Alright... here are the pictures to go along with Last Weeks Post..

This is my Computer Helper... no virus so far on my compter ... and Microsoft 2007 works like a charm!!

The Ladies in the Income Generating Program hard at work

These are the Wonderful Gentleman in the Elders Home  

The very modern, crowded light rail trains

The equally crowded Minibus line taxis

Nicole and I went exploring!!

Week 2

Written Sunday night. 

Dear friends. 

First of all many thanks to everybody whom has been praying for me back home. This past week I have really felt a huge presence of the support of prayer as I continue to find me way here.  The burden of stress over visa and registration has been lifted and while it is still not settled I no longer feel stressed and worried over it. Also each and every day I am starting to feel more at home here and more Intune with my purpose here.  Wifi is not working so no pictures this time but hopefully later in the week. 

I have been reading daily from Proverbs - something with youth group we were trying to promote and the wisdom that God is speaking to me from there each day is so applicable. Verses like 19vs 17 " if you help the poor you are lending to the Lord- He will repay you". And 20 vs 24 " the Lord directs our steps so why try to understand everything along the way"   

This past week I finally got to head to Korah - we went for the entire morning. Was able to touch base with Marta and Digasay the clinic nurses see how they are doing, see a few patients with them and discuss how to collaborate with the resources we are developing. After that I went with one of the social workers to see Alem, one of the ladies of the program who had fallen and broken her leg.  She is confined to bed rest for now. We went and saw her in her home which is not more then a tin shack with a bed and table in it.  I assessed her - brought her pain meds and vitamins and did teaching regarding pain management optimization as as strategies to prevent further complications. We were able to pray for her for healing, encouragement ( because  she is bed bound) and for her family which also is greatly affected by this. Also in Korah I was blessed to be able to visit with the elders - 8 elderly men who have leprosy and therefore have been abandoned by their families they all live together in a home.  They are so happy and cheerful regardless of their physical limitations and the social stigma that is attached for them. When ever you ask what you can pray for for them they never ask for anything for themselves but rather for prayer for their families or country.     Saturdaywas supposed to be spent there as well working with the girls program and bible study but that got waylaid.  I am excited for more regular opportunities to serve in Korah once my life as developed routine here. 

Work at the hositpal is starting to feel more cohesive as time goes on and a clearer picture of the priorities develops. It is at kind of an awkward stage of needing more patients so we have a better picture of what is really needed but yet still not having the infrastructure to support having more patients.   

Some computer struggles this week had me wishing for an IT brain!! But got it solved by tracking down a computer store and getting a new pirated copy of Microsoft Word. Made a new friend along the way as the store owner didn't have enough change for the bill I had to pay with so I too her for coffee to break the bill and then paid her. Being here and making friends with the banana guy, the phone card guy and computer lady has made me so realize that compared to the deeply relational Ethiopian culture, North America culture is pretty closed to meeting new people and forming these types of relationships. 

Nicole arrived on Friday of this past week and it was amazing !!! So thankful to God for her travels which had some hiccups and struggles along the way but in the end the issues were resolved and she arrived here. Having a partner here will make all the difference - having someone to plan things with, problem solve with, encourage and pray with is such a blessing.  Plus we can explore the city together, make friends, travel with, speak English at home with,  someone hopefully to cook some decent food with. 

Saturday we went to the hospital for the first part of the day - as it was Nicoles first day here it was just supposed to be a quick hi but supposedly the health inspector was coming that day so we needed to be there.  So we stayed until 1400... No inspector showed.... Got a lot done while we waited however.  After that Nicole and headed out to explore.  We took a line taxi to the piazza areas and walked around - found a hole in the wall Ethiopian place and had some Shiro and then walked though a market.  We then line taxied back to our home.  Line taxi is one of the two major forms of transportation that we use here. For 1-4 brr (6-25cents) They are vans that go on a predetermined routes between most major areas - there is a driver and then there is a caller.  When the bus is stopped at a unofficial station the caller stands besides the van and yells out the end destination , if the van is driving down the road he yells it out the window and if you hear where you want to go you wave the van down.  The stations are just groupings of vans each with a caller yelling where the van is going.  We know the general area where we live and some intersections close so we mostly listen for that.  People are also willing to help and point you in the direction of a van which might be going where you want. If you need to go far sometimes you will need to transfer taxi at one of the stations( aka the side of the road or roundabout). The other transport we take is the light rail.  Our home and hospital is conveniently located fairly close to the rail line so it is a great  option.  Plus no guessing on where it is going. Tickets are 2-5 brr ( 12-30 cents) depending on how far you are going.  Trains are packed though so personal space is non existent. I joked the other day that someone could faint and would not fall lol.  We also walk a lot - my phone says between 11km a day average. 

Sunday we went off to church. The international church here is amazing. The main service is in English and is attended by people from all around the world. The preaching is solid and the worship amazing as people of all lands raise their voices to God.  After church we visited with one of the social workers at her home in Korah.  Going to church and a visit like this is kinda a all day affair as to church was a walk-train-walk. And then church to the visit was bus-tuktuk-walk and then home was walk-line taxi-train-walk. 

Once at home I was able to call home and talk with some family. So blessed by modern communication!!   

I hope everyone back home has an amazing week!! Keep the messages and prayers coming. Love hearing from you. 

Week 1

Hi friends.  

I hope you are all well These past few days have been pretty good. A bit up and down with doubts, paperwork stressors and missing people at home but that also being balanced with small breakthroughs, great worship at church on Sunday and encouragement from home. 

Thursday and Friday I went to the hospital both days. Seeing what some of the existing processes are and doing some assessments along side the nurses. When I was here for the few days in January I had made up some documentation forms- they had been used a little bit but it was good to go through the them with the nurses and further explain them, practically apply them and re enforce the importance of full assessments.  A lot of the work with the nurses will be this - developing process for high standards of care within the limitations of the program , creating documentation to support it and then practically implementing and developing critical thinking around the findings of assessments.
 

Exploring also this week abit more how the hospital is going to develop its charity work. 

Looking forward tomorrow to heading out to Korah and doing some work with the project and seeing dear friends from my previous visit in January.
 

On Saturday we attended a health fair at the international school- great opportunity to get word out about the hospital and connect with other expat Heath professionals in the country.   On the downside we heard about how difficult it is to register as a expat nurse here and how that is tied to our ongoing visa status. One of the down sides to working with a small local organization vs a international one is the need to comply with the ever changing and fickle local government branches - I definitely have been a bit stressed about this process and would appreciate prayers that this all goes smoothly.
 

Sunday was a good day- going to church here means a good walk to the train station - a 30min ride on the "skytrain " and a bus ride. Let's just say my usual at home wake up time of 30mins before church starts does not suffice when having to go 1/2 way across the city :) Learned and was reminded about all the ways God calls his disciples to Himself and how we are to respond.  The few people I had met last time I was here were not in attendance but looking forward to making some friends and social connections here as well. 

As for settling in to the rest of life here  it's been an adjustment.... A few items of note

Walking
- I had been doing laps around our subdivision much to the amusement is the guard and his puppy dog but I after doing that for two days and getting royally bored I  decided  to venture out and explore my surrounding neighbourhood.

 Well... It's not exactly walking the Vedder Trail!!  Between the people, variety of ground, tuktuks, donkeys and traffic it's abit of a obstacle course.  I feel pretty safe ( traffic danger aside) but I most definitely am the only white person walking about. Add to that the fact that most Ethiopians kinda saunter along I kinda standout in my bright blue jacket as I weave in and around every thing.  Karen C- think of you most days as I tromp along :)
 

 

 

Also I think the greatest danger here is crossing the road !!! I have devised some strategies 1) try find a marked crosswalk (doesn't really mean anything but makes me feel better) 2) make crossings with a group of other people ensuring there is at least one person between you and traffic 3) never hesitate!! 

 

This is the main road that runs east west through the city

 

One thing about walking everywhere is the need that is so visible and the battle I have in my heart with each child and old person holding out their hand for money. I know this is not individual to myself, as I have heard it from so many who have traveled to developing countries. .  A few days ago on my walk a fairly well dressed young man approached me.. I started to just wave him off  when he lifted his shirt and showed me his abdomen . He had an ostomy and on his stomach was taped a plastic bag. Stool was oozing and it was not a good situation.   He was asking for money for a new stoma bag- he said he had been shot in Yeman.  I had no money on me but was close to home so had him come with me I was feeling excited that I could actually practically help someone- at the house on the top floor we store extra supplies for the hospital . I found ostomy things that would be sustainable and reusable for him.  However, he ended up not actually wanting ostomy things- when it was clear I wasn't just giving him money he became upset and eventually left.  Cases like these leave me wondering exactly when is helping good and when is it not.  A dear friend before I left gave me a plaque that I have in my room- It states- "do small things with great love" I feel like that is such a great statement and I think I am just going to have figure out what I am going to in each case but it is hard.

My dream in life is to own a little miniature donkey named so these little guys make me smile everytime. 

 
 
 
The doctors who we share the house with are Egyptian Orthodox so following the orthodox calendar means that Easter is coming up in May. For lent everyone is vegan which means that our cook is making vegan Egyptian food for breakfast and supper- lets just say it's a lot of tomatoes and rice. Super thankful for my protein powder I brought with - somehow a banana mango smoothie is more appetizing then beans and tomatoes for breakfast :).  However one of them felt sorry for us on Sunday and cooked us some chicken... I think Ill just stay Vegetarian .....

 

I am counting down the days until Nicole gets here!! Come on Friday 

Thanks for checking this out friends and each of you for the messages and prayers. I know having me here right now is new and in still on your mind but want to let you know that even as time goes on I covet each and every communication from home.  My email is mel_w@mail.com or If you have whatsapp or Viber apps on your phone my number is  251929087354
PS the internet is giving me huge grief.... teaching me patience I am sure.. The formatting might not be awesome on this but its about as good as it is going to get ;)

Welcome to Addis

Wednesday April 13 19:29 -upload Thursday am 

Welcome to Ethiopia. I have arrived. Flight landed this morning. Headed to the house and pretty much showered and crashed.  Spent the afternoon unpacking and getting organized.  The house we are staying at is tucked off the main road in a little residential area. The noise of the road is muffled and the front of the house is a little community garden so out my window is just some trees which is very nice oasis cacophony of sounds and people that is developing country capital.  No wifi at the home and I still have to get my 3G cellphone but around the corner is a hotel with a little cafe and not to bad of internet so will work for now.  I am excited to explore this side of town.  Where we stayed last time is on the opposite side of the city so this will be a new adventure to find the little coffee shops, fruit stands and road side vendors to get basics  from.  In typical Ethiopian fashion the power struggled to stay on this evening- I feel like I am going to need to stash flashlights around the house.  

It is good to be here. The lead up to coming has been good- gone so well - have been so thankful for the help and support but was so busy - when I was reading about Paul and other in the Bible who were leaving on trips and it simply says "and they went down to the ship" - they didn't have to cancel all their utilities , change insurances, quit jobs, unlock SIM cards and do all the modern day tasks that just take up so much energy and brain space. I was also a little jealous of how they would travel to their destination(minus the time Paul got shipwrecked).  Having taken extended journeys by ship I so recognize the value of the setting for conversation , reflection and mediation. The long journey here has provided some time for that - a time of being still and refocusing, as well as I welcome the routine that I sure will develop as I start to settle in here.  Was reading tonight from Psalms- I am thinking Psalm 91 might become a frequent read- just so full of promises in a time that is going to be so full of unknowns. 

ps on a side note it is just the beginning of rainy season here. It was overcast and gray most of the day about 18degrees but wow the rain and thunderstorms that started in the evening. Wow -so thankful for the roof over my head and feeling a bit sad that so many people will struggle to stay dry tonight. 

Will get the camera  out soon and post some pics.