Addis Ababa
Recently we travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for EARM (East Africa Representatives Meeting). These semi-annual meetings bring together MCC reps from Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, as well as our Associate Directors for East Africa. Two administrators from Akron, PA also joined us. The meetings were good and productive. It’s always good to hear what is happening in the other countries and know that we are not alone in our joys and frustrations. (And Sally Jo got to hold the “newest” member of the EARM family – 6 weeks old.)
With meetings for two-and-half days we did not see much of Addis or the surroundings. However, the view from our hotel room on the 5th floor did give us a small view of the city and our immediate neighborhood—including cattle and sheep passing by in the morning. And did you know that Addis is at an altitude of 7,600 feet? Our hearts got a good exercise every time we climbed the stairs.
Our final afternoon was free so we joined a group that took a short trip up the mountain behind the hotel. On the way we stopped to see an MCC project in jewelry making. This is an income-generating project for women living with AIDS. It was a Saturday so the women were not there but we saw the beautiful jewelry which is sold through Ten Thousand Villages and also through some high-end U.S. stores. The beads are made from melted-down bullet casings. We then visited one of these women who made tea for us and spoke about her struggles. We had a short hike up the hill and looked out over the city.
In the evening we went to an Ethiopian Restaurant with that wonderful spicy food served with injera, a thin light bread, for which Ethiopia is known. The food was accompanied by drinks that included Ethiopian honey wine and delicious Ethiopian coffee. It was all tops! For our entertainment and enjoyment there was traditional dancing and singing.
