First on the list to do today was to go to the boys' and girls' home and meet the children. We needed to pick up Fikadu at the street home before we could head out.
The drive was about 20-30 minutes. We passed a real leper colony on the way. That was a real shocker that made me again, so sad for the state of health care in Ethiopia. We got on a freeway and that was an interesting experience. We felt like we were flying as we honked slightly before weaving in and out of the few cars that were there. And we even passed a truck that was stacked likely 3 stories high with grain. The truck was slowly coasting along as his load shifted to the side. I reached for my camera but missed the opportunity to take the picture as we passed. You never see anything quite like that in America and the next day, it was proven why. A similar truck was stacked up with charcoal bags (product sticking out the top and bottom of each bag) and the load fell off the truck and into the road.
Anyway, we are on the edge of the city and pull into a residential area. There are fairly decent homes for city homes here and yet the road was just as rough as most everywhere else. We bob up and down as we make our way to the gate. The metal gates are opened and children are all coming to greet up. They hug us, kiss our cheeks, hold our hands and smile. They all line up to the side after their turn and each child watches our every move to see where we will go next. The boys and girls are together when we arrive. They eat together and worship together at the girls' home. Then the boys walk down the street to their facility. In anticipation of our arrival, they were all in one place for now.
Fikadu was eager to show us the facility. It was nice. It had a small yard, a nice sized patio, dorm rooms, a free room with couches and a tv, and then cook quarters and dining quarters. The buildings were painted white and were a putty type stucco exterior. Bunk beds were made to fit as many as possible in each dorm. The clothes were all kept in one closet and made available to all the children. The children had no personal belongings that one could tell.
We took time before heading to the boys' facility to interview each child. We wanted to know their names, what they liked, their favorite hobbies and foods, and what their dreams were. There seemed to be themes of career ideas and favorite sports activities. Most likes soccer, jump rope, or gymnastics (which they called it "circus") and most desired to be a pilot, astronomer, or doctor. A few wanted to take their sports professional and travel while playing. They were pretty timid to share with us at first, and understandably so. We kept it short. Thanked them for their time. And before letting them go, asked if they wanted to say something to their sponsors in America. All of the children said that they thanked God for their sponsors, that they loved them, and that they pray for their sponsor every day. I was so touched.
We had been here several hours at this point and were ready to see the boys' dorms. It was a short walk. Only about a 10 minute walk down the rockiest of roads. The children held our hands as we walked. They would ask us to sing to them songs from English Sunday school. I was happy to ablige! They would work to pronounce my name and then try and teach me theirs. They were lighting up. The timidness that first was present, was quickly washing away and being replaced with a spirit of excitment.
The boys home was equally as nice, though it had much more yard for playing games in. This facility had no kitchen or dining hall. It was just many rooms, with many beds. They, too, had a community clothing closet.
Our day was nearly spent. We had been there for hours and hours. Lunch was gone and missed and the children needed to get some food in their stomachs. We had to make our way onward but left them with a promise of returning the following day.
As I got in the car to leave, my heart was full. The children had moved me. Each child took time to hug us goodbye and the hugs were genuine. They had enjoyed us as much as I had enjoyed them. They felt loved by me, the way that I had felt loved by them. And though their obvious need for personal love and affection was very real and present, I think for that short day, they were able to set aside their losses and just enjoy the attention that they had. It made me feel good to give to them in this way, yet made me so sad that no matter how much of "me" that I gave them, it would not be enough in the time I was allotted.
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