A Family Day

When we drove into the local orphanage, I smiled to see The Little’s dresses on two of the girls. Though it’s a hard realization that one of the girls wearing a hand-me down is 8 years-old. (Julia, do you recognize the clothes? :))  

After a little Frisbee golf and soccer, with promises we would be back soon, we went home for lunch

After announcing our family hike, Little A said, “It’s not a family hike because it won’t be just our family!” 

Though Ethiopia is largely rural, it is also densely populated. Somewhere looks deserted and within minutes, kids come out of the bushes and rocks and hills and adults call out greetings from the houses and fields that are hidden behind brush and thorny fence rows. 

For the benefit of my college roommates, you may remember the Puma backpack I am wearing that you got my 10 years ago. It made the move to Mexico, back to the USA and lives on in Ethiopia. It carries our toilet paper, hand sanitizer and water bottle wherever we go. :)

We often share the path with various animals. A small herd of cows, horses and sheep overtook us. :)

We made it to our destination 

The girls realized these rocks were perfect “princess pose” location

Other kids look on in confused silence, I guess they don’t understand a good pose.

We took some time to let the girls explore. Because it is dry season, the water in the creek bed is nearly gone and the waterfall is a trickle.

Our girls try fishing though they are informed there are no fish.

A nearby forest was recently cleared. Deforestation is a devastating cyclical problem. It prompted the girls to begin, “I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees!…”

The land and farming has changed drastically because of erosion and a host of other long term problems brought by the forests being destroyed.

We did get to see thousands of seedlings getting their beginnings, which was encouraging as the 5 F’s project has been a major catalyst in showing the value of vegetation, not just to cut it down, but for many reasons.