February 20th 2012
Now it is time for another newsletter here from Hawasa, where everything gradually is getting very dry.
The small rainy season?
Everybody is wishing for the small rainy season to appear soon, although many fears that the changes in climate means that the rain will not come before August.
Many areas in Hawasa are without water, as the city water supply cannot achieve the pressure necessary to get the water to run in the pipes. On the question when the water will be back the answer is in August when the rain comes.
Fortunately we are living in a low area close to the lake and until now we have had water in the pipes most days, but we experience more and more days where the pressure is very low, and the water cannot get all the way up in the shower which is hanging about 2 meters over floor level.
The lack of water also influences the electricity, and we are without power more often than before.
Every afternoon when the wind is blowing and big clouds of dust covers everything. Everything both outside and inside is constantly getting covered with dust.
Yesterday afternoon we heard thunder at the other side of the lake and after a while it began to rain just a little. But we didn´t get enough water for the dust to lie down.
But maybe today we will have more water and tomorrow even more to clean the air from the dust and the town gets water in the pipes again. Let us pray that this will happen.
And the good rain came half an hour after this letter was written.
Cold in Addis
Both Esther and Sara still enjoy both school and boarding in Addis. However, Esther phoned some days ago to complain! It was around 6.30 pm, but it was so cold in Addis, that she had wrapped herself in her duvet and wore woolen socks to keep warm. Last time we were in Addis, there was just a little frost on the lawn, so maybe they do not have the challenge with dust everywhere, but they are freezing which we are not!
The last Friday and Saturday in January the annual Field Days took place at Bingham. Everyone worked hard and good results were achieved. And this year Esther and Sara´s team – Carrey – was winner of the Field Days.
After this Esther had two weeks of mock exams. 16 exams in all which was absolutely exhausting, but know it´s done and we are excited to see the result within a couple of weeks.
History written in the Mekane Yesus Church
In the weekend the 3rd – 5th of February history was written in the Mekane Yesus Church as the first Youth Convention in the church was held in Addis Abeba. The convention should have been held last July, but was postponed because of too few registered. We were told, that 20,000 people were expected to attend, so when we heard that there were only 2,000 registered two weeks before the convention, we were excited to see, if it would be postponed once again. It was not. And when the convention began, more than 3500 had arrived to attend and we had some wonderful days together.
Visit from Denmark
Thursday February 2nd Keld Hansen, who is working as consultant in the Danish Sunday Schools, came to Ethiopia to visit DEM and see some of the work they are doing here.
The first days were spent in Addis Abeba, where we attended the Youth Convention. We also visited My Sisters and Win Souls for God which is two of the projects DEM is supporting in Addis. Unfortunately the Boy´s and Girl´s Homes at Win Souls for God were closed, as they are preparing for having all their different activities gathered at one compound in Addis, which is not yet ready for them to move into. But we had a good talk with Tariku who is one of the founders of the organization.
At My Sisters we visited the Main compound where the administration office is placed. Besides the office there is also a HIV AIDS clinic, education center for care workers, day care center and a boarding home for 8 youths. We were lucky to visit the place together with a group from Norway together with the founder Marit who is Norwegian.
In Hawasa we had planned to take Keld with us on one of our trainings for the Sunday School Teachers. Unfortunately it was canceled as a member of the congregation had died.
Instead Abraham arranged a service in another parish for us to visit. More than 1000 people came to attend and we had a wonderful time of worship together with them.
In Hawasa we also visited Tabor Congregation, where we met with the coordinators of the children´s and youth ministry.
We also went on a one day trip to Dodola, where we visited Inger, Arne, Hanne & Ove who are working there for some months. Of course we also had to show Keld Lincho right outside Dodola where DEM began their mission work in Ethiopia 60 years ago. Just as we were about to leave for Linchop Ato Negash showed up. He has been at Lincho since the work began and he knows all history. He is now 77 years old and is good in speaking English, so we had a very good trip with a lot of good tales.
Back to everyday life
Keld is now back in Denmark and I am back at the office in Hawasa, where we are still working on the new teaching materials and the coming Saturday and Sunday we have training in one of the parishes.
Today we have received message about two deaths in the Synod and the synod have been asked to conduct both funerals tomorrow. One of the dead is family to a worker at the synod office and the other is a pastor in the synod. The synod car will go to one of the funerals and I will take another group from the synod in my car to the other funeral. The pastor, who has died, was pastor in the church we visited together with Keld just a week ago. We talked to this man and had him in the car. Things sometimes change quickly.
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
Philippians 2; 1-3
Choir at the Youth Convention
