Category: Ethiopia

We had a little reunion with the two other families we traveled with in Ethiopia this weekend. We had a ton of fun. It is amazing to see how much all our kids changed since we traveled in June 2009. On Friday night I served up Ethiopian Sloppy joes, it is a nice cheat when you still haven’t perfected injera. Then on Saturday we went to the zoo and only lost one kid for a bit (don’t worry the missing child was found quickly and had no idea s/he was missing). We got to see the stingrays, some even got to pet them, the boys just loved that they got to play with water. Sunday we served up sandwiches for lunch and let all the kids run around the backyard and get nice and dirty. Some naps were had and then pizza to end the weekend.

I hope we can continue having these every few years and watch the kids grow together.

You can see some more pictures here.

I first read about Ethiopia Reads in the beginning of our adoption journey. While I know it is very important to meet the basic needs of food and shelter, I also believe deeply in the power of education. When I originally heard about Ethiopia Reads I wanted to ensure a library was built in the area my children were from. I didn’t know where that would be, when I would know, or how I would accomplish it.

Earlier this year I contacted Ethiopia Reads and learned they weren’t expanding at the time. Instead they were working on sustaining their current libraries and work towards some collaboration efforts in the future.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Jane Kurtz and she informed that Ethiopia Reads was expanding in 2011 through a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Education and USAID. They chose a school in each region to add a library and Sebeta was one the schools chosen! The program is developing textbooks in English for the primary grades (high school grades are already in English) and will also be providing them books in their native language. Ethiopia has several languages so each school will be provided books in the primary language of their region as I understand it.

The cost to plant a children’s library is $10,000 (complete with books). The really good news is another family has already raised $5,000 for a library in Sebeta. That means they only need $5,000 more.

If you are interested in helping the library in Sebeta get built please donate to Ethiopia Reads. To ensure it goes to the library in Sebeta please write “TLMP Sebeta Library” on your check or in the “In Honor of” box on the online donation form.  Thank you for whatever support you can give, Sebeta will forever hold a special place in my heart.