Happy Millenium Ethiopia!!

It is the year 2000 here in EThiopia!! The streets are filled with "Happy Millenium" banners and an array of red, yellow and green lights and flags. It's the millenium because Ethiopia goes off of the Orthodox Christian calendar. So while today for you is November 6th, 2007, the day here is Tikemt(February)25, 2000. :)

AFter 30 hours of travel, Kevin and I arrived safely in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. While the country itself has 98 million people, the capital city is home to more than 7 million people. Beline's SMILING face was at the airport to meet us!

Beline's family is incredibly HOSPITABLE!! Her aunt and uncle are like parents to us and have welcomed us quite warmly. We are staying in a home owned by them, though no one lives there right now but the Beline, Kevin and I. The property is right in the heart of the city and is surrounded by a tall cement wall, topped with electric razor wire. We have a guard, Ababa, who stands watch all night. His daughters come in every week to clean. Beline's aunt and uncle bring us breakfast every morning and have just hired a gal to cook snacks for us in the afternoon. Their driver, Wegayehu, has been driving us around town to show us the sights and take us places we need to go if they are far away. It was surprising to me to have so many people doing these things for us, but I've realized that it as a job opportunity for people and that is a good thing for them.

This week we have been exploring the city, walking for many miles each day. We visited the biggest Christian church in all of Africa, which i will post pictures when I get a chance. This morning we went for a run, but due to the car pollution and altitude (6000+ft)our lungs were BURNING!!

This weekend we will be taking off on a roadtrip through the northern part of the country to visit all sorts of interesting places!! More on that to come...

Roadtrip Down the Coast of Cali

SUNSET over SAN FRANCISCO:

The sun sets behind Golden Gate bridge, view from Brian Johnson's apartment in Berkeley.

Hi everybody! I'm on the road to Ethiopia, Africa to visit Beline (right), a good friend I met at Seattle U. I left home (Idaho) two weeks ago on a roadtrip through Seattle for my cousin's wedding and then down the west coast through Oregon and California. I fly out to Ethiopia from San Francisco early TOMORROW MORNING (halloween)!!!

Right now I'm in Berkeley, CA visiting my friend Brian Johnson (left) and looking at attending Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union for grad school next fall. So far, so good! I sat in on a Church History class and was reunited with Dominic Demeio, a young man I haven't seen in 10 years! (He says "Hi Brian Kraut")

The roadtrip crew stopped in Sacramento last weekend for Alicia Katnik and Nathan Canney's wedding (2 friends from Seattle U). Brian Johnson and my Africa travel buddy Kevin Thelen, met us there. It was a great reunion of Seattle U alums and a beautiful wedding, unique in that after exchanging rings and vows, Alicia and Nathan washed their parents' feet and then washed each others feet, like Jesus did at the Last Supper...a sign of humility and servanthood. They will soon be heading to Kolkata (Calcutta), India to work with Mother Theresa's sisters: accompanying the dying and giving playful attention to orphaned children. BLessings upon your marriage, Alicia and Nathan!!

WEDDING RECEPTION in SACRAMENTO:

My roadtrip buddies, Kathy and Bill Collins!! And our sistah Mary Slavkovsky!

My Africa travel buddy, Kevin Thelen, joined me for the wedding in Sacramento.

This two week journey from home to the SFO airport has been filled with so many wonderful adventures with great friends and family members. A perfect send-off as I head to Ethiopia tomorrow. KEvin will be joining me in Berkeley tonight and Brian will be driving us to the airport early tomorrow morning. My hope is to keep you updated on my travels through this blog, though that will depend on internet access and speed in Ethiopia.

Thank you to all of you for your love and prayers! I'm glad you can join me on this journey...