This is Morgan by the way. I am currently skyping with my dad and he is telling me that nothing is set in stone and as of right now they are to become Ethiopian citizens and live there the rest of their lives.... Just kidding. They are just having a lot of trouble getting the Ethiopian Airlines to cooperate as well as their travel agent. As of right now things are very unsure so we will have to wait and see.
Morgan
Friday, April 23, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
April 18, 2010 - We are coming home!
Hello Everyone!
It's so nice to get up here to Addis where there is a somwhat reliable internet service. The last week we didn't have any communication from outside Beltu area and it was frustrating. You don't realize how much you rely on the internet until it isn't available to you anymore. Someone, in the dark, walking through our yard probably tripped over the cord pulling the internet modem off its place. When they discovered the modem on the ground, it was not working anymore. But now I'm here in Addis where I can read your emails and send some of my own.
The volcano erruption in Iceland has really made us worry about getting home. Bracken is supposed to fly tonight at 11:50, but his flight is cancelled as of now, and he doesn't even know when he'll even be leaving. I can't check anyone's blog, because I think that up here in Addis they are blocked. Darn, I love to see the blogs. Fortunately we have been able to talk to Morgan and Grandma and Grandpa Baum on the satellite phone this week, so that is good. Today the weather is mostly cloudy and I expect it to rain. Alan has been in meetings all day today with financial officers and purchasing departments. He is getting frustrated at how this operation gets bogged down, because of our miscommunications mostly. Everything is so green and beautiful here in Addis and the temperatures are very mild. Even though it is gray outside, it is still warm enough for me. However, I do see that a lot of the local people here get very cold if it is cloudy and rainy. They're not used to dealing with harsh weather conditions.
Today I went out with Tedi, a driver for the company and Nadi, a finance clerk and teacher who works with us on the farm in Beltu. Nadi traveled from Beltu to Addis with us yesterday. We went out to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables to send back to the farm with Nadi when he goes. I first went to Bambi and then to Friendship which are more American type grocery stores. After that, we went and found some souvenirs to take home with us. As we wove in and out of traffic I felt that several times we were going to collide with another car or mow down a pedestrian. Amazingly we got to the stores and back without any mishap. I had to just sit in the back and try not to gasp or scream as we tore down the streets and darted in front of other drivers. The driver told me there is no electricity for the lights to operate. I asked him if this was common, and he said “yes, they never work.” Too funny! You honestly don’t stop at any intersection, you just go through honking.
Last night when we got here I had a hot shower! I’ve not had one in over a month. We all felt happy to go to bed clean. When I awakened in the morning I felt like I had been unconscious for 10 hours. When I get home to the states, I will blog and tell details about the last 10 days. And I should be able to get a lot of pictures too. We’re excited to see friends and family, and really good food. We were counting on going out to eat after our arrival, but then we realized we don’t fly into IF until 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. Just wanted to let everyone know we are well and happy. Thanks for sending emails to us. We love them!
It's so nice to get up here to Addis where there is a somwhat reliable internet service. The last week we didn't have any communication from outside Beltu area and it was frustrating. You don't realize how much you rely on the internet until it isn't available to you anymore. Someone, in the dark, walking through our yard probably tripped over the cord pulling the internet modem off its place. When they discovered the modem on the ground, it was not working anymore. But now I'm here in Addis where I can read your emails and send some of my own.
The volcano erruption in Iceland has really made us worry about getting home. Bracken is supposed to fly tonight at 11:50, but his flight is cancelled as of now, and he doesn't even know when he'll even be leaving. I can't check anyone's blog, because I think that up here in Addis they are blocked. Darn, I love to see the blogs. Fortunately we have been able to talk to Morgan and Grandma and Grandpa Baum on the satellite phone this week, so that is good. Today the weather is mostly cloudy and I expect it to rain. Alan has been in meetings all day today with financial officers and purchasing departments. He is getting frustrated at how this operation gets bogged down, because of our miscommunications mostly. Everything is so green and beautiful here in Addis and the temperatures are very mild. Even though it is gray outside, it is still warm enough for me. However, I do see that a lot of the local people here get very cold if it is cloudy and rainy. They're not used to dealing with harsh weather conditions.
Today I went out with Tedi, a driver for the company and Nadi, a finance clerk and teacher who works with us on the farm in Beltu. Nadi traveled from Beltu to Addis with us yesterday. We went out to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables to send back to the farm with Nadi when he goes. I first went to Bambi and then to Friendship which are more American type grocery stores. After that, we went and found some souvenirs to take home with us. As we wove in and out of traffic I felt that several times we were going to collide with another car or mow down a pedestrian. Amazingly we got to the stores and back without any mishap. I had to just sit in the back and try not to gasp or scream as we tore down the streets and darted in front of other drivers. The driver told me there is no electricity for the lights to operate. I asked him if this was common, and he said “yes, they never work.” Too funny! You honestly don’t stop at any intersection, you just go through honking.
Last night when we got here I had a hot shower! I’ve not had one in over a month. We all felt happy to go to bed clean. When I awakened in the morning I felt like I had been unconscious for 10 hours. When I get home to the states, I will blog and tell details about the last 10 days. And I should be able to get a lot of pictures too. We’re excited to see friends and family, and really good food. We were counting on going out to eat after our arrival, but then we realized we don’t fly into IF until 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. Just wanted to let everyone know we are well and happy. Thanks for sending emails to us. We love them!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Planting has Begun!!!! April 5 - 7, 2010
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Yesterday was really stressful for Alan, and probably he stressed several others out at the same time (Amin, Bracken and Nahom). Planting is not going the way we expected. We obviously are not using anything close to drills. The most modern way here is to use a broadcast spreader. The wheat seed, Di 'Ammonium Phosphate or DAP, and Urea all come in quintal sacks. A quintal is a measurement of 100 kilos. The seed, DAP and Urea are all transported by tractor and wagon out to the field.
A group of men open the sacks and mix them into the scoop of a loader, which then dumps the mixture into the broadcast spreader. The seed and fertilizer are mixed at a ratio of 1.5 quintal seed, 1.5 quintal urea, and 1 quintal DAP. The broadcast spreader is a large bin on wheels. For those of you who aren't farmers, it works like one of those handheld things you use to fertilize your lawn. As the tractor pulls the broadcast spreader down the field, seed, and fertilizer are spread across a swath of about 25 - 30 feet. At home, when you drill the seed into the soil, you can see exactly where you've been. Here, as the tractors move down the field, there are three men standing at each end, and in the middle with big flags to show them exactly where to head because the seeds are spread on top of the soil and they're hard to see from inside the tractors. Then tractors with disc harrows follow behind and disc the seed into the soil.
It's a pretty slow, ineffective way of planting, but its way better than the alternative, which is to hire a bunch of workers and have them sow it by hand and then cover the seed with using hoes. Crazy! So, even under these conditions they were able to plant about 200 acres yesterday. Alan wore himself ragged running back and forth between the seed stacks and the field planting. Remember, we have no vehicles here to drive back and forth from the seed stacks to the fields. You have to catch a ride on the tractor wagon or hoof it. If we can get the GPS working well, they will be able to work when it is dark and work longer hours. It hasn't rained for the past few days, and everyone is working fast to get as much planted as they can before the rainy season. So far we've been blessed. Today they started out in the field at 8:00 am and were going strong at noon. Alan and Bracken were both in a much better mood. They are having to come up with all kinds of solutions to the problems of not having the tractors and air drills here for this planting season. We've all had to take a step back in time and figure out how to do without our superduper American technology and equipment.
As I was out watching the planting begin a man came up who wanted to sell a chameleon. I didn't want to buy it but I did take some pictures. There have been several chameleons brought to the farm. So far they have all died when they get here.
Tonight a man brought a baby baboon to the farm to see if Wes would buy it. Wes likes to see the exotic animals up close and personal. The little baboon was tied into a basket and then the basket was in a sack that was all tied up. He was really scared when they got him out and became a little frantic at one point. The baboon was vetoed as a house pet for obvious reasons. He was as smelly as a pig pen and he was just a baby.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Today I stayed inside most of the day because I got a bad sunburn yesterday from walking out to the fields twice. Once to go see what was happening and the second time to bring my camera along to take pictures of all the exciting action. I burned my calves and arms badly - we're all of the opinion that the suns rays are much more intense and that we need to be more careful of our skin. Alan, Bracken, and Val are getting very dark, while some of us get red or stay white.te. Another reason I got sunburned was because I decided I had to tackle the laundry issues. Last week I found several of my socks ground into the dirt underneath the clothesline and one got even as far away as the restaurant. I almost couldn't recognize them as socks. Also I have underwear issues. I feel that I shall have to always wash Alan's and my socks and underwear myself instead of having the maids do it. So I stood out in the sun and handwashed our clothing until it was as clean as I could get it. The maids take offense when I do this. I think there could be two reasons for this. One: they think I don't trust them to get my clothes clean, or two: they feel their job is threatened because I don't need them to wash my clothes. Whatever, there are just some things in which I'd rather have control. I had a shower this morning using one of my trusty buckets and my pitcher. I dump water on my head, lather up, rinse, condition, rinse again and again, and then I'm done. It's really cold and so I take a big breath and go for it. I find halfway through that every muscle in my body is clenched and I have to remind myself to breathe. I don't take that many showers anymore. I've gone natural. This is the usual showering method over here. We sometimes get running water, but usually not.
Tonight I made sweet and sour goat. Anytime I say goat anymore, I crack myself up. It actually turned out pretty good and Clair and Alan really liked it. We are having to deal with goat meat over here, so you do what you can to make it different and tasty each time you serve it. We had some vinegar saved for the sour part, but this afternoon when I needed to get the vinegar, I found instead that the bottle had been emptied and used to store milk by one of the maids. She had bought the milk earlier and thought that the vinegar was not good so she tossed it. Darn it! They just don't get that you need vinegar to make good sweet and sour goat. She was going to turn that milk sour I'm sure and then drink the clabber with burburi Stirred into it I've actually seen this done. GROSS!
Tonight I found a little note that Birka had written in the back of my notebook. This is what it says:
My name is Birka Mamina. I came from Beltu town. But now I live in Westown. This house is Shelley house. It is very handsome house. I love this house and I love Shelley more than all. I like banana bread.
Another maid wrote: I like orange. My name is Misra Yequb.
I love my maids. I'm glad that they are here to keep my mind on all the funny, sweet, cute things they do everyday. They love me because I give them suckers and lotion for their hands and faces.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Started the day by going on a walk with Alyssa and Linda. There was a large cranelike bird in the field, so Alyssa got some pictures. I'm curious to see them up close. It looked about waist high. Came back by way of the restaurant and asked them if they had any eggs. They said maybe on Friday. I had the maids wash the remaining glazing putty off the outsides of my windows. I did all the insides of the windows and they did the outside. It was very hot and they needed suckers and water to continue. A man came along after lunch with a chicken and wanted me to buy it. I wasn't sure how much to pay for the chicken, so I asked Ashreka and she said maybe birr 30. So I said how about 20, and he said birr 25. Sold! For approximately $ 2.00. Good bartering on my part, I think. Ashreka wanted to butcher the chicken for dinner, so that's what happened. She got some guy to kill it and then she and Keay kind of skinned the bird and cut it up and washed it out really good. They did a good job and I got pictures.
Just as we were finishing with the chicken, a mother, a grandmother and two children showed up to see the doctor. One of the children was a little girl with a badly burned leg, and the other was a boy of about 10 who had swollen arms, legs, and a distended abdomen. It looked so painful and he was running a temperature of over 100. We couldn't do anything for the little boy, but made a call to Addis to report the symptoms. We cleaned, and bandaged the little girl's burns.
There are not enough doctors here in Ethiopia. We don't know of a doctor between here and Shashamene. That's not good. We're going through the first-aid kits like crazy, and they are supposed to be for the farm and those people who work here, but the need in the community is so desperate that we do our best and give them whatever we can. We finally got the little girl taken care of and gave her and her brother a sucker. Candy helps with the little ones, I think. I have to remember to bring lots of suckers over next time I come.
The farming is going well; we are continuing with the same method. The loading and transporting of the grain and fertilizer to the fields, then mixing, then dumping, then spreading, then disking. Alan is reporting to me every night, and he thinks it went OK yesterday, and I could tell at noon that everything was alright today also. I just asked Alan about how many hectares we have planted in three days and he said 400. Pretty good considering what our methods are. Everyone is working really hard. We're living the dream, as Bracken says.
A serious thing to report; Sheik Alli, the head of security over the farm was seriously injured yesterday in a car accident. Apparently he, his driver, and a few others were headed to Ginir from Robe and they had some kind of accident which caused the land cruiser in which they were traveling to roll over about four times. Kind of a freak accident.e driver and Sheik Alli was transported to Addis Ababa and has a broken back. He is paralyzed from the waist down. He is an important man in this region for he is a religious leader as well as some kind of policeman, I think. I'm not totally clear on that. He is supposed to be helping to keep the peace dwon here in this region. So we really feel bad about his accident, not only for him, but because the land cruiser was one of the vehicles we had been using on the farm. So, crazy, huh?
It's good to get your emails. Keep them coming, they cheer and help us through many tough days. Bye for now.
Yesterday was really stressful for Alan, and probably he stressed several others out at the same time (Amin, Bracken and Nahom). Planting is not going the way we expected. We obviously are not using anything close to drills. The most modern way here is to use a broadcast spreader. The wheat seed, Di 'Ammonium Phosphate or DAP, and Urea all come in quintal sacks. A quintal is a measurement of 100 kilos. The seed, DAP and Urea are all transported by tractor and wagon out to the field.
It's a pretty slow, ineffective way of planting, but its way better than the alternative, which is to hire a bunch of workers and have them sow it by hand and then cover the seed with using hoes. Crazy! So, even under these conditions they were able to plant about 200 acres yesterday. Alan wore himself ragged running back and forth between the seed stacks and the field planting. Remember, we have no vehicles here to drive back and forth from the seed stacks to the fields. You have to catch a ride on the tractor wagon or hoof it. If we can get the GPS working well, they will be able to work when it is dark and work longer hours. It hasn't rained for the past few days, and everyone is working fast to get as much planted as they can before the rainy season. So far we've been blessed. Today they started out in the field at 8:00 am and were going strong at noon. Alan and Bracken were both in a much better mood. They are having to come up with all kinds of solutions to the problems of not having the tractors and air drills here for this planting season. We've all had to take a step back in time and figure out how to do without our superduper American technology and equipment.
As I was out watching the planting begin a man came up who wanted to sell a chameleon. I didn't want to buy it but I did take some pictures. There have been several chameleons brought to the farm. So far they have all died when they get here.
Tonight a man brought a baby baboon to the farm to see if Wes would buy it. Wes likes to see the exotic animals up close and personal. The little baboon was tied into a basket and then the basket was in a sack that was all tied up. He was really scared when they got him out and became a little frantic at one point. The baboon was vetoed as a house pet for obvious reasons. He was as smelly as a pig pen and he was just a baby.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Today I stayed inside most of the day because I got a bad sunburn yesterday from walking out to the fields twice. Once to go see what was happening and the second time to bring my camera along to take pictures of all the exciting action. I burned my calves and arms badly - we're all of the opinion that the suns rays are much more intense and that we need to be more careful of our skin. Alan, Bracken, and Val are getting very dark, while some of us get red or stay white.te. Another reason I got sunburned was because I decided I had to tackle the laundry issues. Last week I found several of my socks ground into the dirt underneath the clothesline and one got even as far away as the restaurant. I almost couldn't recognize them as socks. Also I have underwear issues. I feel that I shall have to always wash Alan's and my socks and underwear myself instead of having the maids do it. So I stood out in the sun and handwashed our clothing until it was as clean as I could get it. The maids take offense when I do this. I think there could be two reasons for this. One: they think I don't trust them to get my clothes clean, or two: they feel their job is threatened because I don't need them to wash my clothes. Whatever, there are just some things in which I'd rather have control. I had a shower this morning using one of my trusty buckets and my pitcher. I dump water on my head, lather up, rinse, condition, rinse again and again, and then I'm done. It's really cold and so I take a big breath and go for it. I find halfway through that every muscle in my body is clenched and I have to remind myself to breathe. I don't take that many showers anymore. I've gone natural. This is the usual showering method over here. We sometimes get running water, but usually not.
Tonight I made sweet and sour goat. Anytime I say goat anymore, I crack myself up. It actually turned out pretty good and Clair and Alan really liked it. We are having to deal with goat meat over here, so you do what you can to make it different and tasty each time you serve it. We had some vinegar saved for the sour part, but this afternoon when I needed to get the vinegar, I found instead that the bottle had been emptied and used to store milk by one of the maids. She had bought the milk earlier and thought that the vinegar was not good so she tossed it. Darn it! They just don't get that you need vinegar to make good sweet and sour goat. She was going to turn that milk sour I'm sure and then drink the clabber with burburi Stirred into it I've actually seen this done. GROSS!
Tonight I found a little note that Birka had written in the back of my notebook. This is what it says:
My name is Birka Mamina. I came from Beltu town. But now I live in Westown. This house is Shelley house. It is very handsome house. I love this house and I love Shelley more than all. I like banana bread.
Another maid wrote: I like orange. My name is Misra Yequb.
I love my maids. I'm glad that they are here to keep my mind on all the funny, sweet, cute things they do everyday. They love me because I give them suckers and lotion for their hands and faces.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Started the day by going on a walk with Alyssa and Linda. There was a large cranelike bird in the field, so Alyssa got some pictures. I'm curious to see them up close. It looked about waist high. Came back by way of the restaurant and asked them if they had any eggs. They said maybe on Friday. I had the maids wash the remaining glazing putty off the outsides of my windows. I did all the insides of the windows and they did the outside. It was very hot and they needed suckers and water to continue. A man came along after lunch with a chicken and wanted me to buy it. I wasn't sure how much to pay for the chicken, so I asked Ashreka and she said maybe birr 30. So I said how about 20, and he said birr 25. Sold! For approximately $ 2.00. Good bartering on my part, I think. Ashreka wanted to butcher the chicken for dinner, so that's what happened. She got some guy to kill it and then she and Keay kind of skinned the bird and cut it up and washed it out really good. They did a good job and I got pictures.
Just as we were finishing with the chicken, a mother, a grandmother and two children showed up to see the doctor. One of the children was a little girl with a badly burned leg, and the other was a boy of about 10 who had swollen arms, legs, and a distended abdomen. It looked so painful and he was running a temperature of over 100. We couldn't do anything for the little boy, but made a call to Addis to report the symptoms. We cleaned, and bandaged the little girl's burns.
There are not enough doctors here in Ethiopia. We don't know of a doctor between here and Shashamene. That's not good. We're going through the first-aid kits like crazy, and they are supposed to be for the farm and those people who work here, but the need in the community is so desperate that we do our best and give them whatever we can. We finally got the little girl taken care of and gave her and her brother a sucker. Candy helps with the little ones, I think. I have to remember to bring lots of suckers over next time I come.
The farming is going well; we are continuing with the same method. The loading and transporting of the grain and fertilizer to the fields, then mixing, then dumping, then spreading, then disking. Alan is reporting to me every night, and he thinks it went OK yesterday, and I could tell at noon that everything was alright today also. I just asked Alan about how many hectares we have planted in three days and he said 400. Pretty good considering what our methods are. Everyone is working really hard. We're living the dream, as Bracken says.
A serious thing to report; Sheik Alli, the head of security over the farm was seriously injured yesterday in a car accident. Apparently he, his driver, and a few others were headed to Ginir from Robe and they had some kind of accident which caused the land cruiser in which they were traveling to roll over about four times. Kind of a freak accident.e driver and Sheik Alli was transported to Addis Ababa and has a broken back. He is paralyzed from the waist down. He is an important man in this region for he is a religious leader as well as some kind of policeman, I think. I'm not totally clear on that. He is supposed to be helping to keep the peace dwon here in this region. So we really feel bad about his accident, not only for him, but because the land cruiser was one of the vehicles we had been using on the farm. So, crazy, huh?
It's good to get your emails. Keep them coming, they cheer and help us through many tough days. Bye for now.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
April 4, 2010 Easter Sunday
April 4, 2010
Work is not progressing here on the farm like we are used to in the US. However, this is the start-up year and we have to accept that most everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and everything will take twice as long as it should normally take. Communication and differences in work habits are problems. The Americans are here to do a job the American way, and the local (Ethiopians) are constantly telling Alan or whoever, that he can’t do it, or that it won’t work the way he wants to do it. They don’t understand our American ways any better than we understand theirs. For instance, when the Ethiopian tractor drivers plowed the fields, they used small plows and Alan wanted them to carefully plow all the soil. Instead, because the drivers were getting paid by the hectare, instead of the hour, they rushed through the job and didn’t plow right next to the row they had already plowed. They plowed so that the turned soil would fall over and cover a strip of unplowed soil. I don’t know if they thought Alan would be fooled or if that is the acceptable farming method here. Either way, it is not acceptable to Alan. As he checked each day, he would kick through the soil and uncover the hard soil. He told them that the weeds were growing under the plowed soil and they said no, the weeds were dead. He would kick up the loose soil from the hard unplowed ground, revealing the growing weeds, showing them the problems. Simply put; weeds take water and nutrients to grow too, and they will cut into the yields of grain. They tell him that it doesn’t matter, the grain will grow. But anyone who knows Alan, knows that he will not be happy with the weedy fields and seeds spread over hard compacted soil. I think our American farming methods are conflicting with how it has always been done here in this country.
Last night, Saturday, Bracken arrived back from Ginir. He left Thursday and he did end up in Ginir for the holiday and on Market day. He said it was crazy! He was the leader of the whole expedition and he did very well, even bringing back mangoes, papyas, oranges, bananas, and potatoes, a cheese grater, a whole lot of drinking water, besides the three trucks loaded with fertilizer, disc harrows, and broadcast spreaders. I was very glad to know that he hadn’t been swallowed whole by a river. Bracken took three tractors with him when he left so that they could bring back disc harrows, the broadcast spreaders, and get the fertilizer trucks through the muddy roads. The fertilizer and broadcast spreaders were in Ginir and then he had to find some disc harrows and then get everything back to here safely. He met Wubishet’s ( a mechanic) mother, who wanted him to come for dinner, but he couldn’t, and he stayed overnight at Yusef’s home. Yusef’s company does most of the hiring of the workers here at the farm. Bracken was busy hiring disc harrows and getting a fuel truck and driver and he had to spend time at the bank there in Ginir. We have now switched fuel trucks and driver because our last one was a jerk. He would go for fuel to Ginir and stay, leaving the farm without fuel for a couple of days. Bracken found someone new who we hope will be honest and do the job he’s paid to do. This guy even owns his own truck. Bracken saw a troop (is that what you call it) of baboons at the river. He got some pictures he will be glad to share at a fireside when he gets home. JK about the fireside.
Today, Sunday, the workers are still not all here, because it is an official holiday here. Even though most of the people who work at the farm are Muslim, they still think they should not have to work, because it is a Christian holiday. They are unloading the fertilizer trucks so that the trucks can make it back to Ginir before more rain makes the river impassable.
When I came to the farm, I did not come through Shashamene, Robe, or Ginir because I flew down from Addis Ababa. Chances are that I will have to drive back from here, because the rain makes our airstrip here impossible to land on. In a way, I think it would be exciting and adventurous. Alan hates the drive because the roads are so terrible and the cities are ramshackled, crowded places. He’s been there and done that. I’m trying to be positive about the possibility of the drive which goes up through the Bale Mountain national park. On one hand, I want to see some more of this amazing country, and then on the other hand, I don’t want to spend a night in any of the motels on the way, because of the bad bed bug bites that can occur when occupying them. I see Val and his terrible bout with the bites, and I don’t know if I can handle the trip.
I have just had a maid come in to the house complaining of cramps. I gave her some ibuprofen and then she wanted to know if I was going to get beautiful today. Linda and Alyssa have put on some makeup and the pressure is on Ashreka to beautify me. She wanted me to look beautiful as Alyssa. No chance, those days are far behind me. I showed her my makeup bag and she went crazy. She put every lipstick on and around her mouth. She started to look like a clown she was getting it all over. She would look at herself in the mirror and giggle because it did not look the same on her as it did me. She wanted me to put on my eyebrows, and then when she used the pencil we couldn’t even see it. She started putting powder all over her face and then she laughed when she had all the white streaks on her. I put mascara on her and she kept blinking and jerking away. I put some blush on her which I couldn’t see, but she definitely saw a difference and then started putting it all over her face. When I said she was done, she hugged me and said, “I love you Shelley, I am beautiful, Shelley. Thank you Thank you thank you. What a funny girl. She is so cute. I love her too.
Last night we got to hear the first Saturday session of general conference. It was so nice to hear the organ playing and then the sounds of the Tabernacle choir coming into the house. I didn’t stay up (11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. our time), for the second session. We hope to hear the first Sunday session at 7:00 p.m. tonight, our time. I’m thinking of all of you there in the US, knowing that most of you are having a delicious Easter celebration dinner with ham, potatoes, salads, deviled eggs, desserts, and lots of easter candy, etc. , and I will be here with our small group trying to be OK with another goat dish. Actually we will be having mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, a cabbage slaw salad, papya, and yes, leg of goat! We are excited and I think Alyssa has come up with some kind of coconut pie to serve for dessert. I saw her crushing cookies last night for the crust, I believe. Either she is making the pie for all of us, or she and Wes had a lot of cookie crumbs in their bed last night. I will just say that Alyssa truly amazes me. She is dealing with this whole thing in a remarkable way, as is her mother, Linda. They are very creative and inventive when it comes to food. They make every meal a good meal, using such ordinary items. I need some of that to rub off on me.
On this Easter Sunday our thoughts and prayers are with all of you, our friends and family, at home in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, California, and Illinois. We love you dearly and miss you so much. We want mom in Arizona to know how much we love her and wish we were there to see her and talk to her in person. Skyping is good, but not as good as being there. We are proud of our dear missionary Zack and hope at this Easter time he may feel the blessings of the atonement in his life. We pray that Jack and Les are doing well in their missionary endeavors as well. Be thankful for the bounties and blessings that you enjoy each day and recognize that God is aware of you and he will comfort you and give you peace in your hearts at this blessed Easter time.
Work is not progressing here on the farm like we are used to in the US. However, this is the start-up year and we have to accept that most everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and everything will take twice as long as it should normally take. Communication and differences in work habits are problems. The Americans are here to do a job the American way, and the local (Ethiopians) are constantly telling Alan or whoever, that he can’t do it, or that it won’t work the way he wants to do it. They don’t understand our American ways any better than we understand theirs. For instance, when the Ethiopian tractor drivers plowed the fields, they used small plows and Alan wanted them to carefully plow all the soil. Instead, because the drivers were getting paid by the hectare, instead of the hour, they rushed through the job and didn’t plow right next to the row they had already plowed. They plowed so that the turned soil would fall over and cover a strip of unplowed soil. I don’t know if they thought Alan would be fooled or if that is the acceptable farming method here. Either way, it is not acceptable to Alan. As he checked each day, he would kick through the soil and uncover the hard soil. He told them that the weeds were growing under the plowed soil and they said no, the weeds were dead. He would kick up the loose soil from the hard unplowed ground, revealing the growing weeds, showing them the problems. Simply put; weeds take water and nutrients to grow too, and they will cut into the yields of grain. They tell him that it doesn’t matter, the grain will grow. But anyone who knows Alan, knows that he will not be happy with the weedy fields and seeds spread over hard compacted soil. I think our American farming methods are conflicting with how it has always been done here in this country.
Last night, Saturday, Bracken arrived back from Ginir. He left Thursday and he did end up in Ginir for the holiday and on Market day. He said it was crazy! He was the leader of the whole expedition and he did very well, even bringing back mangoes, papyas, oranges, bananas, and potatoes, a cheese grater, a whole lot of drinking water, besides the three trucks loaded with fertilizer, disc harrows, and broadcast spreaders. I was very glad to know that he hadn’t been swallowed whole by a river. Bracken took three tractors with him when he left so that they could bring back disc harrows, the broadcast spreaders, and get the fertilizer trucks through the muddy roads. The fertilizer and broadcast spreaders were in Ginir and then he had to find some disc harrows and then get everything back to here safely. He met Wubishet’s ( a mechanic) mother, who wanted him to come for dinner, but he couldn’t, and he stayed overnight at Yusef’s home. Yusef’s company does most of the hiring of the workers here at the farm. Bracken was busy hiring disc harrows and getting a fuel truck and driver and he had to spend time at the bank there in Ginir. We have now switched fuel trucks and driver because our last one was a jerk. He would go for fuel to Ginir and stay, leaving the farm without fuel for a couple of days. Bracken found someone new who we hope will be honest and do the job he’s paid to do. This guy even owns his own truck. Bracken saw a troop (is that what you call it) of baboons at the river. He got some pictures he will be glad to share at a fireside when he gets home. JK about the fireside.
Today, Sunday, the workers are still not all here, because it is an official holiday here. Even though most of the people who work at the farm are Muslim, they still think they should not have to work, because it is a Christian holiday. They are unloading the fertilizer trucks so that the trucks can make it back to Ginir before more rain makes the river impassable.
When I came to the farm, I did not come through Shashamene, Robe, or Ginir because I flew down from Addis Ababa. Chances are that I will have to drive back from here, because the rain makes our airstrip here impossible to land on. In a way, I think it would be exciting and adventurous. Alan hates the drive because the roads are so terrible and the cities are ramshackled, crowded places. He’s been there and done that. I’m trying to be positive about the possibility of the drive which goes up through the Bale Mountain national park. On one hand, I want to see some more of this amazing country, and then on the other hand, I don’t want to spend a night in any of the motels on the way, because of the bad bed bug bites that can occur when occupying them. I see Val and his terrible bout with the bites, and I don’t know if I can handle the trip.
I have just had a maid come in to the house complaining of cramps. I gave her some ibuprofen and then she wanted to know if I was going to get beautiful today. Linda and Alyssa have put on some makeup and the pressure is on Ashreka to beautify me. She wanted me to look beautiful as Alyssa. No chance, those days are far behind me. I showed her my makeup bag and she went crazy. She put every lipstick on and around her mouth. She started to look like a clown she was getting it all over. She would look at herself in the mirror and giggle because it did not look the same on her as it did me. She wanted me to put on my eyebrows, and then when she used the pencil we couldn’t even see it. She started putting powder all over her face and then she laughed when she had all the white streaks on her. I put mascara on her and she kept blinking and jerking away. I put some blush on her which I couldn’t see, but she definitely saw a difference and then started putting it all over her face. When I said she was done, she hugged me and said, “I love you Shelley, I am beautiful, Shelley. Thank you Thank you thank you. What a funny girl. She is so cute. I love her too.
Last night we got to hear the first Saturday session of general conference. It was so nice to hear the organ playing and then the sounds of the Tabernacle choir coming into the house. I didn’t stay up (11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. our time), for the second session. We hope to hear the first Sunday session at 7:00 p.m. tonight, our time. I’m thinking of all of you there in the US, knowing that most of you are having a delicious Easter celebration dinner with ham, potatoes, salads, deviled eggs, desserts, and lots of easter candy, etc. , and I will be here with our small group trying to be OK with another goat dish. Actually we will be having mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, a cabbage slaw salad, papya, and yes, leg of goat! We are excited and I think Alyssa has come up with some kind of coconut pie to serve for dessert. I saw her crushing cookies last night for the crust, I believe. Either she is making the pie for all of us, or she and Wes had a lot of cookie crumbs in their bed last night. I will just say that Alyssa truly amazes me. She is dealing with this whole thing in a remarkable way, as is her mother, Linda. They are very creative and inventive when it comes to food. They make every meal a good meal, using such ordinary items. I need some of that to rub off on me.
On this Easter Sunday our thoughts and prayers are with all of you, our friends and family, at home in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, California, and Illinois. We love you dearly and miss you so much. We want mom in Arizona to know how much we love her and wish we were there to see her and talk to her in person. Skyping is good, but not as good as being there. We are proud of our dear missionary Zack and hope at this Easter time he may feel the blessings of the atonement in his life. We pray that Jack and Les are doing well in their missionary endeavors as well. Be thankful for the bounties and blessings that you enjoy each day and recognize that God is aware of you and he will comfort you and give you peace in your hearts at this blessed Easter time.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Water Problems and Goat Butchering April 1, 2010
April 1, 2010
We have had a difficult time here on the farm this last week. Most of our problems are due to H2O, or water. Either too much or too little. It was dry last week, and then this week we have had too much rain. When it rains, it pours here, and it rains always at the same time which is early morning. By 10:00 am, the sun is usually out and the puddles disappear. However, this soil really soaks up the water and makes a slimy greasy mess. After we walk around in it for about five minutes, we’re all about two inches taller, and we all look like we’re wearing clown shoes. It doesn’t seem to bother those people who live here or the Americans who have been here for awhile, but I’m constantly trying to get the muck off my shoes, and I know the people are probably laughing at me thinking, “silly white woman, why is she bothering?” And I ask myself that too, “What’s the big deal about clean shoes, I’m the only one that’s worried about it.” The rain also stops the farming from progressing. Those of you from Ashton and our other farming followers know that you can’t get too much done when you have just measured about 2 inches of moisture in the last 24 hours. The winds start first at about 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning and then we know the rain is soon to follow. The rain lasts until around 7:00 am. Our houses are not the kind that are really weather proof. I have cracks in the corners that I can see daylight through, and the windows let in ginormous amounts of rain, so when we wake up in the morning we sometimes are standing in good amount of water. This morning, there was a huge puddle in my living room. I was once again irritated when I saw it and I waited for the maids to come and clean it up. When I told Birka that she needed to mop up the puddle, she laughed and ran over to it and used it to wade in and wash her feet. I got a kick out of watching her; Birka is teaching me how to make lemonade out of lemons.
Another problem with all the rain, is that it literally shuts down our way of getting out of here. The roads are like pools of water in some places, and they’re very difficult to maneuver. In some places where there were small streams of water, they are now rivers and we haven’t been able to navigate our way through them. For the last few days we have not been able to get our normal amounts of water for running the farm because of all the rain. All these many people here depend on the water truck with its large tank to bring water for cooking, washing, making cement, laundering, etc. When the truck can’t make it through the muddy and flooded conditions, we’r e all concerned. Mark brought a couple of small tank loads of water in yesterday and that got us by, but we really needed more. They went out looking for water this afternoon with the water truck, a loader and I think a tractor to pull them through the worst parts. What a production.
Another problem that we have been having is getting anything ordered from Addis. One truck of fertilizer is here, and another is stuck in Ginir. Bracken, along with about eight workers went to Ginir to get the fertilizer and a PTO. Bracken sent Hailii in a tractor and I think two other tractors with drivers and two more in each tractor also went. Bracken took the Land Cruiser and will stay the night there and he hoped to return on Friday. He was also supposed to stop at a town along the way and ask the government authorities there if it would be OK if the farm could use some area close by where we could store containers coming and going from Addis. There is a river between here and Ginir that is bad (no bridge)and those truckdrivers don’t want to cross the river with their containers. I don’t blame them. It could be treacherous. I think that maybe we will have to go get the containers and bring them across the river and then to the farm. I think that’s the plan. I thought it would be fun to go to Ginir, but Alan and Bracken both said it wasn’t a great place. I asked if it was as bad as Hanksville in Utah, you know out in the middle of nowhere with very little in the way of amenities. Alan said it was like Hanksville only with 2000,000 people. Ginir is one of the places where Val got bit by bed bugs. I hope Bracken doesn’t get bit. Needless to say, Bracken was not thrilled with his assignment today.
Tomorrow is good Friday which is a holiday here in Ethiopia. Saturday is the day the Muslim population have off for their weekend day, and then Easter Sunday is also another holiday. Many of the workers planned to get off the farm and go somewhere for the weekend, so it will be a quiet weekend for the Americans. Bracken hopes to make it home so he doesn’t get caught in Ginir during the holiday time.
Now, I must tell you my goat story. On Tuesday, I wanted to have some goat meat and after some investigation I was told that we could buy a goat from the restaurant, you know the tarp and stick place. Wes, went and bought the goat, and arranged to have it slaughtered also. He then gave them a garbage container to put the goat in after the demise of the goat. We got the goat delivered in large pieces, four legs, a back bone, two rib pieces, the pelvis area and one or two other pieces I couldn’t identify. No one was too excited about butchering the goat, so I cut up a little bit for dinner that night and put the rest in plastic bags in the freezer. I worried about it all night for fear it might have ecoli. The next afternoon, I went to work and cut up the unidentifiable pieces and the two back legs. I wanted to keep the legs in large pieces for our Easter Sunday dinner. However, I still don’t think they’ll be tender. I kept thinking to myself, “Im cutting up this stupid goat on Alyssa’s kitchen table, and I’m actually getting pretty good at it.” I had to keep saying to myself, “goats are related to lambs, and lambs are good to butcher and eat.” It was the only way I could keep on going. I can’t say that I like goat meat, I find it tough and not very tasty, but just ask me if I can butcher a goat and I can say “Yes, like any good Ethiopian, maybe not as good as an Ethiopian, but I can do it!”
We have had a difficult time here on the farm this last week. Most of our problems are due to H2O, or water. Either too much or too little. It was dry last week, and then this week we have had too much rain. When it rains, it pours here, and it rains always at the same time which is early morning. By 10:00 am, the sun is usually out and the puddles disappear. However, this soil really soaks up the water and makes a slimy greasy mess. After we walk around in it for about five minutes, we’re all about two inches taller, and we all look like we’re wearing clown shoes. It doesn’t seem to bother those people who live here or the Americans who have been here for awhile, but I’m constantly trying to get the muck off my shoes, and I know the people are probably laughing at me thinking, “silly white woman, why is she bothering?” And I ask myself that too, “What’s the big deal about clean shoes, I’m the only one that’s worried about it.” The rain also stops the farming from progressing. Those of you from Ashton and our other farming followers know that you can’t get too much done when you have just measured about 2 inches of moisture in the last 24 hours. The winds start first at about 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning and then we know the rain is soon to follow. The rain lasts until around 7:00 am. Our houses are not the kind that are really weather proof. I have cracks in the corners that I can see daylight through, and the windows let in ginormous amounts of rain, so when we wake up in the morning we sometimes are standing in good amount of water. This morning, there was a huge puddle in my living room. I was once again irritated when I saw it and I waited for the maids to come and clean it up. When I told Birka that she needed to mop up the puddle, she laughed and ran over to it and used it to wade in and wash her feet. I got a kick out of watching her; Birka is teaching me how to make lemonade out of lemons.
Another problem with all the rain, is that it literally shuts down our way of getting out of here. The roads are like pools of water in some places, and they’re very difficult to maneuver. In some places where there were small streams of water, they are now rivers and we haven’t been able to navigate our way through them. For the last few days we have not been able to get our normal amounts of water for running the farm because of all the rain. All these many people here depend on the water truck with its large tank to bring water for cooking, washing, making cement, laundering, etc. When the truck can’t make it through the muddy and flooded conditions, we’r e all concerned. Mark brought a couple of small tank loads of water in yesterday and that got us by, but we really needed more. They went out looking for water this afternoon with the water truck, a loader and I think a tractor to pull them through the worst parts. What a production.
Another problem that we have been having is getting anything ordered from Addis. One truck of fertilizer is here, and another is stuck in Ginir. Bracken, along with about eight workers went to Ginir to get the fertilizer and a PTO. Bracken sent Hailii in a tractor and I think two other tractors with drivers and two more in each tractor also went. Bracken took the Land Cruiser and will stay the night there and he hoped to return on Friday. He was also supposed to stop at a town along the way and ask the government authorities there if it would be OK if the farm could use some area close by where we could store containers coming and going from Addis. There is a river between here and Ginir that is bad (no bridge)and those truckdrivers don’t want to cross the river with their containers. I don’t blame them. It could be treacherous. I think that maybe we will have to go get the containers and bring them across the river and then to the farm. I think that’s the plan. I thought it would be fun to go to Ginir, but Alan and Bracken both said it wasn’t a great place. I asked if it was as bad as Hanksville in Utah, you know out in the middle of nowhere with very little in the way of amenities. Alan said it was like Hanksville only with 2000,000 people. Ginir is one of the places where Val got bit by bed bugs. I hope Bracken doesn’t get bit. Needless to say, Bracken was not thrilled with his assignment today.
Tomorrow is good Friday which is a holiday here in Ethiopia. Saturday is the day the Muslim population have off for their weekend day, and then Easter Sunday is also another holiday. Many of the workers planned to get off the farm and go somewhere for the weekend, so it will be a quiet weekend for the Americans. Bracken hopes to make it home so he doesn’t get caught in Ginir during the holiday time.
Now, I must tell you my goat story. On Tuesday, I wanted to have some goat meat and after some investigation I was told that we could buy a goat from the restaurant, you know the tarp and stick place. Wes, went and bought the goat, and arranged to have it slaughtered also. He then gave them a garbage container to put the goat in after the demise of the goat. We got the goat delivered in large pieces, four legs, a back bone, two rib pieces, the pelvis area and one or two other pieces I couldn’t identify. No one was too excited about butchering the goat, so I cut up a little bit for dinner that night and put the rest in plastic bags in the freezer. I worried about it all night for fear it might have ecoli. The next afternoon, I went to work and cut up the unidentifiable pieces and the two back legs. I wanted to keep the legs in large pieces for our Easter Sunday dinner. However, I still don’t think they’ll be tender. I kept thinking to myself, “Im cutting up this stupid goat on Alyssa’s kitchen table, and I’m actually getting pretty good at it.” I had to keep saying to myself, “goats are related to lambs, and lambs are good to butcher and eat.” It was the only way I could keep on going. I can’t say that I like goat meat, I find it tough and not very tasty, but just ask me if I can butcher a goat and I can say “Yes, like any good Ethiopian, maybe not as good as an Ethiopian, but I can do it!”
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
March 27, 2010
Today is Saturday, and I have been here one week. Alyssa and Linda are not coming until Sunday. I’m really disappointed. I am sleeping fairly well, but when I wake up I am so stiff I can hardly sit up. The beds do not have box springs, so the mattresses just lay on boards set up across the bed frame. There are no pillow top mattresses here, darn it. My pillow was so hard, that I had to undo the seams and pull out some of the stuffing inside. You don’t want to know what was inside. I sewed it back up and now I can sleep better. It was just too stiff and too full. Yesterday on Friday, I cleaned in our house that is being built. We moved our bed and bedroom furniture into the bedroom so Alan and I slept there last night.
A few things I have to write about that are just plain different than at home. One: Picking your nose in public, is OK. These people here pick their noses. You can be talking to someone and they will just start picking their nose. I don’t know if that’s common elsewhere in Ethiopia, or we just have lower standards out here on the farm. Two: Our workers don’t have personal boundaries and don’t think you should have any either. They will come right up to you and stand next too you and sometimes lean on you. OK, I do know some girls at home that love to squeeze up next to me, but these girls love to put their hands on me. They will stand in front of me and the next thing I know, I’m getting groped. This happens a lot. Yesterday, Birka, stood in front of me and started feeling up and down my chest, hips, and waist. She got her hands on my breasts and squeezed me a little, and then squeezed the fat pockets around my hips. Then as she squeezed my fat she said, “Shelley, whot is dees?” It all happened so fast, I couldn’t stop her. I just stood there and then I laughed and said, “Dees is mai Faat, Leev it alone.” Three: They spit, hock, and make other terrible sounds that make me cringe. It is very normal for them. Four: There doesn’t seem to be any sharing. As Clair said, “If you give them something to hold or share, don’t expect to get it back, it’s theirs.” They love to drink out of my water bottle, and I have a big problem with that.” I’m just concerned about health and sanitation. Five: They don’t get our humor. This is not a problem, except for Alan. Alan thinks it’s funny to tease them, and they don’t think he’s funny, they think he’s not very bright. For example: yesterday there was a large group of workers with Alan and Wubishet, a mechanic ,took off toward the outhouse. Alan hollered at him, ”Wubishet, where are you going?” thinking it would embarrass Wubishet. All the workers looked at Alan and said, “He’s going to the toilet! where you think?” Alan still thought it was pretty funny, just because they all thought he was clueless.
Yesterday afternoon, Alan and I looked over the house. The tiling job was, by American standards, a mess. The grout work was bad. We pulled up several tiles and put them in again. We regrouted most of the hallway. I was frustrated at their standard of work. Then I had to remember, most of these people that we have doing these things, have never done these jobs before. They are learning now how to tile and grout and cook American food, and sweep and mop and do laundry. This is all new to them. They are as good as I would be if I had to go and make a stick house with sticks, mud, manure, and water and cook injera three times a day. I don’t think my house would stand up to their inspection and I don’t think they would want to eat my injera. As an American in Ethiopia, I have to learn how to relax and be less judgmental. We are visitors in their land and we’re not going to change their culture. Hopefully, we can teach them some new tricks and introduce some of what’s good about Americans to them. I knew coming into this that I was not going to change the way they eat, clean, and live. It is up to them, if they want to change. I have seen more this week than I would ever have believed, and today I saw more than I did all week, if that makes sense. Alan and I went to Beltu, which is a city about 14 kilometers north of here. It is situated at a higher altitude and honestly a few hundred feet up makes a lot of difference. It was so green up at Beltu. Beltu has about 3,000 people with no electricity and no running water. The well is situated down the road, off the hill and is a little hands pump. Everyone has to walk down the hill to pump their water. I knew Beltu was going to be crazy, because everyone had warned me that the Americans get mobbed when they go there, so I was prepared with my camera to get pics. We went to buy potatoes, eggs, carrots, water, buckets, and soda pop. When we drove into the village, there were many children who started to shout "Forenjees, forenjees!" and they chased us through the city. The city was probably no more than five by five Ashton city blocks, and all those people live there. We drove to the main area of the city which has a bus stop and a restaurant. We had Nahom our translator, Danny a driver from Addis, Birka my maid, Wubishet a mechanic, and one other guy with us. We dropped off Birka, Wubishet, and the other guy, and kept Danny and Nahom with us. By the way, the girls who work for us as maids are from Beltu, and are from a tribe around here. The John Deere tractor drivers are from somewhere else a different tribe and don’t like to associate with the tribes from around here. Nahom and Danny are from Addis and both speak English and they went with us to the restaurant. We were getting mobbed when we got out of the Land Cruiser and went into the restaurant yard. The children were yelling and screaming and they came into the yard, but the owner shooed them away. We sat down outside at a small table and chairs and Nahom ordered for us. We had the Goat Variety plate, which means goat, very spicey beans, potatoes, and rice all served on a large pizza plate of injera. No forks, just tear off the injera and use it to eat all the other stuff. At first,I was a little nervous eating out of the same dish as everyone, but then I thought I can do this, I will do this and prove to these guys that I am not a weenie. The injera was not really very sour, and so it went down easily, the potatoes were great and so was the rice. The beans were a little spicey, but no more than what Mexican food is at home. The goat was pretty tastey, and it was not tibbs, but just a couple of pieces of goat leg. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it. The owner brought us some coca-cola, and I just slurped it down. I I think of it as medicinal. After we ate we had to go buy soda pop and buckets. Everywhere we stopped we were mobbed, not just children, but adults came too to stare at me. I got pinched and got my hair pulled, but it was all out of curiosity. I have to remember, that these people have never had this experience before, and I am like an alien that has suddenly landed in their village. When we left, I drove. It was a little confusing to get back, but now I think I could, if I had to, get to Beltu on my own. Not that I ever would go on my own, but I would, if I had to.
The burn baby and the other little girls have not been here for two days. I hope they are al right. I don’t know where they are.
I just read my emails from home and friends. It is so good to hear from all of you. Please keep writing to me, and those of you who haven’t , well, it would be great to hear from you. I just skyped Sara and and Andrew. It is so good to see you and talk to you. Tomorrow is Sunday and I’m looking forward to church, seeing Alyssa and her mom, and cooler temperatures
Today is Saturday, and I have been here one week. Alyssa and Linda are not coming until Sunday. I’m really disappointed. I am sleeping fairly well, but when I wake up I am so stiff I can hardly sit up. The beds do not have box springs, so the mattresses just lay on boards set up across the bed frame. There are no pillow top mattresses here, darn it. My pillow was so hard, that I had to undo the seams and pull out some of the stuffing inside. You don’t want to know what was inside. I sewed it back up and now I can sleep better. It was just too stiff and too full. Yesterday on Friday, I cleaned in our house that is being built. We moved our bed and bedroom furniture into the bedroom so Alan and I slept there last night.
A few things I have to write about that are just plain different than at home. One: Picking your nose in public, is OK. These people here pick their noses. You can be talking to someone and they will just start picking their nose. I don’t know if that’s common elsewhere in Ethiopia, or we just have lower standards out here on the farm. Two: Our workers don’t have personal boundaries and don’t think you should have any either. They will come right up to you and stand next too you and sometimes lean on you. OK, I do know some girls at home that love to squeeze up next to me, but these girls love to put their hands on me. They will stand in front of me and the next thing I know, I’m getting groped. This happens a lot. Yesterday, Birka, stood in front of me and started feeling up and down my chest, hips, and waist. She got her hands on my breasts and squeezed me a little, and then squeezed the fat pockets around my hips. Then as she squeezed my fat she said, “Shelley, whot is dees?” It all happened so fast, I couldn’t stop her. I just stood there and then I laughed and said, “Dees is mai Faat, Leev it alone.” Three: They spit, hock, and make other terrible sounds that make me cringe. It is very normal for them. Four: There doesn’t seem to be any sharing. As Clair said, “If you give them something to hold or share, don’t expect to get it back, it’s theirs.” They love to drink out of my water bottle, and I have a big problem with that.” I’m just concerned about health and sanitation. Five: They don’t get our humor. This is not a problem, except for Alan. Alan thinks it’s funny to tease them, and they don’t think he’s funny, they think he’s not very bright. For example: yesterday there was a large group of workers with Alan and Wubishet, a mechanic ,took off toward the outhouse. Alan hollered at him, ”Wubishet, where are you going?” thinking it would embarrass Wubishet. All the workers looked at Alan and said, “He’s going to the toilet! where you think?” Alan still thought it was pretty funny, just because they all thought he was clueless.
Yesterday afternoon, Alan and I looked over the house. The tiling job was, by American standards, a mess. The grout work was bad. We pulled up several tiles and put them in again. We regrouted most of the hallway. I was frustrated at their standard of work. Then I had to remember, most of these people that we have doing these things, have never done these jobs before. They are learning now how to tile and grout and cook American food, and sweep and mop and do laundry. This is all new to them. They are as good as I would be if I had to go and make a stick house with sticks, mud, manure, and water and cook injera three times a day. I don’t think my house would stand up to their inspection and I don’t think they would want to eat my injera. As an American in Ethiopia, I have to learn how to relax and be less judgmental. We are visitors in their land and we’re not going to change their culture. Hopefully, we can teach them some new tricks and introduce some of what’s good about Americans to them. I knew coming into this that I was not going to change the way they eat, clean, and live. It is up to them, if they want to change. I have seen more this week than I would ever have believed, and today I saw more than I did all week, if that makes sense. Alan and I went to Beltu, which is a city about 14 kilometers north of here. It is situated at a higher altitude and honestly a few hundred feet up makes a lot of difference. It was so green up at Beltu. Beltu has about 3,000 people with no electricity and no running water. The well is situated down the road, off the hill and is a little hands pump. Everyone has to walk down the hill to pump their water. I knew Beltu was going to be crazy, because everyone had warned me that the Americans get mobbed when they go there, so I was prepared with my camera to get pics. We went to buy potatoes, eggs, carrots, water, buckets, and soda pop. When we drove into the village, there were many children who started to shout "Forenjees, forenjees!" and they chased us through the city. The city was probably no more than five by five Ashton city blocks, and all those people live there. We drove to the main area of the city which has a bus stop and a restaurant. We had Nahom our translator, Danny a driver from Addis, Birka my maid, Wubishet a mechanic, and one other guy with us. We dropped off Birka, Wubishet, and the other guy, and kept Danny and Nahom with us. By the way, the girls who work for us as maids are from Beltu, and are from a tribe around here. The John Deere tractor drivers are from somewhere else a different tribe and don’t like to associate with the tribes from around here. Nahom and Danny are from Addis and both speak English and they went with us to the restaurant. We were getting mobbed when we got out of the Land Cruiser and went into the restaurant yard. The children were yelling and screaming and they came into the yard, but the owner shooed them away. We sat down outside at a small table and chairs and Nahom ordered for us. We had the Goat Variety plate, which means goat, very spicey beans, potatoes, and rice all served on a large pizza plate of injera. No forks, just tear off the injera and use it to eat all the other stuff. At first,I was a little nervous eating out of the same dish as everyone, but then I thought I can do this, I will do this and prove to these guys that I am not a weenie. The injera was not really very sour, and so it went down easily, the potatoes were great and so was the rice. The beans were a little spicey, but no more than what Mexican food is at home. The goat was pretty tastey, and it was not tibbs, but just a couple of pieces of goat leg. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it. The owner brought us some coca-cola, and I just slurped it down. I I think of it as medicinal. After we ate we had to go buy soda pop and buckets. Everywhere we stopped we were mobbed, not just children, but adults came too to stare at me. I got pinched and got my hair pulled, but it was all out of curiosity. I have to remember, that these people have never had this experience before, and I am like an alien that has suddenly landed in their village. When we left, I drove. It was a little confusing to get back, but now I think I could, if I had to, get to Beltu on my own. Not that I ever would go on my own, but I would, if I had to.
The burn baby and the other little girls have not been here for two days. I hope they are al right. I don’t know where they are.
I just read my emails from home and friends. It is so good to hear from all of you. Please keep writing to me, and those of you who haven’t , well, it would be great to hear from you. I just skyped Sara and and Andrew. It is so good to see you and talk to you. Tomorrow is Sunday and I’m looking forward to church, seeing Alyssa and her mom, and cooler temperatures
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
I thought the plane was coming on Friday from Addis and I was truly disappointed when I found I was mistaken and it will come on Saturday. I need some female company and not with the maids. I like them and think they are cute, but I need someone who can relate to what I’m going through. We are supposed to be moving into the other house tomorrow. Good thing because this one is too small for all of us. Val said everything would be ready except the bathroom. That means I have to go next door for my bathroom breaks. Hopefully they will get it plumbed soon. I’m a little concerned about the kitchen sink in my house. I don’t see any pipes sticking up out of the floor for draining. Hmmm, I hope this doesn’t mean I don’t get a kitchen sink. Alan and I would like to get a garden area ready at the back of our house. Anyone who knows us knows that gardening is therapy for both of us. It is too dry to plant now. It has only rained once since my arrival. Today Alan is taking me for a ride. I don’t know if we’re going in a tractor or the Land Cruiser, at this point it doesn’t matter to me. At home I used to laugh when Alan wanted me to go for a ride with him in a tractor, now I really want to go in anything. We’re going to see the water point (springs) and something else. I need to also go to the east a little ways and see one of the round houses up close. So far I haven’t dared go too far without company and maybe when Alyssa and her mom come we will be able to venture out together.
Clair Jackson brought over a box of plastic beads and he gave it to me. I got it out this morning. It has several types of alphabet beads and then some colored beads . I decided to make necklaces for the girls who are maids and they were very thrilled. Thank you Donetta! When I gave Birka her necklace she threw her arms around me and said “Hi lof yew Shelley!” When Ysriba saw Birka’s necklace she clapped her hands and jumped up and down and said something I think meant “I want one too.” Anyway, they all got a necklace, and then they had to go show them off. I had one man who came up to me a little later and demanded one for himself. I said “NO, only for pretty girls.” He said “Men are pretty, me pretty.” I laughed and said “No only for girls.” Then Zakir the boy who tends the monkey, wanted one for the monkey. I said only for the girls.” They are love anything that is a beautiful or colorful or just new and exciting. The beaded necklaces were a big hit.
I didn’t get to go on my ride to the water point. The land cruiser came from Addis and is was full of all kinds of things that Alan had to check. There were a few household goods, but mostly food for Mark and farming things. Alan ordered three 20 meter chains with hooks, and instead of getting them he got a three meter chain with no hooks. Communication is so difficult here. He’s getting so frustrated he just might blow.
We did go and look at the house that is abandoned. We took pictures of us standing by it. I didn’t really want to go in it. They stand up sturdy sticks in the mud in a circle and then weave other sticks in and out till it makes a pretty sturdy wall. Then they mix dirt, dung and water together and plaster it into the wall. The walls are smooth on the outside. The roofs are thatched and then have a cute little wispy thing up on the top. The doors are about four feet high so you have to crouch to get inside. There was even a little basket like thing at the back of the house I don’t know what for.
I thought the plane was coming on Friday from Addis and I was truly disappointed when I found I was mistaken and it will come on Saturday. I need some female company and not with the maids. I like them and think they are cute, but I need someone who can relate to what I’m going through. We are supposed to be moving into the other house tomorrow. Good thing because this one is too small for all of us. Val said everything would be ready except the bathroom. That means I have to go next door for my bathroom breaks. Hopefully they will get it plumbed soon. I’m a little concerned about the kitchen sink in my house. I don’t see any pipes sticking up out of the floor for draining. Hmmm, I hope this doesn’t mean I don’t get a kitchen sink. Alan and I would like to get a garden area ready at the back of our house. Anyone who knows us knows that gardening is therapy for both of us. It is too dry to plant now. It has only rained once since my arrival. Today Alan is taking me for a ride. I don’t know if we’re going in a tractor or the Land Cruiser, at this point it doesn’t matter to me. At home I used to laugh when Alan wanted me to go for a ride with him in a tractor, now I really want to go in anything. We’re going to see the water point (springs) and something else. I need to also go to the east a little ways and see one of the round houses up close. So far I haven’t dared go too far without company and maybe when Alyssa and her mom come we will be able to venture out together.
Clair Jackson brought over a box of plastic beads and he gave it to me. I got it out this morning. It has several types of alphabet beads and then some colored beads . I decided to make necklaces for the girls who are maids and they were very thrilled. Thank you Donetta! When I gave Birka her necklace she threw her arms around me and said “Hi lof yew Shelley!” When Ysriba saw Birka’s necklace she clapped her hands and jumped up and down and said something I think meant “I want one too.” Anyway, they all got a necklace, and then they had to go show them off. I had one man who came up to me a little later and demanded one for himself. I said “NO, only for pretty girls.” He said “Men are pretty, me pretty.” I laughed and said “No only for girls.” Then Zakir the boy who tends the monkey, wanted one for the monkey. I said only for the girls.” They are love anything that is a beautiful or colorful or just new and exciting. The beaded necklaces were a big hit.
I didn’t get to go on my ride to the water point. The land cruiser came from Addis and is was full of all kinds of things that Alan had to check. There were a few household goods, but mostly food for Mark and farming things. Alan ordered three 20 meter chains with hooks, and instead of getting them he got a three meter chain with no hooks. Communication is so difficult here. He’s getting so frustrated he just might blow.
We did go and look at the house that is abandoned. We took pictures of us standing by it. I didn’t really want to go in it. They stand up sturdy sticks in the mud in a circle and then weave other sticks in and out till it makes a pretty sturdy wall. Then they mix dirt, dung and water together and plaster it into the wall. The walls are smooth on the outside. The roofs are thatched and then have a cute little wispy thing up on the top. The doors are about four feet high so you have to crouch to get inside. There was even a little basket like thing at the back of the house I don’t know what for.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Today is Wednesday, March 24, 2010 7:30 a.m.
For the first time here I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night. Wow, something must be wrong. I have not been sick yet, and I hope I don’t get there. Bracken says when he starts to feel like he might be getting sick he takes a Sipro and then 12 hours later he takes another one. I think that’s a good idea for me too. Last night Alan was really stressed out. The machinery and items that need to be here are just not getting ordered correctly and he is doing without a lot of things. They have been waiting for an air compressor for weeks now. They finally sent one, but Alan says it is a piece of junk and is already falling apart. It is not the kind he wanted. Also they don’t dare store any fuel in the large underground tanks, because they don’t have any fuel pumps to go on top of them to pump the fuel out. Once they get the fuel in, there is no way of getting it out. If Alan could go to Addis for a few days he might find what he is looking for. Everything gets lost in translation.
It’s evening now and the day has gone pretty well. The baby and her mom came and we opened up her bandage, and it really looked so much better to me. Her palm and her little finger are still very open and bleeding, however, I smelled her hand and arm and couldn’t smell anything bad, I checked her for a fever, and there was very little yellow puss and sloughing skin. Again we watered her, brushed off all the bad skin, Neosporin, antistick bandages applied, gauze and tape. I know that the prayers and fasting in her behalf are helping her to heal. I know it and have felt the power of prayer in her behalf. She is the cutest little thing, I love seeing her come everyday, even though she starts to cry when she sees me. The mother walks about one – 2 miles to get here everyday. They took a picture of the little girl,her mom and me. The other little girl will come tomorrow for us to look at her cut on her back. I hope it is healing. I’ve had a few others come up to the porch and want me to medicate them. I can’t do much.
Today for dinner I had the girls prepare an exotic bird. We took pictures of the maids holding the bird, they were so excited to have me take their picture with it. Then they went out and killed it, and skinned it and brought it to me to fix. These are the toughest old birds and I decided to cook it with barbecue sauce. It didn’t help the toughness but the guys sure sucked the sauce off those tough birdy parts. I’m trying to find some humor in this craziness. And I also made tomatoey rice, which I didn’t like so much, but they all ate it. I saw a group of camels today and went and took some more pictures. It was fun. It was a good day here in Ethiopia, hope yours was good too.
Tuesday, March 23 2010
Some of the pictures are in a previous post but have been correctly titled because I (Morgan) didn't know what they were of. :)
March 23, 2010
Yesterday started the same as every other day – with the braying of the donkey. We also had a rain shower about 4:30 – 6:00 am. I thought it would shut things down, as it does in Idaho, but this soil is different and the tractor drivers were ready get out in the field the same as usual. The mother with the little burned baby girl came early, at 9:00 and we got her taken care a little more efficiently than the day before. I was relieved that it was all over and went inside the house to wash and have a drink of water when I heard Val calling me back outside. Apparently, news of our doctoring abilities has spread across the area and we were brought another little girl about 8 or 9 to repair. You have to remember that these people never bathe so it’s kind of in my nature to not want to get close to them. They are uber filthy and their clothes appear to be in a state of decay because they have never been off them. The mother of this cute dirty child lifted up her daughter’s dress and of course there was no underwear. I don’t believe people here wear undies. So the little child standing on our porch was exposed to the fifty or so people who work right here close and she didn’t seem to have a problem with it. Val and I were startled, but we soon recovered our composure and we looked to see what was the big deal. The problem was that she had been sliced open across her back just above her buttocks. The wound was gaping open and looked to be about 2” – 3” across and 1” deep. It was dirty and had debris in it. We both just looked at each other and I could tell Val was as upset as I was. Someone had done this on purpose. It wasn’t a stab wound, like she fell on it. It was done to her. Of course, any little disturbance at the house draws a real crowd, and anyone who can comes over to watch the show. We decided that we had to clean it first. Alan’s spray bottle came in handy. I sterilized it and then we sprayed the wound clean. Val stretched the wound open and wiped and I sprayed the dirt and what looked like leaf pieces out. I guess the leaf pieces were chat and they put them in thinking it would help somehow. Wes told us later that this is a common practice. We then flooded the wound with saline solution. I held around her tummy and legs with her mom and Val squirted away. Her little buttocks flexed up tight, but she made it through it and was a valiant little trooper. By this time we had a real crowd and we had to stop and shoo the large crowd away. Then, because neither Val or myself took suturing 101 incollege, we elected to use tape. We put some Neosporin around the edges and I did my own version of four butterfly bandages and taped them across her wound while Val held it shut. We then covered it in gauze and taped it down tight onto her washed clean back. Then we gave her a large blue gum ball as a treat for being good. When we popped it in her mouth she just looked at us with her big teary eyes and didn’t smile or anything. We told her “chew” and she did, but not very happily. I’m sure she thought we were giving her something bad. I wonder if she will have it in her mouth for days on end. So she is supposed to come back to Shelley and Val clinic today, but we have not seen her yet.
After all that I needed to get away from everyone so I came into my room and just sat on the bed. Soon, one of my silly maids, Ashareka, came into the bedroom with me. Note: I have to tell the maids that when the door is closed they may not come in. Also, I must tell them to not plastic wrapping down the toilet, as it is not a garbage, as they might think. So the maid went to the window and ran her hand up and down the curtains and looked out the window. Then she turned to me and said, “Is veeery beuuutiiifuuul howse.” Yes, I said, it is very beautiful. Just for a second I wanted to laugh like a hyena. I had a little conversation with her and then I went outside to go for a walk up down and up the airstrip. She asked if I would like her to come with me, but I said she had to stay and take care of Wes. She said, “OOOOKaaaaay.” She’s cute, and silly, and sweet. As I was walking down the airstrip, I looked up and, thank heaven I had thought to bring my camera, for walking toward me was a man with a camel. I was kind of excited, but I didn’t want him to get mad at me for taking a picture, so I acted like I was looking at something else and then I clicked and got the two of them. As I was on my way back up to the other end, along came a whole herd of camels with several camel herders.
I loved it and got several shots. Whenever the local people spy any of the “forenjees” out and about with a camera in hand, they are suddenly posing left and right, trying to get us to take their pictures. On my way back I snapped a few of some local men and boys. I also got one of two of them with their arms around each other.
Funny thing about Ethiopia; the men love to walk and hold hands. Alan has had men come up to him and take him by the hand and want him to go with them He doesn’t think it’s that funny, but one of these days I’m going to catch him holding hands with another man and I’m going to get a picture of it. Sooo funny. It’s very common to see two men/ boys walking hand in hand off through the brush.
Last night we had mashed potatoes and fried spam and onions. I had the maids cook the potatoes and I did the spam and onions. The girls were very curious about the spam, and wanted to watch me cook it. I told them they were not to eat it because it was pork. I think they would have eaten it, but I wouldn’t let them. I had to explain to them that it was not in their religion. I guess I hadn’t mentioned it, but most everyone here except the Americans and one of our interpreters is Muslim. I don’t think they know much about their religion, because I never see anyone praying and the girls don’t seem to have a problem with most things. However, last week , one woman got the rest of them to go on a laundry strike with her. She said Muslim women should not wash men’s underwear or socks. So Wes told her to leave, and the rest of the girls went back to washing men’s socks and underwear. Funny thing about the laundry – they use too much soap so that they can’t ever rinse all of it out. Consequently, we all have a white film on all our clothing. It is driving Alan nuts. Alan has laundry issues. I have laundry issues too, but I can’t go on anymore about the laundry.
Yesterday I saw a new bit of construction that had easily gone up overnight. It was a brush and tarp structure. I asked Alan what it was and he told me it was a new restaurant.
We already have another of these structures at the farm/camp, but apparently one is not enough. The reason is that we have two different tribes working here. Sometimes there are fights between the two sides. If you are a member of one tribe, you cannot eat at a restaurant run by the other side. So, another restaurant had to be built.
It just cracks me up that we call them restaurants so readily. They are just tarp and brushey stick things. Bracken and Mark like to frequent the restaurants for the goat tibbs. Clair and I can’t handle the tibbs, but everyone else seems to be OK with them. Sunday night Alan and I walked down to the other restaurant, for the new one was not yet built, and we ordered some goat tibbs for the men in the house. I know it was Sunday. Don’t get on my case. While we waited for our order of goat tibbs and injera for six, they brought out some chairs and made us be seated. We sat and they stood and watched us watch them. They are not uncomfortable with staring. They love to stare. I think they give tribal staring lessons. As we were sitting, suddenly a woman came and asked if she could look into my eyes. At least that’s what I thought she wanted. After a little confusion and pantomiming, we realized she wanted me to look into her eyes. I guess my doctoring skills had spread through the camp like wildfire down to the restaurant. Since I didn’t have my glasses on and it was pitch black, and she was kind of grossing me out with the hovering eye flies, I had to tell her I couldn’t see well in the dark. What a let down! I made an appointment with her for the next day, but she didn’t come. What I could see was that her eye was very red, and I guess she got something in it and couldn’t get it out. These people have no mirrors, so they can’t help themselves that way.
As I’m sitting here writing this, Ashareka, has once again come into the bedroom. Note to me: I really have to talk to the maids about coming into the closed bedrooms. She is now sitting by my side on the bed and has picked up my scriptures and is reading them to me. I think she wants to impress me with her English reading skills. She is reading John 15. I’m sure she doesn’t know what book it is. Oh well, if she wants to read the bible to me, I think it’s OK, but next time I will get her to read the Book of Mormon. I have one in Ahmaric and English.
The mom with the little burn baby girl came at about 12:00 noon and again we cleaned the wound, debriding? Neosporin, nonadhesive bandages cut in strips to go between each little finger, big one on the palm and down the side of her arm, then wrap with gauze and tape at top and bottom. That’s our method. Julie just called from Addis to find out how the baby is. I gave her a detailed report and will send her pictures tomorrow so that she can evaluate the baby’s condition. The baby has not been fevered, a little lethargic, but kicking and screaming, mad when she sees me coming anymore. She knows it’s going to hurt when I show up. She’ll never trust a blonde woman with glasses again.
March 23, 2010
Yesterday started the same as every other day – with the braying of the donkey. We also had a rain shower about 4:30 – 6:00 am. I thought it would shut things down, as it does in Idaho, but this soil is different and the tractor drivers were ready get out in the field the same as usual. The mother with the little burned baby girl came early, at 9:00 and we got her taken care a little more efficiently than the day before. I was relieved that it was all over and went inside the house to wash and have a drink of water when I heard Val calling me back outside. Apparently, news of our doctoring abilities has spread across the area and we were brought another little girl about 8 or 9 to repair. You have to remember that these people never bathe so it’s kind of in my nature to not want to get close to them. They are uber filthy and their clothes appear to be in a state of decay because they have never been off them. The mother of this cute dirty child lifted up her daughter’s dress and of course there was no underwear. I don’t believe people here wear undies. So the little child standing on our porch was exposed to the fifty or so people who work right here close and she didn’t seem to have a problem with it. Val and I were startled, but we soon recovered our composure and we looked to see what was the big deal. The problem was that she had been sliced open across her back just above her buttocks. The wound was gaping open and looked to be about 2” – 3” across and 1” deep. It was dirty and had debris in it. We both just looked at each other and I could tell Val was as upset as I was. Someone had done this on purpose. It wasn’t a stab wound, like she fell on it. It was done to her. Of course, any little disturbance at the house draws a real crowd, and anyone who can comes over to watch the show. We decided that we had to clean it first. Alan’s spray bottle came in handy. I sterilized it and then we sprayed the wound clean. Val stretched the wound open and wiped and I sprayed the dirt and what looked like leaf pieces out. I guess the leaf pieces were chat and they put them in thinking it would help somehow. Wes told us later that this is a common practice. We then flooded the wound with saline solution. I held around her tummy and legs with her mom and Val squirted away. Her little buttocks flexed up tight, but she made it through it and was a valiant little trooper. By this time we had a real crowd and we had to stop and shoo the large crowd away. Then, because neither Val or myself took suturing 101 incollege, we elected to use tape. We put some Neosporin around the edges and I did my own version of four butterfly bandages and taped them across her wound while Val held it shut. We then covered it in gauze and taped it down tight onto her washed clean back. Then we gave her a large blue gum ball as a treat for being good. When we popped it in her mouth she just looked at us with her big teary eyes and didn’t smile or anything. We told her “chew” and she did, but not very happily. I’m sure she thought we were giving her something bad. I wonder if she will have it in her mouth for days on end. So she is supposed to come back to Shelley and Val clinic today, but we have not seen her yet.
After all that I needed to get away from everyone so I came into my room and just sat on the bed. Soon, one of my silly maids, Ashareka, came into the bedroom with me. Note: I have to tell the maids that when the door is closed they may not come in. Also, I must tell them to not plastic wrapping down the toilet, as it is not a garbage, as they might think. So the maid went to the window and ran her hand up and down the curtains and looked out the window. Then she turned to me and said, “Is veeery beuuutiiifuuul howse.” Yes, I said, it is very beautiful. Just for a second I wanted to laugh like a hyena. I had a little conversation with her and then I went outside to go for a walk up down and up the airstrip. She asked if I would like her to come with me, but I said she had to stay and take care of Wes. She said, “OOOOKaaaaay.” She’s cute, and silly, and sweet. As I was walking down the airstrip, I looked up and, thank heaven I had thought to bring my camera, for walking toward me was a man with a camel. I was kind of excited, but I didn’t want him to get mad at me for taking a picture, so I acted like I was looking at something else and then I clicked and got the two of them. As I was on my way back up to the other end, along came a whole herd of camels with several camel herders.
Funny thing about Ethiopia; the men love to walk and hold hands. Alan has had men come up to him and take him by the hand and want him to go with them He doesn’t think it’s that funny, but one of these days I’m going to catch him holding hands with another man and I’m going to get a picture of it. Sooo funny. It’s very common to see two men/ boys walking hand in hand off through the brush.
Last night we had mashed potatoes and fried spam and onions. I had the maids cook the potatoes and I did the spam and onions. The girls were very curious about the spam, and wanted to watch me cook it. I told them they were not to eat it because it was pork. I think they would have eaten it, but I wouldn’t let them. I had to explain to them that it was not in their religion. I guess I hadn’t mentioned it, but most everyone here except the Americans and one of our interpreters is Muslim. I don’t think they know much about their religion, because I never see anyone praying and the girls don’t seem to have a problem with most things. However, last week , one woman got the rest of them to go on a laundry strike with her. She said Muslim women should not wash men’s underwear or socks. So Wes told her to leave, and the rest of the girls went back to washing men’s socks and underwear. Funny thing about the laundry – they use too much soap so that they can’t ever rinse all of it out. Consequently, we all have a white film on all our clothing. It is driving Alan nuts. Alan has laundry issues. I have laundry issues too, but I can’t go on anymore about the laundry.
Yesterday I saw a new bit of construction that had easily gone up overnight. It was a brush and tarp structure. I asked Alan what it was and he told me it was a new restaurant.
We already have another of these structures at the farm/camp, but apparently one is not enough. The reason is that we have two different tribes working here. Sometimes there are fights between the two sides. If you are a member of one tribe, you cannot eat at a restaurant run by the other side. So, another restaurant had to be built.
As I’m sitting here writing this, Ashareka, has once again come into the bedroom. Note to me: I really have to talk to the maids about coming into the closed bedrooms. She is now sitting by my side on the bed and has picked up my scriptures and is reading them to me. I think she wants to impress me with her English reading skills. She is reading John 15. I’m sure she doesn’t know what book it is. Oh well, if she wants to read the bible to me, I think it’s OK, but next time I will get her to read the Book of Mormon. I have one in Ahmaric and English.
The mom with the little burn baby girl came at about 12:00 noon and again we cleaned the wound, debriding? Neosporin, nonadhesive bandages cut in strips to go between each little finger, big one on the palm and down the side of her arm, then wrap with gauze and tape at top and bottom. That’s our method. Julie just called from Addis to find out how the baby is. I gave her a detailed report and will send her pictures tomorrow so that she can evaluate the baby’s condition. The baby has not been fevered, a little lethargic, but kicking and screaming, mad when she sees me coming anymore. She knows it’s going to hurt when I show up. She’ll never trust a blonde woman with glasses again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)