Ellen and Ethiopia

My biggest struggle here is the poverty and how to deal with it.  I’m listening to Tim Keller’s Podcast on Social Justice for about the third time and trying to figure out how to apply it here and now.  Every morning the street kids chase me down yelling “YOU” (which is what they call any one who is white) and holding out their hands for money or food.  I’ve tried giving them some food - Kolo which is a seedy, nutty mix - but then I get mobbed, they start shoving it in their pockets and holding out their hands for more, and inevitably they grab the entire bag out of my hands and run off.  It is very frustrating - so you can be praying for me to know how Jesus would handle such a scenario.  

I have so much to say, and I feel like I am just jumping from one topic to another - sorry in advance for my ADD typing and story telling.  Please don’t judge me on my writing skills or turn me in to the grammar police.

The Garden update:  It has been raining here a lot - so you can imagine the effect this has on the garden!  Things are growing like wild!!  The kids and I get so excited when we check on the progress - it is a real highlight for us each day.  However, we noticed that it appears that something is eating the green bean plants.  I just assumed it was a monkey, but Wo’ma told us it was the orphanage’s pet turtle “Toothless”.  She is obviously not living up to her name and since they claim she is over 100 years old - I some how think her previous name was more likely to match her veggie-stealing character - whatever it was.  I’m going to do some investigating and report back my findings.

Meet The Culprit: Toothless

Switching it up again - yesterday was our very first “Recorder” lesson!  I was so nervous about it and for anyone who knows me well, I am sure you can understand my fears!  I am not exactly musically inclined.  Hold your laughter and that means you - Brittany Corner. However, God gave me much grace yesterday and our first lesson was splendid.  I am only teaching the older girls, Marta, Fasika and Beti for now.  They listen well and are quick learners - they will surely pass me up in “skills” in no time flat.  But here is the cool thing; we met a couple of Rachel’s friends for lunch yesterday - two college-age girls from Germany who are here volunteering in the local schools and one of them teaches Art, Sports and Music.  I told her about my upcoming Recorder Lesson and she got a big smile and said, “That is one of the things that I teach.”  I said, “Get on over to EGCH girl!!”  Unfortunately, her schedule will not permit her to come during the time that our girls are available (and when the little ones are still in school)  but, she said that she would be glad to tutor ME on the weekends.  Isn’t that great??!!!

Sometimes my life here seems surreal.  For example last night I was walking up the “very steep” hill to my cottage when I heard this loud roaring noise and I stopped - thinking “Wow, that kind of sounded like a lion.”  But no - it was more of a REALLY loud “grunting” and I then I realized it was the hippos in the lake just below me.  I will get some pictures of the hippos, so you can see what I once thought was highly unlikely and abnormal for a girl from Indiana transform to… just another day in Ethiopia for Ellen.   And I see hyenas almost every night on my walk home.  Isn’t that crazy??  I am blessed beyond measure!

WOW!  Hey, if you have time I would encourage you all to read Isaiah 58.…amazing stuff!