life in Oz

Life back here in Oz has been quite hectic. Not only due to the level of 'christmas crazy' which seems to descend at this time of year.. but also because of the increased work at the cinema (what i do when I'm not a) studying b) travelling or c) starting up charitable organisations). I've also had alot to do in terms of admin for the organisation. I'm in the process of incorporating as a non-profit, trying to gain tax exemption, working on this blog and trying to promote it, organising fundraisers, doing interviews for the local newspaper and radio. I've had no time for christmas shopping this year, which is just as well considering I have no money for gifts anyway. Gifts will be home-made this year! But that's ok, because a pretty important lesson that i've learned during my time in Ethiopia, is not the quantity or the price of a gift which is important, it's the act of giving itself.
When I was preparing to return home to Australia, i received several gifts from Ethiopian gifts. These weren't expensive presents or even new, they were just little tokens of their love for me, and for that I will cherish them more than if they had of given me the latest iphone or nintendo wii. These people have so little, but they are so ready to give it all away, it's very humbling.

I spoke to S and all the kids in turn yesterday. Last week we had a minor drama with one of the boys kicking another buy in the eye somehow, which fortunately did not cause damage to said boy's eye.. but resulted in punishment for the offender. Hillary was having problems with diarrohea again but it seems to be clearing up now that I have insisted on a total milk ban for her. Ytinet on the other hand seems to have picked up a bug or something and has vomiting and diarrohea which worries me, being so far away.. but our caregiver took her to the hospital yesterday and they prescribed anti-biotics so hopefully they make her better (i'm not entirely convinced though as she's been prescribed this same stuff 3 times already). Fortunately a lovely nurse from America is visiting tomorrow, so that puts my mind at ease a little!

S said that the kids all miss me and after hearing my voice, Gabbaeyaw ran around in circles for awhile she was so excited! I miss them all terribly, but know that i need to be here in order to help them.

The kids prior to Ashley Haven

Winesnet- pictured with her very young aunt

Bereket- pictured with his aunt

Gashaw- pictured with his sister who is deaf/mute

Aesrasa and gabbayaew- pictured with their uncle

Abraham- pictured with a family friend

I just spoke to all the kids as well as S and it was so good to hear their voices! Hillary and Ytinet have been sick the past week with terrible diarrohea again and had to go to the health clinic to get yet more useless anti-biotics. Ytinet is a bit better now, but Hillary is still the same. Thankfully some lovely people are visiting in a weeks time and are hopefully bringing some much needed supplies for the kids!! There are some very kind people out there, I am discovering! A lovely lady from the United States sent me a generous donation this week as well and let me tell you, it couldn't have come at a better time! Our monthly bread contract ran out yesterday and we needed to renew it, our teff supply had run out and we needed to buy more for the kid's injera etc and I wasn't entirely sure how I was going to come up with that money right now, so thank you to that lovely lady!!

Sponsorship

I've started a sponsorship program for the kids in Ashley Haven orphanage, as a way to generate the funds to keep this project running. Sponsorship costs are $80 AUD p/m for full sponsorship of one child, or $40 AUD for half sponsorship. I will mail out a folder with a photo of the sponsored child along with some info about that child. You will also receive periodic letters of update from the child personally. anyone interested can email me at sheridan.0hara@gmail.com
x

back Down Under and Pics!

The kids (minus winesnet who was still at school)

Bereket (age 7-8) with Turet in their bedroom

Abraham (13)

Temesgen (12-12) with Hillary

Hillary (2)

Turet (15) with Aesrasa and Gashaw

Gabbayaew (7-8) with Ytinet (18months)

Aesrasa (age 10-11)

Winesnet (11-12) after her very first appointment at the hairdresser

Gashaw (13) with Ytinet (18months)

I'm back home again, or in one of my two homes anyway.. I am missing the kids and S terribly, but have alot to do in the way of fundraising etc so I will be nice and busy until I am able to go back to Ethiopia. Plus, I know everything that I am doing here is for the kids and this somehow makes it easier. All 10 kids need new shoes and I would dearly love to see them all in proper sandals and sneakers, but that wont happen unless I can raise some money and buy them here in Aus. At the moment they all own a pair of thongs (flip flops) or rubber shoes (similar in construction to crocs) except for Abraham who is wearing Winesnet's old pink rubber shoes! Even if I had the money in Lalibela, the selection of sneakers was very poor and those that were available were pretty cheap and nasty and likely to fall apart in 5 seconds flat. I made sure to trace each of the kids feet on paper before I left though, so once I have the cash, I will buy them all shoes in Aus and take them back with me next time I go. I'm soooo looking forward to doing some shopping for the kids, i have to stop myself from going into department stores because there are just soo many things that the kids need or would love, that I could spend hours in there!


I spoke to S the other night and will call him again in a minute and he said the kids are all missing me, Ytinet keeps wandering in and out of my room wondering where I am and Hillary asks S where I am all the time. All the kids are getting along much better now, we had a bit of a discussion with the two older girls before I left and I made it clear that I was not happy with their behaviour towards the boys (just some teasing etc) and they were very quiet the rest of that afternoon and since then have been on their best behaviour and S tells me that good behaviour has continued, so I'm very pleased about that! not that they were terrible before, just being 12 year old girls, stirring the boys up.. but it was enough to create some disharmony for a bit there, so i'm pleased we seem to have nipped it in the bud for now!

Valerie the goat still hasn't had the baby/babies (our cook Habtum thinks it will be twins, fingers crossed!) and they think it could be a few weeks yet.

home again

well i left Ethiopia 43 hours ago and am now in Sydney airport (not so) patiently waiting for my flight home to my Australian family. It was really hard leaving the kids and all my friends and now colleagues behind.. our caregiver Sabi (or laza, her nickname) made me the full coffee ceremony the day before i left and was up all night long cooking for me, she made the most wonderful bag of goodies to take on my journey as a present- a bag of popcorn (my fave) and some intricate little biscuits.. amazing considering we only have a hotplate in our kitchen! she even sealed them properly in plastic like it was store bought- amazing because i have no idea where she managed to find plastic like that! she also made me this pasta i like and had it ready to eat for breakfast at 5am! so sweet and thoughtful, i'll miss her alot! our guard ayaltil bought me a couple of large bottles of water for my trip as a parting girft as well.. they are all so sweet and thoughtful, but i didn't like them spending their money on me. another friend ayusef gave me an old haille selassie coin as a parting gift! ethiopians are so incredibly kind.
i probably should update this properly when i'm not half delirious with lack of sleep.. will update more later and with photos!
xx