Tuesday:
Kebebetsahay Orphanage: This is a govt run orphanage that we visited 3 years ago as well. I would guess that the age range is newborn to about 3 years old. On our last trip this was probably the toughest hour that we spent in Ethiopia as it was merely a large 50 x 100 ft building filled will cribs. In each crib there were 2-3 children and the room was earily silent. The 4-6 caregivers on staff would keep up the best they could for feeding and changing but the ratios did not allow for them to get ahead. Fortunately, there have been some large donations primarily by a Spanish city (can't remember the name) to build a new building last year. While the ratios (caregiver to child) are still poor, The conditions were markedly improved. Photographs were not allowed this time and there were still moments that tore at our hearts. This will be where the majority of the formula that we brought over ultimately lands. A recommendation for those visiting: pick up some green coffee beans at a roadside vendor 120-150 birr / kilo to give to the caregivers. They were so appreciative of the gift of a kilo of coffee that they invited us for a cup. Their coffee time is the one break they get from the very difficult work they do.
Kolfe Feast: we arrived at Kolfe at about 4 pm. The boys and I played soccer for about 2 hours off and on with the Kolfe boys. The best players were incredibly humble in showing off their skills but never shooting on goal, rather they would always pass to our sons or the younger Kolfe kids to even the play. About a 1/4 of the boys were playing barefoot or in sandals and expertly sliding on the dirt pitch. When it was dark, they shuffled us and the other Gladney families to one of the buildings. They had set up an area with music and chairs lined up. I think there were about 150 of us in the room all crammed in sitting on top of each other. It was wonderful. They presented us with cheers, coffee, popcorn, and oranges. They thanked us for the feast and we prepared for the meal. It was difficult to get served first but to decline would have been rude I think. I also believe that they had a separate pot for us perhaps filled with the prime cuts. Humbling.... After we were served the boys all lined up and filled their tummies. After the meal we gathered back in the room for dancing and more celebration. Naturally, they required all of us to dance in front of the group. Fun times. The dancing and singing climaxed about an hour later with the boys doing different chants from two different circles. A bit hard to explain, but we asked our driver, and he said it is common for wedding celebrations to do the chants and such. We were exhausted and ultimately headed back towards the guest house. P.s. for those visiting, coffee beans for the Kolfe cooks....
Further thoughts on Kolfe:
While the feast was fantastic, unfortunately it is kind of a "drop shipment" of aid that likely will have more impact on us than it will for them unless we use it as a way to continue to support the Kolfe boys in a more meaningful way. I know many families (Gladney and otherwise) have helped to sponsor children for Kolfe with education or direct adoption. In talking with the Gladney folks, it is very difficult to logistically sponsor individual boys. I.e. you bond with a boy, and want to help fund that specific boy's education. Take that scenario and multiply it by 50 people wanting to sponsor: On the surface it sounds good. However, the more outgoing boys tend to get several sponsors and the quiet ones get left in the shadows. This is why Gladney has centralized the approach for families to donate specifically to the Ethiopian scholarship program and let their local Ethiopian staff figure out how to best distribute the aid.
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