What a Strange World...

The past two weeks have been different than the past. First of all, I live about a 5 minute drive from the African Union and last week there was the Ethiopian-Indian summit which was held at the AU. This greatly impacted my commute for a couple of days. When diplomats come in, they close the roads around the AU and there is no indication to when they may open. During the annual AU summit in February, I heard it is best just to stay home as it is nearly impossible to get around. What would normally take me 25 minutes in mini-bus, took me over an hour in private taxi. I was heading to a meeting at UNICEF to listen in on current policy and proposals on Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs). Ethiopia is currently reviewing all their guidelines and the group working with UNICEF is trying to get them to pass new laws improving OVC care and encouraging foster care and adoption within Ethiopia. Beza Community Development Association (BCDA), the NGO I am working for, is involved mainly for long-term care options for the boys living in the Change house, but also for some of the Entoto kids since at least one of their parents is living with HIV/AIDS.

I also sat in on a conference held by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, focusing on the Way Forward Project. They have pulled together childcare and adoption experts from the U.S. and Europe and partnered with six different African countries (including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana and Uganda). They invited the Ministers’ of Children’s Affairs from the countries to attend, share and discuss best practices in the de-institutionalization of the care of OVCs in their countries. Mainly, they are trying to discourage orphanages and encourage foster care and local adoptions; most are not opposed to international adoptions but agree that it should not be the only option. What was most interesting to me was the need to change the perceptions of who an orphan is and to modify the public’s thinking on foster care and adoption. The six nations are in various stages of moving forward with this change and I am excited to be a part of the dialogue here in Ethiopia.

I also met the colleague of one of my besties in DC at the conference. We had no idea that her organization would be here but it just indicates to me how small the world truly is. And, another fun fact is the actor who played the BF (sadly not BFF) from The Social Network was at the conference. Honestly not sure of his connection to the cause or to Ethiopia but it just confirms my thinking that this is a strange world. Also, I got to go hiking on top of Entoto Mountain and go swimming - all in the rain! No rainy season is going to slow me down (at least I hope if I keep saying that, it will come true!).

That was all last week. This week, we’ve had a team of 18 people come from Calvary Church in Naperville, IL. My role when teams come to visit is play hostess (I don’t have my pearls here though!) and to coordinate various visits, their meals, lodging and transportation (i.e. ADP-Ops). It’s been a learning experience to basically run a conference in Addis, work with so many different people, guess how long it takes to get places and manage people’s expectations in Ethiopia. When buses don’t show or we get lost, you can hear the phrase “TIA” (This is Africa!) be spread around the group. Everyone’s been great, very flexible and an encouragement to us all.
With the team, we went to the Change house and as the boys were sharing some of their stories, how they lived on the streets for years and the hopelessness they felt, my eyes filled with tears as they shared how hopeful they are now, how grateful they are to live in the house and how they now know and love God. It was a great reminder to why I am here. :)