Church, Ethiopian Style

So after taking in a fabulous message with Shane at our home church, I venture downtown to find this Ethiopian church. Alex meets me at the bus stop and we ride together to a big beautiful Lutheran one room church building. Questioning eyes meet me as I hop out out my car with Alex. They are asking how he knows me. They look at Alex worried as to what has he gotten himself into. After all, Alex is the newbie. He has only been in Portland about 7 months. Many in the congregation have been attending the church as long as 10 years. One man who received the same lottery visa as Alex looked to me eagerly as his friend began to suggest I hire him.

I love my own home church as the people, friendship and the encouraging words each week are what bring me back. We meet in the church sponsored high school gym. The creativity and leveraging of the space for maximum dual use is extremely resourceful and makes me very happy. However today, walking in the sanctuary with extremely high ceilings, beautiful stained glass windows and traditional bench pews just feel so comforting. The hymnals remind me of being a little girl in the traditional church where I grew up. Alex told me that the Lutheran church uses the building in the morning and that is why they come in at noon afterwards. The men and women are moving about almost dance like, setting up the electric piano, microphones and the PowerPoint with song words in Ethiopian (so many languages and I can’t pronounce the one from today much less spell it here, at least not yet). Yes, this means that none of the service was in English except when the man from the front pointed at me and Alex told me to stand and say my name and where I am from. The rest was me taking in the sing songy voices, different speakers and beautiful music. The electric piano quickly took me back. It was like hearing a full orchestra…the trumpets, flute or sax or something as well as the supporting instruments. One man at the double keyboard was making it all happen. It is hard to describe the traditional ET music sound…I will have to think about it some more and listen again but it is definitely its own flair.
Mesmerized, 2 hours later, we walked down into the basement and I met the 20 some people in the congregation. They were very gracious and kind to me. The black coffee was not exactly like being in Ethiopia but it was delightful. They served homemade bread as well. Not sweet, not salty just fresh handmade bread like my mom used to make and still does for a special occasion.

On my way to take Alex home, he pointed me to the freeway entrance. Being as turned around and directionally challenged as I get, I asked him, are you sure? He said, yes, I am sure, this is the way to your house. Smile. “Okay, we will go to Kaytlynn’s soccer game.”

We caught up with Shane and Harrison and enjoyed Kate’s tournament soccer game. Only one more weekend of games thankfully. I am ready for a break. Alex rode back with Shane and the kids and I fixed dinner in our ET mansion. Alex didn’t blink an eye and loved our beautiful home. Humbled again. My apprehension of everything not being quite nice enough melted in his delight of the pictures on the walls and the conversation with our family. He seemed to savor every moment. While gathered around our small bar and me cooking on our electric stove, he said, “You know, this is my first time in an American home. My first time to have dinner with an American family”. Later I found out that Alex told Shane, the people at church were asking how he met me because many of them had been in the US up to 10 years and did not have an American friend. I am going to have to ask about this some more.

A few blessed or lucky Ethiopians come to the promised land, the land of the free and when they get here, perhaps we offer them a busy schedule, work or don’t eat agenda and no relationship or friendship. Just a thought…not sure yet.

Anyway, I have not yet met his niece(more like a sister) and her husband with two children with whom Alex lives. I am offering restraint! Apparently they have been hear 6 and 10 years respectively.

Restraint…not much left, our first Alex date

My mind is struggling to find words…I know that doesn’t happen very often but it is true. The words almost can not describe…. The encounter, the weekend, the time together, the instant connection, the joy, the experience, well maybe I can start with “the dinner” on Saturday night.

Saturday night is date night. One of the very best blessings in my life, though there are many to count, has been given to me as a gift by Shane’s mom. Almost very Saturday with out fail, after the soccer games are over and the activities of the day are settling down, Sheri snatches my two children for a date with grandma and papa D. They veg out watching TV, eating popcorn and having quality time. Kaytlynn and Harrison always look forward to spending time, chasing around Roxy the dog and sleeping over. Every Sunday morning we all catch up at church together. The result of their quality time with grandma has been some fantastic date time for Shane and me. I look forward to those Saturday nights as much as the kids do. It isn’t always a big fancy plan but we usually have a special meal together. Just the quiet time to talk in full sentences or sometimes in Shane’s case, to sit without talking, is great to have once a week.

Well, this Saturday night was no different in that it was date night and we could do anything we pleased. Friday at work days end, Shane had asked Alex if we would like to join us for our date night. I’m sure he didn’t really know what that meant, but he said yes. When I asked for all of the details of the conversation because I just HAD TO KNOW, Shane said, he asked Alex, Alex said yes, Shane said he would call tomorrow and Alex said okay….”it was a man conversation”, Shane said. So Saturday night we ventured to NE Portland to find Alex. The men had agreed to meet at the Queen of Sheba on MLK. It is an Ethiopian restaurant that we had driven by before when I was looking for signs of ET culture in Portland. We had left early as the rain was pouring down and I didn’t want our guest to stand outside long waiting for us. At 6:15 we arrived and saw Alex hurrying down the street to the designated location. We flipped the car around to my excited directions because Shane was just not fast enough for my liking. We pulled up in front of the restaurant and Alex peaked around the corner and I could see his eyes peering from his hood. It was beginning to get dark but as I jumped out of the car he recognized me right away and ran to the car. He gave me a big ET half hug. It is kind of like a handshake but then shoulders and cheeks touch all at the same time. I think there is a light grab to the elbow too. It is a delightful hug, like family you haven’t seen in a long time. I encouraged him to hop in the front seat next to Shane and I slid across the back into the middle so I could hear everything going on. I didn’t want him to get lost in the back with me turned half way around to talk at him.

Clearly, Alex is very excited. He begins to tell us that he can not believe what is happening. He has been praying that he would be able to get a job so that he could be a blessing to his family. His Ethiopian friends in Portland as well as the family is Addis can not believe he has found employment with his minimal Ethiopian education and language abilities. Praying? Really? Oh yes. He begins to tell us that he believes God helped him find us. Maybe God brought him to the United States and from Maryland his original settling place, because he was to be friends with us. God is the way, the truth and the light. Such faith he has. I am humbled. He begins to tell us, “I know that there were many people who want this job, maybe I am not the best person but God gave me this job so I can be with you. You are my new family”. Wow.

Meanwhile, we arrive at Bridgeport and after a leisurely walk around, we come to PF Chang’s where we have reservations. We all can not get out the words fast enough as we find our excitement building over the divine connection God seems to be making with all of us. Alex shares that he wants to go to school, become a nurse and go back to ET to help his people. A clinic has been on my list for the first big project I want to raise funds for. Just interesting. May be no connection. Only a short while later, Emily Cornish joins us. Emily is my sweet friend who already has been to Korah and shares my crazy passion for ET. She is finishing nursing school this year. Her conversation and questions come out as excitedly as Alex’s and more details are pursued. We all decide we will be in ET together next summer. Why not plan on it. Stories and experiences are shared. Shane engages but is in so much shock, he can not hardly believe it.

I ask Alex two questions: what does he want to do for ET? and what can we do for him to help him in this country?
He share’s with us his heart for the people. There is so much that is needed. He wants to help his family and the people and working hard in this new job will help him do that. As far as what we can do for him? This new immigrant with really nothing…what does he ask for?
“I just want to be your family. I am available every Saturday and Sunday. If you need me I am your family and I help you. You can teach me everything”.

To love and be loved. I look at Shane…my sweet conservative husband thinking he is going to play by all of the politically correct rules at work. He melts. When I look at him, he just shakes his head as if to say, “I know what I told you earlier, but I can not tell him no.”

After dinner, Emily parts to go home and we stop by grandma’s house to say Hi to our kids and for the family to meet Alex. On our way back to MLK, Alex invites us to church sometime as it is at noon and expresses his interest to try our American church as well. So, on Sunday, I can’t help but take him up on the offer…

Compelling, part 2

So at just 10 weeks of pregnancy, I knew something was wrong. I had been taking a walk pushing Kaytlynn in the stroller and began to feel the trickle. I made it home, cleaned myself up and called the doctor. Into the clinic and then after the ultrasound, the doctor said everything looked fine. She told me that it was unusual to see this early but she was very confident we were having a boy! The excitement was muted by…take it easy and be careful. You cant bleed like this any length of time or your baby probably wont make it.

Just a couple of days later on a Friday, something changed in me. I began to gush. It frightened me terribly and I rushed myself to the clinic again. For some reason my doctor wasn’t there and another Dr. was filling in. She could clearly see that something wasn’t right. After examining me, she showed me a sample and said that what she had was a portion of fetal tissue and I was passing my fetus. She was going to have me do blood work so she could track the hormone levels and I would have to come back on Monday for a D&C as well as more blood work to compare to. She left for a moment and then came back. I was trying to be strong but I could feel the warmth in my body rising. Tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn’t speak. She looked at me with irritation and confusion. She questioned me ” are you upset?” I said, “Well yes, we are talking about my baby”. At that moment she began to try to explain away my fetus. She told me that because I wasn’t 12 weeks along, it wasn’t really a baby anyway and I could always try again. I was dumbfounded. I know many people are of that opinion but to tell that to me in my moment of loss was painful.

I left that afternoon with great sadness. Upon returning home, I continued to gush. I was managing my symptoms and still in so much shock. I believe it was later that night when I called a much wiser friend of mine who had medical experience. She suggested that I could die from my symptoms and I really needed to go back to the hospital so they could monitor me. She suggested I go directly to the ER.

The ER was very concerned for me and was glad that I had made the decision to come in. They were not comfortable with my levels and wanted to monitor me. They realized immediately that my symptoms were extreme. The doctor was much more gentle and empathized with my sadness. At some point during the examination, he checked my belly with the stethoscope. He heard a heartbeat! Remember, the last physician had shown me a piece of fetal tissue. The doctor was rather shocked and then told me that even if there was a chance the baby was still alive, by Monday he would pass as he wouldn’t be able to handle the stress of the condition of my body bleeding.

At least one of the pastors from our church Horizon Community Church in Tualatin, came by to pray with me and to be with me. I went home that night with instructions of complete bed rest and to check in with my doctor on Monday. TBC

Compelling me to keep ’em

While so many of our belongings have been purged there are traces of our treasures that still are under review and scrutiny. Tonight was a box that I have not wanted to open. I’m not exactly sure but for some reason I have equated the contents with my memories, as if the memories would go when I let the box go. In the spirit of our cleanse and being willing to live in a smaller space, it was time to make the review. Shane pulled the box from our storage garage and I plopped down in the middle of the family room. I called to my children to come take a look. I opened the lid to find some of the sweetest tiny little blue outfits. Kaytlynn and Harrison began to ooh and ah. Harrison asked, “whose are those?”

He was shocked to hear me say that they were his when he was a baby! I guess it is strange to have these perfectly tiny little clothes in my closet, moved from house to house for all of this time. We agreed to go through the outfits one my one and pick a few of our favorites to save but we certainly didn’t need the 30 plus outfits for under 12 months of age. He delighted me when he suggested we share some with the babies in Ethiopia. Oh yes, Harrison! I thought I could wash them up and see how they looked. Some of the clothing with white was starting to discolor. A little soak in Biz should do the trick.

I began to reminisce about Harrison’s birth and walking through pregnancy with him. Harrison’s life is absolutely a miracle. A twinge of guilt overcomes me as I try to remember the specifics. I am sure I can’t possibly get them all right but I should be able to capture the spirit of the story. Maybe holding onto his clothes was my way of waiting to part with the story. It is time, time to remember and write as much as I can possibly remember.

Most everything was delightfully exciting and wonderful until about week 10. It was then that we knew something was wrong. To be continued…

42 days to go…the world is shrinking

One of the fantastic experiences of being exposed to Ethiopia and gaining a renewed passion for helping, is all of the connections that keep popping in my path. It doesn’t feel like a coincidence. It began with the whole house garage/Craig’s List sale. It seemed like almost everyone who came to purchase something, people who knew nothing of my passions, had some connection with Africa. Many with Ethiopia.

Today is no exception. Shane has been a wonderful support to me and is very excited about our family trip coming up. I mean come on, he was willing to move our family into an “Ethiopian Mansion” when he didn’t have to. No elaborate trip to Cancun or Maui, but a trip across the world to Ethiopia and the dump with the proceeds from selling most all of our personal belongings. Whatever didn’t fit in the apartment, had to go! BUT, he certainly doesn’t live and breathe it like I do. I had him drive me around in NE Portland one night just to see if we could see any signs of Ethiopian culture. We did find a wonderful market where I can by injera and spices.

So back to my experience of today. I met a man named Alex who is Shane’s most recent new hire. Guess where Alex is from? Addis Abab Ethiopia. Can you believe it? He won the US lottery, which I didn’t know even existed, for a 10 year long term Visa. I just got to meet him today for the first time so I have not grilled him yet on all of the questions I want to ask him! Shane tells me I have to be professional and offer restraint! Okay…so I am trying to be professional as possible but I am so excited I can’t hardly stand it. Alex has been here about 8 months and told me he would go with us on our next trip to be our translator! Next trip meaning after the December trip, after all he was just hired and can’t ask for time off yet. What are the odds???? Certainly God is smiling down on us. He must have a great sense of humor! This story is TBC (to be continued!).

Montessori part 2, my heart is full

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION…THE BUS STATION

So what did I share?

ETHIOPIAN GROCERY STORE

ETHIOPIAN HOUSE

My favorite Shoe Shine Boy who should have been in School

I was so blessed by their teacher, Kathy Fisher. She was great and capturing their attention and reiterating the points I was trying to make. I could tell she was so excited for us to be there and worked hard to make us feel welcome.

Finally we finished by reading the first chapter of “Take Your Best Shot”. It is written from a 9 year old boys perspective. He watched a World Vision video about a little girl Maggie and decided he was going to make a difference. The first chapter is about his “Maggie Moment”. I commissioned the children to let this be there Maggie Moment and to really decide to make a difference in the world.

I am hoping to stay in touch with the class…to check back in with them once more before my trip and then again after. I am so thankful that a friend of mine, Claudia, connected me with Cathy and helped to make this happen. More to come…

Montesorri School Tomorrow! Ethiopia Fact of the Day

10:15AM tomorrow morning I will be speaking to my first group of students regarding Ethiopia. Twenty-four 2nd graders have no idea what they are in for! The best of marketing and Jr. High youth leader meets passionate business girl with props and walla…a fabulous presentation! I will give you the “rest of the story” tomorow as to the reality of this fabulous presentation! Tabatha used my pictures from the July trip and produced a fabulous power point presentation. I have lots of words to share-I love words. After the power point we have planned stations of ethiopian food/Ingera, shoe shining work experience, hand made items to touch and coloring pictures. Then a little story time from the book Lisa shared with my kids called “Take your Best Shot”. I am so thankful for the opportunity to share with the students and their parents. Something exciting is in the air!
My favorite fact of the day to share about Ethiopia vs. the USA is:
Ethiopia has less than one third the population of the United States but Ehtiopia represents at least 7 languages. No single language represents more than one third of what the Ethiopian population speaks. Quite a bit of diversity by dialect and language. None of these languages are common to us such as Spanish or French, etc.
Source:The World Fact Book 2010

A teaspoon VS. the Horder’s House

I was trying to describe to a friend how overwhelming it feels when you think about the need, my desire to help and the gravity of the circumstances in Ethiopia. Imagine the worst Hoarders TV show edition you have seen. Then, picture yourself standing in front of the house with a teaspoon as your only tool, the crew has graciously allowed you to help out, the only catch is you get only 10 minutes! Holy cow, what could you do in a Horders house in 10 minutes? As noted in previous post, I would probably just start gagging…Seriously, it is overwhelming. Would be so much easier to bow out, to pass by the house, to watch someone else try, to give my condolences etc. Despite all of that, I feel compelled to give the best 10 minutes I can possibly give. I have chosen to go in with eyes wide open and to Embrace Compassion for the city. I am choosing to allow my heart to be vulnerable. The people are by far to valuable. What they have to offer me in relationship, in love, in learning from their strength and their heart it too much to pass up. I will take my 10 minutes and LOVE and be LOVED. Kind of takes the pressure off. I mean, really all I can do is make myself available and then see what God does with it. Then I get to thinking…what if I had 100 friend, 500 friends who all gave 10 minutes. If we had a plan, went as a team, worked in groups, used our unique tools no matter how big or how small…then we might even make a dent on that Horders house…or the poverty and sickness in Ethiopia. Consider it.

so bummed…Love in a Ziplock bag

Just found out the package that I thought was being sent overnight on Friday wont be arriving until Tuesday. Tuesday is too late. Sweet Ashli will already be on her flight and in the air. I know I should have gotten it out earlier. It is just that there are so many details going on every day and I thought I was in the clear. I dropped the ball. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it. I’m beginning to love our Ethiopian boys as if they are our own children. Yes it is different, but at the same time it isn’t. They are our sponsored boys from the Project 61 ministry. We think of them as adopted, just staying at the boarding school in their own country. I just wanted them to have cards from Kaytlynn and Harrison. Some gum, pencils and new school pictures. Nothing that will save a life. Just LOVE sent in a Ziploc bag. I just want them to know we love them, that we are praying for them, that they are on our mind and…I want them to know that we will be with them for Christmas! It is a bit like sending a message in a bottle. Just bummed…my heart is sad.

Flea Obliteration Drama

So in case anyone was curious on the outcome…the flea killer showed up today. It took about 2 hours to prep, get everything that we could off the ground, out from under the beds and then vacuum thoroughly. We now will vacuum everyday for 10 days and continue to clean out the vacuum. We also have some other natural remedies that have been generously shared by friends and some special spray shared by Jessica. So I am having faith despite the comment on the card that was left that it will probably fail because we didn’t take everything out of our closets. Seriously? Everything out of the closets too? Where do you put everything from under the beds and out of the closets in a tiny little apartment? By faith…no more fleas please!