By Dick Moeller

Today, we are wraping up our final community and project visits in the field before heading to Addis Ababa for our return home.
We are visiting the same area, Dejen, as yesterday, about an 1 ½ hour drive west of Mekele. We visit the projects in the communities of May Chae Chaeta (shallow borehole) and Adimelkegna (hand dug well).
 
 
At each site, we meet with the water committee and discuss the operations and sustainability of the project. This time, we are introduced to the local employee of the water district, who has been assigned to oversee the sustainability of projects in this kebele (like a county). This is his sole job and visits each project site to connect with the water committee once or twice a month.  This program has recently been started and each kebele in the Tigray region will have someone assigned with similar responsibilities.  This is a major step forward in local operational oversight of the water projects.
 
 
We also get our morning boost by enjoying some great coffee with the community at Adimelkegna. This picture above also shows the Ethiopian national flag attached to the side of the rock wall surrounding the well.
 
 
The picture of the flag is a nice transition into our next major stop.  Having been in Tigray for the last 4 days or so, we are reminded of the incredibly patriotic role the people of Tigray played in the overthrow of the brutal communist regime in the late 1980’s.  After the group returns to the hotel for lunch, we head to a major monument (shown above) commemorating the freedom fighters of that struggle. It is high on a hill, overlooking Mekele, and shows the progress of the uprising through a series of beautiful sculptures. 
 
 
Before departing the monument, I get a nice surprise from our host implementing partner, REST.  For the second year in a row, I am celebrating my birthday in Ethiopia, so they surprise me by bringing a birthday cake to the bus before we depart for the airport. Everyone gets to enjoy some delicious Ethiopia cake!
We arrive in Addis a little after 6 pm, being meet by some cool rain falling on the city. I think it is beginning to set in that tomorrow is our final day in the beautiful country and with the gracious people of Ethiopia.
 
 
 
After a quick stop at the hotel to refresh, we head to the 2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant for some evening fun on our last night in Ethiopia.  This restaurant has a great buffet of authentic Ethiopian regional dishes to enjoy as well as some awesome entertainment. Each region has its own unique dance, so we get to experience seeing them performed by some very talented women and men dancers that have incredible stamina.  Of course, audience participation is encouraged, as demonstrated above by Beth. All had a great time of fellowship for the evening!

 By Dick Moeller

Today, we are wraping up our final community and project visits in the field before heading to Addis Ababa for our return home.
We are visiting the same area, Dejen, as yesterday, about an 1 ½ hour drive west of Mekele. We visit the projects in the communities of May Chae Chaeta (shallow borehole) and Adimelkegna (hand dug well).
 
 
At each site, we meet with the water committee and discuss the operations and sustainability of the project. This time, we are introduced to the local employee of the water district, who has been assigned to oversee the sustainability of projects in this kebele (like a county). This is his sole job and visits each project site to connect with the water committee once or twice a month.  This program has recently been started and each kebele in the Tigray region will have someone assigned with similar responsibilities.  This is a major step forward in local operational oversight of the water projects.
 
 
We also get our morning boost by enjoying some great coffee with the community at Adimelkegna. This picture above also shows the Ethiopian national flag attached to the side of the rock wall surrounding the well.
 
 
The picture of the flag is a nice transition into our next major stop.  Having been in Tigray for the last 4 days or so, we are reminded of the incredibly patriotic role the people of Tigray played in the overthrow of the brutal communist regime in the late 1980’s.  After the group returns to the hotel for lunch, we head to a major monument (shown above) commemorating the freedom fighters of that struggle. It is high on a hill, overlooking Mekele, and shows the progress of the uprising through a series of beautiful sculptures. 
 
 
Before departing the monument, I get a nice surprise from our host implementing partner, REST.  For the second year in a row, I am celebrating my birthday in Ethiopia, so they surprise me by bringing a birthday cake to the bus before we depart for the airport. Everyone gets to enjoy some delicious Ethiopia cake!
We arrive in Addis a little after 6 pm, being meet by some cool rain falling on the city. I think it is beginning to set in that tomorrow is our final day in the beautiful country and with the gracious people of Ethiopia.
 
 
 
After a quick stop at the hotel to refresh, we head to the 2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant for some evening fun on our last night in Ethiopia.  This restaurant has a great buffet of authentic Ethiopian regional dishes to enjoy as well as some awesome entertainment. Each region has its own unique dance, so we get to experience seeing them performed by some very talented women and men dancers that have incredible stamina.  Of course, audience participation is encouraged, as demonstrated above by Beth. All had a great time of fellowship for the evening!