Remarkable Friday

Since it was holiday, we had Zewedu drive us to the see where the Former Women Fuel Wood Carriers have their weaving center.  Philip Platt, who has come to Addis for the project had been here and told Cindy about it.  Perhaps because of the holiday, the store there was closed, but we were able to see the weaving.  Then they did open the store for us so we shopped.  I bought 10 pieces but Cindy outdid me.  The place and the women were remarkable.

The Welcome Sign 

Several of the looms 

Here is the thread before it was taken off into the ball

One of the workers with a big spool of thread that had been created

Cindy on her way up into the store.  Zewedu keeping
an eye on her progress.  

Cindy in the store shopping.  Lots of scarves behind her.

Here are some of the scarves that were being displayed

 It was quite a drive to get there.  We were in a major traffic jam for a while as everyone was headed to church.  Also the market nearby was open.  Quite a snarl.  Zewedu's little toyota heat warning came on but he just popped open the hood, turned on a fan switch and it was fixed.

After, Cindy and I went to Ethiopian Airlines to plan a trip north.  Cindy had talked with Misrak by phone about a possible tour.  The woman helping us said those didn't exist any longer but she helped us with flights to several different places and it was quite cheap.  So we will be off with Rosie next weekend.

Then, we got some more Birr at the ATM and headed over the hospital to wait for Asfaw Yemiru to pick us up.  He is a friend of Jeffrey Horbar from Vermont Oxford who has started and run schools here in Addis for more than forty years.  His own story is pretty amazing and our afternoon with him and his family was grand.  I will put some photos here. I'm not sure this will work but there is more about him at this web address:   http://worldschildrensprize.org/asfaw-yemiru.  If not, everyone should "google" him though and read the articles there about him and the schools.

Since today was a holiday, there were no classes.  So Cindy and I are going back on Wednesday next week to see the students.  As you can see, we had lunch and then Asfaw asked his daughter to show us the school buildings and grounds.  We also had coffee in a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Lunch.  Cindy and Asfaw.  I think this was our first real
Ethiopian meal and it was wonderful...not too spicy!!

Cindy and I "proving" that we are eating lunch!

The big meeting room at the school.  Used for meetings,
celebrations.  Finished in 1992.

A close up of the stage in the meeting room.
Probably not close enough to tell those are faces.

Asfaw's daughter Ephrate and a 5 year old girl who is staying with the family
showed us around the school and grounds.  Ephate is 12 and in 8th grade.  Likes math and chess.  

the Guest House

Cindy on her way into to Asfaw's House

One of the school buildings.  There was one for each of the 4 grades
and several classes for each grade

When we were done, one of the teachers, Benyam drove us back to Black Lion.  Benyam went to the school himself and now is a sophomore at the University studying biology.  He also teaches biology in the 8th grade.

Quite a day!  Tomorrow we are off to a resort for the weekend.  We were lucky to get a room this late.