverty stricken children in Los Angeles. They have captured my heart and sparked my curiosity as I have sought to understand their world and what different factors go into poverty here in the U.S. Thus, I am planning on studying urban poor, specifically focusing on street children, in Ethiopia in order to compare and contrast poverty in the U.S. with poverty in a third world country. The whole time I am in Ethiopia I will be studying their culture and how they live. Along with learning the language and volunteering at a local organization, I will write an extensive report on Ethiopian family life. I will also do a “Global Study Project” where I will research and write about a topic of my choice, which will have something to do with urban poor.
It is going to be a lot of work, but I am so excited to go, step out of my comfort zone, depend on God in new ways, and learn about the beautiful people of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is surrounded by unstable countries, but Ethiopia itself is stable and open to foreigners. I am confident that this is where the Lord wants me to be. I would love for you to participate with me as I embark on this journey by supporting me with your prayers. As I have traveled in the past, I have really felt people’s prayers with me. Also ,I am going to try and write as much as I can on this blog. I will also be using my e-mail and would love to hear from you- Danalaube@apu.edu.
Thank you so much for your love and support,
In Christ,
Dana Laube
As June quickly approaches, I am finishing up my final plans to head off on a new adventure to Ethiopia! As a part of my Global Studies major at Azusa Pacific University, I am required to do an independent study in a 3rd world country. After much research and a lot of prayer, I decided upon Addis Ababa, which is the capitol of Ethiopia. I am leaving June 12th and will return home November 5th. I am traveling with one other girl from APU who will also live in Ethiopia, but we will be doing independent work. My assignment was to find a country, a home stay, an internship, a place to learn the language, and then go! With the Lords help and guidance, I met an Ethiopian pastor in Seattle through some family friends. His wife and children are living in Addis Ababa and he offered his home to me. When I arrive there I will live with them and start right away on learning Amharic, one of the main languages of Ethiopia. After about a month, I will volunteer at an indigenous organization that works with urban poor.
Ethiopia caught my attention because it is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Along with most African countries, it is a huge victim of the AIDs epidemic. Thousands of people are affected and die every year. Because of that, along with poverty and other economic and cultural factors, Ethiopia has thousands upon thousands of street children. For the past year and a half I have been working with homeless and poverty stricken children in Los Angeles. They have captured my heart and sparked my curiosity as I have sought to understand their world and what different factors go into poverty here in the U.S. Thus, I am planning on studying urban poor, specifically focusing on street children, in Ethiopia in order to compare and contrast poverty in the U.S. with poverty in a third world country. The whole time I am in Ethiopia I will be studying their culture and how they live. Along with learning the language and volunteering at a local organization, I will write an extensive report on Ethiopian family life. I will also do a “Global Study Project” where I will research and write about a topic of my choice, which will have something to do with urban poor.
It is going to be a lot of work, but I am so excited to go, step out of my comfort zone, depend on God in new ways, and learn about the beautiful people of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is surrounded by unstable countries, but Ethiopia itself is stable and open to foreigners. I am confident that this is where the Lord wants me to be. I would love for you to participate with me as I embark on this journey by supporting me with your prayers. As I have traveled in the past, I have really felt people’s prayers with me. Also ,I am going to try and write as much as I can on this blog. I will also be using my e-mail and would love to hear from you- Danalaube@apu.edu.
Thank you so much for your love and support,
In Christ,
Dana Laube
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