Savoring Bacon in the Shadow of Trash Mountain
On the Saturday of Easter weekend, I briefly stepped out of our bungalow, leaving Luis inside with bacon sizzling on the stove, a rare treat here in Ethiopia. As I closed the door, I ran into one of the ladies who works on the guesthouse compound where we live. She sniffed appreciatively and said the meat smelled so good.
Now, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians often fast for the forty days preceding Easter. For many, this means eating only vegan meals for 40 days, while others fast entirely during the day and break with a simple vegan meal in the afternoon.
“Somebody once asked me, ‘Does bacon taste as good as it smells?’
I took a second and said ‘No... its better’”
She herself had been fasting for 90 days as part of her church’s commitment. I apologized, as technically, the fasting time was not over until the early hours of Easter Sunday. She waved aside my apology as unneeded. Her comments really got me thinking. While bacon was a super rare treat for us since being in Ethiopia (maybe the third or fourth time we’ve cooked it), how amazing did it smell to her, who had not had any meat in 90 days?
Aromas play an integral part in our lives here in Ethiopia. The area where our guesthouse is located is in a very poor part of town that is close to the city dump, a place we have lovingly nicknamed “trash mountain”. It is precisely what the name entails. It has been around for over 100 years, where the city dumps and sorts its trash. Depending on which way the wind blows, we get a strong smell of the sickly-sweet aroma of the trash. Just as the aroma of bacon lingered and stirred longing, what kind of "aroma" do our lives give off? Are we drawing others toward Christ, or pushing them away like trash mountain? It’s a question I have been mulling over lately.
Trash Mountain
In this season of language learning, we have had a little more space in the margins to pour into our children, which we are so thankful for. As we gear up to move down south, I have been presented with a number of beautiful service and training opportunities here in the capital city. One has been helping to lead Joshua’s weekly preschool class, teaching a small group of five or six energetic little ones. It’s been fun seeing them grow together and learn more each week.
Another opportunity we have discussed before was fostering our two sweet babies, E and B, (who have both been matched with their forever families – Praise the Lord!). That opportunity recently led to the chance for me to lead a first-aid training class for the orphanage nannies and office staff who have diligently cared for E and B since the recent switch in fostering policy. I was thankfully joined by two other ladies, both nurses, one of whom was able to translate for us. Whenever the staff hesitated about performing the Heimlich or CPR, she would remind them in Amharic that the infant or child was in trouble and that they were the only chance of survival for this child.
This past month, I also had the chance to participate in a three-day trauma healing course, with the plan to complete a facilitator course at the end of May. As a trauma surgeon, I have the rare privilege and heavy responsibility of caring for people on their “worst day”. Although we as a medical team do our utmost to care for our patients’ physical ailments, I feel that we often fall short in addressing the deep emotional and mental wounds that linger long after the physical ones begin to heal. Caring for the entire person is one of my main interests and has shaped how I approach my job differently from other surgeons. I hope to be able to help facilitate future courses for individuals at the hospital who have faced incredible trauma and sorrow in their lives.
The latest opportunity that has presented itself here in Addis Ababa is that for the month of May, I will help cover the school nurse position at the three older kids' International School. I’ve never served in that role before, but with kids involved, I’m sure it will be an adventure!
Praises
They found forever families for E and B! Thank you to everybody who prayed for them to find new homes.
Emma turned 9! She had a fantastic art-themed party with some of her closest friends in Addis Ababa.
Birthday Celebrations with Friends! Daniel also celebrated his birthday a little early with five friends here in Addis before some returned to America for the summer.
Things to Pray for:
Rachel’s Parents: They have finally acquired all of the necessary documents for their long-term visa and will now start the authentication process. Please pray for a smooth and expedited process.
Tsehye: She is a super sweet woman who has been helping us out by cleaning, cooking Ethiopian food, and doing local shopping. We would appreciate it if you could pray for us to help find her another position when we move next month.
Our Move: We are a month away from moving to Soddo full-time. It’s both exciting and daunting. We have made so many great friends in our time here in Addis, but ultimately, it's time to move on to why we were called to Ethiopia in the first place. Prayers for a smooth move so we can navigate another transition for our family.
If you have any prayer requests, we would love to hear from you. If you would like to set up a video chat, send us a message! You can contact us on WhatsApp or email us at LCRC@cobosethiopia.org.
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