February 6, 2008

Whew! I’m here and still not sure if I can get on the internet.

My trip started out with quite an adventure. I arrived in Denver from Colorado Springs 30 minutes before the scheduled time. The flight to Washington DC was on time. I boarded the airplane and sat inside for four hours, waiting for the mechanical failures to be fixed. Finally, five hours after the scheduled departure we changed planes and the trip continued.

As big as the airport is, my plane landed exactly next to the Ethiopian plane taking off. My heart sunk. I’ve flown here quite enough to remember that there are no daily flights with Ethiopian Air.

Still my hope was up a little bit because I was hoping that United, my domestic leg, could reroute me through Europe the next day. No… I had two days in D.C.

On top of all this I had made the brilliant decision to fly without my winter coat. The temperature was below freezing. Thank goodness there was another man who had missed his flight and he just happened to have an extra coat in his carry on bag and the mercy to offer it to me.

We pulled up in the shuttle to a beautiful hotel covered in white lights. My room was a suite complete with office and sitting room. Mmmmmmm.

It was a wonderful rest. I have been working so hard the last couple of days I was out buying a suitcase to pack the night before I left. I spent half the day in bed with room service watching television. Because of the busy pace of our lives, we chose not to own a television so I am completely surprised every time I watch. Did you all know that there is one channel that only has court programs? I’m a little surprised at the people who don’t mind others knowing embarrassing details. I think I would try to keep a bad secret better.

Then I spent the afternoon at a mall and hit each and every shop. The result was leaving on my flight on Friday fully rested and ready to go.

Kassa picked me up at the Airport In Addis and I crashed. The jet lag was there and I woke up just in time to be awake for the whole night. I used the time to clean my little house and unpack all my things. Then I slept the next day away again.

Monday was my first day at the Trampled Rose. I was so happy to see everyone. We greeted and kissed until I needed a lip gloss refresher.

It was wonderful to see things is such great shape. We celebrate our two-year anniversary of being opened tomorrow, February 7th.

To think of all the tings we have been able to accomplish together in such a short time. Close to 700 women have been with us, taught to read and write, learned how to keep themselves clean, learned tailoring, bead working, restaurant management, injera baking, attended beauty school, all the while learning the most important lesson of all: hope.

I’ve been working with the staff to develop our new plan for the year long program for the ladies who cannot go back to their village either because they cannot be cured or they have other tragic circumstances (or if I just can’t say “no”).

My nights have been filled with meeting my friends for dinner and catching up on all the news.

Last night the taxi I took to the restaurant had to be the car from the Flintstones. I swear the driver was using his feet to run the car. We rattled and shook all the way. But as we were traveling, it hit me how much I respected the driver. In a situation so difficult as earning a living here, he had the integrity to work hard with pride. I just hope I would be as strong in such circumstances.