[CrimsonTide4]

Hey y'all!!

I am on day 10 I believe of my trip in Ethiopia. I feel like I've been here for a month, my days have been pretty full. I am going to try to summarize it all for you. I have been in the capital, Addis Ababa a few days, a couple at the beginning and then today. The time in between has been spent in the bush, further south in Ethiopia. I have been to villages called Yetebon, Butajira, Awasa, Ziway, and Shashemene (Rastas!). I have seen the effects of the famine and the drought. I have actually seen both types of feeding centers, wet and therapeutic. I have seen children who look like babies but are actually 3 years old. Or look 6 but are actually 10. Malnutrition stunts their growth. I have cried many tears behind what I've seen. Nothing, not prayer or anything else could prepare me for what I've seen. The people who told me it wouldn't be that bad were WRONG. Yes, children are happy, but that does not erase the fact that they are starving to death. Now, on the other hand, I have seen some successful hunger projects down here, one in particular, Project Mercy. This project is all about social change and development. They have a school, livestock, gardens, feeding centers, hospitals. They train workers so that they can be self sufficient. They provide jobs. This project is in the village of Yetebon in southern Ethiopia. It is run by a couple, Marta and Deme. They are TRULY special, and God is clearly working thru them. They have a spirit I can't even define. I didn't want to leave Yetebon, and cried when I did. I loved it there, and I can't wait to return next year. I would like to spend a year teaching at the school. But that's future stuff. I have also visited distribution centers where they hand out 110lb bags of wheat. Now, get this. People walk as much as 4 hours to the distribution centers. Can you imagine walking BACK 4 hours with a 110lb bag of wheat on your back????? This is tripped out, y'all, it really is. And it is hard to witness because it is heartbreaking. Seeing things like Project Mercy help because they give you hope. I hope I'm not depressing you, because that is not my purpose of this email, I just want to give you an idea of what it's been like for me down here. And this is such the abbreviated version. The kids really are happy and in good spirits despite the crisis. And oh my goodness, the Rift Valley.... BEAUTIFUL!!!! In the lush areas, it is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!!! The mountains are LOVELY!!!!!! Oh my goodness I can't even describe to you how pretty it is. Now, in the dryer area, it's not as pretty, but still a lovely landscape, it's just not as lush and green. I've seen the lakes of the Great Rift Valley (Ziway, Awassa, and Lagano). I have seen the huts that people live in in the bush, they remind me of the Smurfs village. You haven't seen poverty until you've seen this. The average annual income in $100. That's it. Stuff is so cheap here, and I guess I can understand why if people are only earning $100. I have seen pretty boring wildlife, though. Cows, goats, and donkeys mostly. But I did see some Colobus Monkeys, and we got to feed them!!! I also got on a little row boat (i have pictures to prove it!! i sucked up my fear of water that day!) and went out into Lake Awassa to see hippos! I was scared as hell but I did it! I saw some camels yesterday and some ostriches. All in all, I have loved Ethiopia, and I can see myself returning and living here for 1 to 3 years. I can't describe all of my feelings, from love to heartbreak to fulfilling to purposeful to elated to blessed to happy to sad. I've felt all of that. And anger, because there is no reason these people should be starving like this. I have so much more to tell you all. I can't wait for you to see my pictures!!!!! I miss you all terribly!! And I love you more!!! I'll see you in 9 days (well, some of you, anyway!) OH! I did community service today feeding homeless children breakfast. You know I wore my letters!! Alpha Kappa Alpha has been represented in Ethiopia!! :-) And tomorrow we'll visit an AIDS orphanage. That should be the last emotional part of my visit. Saturday we leave for the holy city of Axum then to Lalibela (rock hewn churches, I can't wait) then to Bahar Dar, then back to Addis and back home.

Much love,