Monday
“It’s not who you are, it’s whose you are”
I have heard this saying many times since high school, mostly referring to finding one’s identity in Christ. Tonight I saw a sweet living example of this phrase.
There is a 2-year-old girl in the sick room name Ribka. She has a lot of liver problems, which have turned the ‘whites’ of her eyes yellow, and all toilet-related substances the same color. Ribka’s body is weak, so she cannot walk and she rarely smiles. She’s very quite often neglected by the staff and volunteers alike.
This evening while hanging out in the clinic past regular hours, my friend Teddy, a nurse aid who works the night shift, opened my eyes to the power of the above statement.
Before preparing the night meds, Teddy deemed Ribka as his ‘secretary,’ placing her tiny body in a large office chair. He gave her a pen and scrap piece of paper, directing her to take messages for him. It is really beautiful to watch their relationship. She lights up when he is around, so excited to openly receive his outpour of love.
Here is Ribka the next morning, with Ronite, a volunteer from Israel.
Before, when I spent time around Ribka I saw her and had pity for her situation, but tonight, my eyes were opened to how precious she is to Teddy, and how much of an impact this love had on her attitude.
Love is a very beautiful gift that keeps on giving!
Tuesday
Medanakia is one of my roommates at the orphanage this week. She is Habesha and recently lived in France for a while. She is around the same age as me, smiles all the time and is very generous and thankful. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know her, despite the significant language barrier. This girl is pretty much a rock star. Both of her arms end at the elbow, and on her right arm she has a finger and a half. She only has a left leg. She was in France getting a 6 kilo prosthetic leg, which she wears like a purse when she is outside the room.
It’s pretty incredible to watch her make her bed, tie her shoes and eat injera without any hands. This woman is a true inspiration to those she is around.
She is also loads of fun, here is an image we took while playing with Photo Booth.
Wednesday
Even though I passed university level math, this evening I was having some difficult with Grade 7 problems. The kids who are above grade 4 go outside the compound for school in various locations around the city, so this week I’ve had the sweet privilege of helping some of the older girls with homework.. Sentayo, one of the most delightful teenagers I have ever met, is an incredible student. She is number 2 in her class, dedicated to her studies and spends much more time than other students on her homework.
Here is a sweet moment with Sentayo captured right before homework time.
Yesterday evening we spent a few hours on a number of different algebraic problems, and I was so surprised when I went to the library this afternoon. Sentayo had rewritten all the work we completed in different colored pens and precise calculations. I was VERY impressed and encouraged by her hard work. I cannot wait to see where she ends up in 10 years.
Friday
Dr. Fulvia, the Italian doctor who works full time at the orphanage, allowed me to photograph her work today. Her and Sister Maria are the two doctors at the clinic, and they both see the kids at the orphanage – doing checkings, blood work, etc. but they also see a good number of impoverished women and children in the Asco community who come to the clinic to receive Anti-retroviral therapy and other medicine.
Saturday
This evening I watched “Beyond Borders” with the other volunteers. Everyone was thrilled to have a break from the long week, watch a movie and celebrate Christine’s (one of the long term volunteers) birthday.
Even though the situation in Ethiopia has improved much since the setting of this film, it was eye opening to see this motion picture while being here. I really encourage you to check out this Angelina Jo Lee feature film.
Sunday
I attended mass this morning. Every-other weekday and Saturday and Sunday the students attend mass at the Catholic Church directly next to the orphanage.
Here is one of the alter boys after mass.
The congregation is predominately children, with only a few other visitors and volunteers. It’s pretty incredible to watch all the children sit still for so long, but it’s even more glorious to hear them sing together. I took a voice recording of mass, so yall can hear it when I get back home. Wow. Its so majestic, hearing all their voices sing prayers and songs of praise to our Father. Very powerful!
