Day 13: Enjoying the Weekend in Addis

Yesterday turned out to be an extraordinarily great day starting with a morning of pampering at the spa. When I left the states I had joked that I would be finding the nearest spa as soon as I got there, but I truly had not planned on ever actually going to one. But an Ethiopian friend invited all of us girls to join her and would not accept no for an answer. As with everything, we were unsure of what to expect, but it turns out the spa was very similar to the ones in the U.S. All 12 of us signed up for an hour-long massage and then some of us also got manicures and pedicures. It was fabulous and definitely the best massage I have ever had! We were even more thrilled that all of our treatments would cost no more than $13. Even after only two weeks I appreciate any moment where I can feel totally clean and since we hadn’t had any running water for three days it was such a wonderful retreat. When leaving we had to face the torrential downpour typical of the rainy season, but this time our moods couldn’t be dampened by anything.

Girls' day at the spa.

That afternoon we greeted two more guests that will be staying with us for the week. Jessica, the niece, was eager to see the city so she went with me and Masta to run some errands. Since all of the shops are closed on Sunday we have to get our shopping done on Saturdays. I bought some chalk and erasers for Destiny Academy – after we had gone from store to store to compare prices. That’s how you shop for everything. I also had to find a pharmacy to buy some anti-fungal cream for some of the girls – we think they have ringworm. We just have to laugh about it because so many weird things have happened to our bodies, and we know it could be much worse. The rain had stopped so the walk through Mexico was pleasant. On our way back Masta took us to a café and helped us order a mixed fruit drink. It’s basically a smoothie. Mine was mango, avocado, and papaya layered on top of each other – it was delicious. Masta warned us that as foreigners we should only order from the cafes that we know serve fresh smoothies; otherwise, we could get one that has been sitting around for days and get really sick.


Jessica and Mastewal with their tasty smoothies.

When we got back it was time to get ready for dinner night out. None of us girls brought nice clothes, but feeling refreshed from our pampering we decided to get “dressed up.” It was the first time I had used a hairdryer in two weeks. This time we went to a Korean restaurant called The Rainbow. Most of us ordered some version of sweet and sour chicken or teriyaki chicken. It was not nearly as heavy as you would get it in the states which was good.

This morning several of the girls fixed a big breakfast of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and baked apples. I am definitely going to miss their cooking when they leave! Then we went to a different church called International Evangelical Church (IEC.) Since there were 10 of us we figured we’d have to take separate taxis, but while we were trying to sort it out five or six people on the taxi gave up their seats so that we could all ride together. It was such a blessing; we were so thankful for their kindness.

The church is a very Westernized congregation and style. I believe it was started by Americans. It was a gorgeous building and landscaped grounds. Our friend Abraham does the sound system. The service was much more traditional than the one I had experienced at Beza last week. I like both styles. The minister is a guest preacher for the next three weeks. He is Korean. His message was about the apostle John and the church in Ephesus. Having been to Ephesus I appreciated hearing him describe the situation of the church during the time of John’s writings. He said that the divisions of the church during that time stemmed from a misunderstanding of Jesus Christ. Some struggled to believe that Jesus could be simultaneously human and God. The contrasting beliefs caused division and hatred in the church which still happen to this day. To reconcile these divisions he urged us to focus our hearts on Jesus. He must be on our hearts and minds everyday, every moment. By keeping him at the center of our lives all of our relationships will be drawn closer and more perfect.

Sunday morning at IEC.

Friday night after Hareg had left our house, we gathered together to pray for her and her family. They all decided they wanted to do something for the school so this week we are going to paint it. I am in awe of their generous hearts – when I was in college I don’t think I was capable of that kind of selflessness.