FAYA - Day One

We packed up our belongings and said goodbye at the Oziopia. That was sad to do as Abebe and his family are wonderful!! I would highly recommend them. They may be 25 minutes from the Bole Road and the airport, but it is well worth it. We simply rented a driver for each day, and when you think that it was just $5 per hour, it was worth it.

Our Friends at the Oziopia

Since we have left Abebe’s good care, we have seen how difficult it is to have to do it alone. Even with a so called ‘translator’ it is difficult. Abebe was really well spoken and it was like speaking to a North American. It made life very simple.

Before we left, his mother did a coffee ceremony for us. This was really nice. She did the cooking of the beans, the burning of the incense, and then her daughter walked around and let us smell the bean. After this she ground the beans and made the coffee. I don’t usually like black coffee, but there is something different about Ethiopian coffee. I was able to drink it black with sugar and it was good!

Meg arrived for us with a jeep type truck at about 9:30 or so.

We worked to pack all of our belongings on top and within the truck.

By the time we were done, the vehicle was truly loaded! The big boys had a small seat in the back, and the girls sat on our laps in the middle, with bags and boxes between and around us. Meg, S, and the driver sat in the front. And then we were off.

Loaded Up and Ready to Go

The Boys Had About 2' to Sit In

We headed for Adama and along the way we stopped at a furniture store to discuss beds. We found some really nice bunkbeds for $250. They are sturdy metal and wood ones. We paid for three bunkbeds, since they already have two at the orphanage. We also bought two nice wood and metal shelving units, and will buy two more of these tomorrow. These were $66 each. There were also nice wooden dressers for $85, of which we will buy two. Because our van was so full, we decided to send the guys back the next day with the truck and pick up the furniture.

Discussing Bookshelves, Bunkbeds, and Dressers

The Bunkbeds and Bookshelves

$1000 - Paid in $10 Bills - Only in Africa!

And we headed out again. Can you imagine spending all this money and the highest denomination you are working with is a ten dollar bill?! You can imagine how big the stack of bills is!

After we left here, we traveled about another hour or so and then stopped for lunch. It was a traditional restaurant. The girls had their own table, and the boys theirs.

While Meg and we were talking, S got on the cell phone and then put it to Mesai’s ear. She talked to someone with a big smile. She would say, “Hello! HELLO!” I am not sure if the other person was speaking English or Amharic, but she was replying in English. After she was done, she ran up to Gadisae and told her that she had done this. Gadisae came and asked Sintayehu if she could do it. When it was her turn to speak, she didn’t speak much. It turned out it was the orphanage director that she was speaking to – the one at the first orphanage that she came from.

PIC ON PHONE - Mesai and S.

While we were eating lunch, of course, someone had to use the bathroom. After a trip to the bathroom, where there are waiting attendants! They came back and asked for toilet paper. There was none to be had. The waitress gave the boy two napkins *smile*.

When it was my turn, we are getting good at this, I was able to see that there were two napkins on the boys table that came with their French fries. Colt said, There might be a bit of grease on there. And I replied, It is better than nothing!!

So a lesson to the wise, Do NOT leave home without your own toilet paper!! They do sell it here, but they do not put it in public bathrooms!!!

We ordered Coke and Sprite for everyone. It was sweet to see how Gadisae just helped herself to S’s coke!! The love he has for her is apparent! She walked around drinking his pop, before she sat and drank her own.

After we left here, we continued on our way.

The No-Car-Seats Lifestyle is Rather Nice!

It is a beautiful drive and makes you think of the movie you might have seen of Africa: lush, short trees, endless quite flat plains, with canyons, and gorges. Absolutely beautiful!!

We arrived at FAYA and the children were waiting for us.

There are three year old twins, and a little girl of about 6. They were all dressed alike and I asked if this was a uniform. Meg told me it was because that was the only set of clothes that she had for them.

REMOVED FOR ADOPTION REASONS

Cute Kalkidan and Our Girls

Unloading the Goods

So basically people, FAYA has begun with four wall, one table of about 18” x 4’, two chairs, and a bureau of sorts, a fridge, a stove, and two sets of bunkbeds and sheets, and blankets. Meg’s money has had to go to secure the building, and bring in the the staff and buy a bit of food, and buy the few supplies they could get.

The "Before Shot" Kids Bedroom

Which is 'off' the Main Livingroom

ANYTHING that you can bring will put this place on its feet!!

The children were adorable and happy and obviously adjusting well and feeling loved. The staff were welcoming and very nice.

The boys loved Tigist. After every one else had gone to bed those three sat up on a mattress on the kitchen floor and tossed a ball back and forth. You would have thought we had three teenagers there. I am sure Tigist was happy to just plain ‘play’.

Earlier, when I was putting the girls to bed, she told me that she had a 4 year old baby that was adopted to Canada. What do you say when someone tells you that?!!

While we were driving on the roads from Addis to Adama, S made a phone call and told us that he had found our girls’ birth mum. We would be able to arrange a meeting for that afternoon!

I should mention that in the morning, while we were getting ready to go, Abebe took a few minutes to ask Mesai as many questions as I could think of. It was great because she was able to give me a lot of answers as to what her life was like before. She was not a city child – she came from a little African hut, with chickens in her yard. She lived very rural without neighbours. The rest I will be writing down for her, but I was very thankful to get a picture of her life. She remembered a lot, including her grandmother and her mother. I didn’t bring up her mother – she did. I was planning to stay away from that topic for now.

Abebe explained to me that in the African culture, children are given (adopted) to other family members so frequently that it is not a big shock, like it would be to a Canadian child. So since this had already happened to her she was quite used to the idea. S even told us that when they see their mother, they will not want to go with her. They have been prepared for so long, to go with their new family, that that is what they will do – and happily. They have made the mental shift.

When we got to FAYA, the guys unloaded the truck and we stood around planning for a few minutes. Then Ray and I, Meg, S, and his nephew, S, headed out. The guys were looking for wood to make a large table and benches, and Meg and I were buying mattresses, sheets, and blankets.

But first, we were going to meet the birthmum for a quick visit. The plan is that we will get together with her the following day for an interview and for her to see the girls.

We arrived at this place and soon she arrived. She came in with traditional clothing on, and she looked older than her 28 years. She was a solemn lady (of course). It broke my heart to see the sorrow in her eyes. She had the orphanage director with her and we had S to interpret. We asked her a few questions and made arrangements to meet her the following day.

At one point, she shook her head and wagged her finger as a way of saying ‘no’. I laughed and told S the story of Mesai at the restaurant. I asked him to tell her the story. She laughed when she heard how Mesai wagged her finger just like her. When the girls’ mum wagged her finger, it was like seeing Mesai for a minute. She is clearly like her mother.

Both girls have their mother’s chin and cheekbones, and Gadisae has her eyes. It was so nice to see!

We took some pictures with her and then parted ways. We will reconnect the following afternoon. She was ready to see the girls that day, but she was promised that we would see her the next day. We also made arrangements to send her photos and letters, and to give her stamped envelopes to have someone write letters for her. She was happy about that. Happy, as far as happy can be shown, when you have given up your children. But I know it meant something to her. We told her she is family now and she nodded.

Once we had left, we headed out to the market. We met up with Meg and she and I went shopping for mattresses, sheets, and blankets. The guys went looking for wood. The boys were left clearing all the rocks from the yard. By the time we had arrived back, the boys had cleared the whole yard of rocks – about 5 wheelbarrows full!! The guys are trying to bring in some soil, or sand and lay it down to seed. They hope to bring in some concrete pads to make a small area for the kids. This might be more difficult that we thought, as we are on Africa time, dealing with lack of trucks to deliver things etc. It is a bit frustrating. Meg is doing her best, but things are not so available. For instance, the wood stores did not have good wood. So we decided the table and benches would have to be bought. That will be another $400, if we only buy one set. Preferably there would be seating for 12, but we don’t have space in the car for that. So they will have seating for 6 for now, and the children can have a little seating area as well.

Meg and I wandered through the market – mud, animal, people – definitely rural!!

And I Was Wearing Flip-Flops?! Yup, Poor Choice.

We made some deals on the things we needed. We tried to get a rug, but the price was too high. We will go back tomorrow and buy it, as we both think a rug will make it much homier. So expense or no, we will pay for it. It is not that bad, it was just way overpriced compared to the smaller ones.

Negotiating Sheets

Buying Blankets

The Mattress Store

Home Again, Home Again

When we finally arrived home, the children were all playing together. Tigist and the other staff made injera and lentils for everyone. We opted for Ramen Noodles, after having had Ethiopian food for the last week!! We then sat and planned into the evening what needed to be done the following day.

REMOVED FOR ADOPTION REASONS

The Dinner Table

Soon to be Replaced With a 9'x 4.5' Table and Benches!

When I took the girls to bed later, Tigist came and helped and at this time she told me of her child. I think she sees the good in it. She can love these children, but she knows that her child has the ‘good’ life and a future all set out. She is a wonderful caregiver!!

We are staying in two room that are behind the main building. We are using the mattresses, sheets, and blankets that we bought yesterday. The beds will be set up tomorrow.

Colt and Dane's Room

We Four Slept Here

I discovered the Shinty Bay. This is ‘something’ interesting. The odor assaults you as you enter the room. It is the same as at the children’s shelter. There is an oblong shape on the floor and the children squat over it. As I am sitting here the ripe smell reaches my delicate nose *grin*.

I told Meg about lime. If she can get this it will be good to help eliminate the odor and decompose what is down there! Also, a bucket of bleach water to swash it with twice a day will bring down the smell.

As I took the children to the bathroom before bed, in their lily white and pink pajamas, they readily squatted over this hole and it just reminded me that we are in Africa and they are African! *smile* I found out afterwards that there is a nice normal toilet inside!! LOL!!! Oh, well, we have used the shinty bay twice now!!

The sweetest thing happened at bedtime. After they were in bed, I asked Gadisae to pray. She quietly prayed, but not very well heard. I then said, “Mesai.” And she knew this was her prompt to pray. She proceeded to obediently pray, ‘Father God (pause) I love you (pause). Father God (pause) I pray for (pause) Gadisae (pause). Protect her (pause). Bless her. (pause). In Jesus name (pause) Amen . (During the pauses Gadisae would repeat her words. I love this!)

At this point, she should have been done. Instead, she began to speak again. “Father God. I love you. Father God. I pray for Mummy. Please protect her. Bless her. In Jesus name. Amen.

Wow! When I heard her pass the words and say my name I felt such an incredible warmth in my heart. This child had chosen to pray for me. No prompts. Their hearts are so open to new love and a new future. Thank you, Lord!