Babies and Ladies
Day 17:
We celebrated another Sunday by going to Surafel's church. Following church, we went to a restaurant on top of a hill/mountain where we saw the most amazing view of Addis. We met two Americans, Michael and Jana, who live in Ethiopia while adopting their second daughter and working at the adoption agency. They gave us a tour of the orphanage homes. It ranks on the list as one of my favorite moments. We went through the rooms and held the babies, and gave them all the love and attention we could in our short amount of time with them. They absolutely melted my heart. There is nothing that compares to holding a beautiful orphaned baby.
Tonight was unbelievably fun. We went to a traditional Ethiopian restaurant to celebrate Surafel's birthday. We ate the typical injera with everything you could imagine. For meat we had a choice of lamb, goat, or sheep... The dancing was the most amazing part of the night. It's almost impossible to describe their dance moves without visual aid. It's basically all in the shoulders and head with very jerky movements. It's a movement I've never seen the body do before. Not only was I watching in awe, but also got volunteered by my team to go up on stage. They wanted me to arm war- where I swing my arms violently around my body- I look like a freak. So, I was eventually pushed on stage, and I did it. What a moment that was- dancing like a freak on a traditional Ethiopian dancing stage with the entire restaurant watching. In addition to my embarrassment and excitement I also gained a huge appreciation for Ethiopian culture.
Day 18:
I was finally able to go tour the famous fistula hospital today. I have been learning about the fistula injury since before my trip. This hospital performs surgery to cure women of a debilitating ailment and a life ostracized from society. The surgery even allows women to have children again. The hospital was established by a woman named Catherine Hamlin and her husband Reg. At 86 years old she still performs surgeries, trains doctors, and is even the gardner. Fistula Hospital overwhelmed my heart. I loved visiting/seeing all the women undergoing this life changing surgery. The condition is cruel; some women lose the ability to walk after lying in bed with incontinence for years. They literally undergo a miracle when taken to the fistula hospital. We also saw the Oprah Winfrey building that was funded by Oprah when she came to visit the hospital (no one knew who she was lol). I am now reading "Hospital By the River" which explain the process of fistula, the hospital, and the life of Dr. Hamlin. There is also a documentary on the PBS website on fistulas.
Day 19:
Today we visited the Joy Village program of the fistula hospital. Joy Village is a haven for the women who have incurable fistulas. The village is in between mountains and a lake; it is a paradise. They are able to able to live here with other women enduring the same condition and create an entirely new community of acceptance. They sell lettuce and make items to sell in order to make money. I would live here; it is one of the most beautiful places I've seen. The women are great as well. We are also back to Ambo for the last week of the trip. I can't believe it's almost over. I have mixed feelings about leaving. I know it's all going to hit me when I go home. I've grown accustomed to Ethiopia, but I'm excited to spread the new knowledge and experiences I have to everyone at home. I'm also excited to eat... holy cow, I can't wait to eat good food.
We celebrated another Sunday by going to Surafel's church. Following church, we went to a restaurant on top of a hill/mountain where we saw the most amazing view of Addis. We met two Americans, Michael and Jana, who live in Ethiopia while adopting their second daughter and working at the adoption agency. They gave us a tour of the orphanage homes. It ranks on the list as one of my favorite moments. We went through the rooms and held the babies, and gave them all the love and attention we could in our short amount of time with them. They absolutely melted my heart. There is nothing that compares to holding a beautiful orphaned baby.
Tonight was unbelievably fun. We went to a traditional Ethiopian restaurant to celebrate Surafel's birthday. We ate the typical injera with everything you could imagine. For meat we had a choice of lamb, goat, or sheep... The dancing was the most amazing part of the night. It's almost impossible to describe their dance moves without visual aid. It's basically all in the shoulders and head with very jerky movements. It's a movement I've never seen the body do before. Not only was I watching in awe, but also got volunteered by my team to go up on stage. They wanted me to arm war- where I swing my arms violently around my body- I look like a freak. So, I was eventually pushed on stage, and I did it. What a moment that was- dancing like a freak on a traditional Ethiopian dancing stage with the entire restaurant watching. In addition to my embarrassment and excitement I also gained a huge appreciation for Ethiopian culture.
I was finally able to go tour the famous fistula hospital today. I have been learning about the fistula injury since before my trip. This hospital performs surgery to cure women of a debilitating ailment and a life ostracized from society. The surgery even allows women to have children again. The hospital was established by a woman named Catherine Hamlin and her husband Reg. At 86 years old she still performs surgeries, trains doctors, and is even the gardner. Fistula Hospital overwhelmed my heart. I loved visiting/seeing all the women undergoing this life changing surgery. The condition is cruel; some women lose the ability to walk after lying in bed with incontinence for years. They literally undergo a miracle when taken to the fistula hospital. We also saw the Oprah Winfrey building that was funded by Oprah when she came to visit the hospital (no one knew who she was lol). I am now reading "Hospital By the River" which explain the process of fistula, the hospital, and the life of Dr. Hamlin. There is also a documentary on the PBS website on fistulas.
Day 19:
Today we visited the Joy Village program of the fistula hospital. Joy Village is a haven for the women who have incurable fistulas. The village is in between mountains and a lake; it is a paradise. They are able to able to live here with other women enduring the same condition and create an entirely new community of acceptance. They sell lettuce and make items to sell in order to make money. I would live here; it is one of the most beautiful places I've seen. The women are great as well. We are also back to Ambo for the last week of the trip. I can't believe it's almost over. I have mixed feelings about leaving. I know it's all going to hit me when I go home. I've grown accustomed to Ethiopia, but I'm excited to spread the new knowledge and experiences I have to everyone at home. I'm also excited to eat... holy cow, I can't wait to eat good food.
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