And so it begins!

Just a small post to say that tomorrow is my first day at IMC in Birmingham to begin my training for India. I'm looking forward to meeting my team, but gonna miss all the amazing people back home. I'm in Birmingham for a month so will do my very best to blog at least once a week (twice if you're lucky). 

Being the organised person I am, I started packing 2hrs ago.... One suitcase might not cut it... My wardrobes half empty now but that's probably a good thing as its less things for mummy and Rosie to steal whilst I'm away! Better hide my shoes and bags too!! 

Anyway, I just want to say thank you so much to the people who helped me get this far, you are all A-MAZING  and I couldn't have done it without you. 

Lots of love xx

The end of adventure number one!

I did try and write a post when in Lalibela but after walking what felt like a mile to an internet cafe (located in a tiny little shack with very minimal light), and spending 15 long minutes checking and replying to only 2 emails... The electricity died. So I can only apologize for my lack of blogging in the last week.
Lalibela is absolutely beautiful. You are surrounded by mountains, going as far back as the eye can see, it is so green and fresh, the houses are the cutest little huts which just complete the beauty of it all.
However, the people in Lalibela are no where near as nice as those in Addis. They're not horrible, but they don't see you as people, they see you as foreigners with money. Every single day without fail we would have at least 4 people come up to as and say the same thing.. "Hello, welcome to Lalibela... What is your name?... Where are you from?" Then all of a sudden its "MONEY? CHOCOLATE? BOOK?". It totally puts you off feeling sorry for them, and the last thing I would want to do is give them money! But saying that, there were some amazing people there whom I have great admiration for. The people of the church for example. Lalibela is dominantly Orthodox, so Christians get a lot of grief from the people there. There is one tiny church, which 40 people attend every Sunday, and a few of them sleep there as they have no where else to go. Every Sunday they have people throw stones at the church and jump on the roof trying to stop them and damage the place, yet they continue, and they're there again the next week. They are such an inspiration. We were even warned against going to the church (to paint it)- but we went anyway and the people were so blessed. Their faith is so strong its such a wonderful and refreshing thing to witness and know about.
We met a man in Lalibela who is to scared to go to church because he was previously persecuted for his faith, and had to leave everything he had for 4ish years. Its such a sad thing to hear.
What else can I say about Lalibela? We visited the Rock Hewn churches which were beautiful. I had a day of being very sick (Just when I thought I was doing so well!) We climbed a mountain... I have no idea how Maurice does it every time he goes, I was exhausted after 5 mins!! I can safely say I'm not the mountain climbing type.... But the view and sense of achievement you get at the top was worth it!
We flew back to Addis on the Sunday and just spent the day together relaxing, then on Monday we flew home! Being back now it feels like I never left! Whilst I was away it felt like it was quite a long time as we fit so much in, but now I'm back it feels like I was away 2 minutes!
First adventure done, Second adventure starts on Monday with training for a month in Birmingham to prepare for India!


Can't believe how fast times going!

A few of our team with some of the Compassion kids

The minute the camera comes out everyone comes running! They love it!

29-08-11, The day before Lalibela.

Its a 4am start tomorrow as we are leaving Addis to fly to Lalibela. Im not sure of the computer situation in the next place we will be staying so i thought i would post before we left just in case.
Today we went to the Merkato market, which is the largest market in Africa... Theyre not lying, the place is massive, and there are so many people around its practically impossible to move without bumping into someone or getting run over by a man with a wardrobe on his head. There must be more people in that market then there are in the whole of Devon.
After we were done in the market (I say done, we probably got a 1/4 of the way round and decided we had had enough!)We went to Ethiopias national museum.... Parts were interesting but museums are not realllly my cup of tea... Speaking of tea, we went to a cafe in the market, me, Karen, Rhi, and 3 of the boys sponcered by EEA, between us we had 2 teas, one coffee, and 3 fantas. It cost a total of 35birr... and 28birr is the equivilent to 1pound.... Crazy cheap.
The poverty around the market is even harder then it is near the guesthouse, there are less slums but more people actually living on the streets. People with missing limbs, single mothers and babies, we saw one guy with extremely swollen feet, they looked like they had become infected and were about 10 times the size of a normal foot. It left us speechless, its so heartbreaking and I feel so helpless.
I cant pray enough for these people and it would be really great if your thoughts and prayers went out to the people suffering in Ethiopia, and that they come to know the incredible love and grace of God.
Also pray for health in our group, as a couple of people have upset stomachs and not feeling so great.
Im missing home but enjoying my time out here. I feel it is really preparing me for my time away im India, both knowing what to and what not to take with me, and what to expect when i get there. Its also made me realise how much im going to miss people :(
Anyway, I will try and blog again before heading back to the UK but cant make any promises.
Big hugs to everyone xx

Ethiopia! 28-08-11

Im a week into my time here in Ethiopia and im having a great time. The poverty is heartbreaking, but the generosity and kindness of the people here is unbelieveable. I cant explain the love they have and the willingness to give even though they have nothing. I have met some fantasic characters whilst out here, and heard some really inspiring stories of peoples lives and how they have been changed through the kindness of people and the neverending love of God. Ive seen first hand the extreme poverty of the people out here, even dogs and cats roam the streets searching for food, if people have a house its made out of anything they can find, just to have shelter. We visited some houses of people sponcered by the Ethiopia Education Aid set up by Maurice and Susan, and one of the houses was the size of a single bed, to sleep one man and his young child. They use paper and trees to make fire to cook food and heat water. We went to one familys home where they had a bed slightly smaller than a double bed to sleep 6 people, and the mother and father were both blind. But they are all so happy still. One of the people told me that happiness is all they have so if theyre not happy, thats when they have nothing.
We met a man at dinner who makes and sells jewellery on the street, and Maurice and Susan met him on a previous trip here, and now they pay for him to attend night school- he chose to study at night because he couldnt afford to stop selling on the streets as he needs to support him and his mother.
The roads here have absolutely no system- there are no traffic controls, just the occational police man sat by the side of the road. You pretty much have to push yourself through in order to get anywhere- its mental!
We met the teenagers from the church who are all lovely, we played games and sung songs and drank tea (the tea here they have without any milk and with about 5 sugars...).
We also played with the younger children sponcered by compassion, who are just so outgoing and beautiful. They all want to shake your hand and touch your hair and know your name. The moment the camera comes out they are all there jumping infront of you to take their photo, its almost impossible to take a photo of just one child cause as soon as you do that they all come charging from all directions!
The past 2 days we have been to Ambo with the youth from the church, and also the guys sponcered by Maurice and Susan. It was lovely spending time with them all and getting to know them and their stories. We played games and had talks and ate.... A LOT. On the last day in Ambo we had a campfire which was brilliant. The guys keeping the fire alight kept using petrol so the smoke was pretty toxic!! But it was a lovely way to spend our last evening together.. Pictures to come, the computer here is very tempramental and the USB thingys dont work. Neither do many of the symbols, thats why my punctuation is pretty much non exsistant. And the spelling may be off because the keyboard is a bit dodgy!
The weather here is their rainy season so it is much like an English summer. When its hot its hot, and when it rains.... it RAINS. Ive never heard rain so heavy!
Im sure there is a lot i have missed out but Ill be sure to add in the important stuff as and when i think of it (and when i can find a computer again.....)
This post does not give justice to thepeople i have encountered and got to know here, The saddness of the poverty and the heartbreak, and the beauty and generosity of the country itself. But I hope it gives you a brief idea of the time im having here, and the things i have seen and done. x

My Ethiopia Itinerary..

Let the count down begin!

So in 5 days time I will be flying out to Ethiopia with 6 other people. Started getting excited at last but still worried that i don't have all the right stuff to take out with me- lack of money means that I'm just gonna have to make do with what I've got!! Aaaand I'm moving house on Friday (19th) which makes packing so much more interesting.

In other news, on Friday (12th August) I was almost at the point of thinking I was never going to raise all the money, and worried sick about it. I had £1000 left to raise for India, and £500 of it needed to be sent off before Ethiopia... so I had a week to raise it. I was panicking and praying like nobodies business, I really felt there was nothing more I could do. BUT just when I thought all hope was lost, the very next day I received a letter from a trust that I applied to a month or so ago, with a cheque enclosed for £450. I put all my faith in God and he provided. So yeah I'm still worried about raising the rest of the money but with Gods help and the generosity of friends and family, I'm starting to believe I can do it again.


Watch this space! x