The Ignorance is Real

I had a conversation recently with a friend of mine who is Ethiopian about the annoying things that people from the US say when they come to Africa. I know. The list could be endless, thankfully Aiden’s wasn’t. Here are some of them (unfortunately, these are actual things people have said):

-“Oh, you speak English? How?”

-“They have water!”

-“There are buildings here!”

-“You really have a house?”

-“You’re wearing shoes!!”

“Where are all the animals?” – yours truly

I know this may not be the worst preconceived idea, but it does sound pretty dumb. I said this as I got off the plane in September. I also often get asked, “Why aren’t you posting pictures of the lions?” …ha! The only safari-ish animals that live in Ethiopia are crocodiles and hippos, both of which are hours away from where I live. So no, I don’t pass by an elephant every morning on my walk to work. The craziest thing I’ve seen was a really long snake and it was dead.

I’ll stop quoting before we all want to disown our country or slap everyone in it. I was guilty of thinking these things before moving here and even after getting here. I think most of us have this picture of Africa that is so wrong…big plains, huts, lions, and emaciated babies running through dirt roads…though these are some of the images that you’ll see here it certainly isn’t the end all be all. We think we know everything about Africa by the sad commercials we see...Isn't that true about most things though? We get a piece of the story and think we know it all. I am thankful though that with each day passing my ignorant thoughts about this country get remolded into what this beautiful place truly is. Yes, poverty is a word I would use to describe Ethiopia but my list would include so many more words that are positive. Lively, Kind, Colorful, Abundant, Genuine…

I can only speak for Ethiopia, specifically Addis Ababa and a few other cities but the places I have been are strikingly different than every preconceived thought I had about this country.

“The same thing goes for when you talk about someone without knowing them. Foreigners talk about Africa and Ethiopia as if they have been here and experienced it. People don’t realize that our country and even our continent is changing. They think that everyone is hungry, waiting for some donation of food and water. That is so wrong. We, as a country are changing. We are finding the problems, and we are fixing them. Ethiopians are a welcoming people, but when foreigners come with their incorrect thoughts about our lives, it makes us angry.” –Meron, my amazing friend and translator.

I guess this lesson that I am learning can span across all areas of my life...judgment is risky business.

Pray for Kalkidan

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted –Psalm 34:18

Kalkidan is a girl who’s mother went through WARs program a couple of years ago. Kalkidan is only 13 years old. Her mom moved to Arab country to work, Kalkidan stayed with her uncle. This week an employee notified us that Kalkidan was living on the streets and that she was pregnant. She came to our office this Saturday and told us that her father had raped her and the child was his. Today she met with WAR staff and Rahel took her to her first hospital visit. 

Stories like this are not uncommon here, but they are tragic and awful. We plan on supporting Kalkidan as much as we can as she walks this journey of pregnancy, trauma, and heartache. Friends, lift her up in prayer. Pray for her heart, her living situation (right now she is basically homeless), the baby, her financial needs, and her soul. Pray for the people who will counsel her in the months to come. My heart aches today but I am thankful that the Lord is sovereign still. 

Update, first three weeks back

My first three weeks back have been busy and wonderful. I am doing a lot of work this second half to make sure the work I have already done stays sustained after I leave. This involves writing a lot of details, filming classes, and transfering info.

The nursery is looking to hire another worker because they have from ten to fifteen babes with only two staff members. So until they get another worker I volunteer every morning…which I just love. I have gone a little crazy with the pictures of baby Isaac. He greets me every morning by shouting my name and clapping like a crazy…so cute. I absolutely love that I get to spend my mornings this way.

Meron, who recently started working at the childcare center has been such a help to me. She translates for most of my classes and also helps teach. She is pregnant and I am convincing her to name her little girl Becca. She asked me what my name meant and I told her perfection…so…;) Crossing my fingers on that one. When I leave she will most likely be taking over all teaching…so grateful it is in her hands. She is wonderful with the kids and they love her. This is the first year of the after school program so I have had a lot of freedom to build it the way I like it, it will be hard to leave this big project but knowing Meron is running it will bring heaps and bounds of peace!

Rahel was getting a pan from under the sink the other day and a rat the size of my hand ran out. Thankfully Zewdu was close by so he came and stomped on it. What a guy. It is a miracle I have not lost sleep since then…or gone mentally insane. I hate all things creepy crawly. 

This morning on our way to work we kept hearing roosters. And then we started seeing crowds of chickens walking alongside the road…we kept walking to find a truck that had been storing their chickens in potato sacks -- they had chewed through and escaped. It was a little chicken uprising. Everyone had stopped their walks to watch these poor men trying to collect their hundreds of rebellious chickens. Hilarious.

Thankful for all of you back home, as always you encourage me greatly! 

Love from Addis,

Becca

Pictures

Here are some pictures from my first week back...Love these faces so much:))

The first day I started working
in the nursery they told me Brook
was afraid of white people. He still is.

Job is a stud...

He is constantly getting
up and running around when I
am teaching but with a face like that
I could care less.

Robin

Sweet one from my Kindegarten class

Bearcat and Nanti

K for Kaleb

Isaac in a hat..doesn't get cuter

Some of my 4-6 graders. They are the best!!

16 Week Project

An interesting aspect of the Ethiopian culture is the lack of self-expression. They do laugh and smile and what not, but their expression seems to stop at the surface level. I don’t know if this is for all Ethiopians but it is definitely for the ones I am working with. Keep in mind these women and children have been through a lot of trauma, so I am sure that adds to it all. I am starting a project with my high schoolers that is purely for the purpose of them expressing themselves. I gave them a journal and a pen and a topic. Every week for the next 16 they will be given a topic and all they have to do is write. Grammar, spelling, and any other rules are out the door. They can write whatever they feel. I was nervous about their response to this project as this is such a foreign idea, the idea of writing their own feelings and sharing what is going on in their head is so unfamiliar.

I had them write for 15 minutes today. I played music and turned down the lights and let them go away! As I sat and watched them write I was really touched by it all. In high school I took psychology classes, my dad and mom are both counselors and advice givers by nature, and I have always been encouraged to express myself with honesty. As I watched them write I could only feel and think that this might have been the first time they wrote all of this down. The topic was family and I encouraged them to write about the good, bad and the ugly.

After the 15 minutes I asked if anyone wanted to share. Two boys, Goshow and Dave volunteered. Goshow started to read. He described how his cousin killed his father. He read about his mother who means everything to him. He talked about himself. Dave began; his father was murdered when he was 6 months old. He is an only child. He wishes that he had a younger sister. He loves his mom who provides everything for him. He hopes to repay her for everything someday. These two short minutes of them reading were so beautiful and raw and good.

Please pray for these students and friends of mine and pray for the success of this project. They are remarkable and I am so thankful that God graciously brought them into my life to teach and befriend. I will continue to update you on this over the next 16 weeks...

Dave

Goshow

Lots of love,

Becca 
PS: while I was home some of you asked the best way to reach me! My email is beccacarucci@gmail.com or I have skype - those are my 2 best options. I'd love to hear from you. :)