Traveling Plans And Our Local Market Treasures

 

Our family leaves this Thursday for Addis Ababa. There are multiple events happening during the next few weeks and we will be glad for the time, although it is always a bit unsettling for all of us to uproot, pack and then resettle in a small apartment. It’s like packing for a two-week camping trip every two months. 

We plan to travel by plane…we were hoping to drive (at least Jon was) but our road to Addis has been blocked for about a week. Our friends here have advised us to fly and they don’t have to tell me twice! Can you pray with us for safe and uneventful travel on Thursday (your Wednesday night)? Also, there will be many out of the city families in the city for multiple meetings or for various reasons had to leave their stations. We are all used to mobility and since flying is the recommended travel right now, we will all get to share a few vehicles…it’s an opportunity to be flexible and serve each other but hard when we are all used to independence and use our extra Addis time as sailors who get off a ship, eating out, visiting friends, stocking up on groceries, etc. 

Master TreeGrowers wrapped up really well. It’s an amazing and big week and their were beautiful opportunities to teach about many things and amazing channels to share our Hope with an unreached area. 

One morning, the trainees all went to the market and one of the activities was to find as many items as possible, hoping to find rare ones and the person with the most was rewarded. It was fun to see the market from this perspective. Here’s a glimpse past all the veggies and livestock.

Ready to shop!

Wooden chair with woven cowhide seat

Grasses and other plants I don’t know the function of…I’ll have to ask Jon on this one. 

Handmade grass shopping baskets

This vendor has a bit of everything but I spy Ethiopian Orthodox crosses and posters, as well as wallets and hair accessories.

This man walks home with his  load of wood.

Nothing is for sale in this picture but I think this little boy is precious. 

The hardware area. I see some rat traps, shovel heads, scythes.

This is the type of grass sold that is woven into baskets. You can see a basket being sold in the picture.

This is a grass injera topper that a women has woven into a pattern that’s for sale. All of these are made without patterns but the designs come out of the women’s minds. So amazing.

Bananas and oranges

Eucalyptus branches make amazing tooth brushes when stripped of leaves.

As modeled by Mark.

A homemade butter. Definitely a different taste to what I am used to but this is used in hair and in food around holiday times.

Seeing his market differently

Incense and spices

A rainbow of plastic shoes

Thanks for your support and prayers, friends!