My Long Update

Due to frustratingly unknown reasons, I have not been able to access my blog or any blogspot site for the past 10 days. So, I am sorry for the delay in updates and I am not sure what will happen from here. Some of the best computer experts available are working to figure out the problem, and have graciously set up for me to post this through remote access. If I have to quit using this site for access reasons, I will let you know!
The past two weeks have been full ones and left me with much to think on. I joined a 9th grade school trip to southern Ethiopia as the "trip nurse"-really, it was just a great opportunity to see some of the incredible Ethiopian scenery:) I know everyone will gasp as they realize that I, Sara, spent nearly a week with 15 year olds camping! Yep, that's me! I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and was reminded of the joy given us when we give up even little things that we want and cling to. We logged 35 hours in a bus, and got to see absolutely amazing things-huge ocean-like lakes surrounded by mountains and old volcanoes, vivid green landscapes, fences made of cacti, baboons, crocs, hippos, camels, magnificent trees and amazing views! We rode horses up this mountain and camped at about 10,000 feet-I felt as though I was cantering through Lord of the Rings; I thought surely the massive, twisting, gnarly trees would boom out talking to me:) The students did Sunday School at one down country mission site-for nearly 600 African kids. That was an experience! I don't know that I would recommend trying to get that many kids in one room to do Father Abraham again!!!
When we got back from Addis we were greeted by hard news-one of the SIM missionaries here had been killed in a freak construction accident. It has obviously shaken the mission community here. On Thursday there was a service; it was a time of grief mixed with joy to be able to sing "When we've been there ten thousand years, we've no less days to sing His praise".
I've been wrestling with ideas of home and security, and this incident reminded me anew that they are thoughts that demand attention. As I sit in my too-quiet house on rainy, dreary evenings, I long for something more. But even in my longing, I must acknowledge that "more" will never satisfy. May we all learn that He is our sole sufficiency.

Good Night, Sleep Tight . . .

Oops, the bed bugs are biting!
On Sunday morning I woke up with the sinking realization that someone would pay me to be on Star Trek, not because of my acting skills but because they wouldn’t have to put time or money into makeup:) One eye was swollen and I had numerous little red itchy bites. Disgusting as it may be, I think the culprit is fleas:( Oh well, more things I get to laugh about, deal with, and move on! I am going to give my mattress a dousing of flea spray and sunshine and I’ll let you know if I have more opportunities to star as a half human/half alien sometime!
Thanks for the emails/thoughts/prayers this weekend! The past 4 days have been quiet ones, even with the anniversary of the elections yesterday. No one has come forward stating they did the bombing, so of course speculation is rampant. But life is back to normal for the moment, so we are thankful.

A City in Need of Peace

This post is really just to let you all know that I am ok. It's been a rocky day in Addis, and it shakes your sense of security to hear and feel a bomb go off and then see the smoke rising from it. But I am reminded that our God is our only true security.
Tonight things seemed to have calmed down a lot, and people are moving about the city as though nothing happened. It is a reassuring sign that people are not holed up in their homes as has happened with some of the violence in the past here.
Please do pray for the people of Addis; I am especially concerned for the single mothers and children in our project who live in some of the areas that seem to have been targeted today. This city needs Light and Peace.

Random Observations

Here's a difference (one of many!) between Africa and the West. You are driving down the road. There is traffic. A lot of it. There are pedestrians. A lot of them. You are of the Western mindset, so you see said road that has no lane stripes, you imagine that they are there, and you drive accordingly. Alternatively, you are of the African mindset, driving down said road that does have lane stripes; you imagine that they are not there and drive accordingly. There, that's observation #1 for you!
I realized today that no one walks fast. Gives totally new meaning to that line in the hymn that says "not a blast of hurry"--although I am quite sure that's not what it was referring to! I am probably going to be an even weirder feringe with my power-walking esque way of transporting myself:)
No new mice in my home, but now we have some new furry dwellers here! Caterpillars seem to have adopted the living room. Now, that is a task my flip flop can handle:) Maybe it has something to do with why the lizards also like the living room. Hmm . . .

MI:3, Addis Version

Our not-so friendly little beast is gone now. Yea! I bought two kinds of mouse traps yesterday, and my housemate strategically set them up. We were out for the evening, and when we returned I tiptoed into the kitchen. Sure enough, he was there . . . squirming . . . and squealing!! Ugh. We used out guard to our full advantage and let him finish the dirty deed:) For one split second of the pitiful squeaks I thought about Jerry Seinfield saying 'you know, for just a second you feel bad for the poor spider. Then you flush.'
So now we have a bleached kitchen and are much relieved!

The Mouse Must Die

Yesterday morning my temporary housemate and I discovered that we had a furry friend in the kitchen. He had unsuccessfully chewed into the lid on a plastic container. We were both annoyed, and contemplated what we would do about it. As there's a good inch between the tin back door and the ground, there's no telling where this guy is coming from. Fast forward to late last night, when I am sitting at the computer waiting an hour for those photos to upload to this site. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement . . . and with a sinking gut I see HIM. Yep, the little beast was in my living room next to my jug of clean drinking water--but he quickly retreated to the kitchen. So I march my barefoot self into the kitchen wielding my flip flop, thinking, "Ok, so even if I found him what would I do about it?" For the next hour I heard him in there--he even got in the dishdrainer, knocked over stuff, crawled over our utensils, and left his friendly signature on the counter. Ugh. So tonight my housemate and I wait for a lull in the rain and walk down to the little corner shop. Now, my Amharic is up to a few greetings and basic things like "thank you" and "I'm full". She's been here for a couple of years, however, and can hold her own in basic conversational Amharic. Obviously, though, "mouse" had never entered either of our vocabularies. There we are, two dripping feringes crowded into the tiny shop along with the corn, wheat, lentils, etc in their big burlap sacks . . . trying to explain that we need a mouse trap. My cohort gave a valiant effort, complete with hand motions and sound effects to try to mimick our little beast. We got plenty of blank stares and laughter with minimal comprehension. Finally, comprehension broke through and we got a response of "Ishy, Ishy" (I understand)! Sadly, though, they had no mouse traps. So we slogged back home through the now pouring rain. And here I am. Listening for the little beast. He must go down. Tomorrow is another day. OH, OH I just heard him!! He knocked something over!!! Off to get my flip flop . . .

Finally! Photos!

To the great consternation of everyone here, it is still raining in Addis—the short rainy season should be over by now, and the long one shouldn’t start until June. At dinner last night I got to hear horrid rainy season stories—hail, raining for days without stopping, going mad. I said, “You didn’t tell me that!” to which I got the reply, “No one would come if we told them the whole truth!!” So here I am, ready to be nice and wet. I am thinking of perpetually cold toes, but at the same time think how blessed I am to have hot water and blankets to warm those toes up. I am sure when the time comes I’ll report all about my wet soggy self and my wetter soggier clothes that won’t dry! I am posting a few photos—I actually haven’t taken many more than this, as I wanted to refrain from getting reprimanded and/or arrested during my first few days here. I'll hopefully take more soon to share Addis life with you!

Here's the photo captions, as I can't figure out a way to actually format them--
1. Blurry view of hairy friends on my road—my house/compound is at the end on the right (you can’t really tell but just so you know!)
2. Sign close to the women's hospital I went to. R, remember??
3. View from the 2nd floor of the MTW/SIM project office, where I will spend most of my time
4. My gate! It's blurry, but in the distance there's an Orthodox church and the mountains

Full Circle in One Week

In the past 6 days, I have seen spectrum ends--from a funeral wake I attended last week to a wedding today, from home visits to see the some AIDS beneficiaries to walking through the Sheraton (the most lavish hotel I have ever seen)! It's enough to leave my head spinning, which it still is and probably will for quite some time. Today at the wedding I understood very little of the hour and a half long ceremony (apparently it was short) but everyone should be impressed that I managed to clap in rhythm for much of the lively service:)
My language "mastery" thus far consists only of greetings, goodbyes, and a very few other useful words. In a language where "Hello" to a female is different from that of a male, I'm daunted. But I will keep at it and probably mess up a lot, but if it means I get to communicate just a little better with a little toddler, a mother with her baby strapped on her back, or the pastor preaching unfamiliar words--it will be worth it.