We rose early to catch the plane to Addis Ababa, only to wait at the airport for 1 ½ hours! But, the ride was pleasant, and Diversity Tours cars picked us up at the AA airport to go straight to the Oromia Development Association’s (ODA) projects about a 45 minute drive out of the city.

 

What a surprise to be greeted by about 20 horsemen all dressed up for the occasion. They drape their horses like we used to dress up our cars with fins and fancy hubcaps! They were singing and racing around like crazy. There was another group of men running and singing. What a great welcome to two well sites which were quite close together, though each was over a different aquifer. 

The first well is just being dug. They had reached a depth of 7 meters and were going to a depth of 10. It is not necessary to drop the rings until the digging is completed, as the soil is the kind that won’t cave in on the diggers. The W2T group helped the community carry rocks for lining the well.

 

 

The second well was nearly completed, with the rings already in place, and the rocks ready for the concrete to be poured. It should be providing water for the community within the next two weeks.

Dick mounted one of the horses without any assistance (?) and was ready for the race!

 

Of course, in true Ethiopian style, the villagers AT EACH WELL SITE killed a sheep in our honor, on the spot, and we ended up eating fried lamb with bread AT EACH WELL SITE. A special treat was the Araki—a drink like everclear, or Sleevavich if you’re from Slovakia. Only a couple of us dared to slug it! The men all sat in rows in a certain place. Lizzie broke the gender barrier by merrily plopping down beside Jim. There seemed to be few women present, and they were working.

After eating, Jim asked to be taught how to do the Oromia dancing, which started a cacophony of singing and wild dancing. In the picture, Lizzie and some guy wearing a baboon mane wig (could you guess it was Bishop Mike?) joined in. Mike could leap as high as the Oromia! We were impressed! The woman on the left in the picture is Adonich, who is the Director of ODA, an American-educated leader who tells it like it is. She is a good partner.

 

 

All in all, it was a great day, and we will be treated with Ethiopian Buffet and traditional dancing (more) tonight for dinner. “Does anyone have some antacid?”

 

We rose early to catch the plane to Addis Ababa, only to wait at the airport for 1 ½ hours! But, the ride was pleasant, and Diversity Tours cars picked us up at the AA airport to go straight to the Oromia Development Association’s (ODA) projects about a 45 minute drive out of the city.

 

What a surprise to be greeted by about 20 horsemen all dressed up for the occasion. They drape their horses like we used to dress up our cars with fins and fancy hubcaps! They were singing and racing around like crazy. There was another group of men running and singing. What a great welcome to two well sites which were quite close together, though each was over a different aquifer. 

The first well is just being dug. They had reached a depth of 7 meters and were going to a depth of 10. It is not necessary to drop the rings until the digging is completed, as the soil is the kind that won’t cave in on the diggers. The W2T group helped the community carry rocks for lining the well.

 

 

The second well was nearly completed, with the rings already in place, and the rocks ready for the concrete to be poured. It should be providing water for the community within the next two weeks.

Dick mounted one of the horses without any assistance (?) and was ready for the race!

 

Of course, in true Ethiopian style, the villagers AT EACH WELL SITE killed a sheep in our honor, on the spot, and we ended up eating fried lamb with bread AT EACH WELL SITE. A special treat was the Araki—a drink like everclear, or Sleevavich if you’re from Slovakia. Only a couple of us dared to slug it! The men all sat in rows in a certain place. Lizzie broke the gender barrier by merrily plopping down beside Jim. There seemed to be few women present, and they were working.

After eating, Jim asked to be taught how to do the Oromia dancing, which started a cacophony of singing and wild dancing. In the picture, Lizzie and some guy wearing a baboon mane wig (could you guess it was Bishop Mike?) joined in. Mike could leap as high as the Oromia! We were impressed! The woman on the left in the picture is Adonich, who is the Director of ODA, an American-educated leader who tells it like it is. She is a good partner.

 

 

All in all, it was a great day, and we will be treated with Ethiopian Buffet and traditional dancing (more) tonight for dinner. “Does anyone have some antacid?”