2013 - Back in Addis!

February, 2013 and my 5th trip to Ethiopia has arrived! I am sorry that trip #4 in 2011 was not documented on this blog, but my time in Ethiopia was cut short due to the death of my father. 

However, the EMDR Trainings and consultations in 2011 were a huge success and were tirelessly completed by my two team-mates, Reyhana Seedat and Joset Munro. Many, many thanks to both of them for their professional and personal support at that time.

As I peer from my hotel window, Addis Ababa looks like many other capital cities, but once I meet up with Woiny and begin walking around the area known as Shiro Media, the view changes dramatically.

We begin my three-week stay with a visit to HFC's Youth Center and Sponsorship office, and a short walk to one of the group homes to visit some of the children that I have met on earlier trips. Unlike many children in this neighborhood, HFC kids have wonderful sparkles in their eyes and you can tell they feel loved and nurtured. 

 Ethiopia has been dealing with extreme inflation and financial problems in the past five years, and the funding for many programs has become more scarce. The poverty can feel overwhelming, but it is tempered by the beautiful spirit you find in every Ethiopian who is trying to help their country overcome its many challenges.