So, Christmas was good. It was an all night thing. Church started at 11:00PM and didn’t end until about 3:30AM. There was singing, tribal drumming, praying and the likes. In conclusion we walked around the block singing and drumming, and holding candles until 3:00AM. It was very beautiful, an angelic experience. I like the fact that I couldn’t understand the language it made the experience all that much better some how.
I have been very busy finishing up my projects. The English classes are now over and I just finished writing up a 14-page report for HCS. I was invited to Meaza’s (Misrak’s roommate) birthday party and really enjoyed myself. We had cake, candies, fruit, and wine. We danced and talked and just had a really great time.
Thursday, I hung out with Mesfin (A Mathematics teacher at the high school here in Dire Dawa.) We had juice at Salaam Hotel, watched Ethiopian Idol, and talked about our lives. He is fun, the same age as me, speaks perfect English, and teaches me some Amharic. We have a lot in common.
I got a call from Abba Negash to say I was needed for dinner early. It was unexpected as it was only 6pm and we usually have dinner at 7:30. They came to pick me up from the hotel. I apologized for leaving in such a rush and left for dinner with the Abbas.
When I got in the car I realized why we were so early to leave. The Bishop was visiting and taking some guests out to a fancy restaurant/hotel for dinner. The guests were Americans. They work for a Catholic church in Minnesota and fund many of the projects for HCS (the charity I am volunteering for.)
It was a wonderful dinner. Afterwards Abba Negash and I walked home for our nightly walk. Abba Worku has been in Harar. He comes back a forth from Harar to Dire Dawa. I stay in Dire because I like it here the best. I know people here now, have friends, my work, and my things are all in Dire.
Yesterday Misrak, T’sehey, Abba Negash, and I went on a bit of an adventure. We drove for over an hour to see Legoda and caves that has paintings over 7000 years old.
We stopped in a small desert village to buy some coffee for the compound and the people there only spoke Oromo… The only one who could understand and communicate was Abba Negash (he is Oromo.)
All the women from the village came to our jeep. I felt like an alien that had just landed. They all looked at me with wide eyes. They spoke to each other and to us but none of us could understand them. Abba Negash was not there to interpret since he got out to buy the coffee. So we just stared back at them. One of the oldest women poked my arm, and then she pointed to my eyes. She really seemed astonished by my appearance. I felt like an animal at the zoo.
I walk every night with the Abbas. This morning Abba Petros said, “I must die today.” I asked him ‘why’ and he said, “Because I am too old! (93) I am tired of this earth. I want to be with Waga (Oromo pagan god.)” I told him that his ‘room is not ready yet.’ Abba Petros said, “I will wait until I can visit Obama in America, then I will die in America.” He has a big belly laugh and says, “Be” (Eat (F) in Amharic.) It’s just the way he says things that make me want to laugh he gets really serious and then laughs.
Today I had T’sehey teach me Amharic while I taught him some English. He speaks 4 languages including Geez, but doesn’t have much English. He is 25, but is in high school. I asked him why? He told me how he grew up in Gondor. His Father died when he was young and his mother is very poor and sick.
He didn’t have the opportunity to go to school growing up and had to work as a farmer to support his family. The Abbas some how met him and took him to work in the compound here in Dire Dawa. He has been here working for them for three years. The Abbas gave him the opportunity and he now attends night school. He loves it and learns very quickly. He says he loves to read and especially has an interest in History and English.
People here crave education. I have decided that I want to come back here to Ethiopia in the future. I think it might be possible in two years. Meanwhile I will work, save money, help my momma out, and organize some goals.
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