Well, many things have changed in Ethiopia but internet access is still sporadic and slow! My apologies fot the lack of contact. I do not even know where to start to tell what has happened in the last 3 weeks.
We spent 3 days in Addis catching up with family and friends then headed north to travel around the highlands. I will go into details when I get better internet access but sufficient to say we had an amazing time, visited all the historic sites (including some we hadn't even heard of!) and saw scenery to take your breath away. Our main aim though was to connect with Tamru and Wubi's birth family. 4 Years ago we met members of their birth family on their mothers side and we had a chance to meet them again at Addis Zemen, a small town between Bahir Dar and Gondar. We spent a lovely day with them again, with their aunty, cousins, 2nd cousins twice removed, the next door neighbours, etc. One of their cousins made us a beautiful basket and an embroidered cushion cover, which we will treasure.
We had arranged to meet members of their birth father's family in Debark as the village they were from was way out in the Simien mountains and inaccessable by car. We arrived at lunchtime and a few minutes later the family came around the corner. It is impossible to describe the raw emotion showed by these people. Azanaw, Tamru and Wubi's birth father, had left the village in 1989 and they never saw him alive again. They had heard he had died but didn't know the circumstances or even that he had married and had 2 sons until I contacted them. One brother and one sister of Azanaw were there and they wailed with a mixture of joy at seeing the boys and grief at the loss the their brother. There were also 7 of the boys cousins as well and we spent 2 wonderful days with them. I will fill in details later.
We have 2 days at Addis and then we head of early wednesday morning for 1 night at Jo'burg and 3 nights in Dubai....then home!
Better go now, bye for now,
Love from Kathie
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Hi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteBy the time you read this, you will be back in Oz,in your own house, bed, etc!!
I just read your last blog again and after having met Tamru and Wubi, I could really appreciate all the emotions on the days you met up with their extended families. It was so good of you & Clive to take the boys back...they're great boys & you're both wonderful parents.
Rob & I so loved meeting you all!! Jemma is a wonderful young woman...mature beyond her years, & I liked the connection we made in such a short span of time!! Evan, what a great man he is. He will find the right lady and she will be very special...the Lord will take care of that. Try not to worry too much about it, he's terrific...bright, caring, compassionate, friendly,& handsome...hope you don't mind me saying so( I can see you laughing right now) and we so enjoyed getting to know him!! I can see why you're a biased Mum(your words, if you remember),but he has bounced back, and after this momentous journey, he has begun 2010 stronger, wiser and he'll be Ok!!
Thanks for taking the time to write such wonderful blogs, allowing us to journey with you as you went.
Both Rob & I enjoyed meeting you all and can't thank you enough for taking the time to meet up with us.
I look forward to our Facebook fellowship and we wish you all a blessed 2010!!
We're off to KL/Bangkok next weekend, to try & wind what still needs tidying up there..sell car, etc and Rob has some work in Bangkok & we should all be back here by about the 7th Feb.
God bless,
Gail.