Thanks for visiting our blog about our journey to adopt our son from Ethiopia! It's been a long process and we are finally blessed to share the stories from the other side of the earth, in beautiful Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Catch up on previous post to this series by clicking Part 1 and Part 2 Meeting Our Son and Part 3 Warming Up.
Throughout parts 1-3 we have shared the blessings of God's timing in bringing us to Ethiopia, meeting Tarik, and the visitation times that we have shared with him so far. This part 4 is taking you with us as we explore some of Ethiopia's beautiful country and learn more about her culture.
We have shared with you before how we have friends who live in Ethiopia and by God's detail in his design for us to be adopting from Ethiopia, we were able to meet this family again. The first time we met was when they were visiting their family, who are friends of ours, here in the U.S. The miracle of this amazes me. So basically it goes like this. The month after we said yes to adoption in Ethiopia, a family moved to our neighborhood who were from Ethiopia. Of course we were instant friends! A truly wonderful family! Our neighborhood friends' family came to visit here in the U.S. from Ethiopia. They have two daughters who are near our oldest daughter's age. We were sitting around the table together and asking them questions about Addis Ababa, foods, safety, things like that. I showed Yetinayet, the mother, a Google Map of the location of the Guest House and orphanage of our agency. She looked and looked then said, "That's our neighborhood. We live down the street." Can you believe that?? Seriously a God thing and pure confirmation that God was directing our paths and lining up the steps before us.
Needless to say, when we were able to travel to Ethiopia, our friends met us at the airport. They were a huge blessing to us helped us during our stay. Amazing people and family to us! And yes, their home was literally a walkable distance from the Guest House.
Dinner was at the Semien Hotel in the capital city, Addis Ababa. More information and better pics are on thir website here: http://www.semienhotel.com/index.php/ethiopian-traditional-and-international-food. ANOTHER piece of God's design in His timing for us to be traveling now was that the country was fasting.
Let me explain. First the fasting. The country's religion is dominantly Ethiopian Orthodoxy Christian. There are many times of fasting for various religious purposes such as Easter, or honoring a special person of Biblical times. More days of the calendar days are fasting days then not fasting days. Some fasting times are more widely participated, for example Easter, and others not as much. The fasting times call the Christians to hold more in the fore-front of their minds Christ, the followers of Christ, the event, etc of what the fast is being held. Those participating are asked to be in more prayer time, not to eat animal products (not even milk, creams, butter along with the meat products), no dancing, and just to be in a time of thoughtfulness and thanksgiving to God. Christian Orthodoxy is so widely participated and embraced that even Butcher Shops will close for these times and restaurants will either not serve animal products at all, or will offer a separate eating area for fasting foods.
Why is this a blessing? I have an odd yet very severe food allergy to...animal products! All the times before travel this was a very huge worry to me in wondering how I was going to eat, explain my allergy, and seek medical help that I would need should an emergency arise. My friends had told me about the fasting times and taught me how to say in Amharic that I must eat as if I were fasting, but the good Lord took that burden from me completely! I was able to eat at the restaurants in full confidence that the fasting foods were safe for me. I am very thankful for this that I was able to enjoy eating the colors, tastes, and textures of Ethiopian foods!
Following a wonderful dinner and conversation, we went to a Christian church. There were women praying at the doors of the church. Our friends explained that during fasting, some of the older women in the church would pray day and night at the church for weeks on end. The women will go to eat and then return again, even sleeping at the steps of the church for the time of fasting.
The above right picture is an prayer alter that was at the church for those who wanted to offer prayers during the closing hours of the inside sanctuary of the church. Todd, our daughter, and I kneeled to pray as we knew there were many more hurtles to still get through inorder to travel home. We also gave offerings of thanks and praise to the Lord for all the amazing blessings that were unfolding before us after years and years of waiting. It was one of the most special times of our trip.
The collage below is of another night out with our friends to a traditional resturaunt called Totot's. There webiste is found here: http://www.totottraditionalhall.com/ Music, fasting food full buffet, coffee, friends, just a picture perfect night!
In the middle right picture, the staff is coming to each of us at the table with soap and warm water to first wash our hands before the meal. The bottom left picture shows Tamiru giving lessons to Todd of how to dip with the bread and eat instead of using a fork. Traditionally utentils are not used at the table. Since were are obviously visitors, then utensils were brought to the table. But Ethiopians use the ingera bread to dip, scoop, and eat their meals. Ingera is similar to a pancake but not sweet and more the consistency of a French crepe but spongy. Not near as tough as a tortilla shell, but I think you are getting the idea. Ingera is treasured in Ethiopia. It is made all the time and everywhere. The elderly people say to "respect the Ingera" and will even kiss their plates before and after a meal to show that the ingera is special to their Ethiopian hertitage.
Todd made some ingera with our friends! Not bad for a first timer! Ingera is made from a flour type product called Teft, grown locally. Though teft is more like a grass than a wheat that we may think of. It is cooked traditionally over a hot fire and flat stone, but in our friend's kitchen this is the injera pan. And Gabriella is holding Todd's cooked injera!
Coffee and the coffee ceremonies are another traditional gem of Ethiopia. "Bunna" is the Amharic word for coffee. The ceremony is a time when the server roasts the green coffee beans and prepares the coffee that fresh! She will sit on a small stool near the coal fire. The coffee is ground then put to boil in a clay pot over hot coals. Served in small coffee cups, the coffee is dense like espresso and oh so yummy. Usually popcorn is served or roasted barely called "kolo." Insense sticks or mixtures are burned during the ceremony and this is what the arrangements look like:
Here at our friend's house, Yetinayet is the server while the girls and Todd are visiting together.
More of our adventures around Addis take place after we have custody out of the foster home, and the little one gets to enjoy some trips with us! Read on and visit often as our story continues!!
Throughout parts 1-3 we have shared the blessings of God's timing in bringing us to Ethiopia, meeting Tarik, and the visitation times that we have shared with him so far. This part 4 is taking you with us as we explore some of Ethiopia's beautiful country and learn more about her culture.
We have shared with you before how we have friends who live in Ethiopia and by God's detail in his design for us to be adopting from Ethiopia, we were able to meet this family again. The first time we met was when they were visiting their family, who are friends of ours, here in the U.S. The miracle of this amazes me. So basically it goes like this. The month after we said yes to adoption in Ethiopia, a family moved to our neighborhood who were from Ethiopia. Of course we were instant friends! A truly wonderful family! Our neighborhood friends' family came to visit here in the U.S. from Ethiopia. They have two daughters who are near our oldest daughter's age. We were sitting around the table together and asking them questions about Addis Ababa, foods, safety, things like that. I showed Yetinayet, the mother, a Google Map of the location of the Guest House and orphanage of our agency. She looked and looked then said, "That's our neighborhood. We live down the street." Can you believe that?? Seriously a God thing and pure confirmation that God was directing our paths and lining up the steps before us.
Needless to say, when we were able to travel to Ethiopia, our friends met us at the airport. They were a huge blessing to us helped us during our stay. Amazing people and family to us! And yes, their home was literally a walkable distance from the Guest House.
Tamiru and Yehtinayet own, operate, and supply a store in the Piazza Area called Ester's. They picked us up from the Guest House and took us to their shop at closing time. Afterwards we went out to dinner together.
Dinner was at the Semien Hotel in the capital city, Addis Ababa. More information and better pics are on thir website here: http://www.semienhotel.com/index.php/ethiopian-traditional-and-international-food. ANOTHER piece of God's design in His timing for us to be traveling now was that the country was fasting.
Let me explain. First the fasting. The country's religion is dominantly Ethiopian Orthodoxy Christian. There are many times of fasting for various religious purposes such as Easter, or honoring a special person of Biblical times. More days of the calendar days are fasting days then not fasting days. Some fasting times are more widely participated, for example Easter, and others not as much. The fasting times call the Christians to hold more in the fore-front of their minds Christ, the followers of Christ, the event, etc of what the fast is being held. Those participating are asked to be in more prayer time, not to eat animal products (not even milk, creams, butter along with the meat products), no dancing, and just to be in a time of thoughtfulness and thanksgiving to God. Christian Orthodoxy is so widely participated and embraced that even Butcher Shops will close for these times and restaurants will either not serve animal products at all, or will offer a separate eating area for fasting foods.
Why is this a blessing? I have an odd yet very severe food allergy to...animal products! All the times before travel this was a very huge worry to me in wondering how I was going to eat, explain my allergy, and seek medical help that I would need should an emergency arise. My friends had told me about the fasting times and taught me how to say in Amharic that I must eat as if I were fasting, but the good Lord took that burden from me completely! I was able to eat at the restaurants in full confidence that the fasting foods were safe for me. I am very thankful for this that I was able to enjoy eating the colors, tastes, and textures of Ethiopian foods!
Following a wonderful dinner and conversation, we went to a Christian church. There were women praying at the doors of the church. Our friends explained that during fasting, some of the older women in the church would pray day and night at the church for weeks on end. The women will go to eat and then return again, even sleeping at the steps of the church for the time of fasting.
The above right picture is an prayer alter that was at the church for those who wanted to offer prayers during the closing hours of the inside sanctuary of the church. Todd, our daughter, and I kneeled to pray as we knew there were many more hurtles to still get through inorder to travel home. We also gave offerings of thanks and praise to the Lord for all the amazing blessings that were unfolding before us after years and years of waiting. It was one of the most special times of our trip.
The collage below is of another night out with our friends to a traditional resturaunt called Totot's. There webiste is found here: http://www.totottraditionalhall.com/ Music, fasting food full buffet, coffee, friends, just a picture perfect night!
In the middle right picture, the staff is coming to each of us at the table with soap and warm water to first wash our hands before the meal. The bottom left picture shows Tamiru giving lessons to Todd of how to dip with the bread and eat instead of using a fork. Traditionally utentils are not used at the table. Since were are obviously visitors, then utensils were brought to the table. But Ethiopians use the ingera bread to dip, scoop, and eat their meals. Ingera is similar to a pancake but not sweet and more the consistency of a French crepe but spongy. Not near as tough as a tortilla shell, but I think you are getting the idea. Ingera is treasured in Ethiopia. It is made all the time and everywhere. The elderly people say to "respect the Ingera" and will even kiss their plates before and after a meal to show that the ingera is special to their Ethiopian hertitage.
Todd made some ingera with our friends! Not bad for a first timer! Ingera is made from a flour type product called Teft, grown locally. Though teft is more like a grass than a wheat that we may think of. It is cooked traditionally over a hot fire and flat stone, but in our friend's kitchen this is the injera pan. And Gabriella is holding Todd's cooked injera!
Coffee and the coffee ceremonies are another traditional gem of Ethiopia. "Bunna" is the Amharic word for coffee. The ceremony is a time when the server roasts the green coffee beans and prepares the coffee that fresh! She will sit on a small stool near the coal fire. The coffee is ground then put to boil in a clay pot over hot coals. Served in small coffee cups, the coffee is dense like espresso and oh so yummy. Usually popcorn is served or roasted barely called "kolo." Insense sticks or mixtures are burned during the ceremony and this is what the arrangements look like:
More of our adventures around Addis take place after we have custody out of the foster home, and the little one gets to enjoy some trips with us! Read on and visit often as our story continues!!
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