On the 20^th day of the ninth month in the year 2001 of the Ethiopia calendar. Thursday, May 28, 2009. The Feast of the Ascension. It is also a National Holiday marking the defeat of the MENGISTU regime in 1991.

 

Dirt. That is how yesterday began. The Brothers picked us up from the guest house where we went to the postulancy compound to help with the construction of a new building. The building with house a computer center on the first floor and dormitories on the second for visiting groups such as ours. Our task for the morning was to move dirt excavated from two rows of rectangular hole, each of which were eight feet wide by about ten foot long and probably eight foot deep … all dug by hand. The dirt had to be moved in preparation for foundation work. So, to work we went. The dirt was haul in what best described at a litter…two poles of eucalyptus topped with a sheet of corrugated iron. A few shovelfuls of dirt on top of the iron sheet and one person on each end and off they went to the every growing pile of dirt at the edge of the construction site.  It provided good exercise, numerable blisters and good reflection material. We worked for about two hours and were thoroughly tired. The normal workers, who reveled in our feeble attempts work 12 hour days for about $2.00. Reference to working at a McDonald's for minimum wage was a much easier way to go.

 

We ate lunch at the postulancy (hamburgers and spaghetti), which made everyone happy.

 

In the early afternoon, the group visited the headquarters of Catholic Relief Services in Addis. Mr. Lane Bunker, the director, shared some statistics with us. The CRS is the only international aid organization that is based in the U.S. although they do all international work. The CRS has been in Ethiopia for over fifty years. He shared these statistics with us: 36% over the age 15 are literate; life expectancy is 52 years; the gross domestic product is $800 per capita (compared to $45,000 in the USA); the human development index is 169 out of 179 (this compares how countries are developing). There are 132 staff members overseeing 33 different projects. For this fiscal year 94% came from the U.S. government. 80% of their money goes to drought relief. The rest goes to water and sanitation. Only 24% of the population has access to clean water. The also work with HIV/AIDS; food security; agriculture and livelihood management; emergency response and recovery; microfinance; Health, Education & Behavior change; and Peace and Justice. The major challenges are political climate, lack of infrastructure, regional concerns (borders with Sudan and Somalia), environmental degradation, and population growth (3% per year). The opportunities are the reputation of CRS, most of the people are Ethiopia who are working, excellent church partnership, influence beyond catholic community, reputation helps with funding and AIDS relief. He also spoke in favor of Fair Trade practices. He also mentioned that the childhood mortality rate is 15%.

 

At five, we were received by His Grace, Abune Berhaneysus D. Souraphiel, CM, Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa. The Archbishop was educated by the Brothers (as was the Minister of Tourism). He was a delightful character. He explained to us the history of Christianity in Ethiopia, the history of the country and some of the highlights of the various areas. The Brothers had also started the Cathedral School, which they operated for about 25 years. The school has 5000 students. When asked about the image of Mary, which is pretty prevalent throughout, the Archbishop remarked that the relationship began when Mary, Joseph and Jesus escaped to Egypt and being too hot there traveled to the much cooler Lake Tana region of Ethiopia, where Jesus presented Mary with the country (he said with a smile). He also spoke of the unity among the Christians  and the peaceful co-existence with the Muslims. The Orthodox Christians make up about 50% of the population, while Muslims account for 40 to 45%. Roman Catholics make up less than one percent of the population. He said no one notices them so they can accomplish more (again with a smile). He referenced the building of a Mosque very close the cathedral, and again with a smile, said he was waiting for its completion then was going to elevate the cross on the top of the cathedral so it would be higher than the crescent on top of the Mosque.

 

We returned to the pastoral center, a little late, so after dinner everyone pretty much retired for the evening. It was a long day.

 

We slept in today, because of the National Holiday. Some of us got up to go to mass, who knew it was the Ascension?  The Church, St. Michael's, adjoins the property here. The liturgy was conducted in Gis. Father Yob Tesfaye, who said mass for us the other night in the Roman Rite, presided over today's High Mass in the Ethiopian Rite. From beginning to end (although after an hour and a half, no end was in sight and we had to go to breakfast) the Mass was chanted. The was copious amounts of incense. The incense never left the sanctuary and was used at least 9 or 10 times. The congregation was blessed over and over and over. We bowed and bowed and bowed. The bells rang and rang and rang including a no less than five minute ringing of bells both inside and outside the Church at the elevation of the Eucharist. There were two priests and five acolytes. At times, the processional cross was carried around the altar, sometimes alone, sometimes with candles, sometimes with candles and incense and sometimes with all five acolytes and both priests. I found one of the most interesting movements to be consecration when Father lifted the incensor over the chalice and paten and with his other had pulled the smoke over the bread and wine, much like native Americans use a smudge. At communion time a large patio sized umbrella made of blue velvet and embroidered in gold was held over the priests.

 

After breakfast we went to the internet cafes close to the pastoral center. They were supposed to be broadband, but very few people connected. So that was disappointing.

 

After lunch, which again had spaghetti with a spicy vegetable sauce, but also a variety of vegetable dishes and slices of beef. Just a note on the beef…it is chewy. We are used to having our meat aged 20 days or so to achieve a taste and tenderness to which we are familiar. This cow was walking yesterday. It is a whole different taste and texture.

 

In the afternoon, we visited the Awasa Center, which is run by the Missionaries of Charity. There are six Sisters there. Sister Martha John (which translates to love in action, appropriately), gave us a tour. Awasa is a branch house of the facility we visited the other day specifically for children with HIV/AIDS. The center currently houses 384 children mostly in the 5-7 year old range, although there are some as old as 22 and as young as one month. Three-fourths of the children are on anti-viral medicine which has recently become available in Ethiopia. Prior to these medicines the average life expectancy of the children was thirteen years. Now, with medicine they can live normal lives. Sister commented that no children died in the facility last year. She said, "we experience many miracles here." She said when the sisters first opened the facility, with five children, there was no hope for them. True to the charism of the sisters, the helped these children die comfortably, now with the advances in medicine, the sisters feel that they are no longer needed and are looking for some other organization to take over the orphanage. The government help the sisters find relatives or maybe even the parents who might have abandoned some of the children and return the children to the parents. The center has one of two machines in Ethiopia for the rapid diagnosis of HIV. We also met two volunteer doctors who live at the center with their children. We also saw a workshop where they teach the kids to weave. The sell their weavings to help pay for their education, now that they will live.  There is a school on site that will educate 1000 students. For so long, when HIV was untreatable, there was no need to educate the children. Now they ask the older one's what grade they think they should be in and then they test them. The 21 year old is there because he is finished 8^th grade.  The second we arrived we were surrounded by kids, who wanted to be held or hold a hand. Unfortunately, we just have two hands, because there were more kids than arms to hold them. The facility was clean and cheerful. But again, the beds were side by side. We also visited the clinic where there were newborns and nursing mothers. But with the Sisters and their work they now have hope. Sister Martha John asks for prayers, she is being transferred to the men's section of the center we saw the other day. She says it is hard there because two or three men die there every day. So I assured her of our prayers, so please pray for her and the work of the Sisters.

 

We are leaving Addis tomorrow. So this will be the last blog for at least four days. I hope they are now getting through.

 

As I am trying to get this sent, I am listening to country western music in an internet cafe in Addis Ababa. Small world.

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