Elder and Sister Martin Ethiopia Mission: Parking with a Bull, braids, long walk, making injera

Enjoying a meal with the young missionaries.

Is that a bull and goats in our parking garage?

Yes. We saw these animals in our garage just before the Ethiopian Christmas in January. A few days later they were gone. Apparently, killing the fatted calf is a reality here, even in the urban areas. You don't just go to the super market and buy prepared meat.

I was talking to our Branch President and he said he always wants to see the chicken a live and well before he agrees to buy it. He doesn't trust meat in supermarkets.

We went to a humanitarian celebration where the Church donated to some needy people in the community. Children from a private school sang songs and had an entertaining program to go along with the event.

This little girl sat with Sister Martin the whole time. She was impressed with the smooth rhythm of her little hands as she braided her hair to entertain herself.

A member invited us to her home. She only speaks Amharic and we had some challenges with communication. We first drove our car to a centralized location, where we planned to meet. A half hour later, we discovered she was waiting near by so we walked up the road and found her. We walked a few minutes then hopped in a little Bajaj (tiny three-wheel taxi-cost about 15 cents each) that took us up to a mountain side village. We smelled the pine trees. We walked along the street for about 15 minutes then hiked up a rocky dirt road and up a steep incline to her home behind a make shift corrugated metal fence.

We thought the elderly woman in the house was her mother, but after departing we were introduced to her mother. We concluded that it must not have been her home. The challenges with language barriers.

Sister Martin is sure getting good baking with that temperamental oven.

Sister Cowley, our Mission Leader invited all the senior sisters to a place called Tulu Dimtu where a lady invited them to make injera bread. She invited the brothers to visit families in the area.

President Cowley invited me to go with him to another town called Debre Zeit. We had gone there before to check out a school the church funded to build and a water bore hole.

We first met at the Tulu Dimtu Church branch.

Our lovely office couple, the Woodburys and Sister Stanford inside the church. They love meetings, they can't wait for the next one to start. lol

The sisters all enjoyed their experience making injera, an Ethiopian staple. It's like a spongy pancake that they use to eat all of their main course meals here. We've had it a few times.

Sister Martin's turn...Gotta swirl that batter on just right.

Sister Martin stirring a pot of soup or stew to go on the injera.

Ok. Time to eat.

It was all spiced just right and fresh.

She served a delicious cinnamon tea.

First President Cowley and I visited a family preparing to go to the temple for the first time. While President Cowley interviewed each of them, I had the opportunity to talk with them. Luckily, the younger sister spoke some English and translated.

They were a wonderful family. I felt a strong beautiful spirit there. There home was a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of learning and a house of God.

And a house of feasting and good times. They offered us a meal and told us a few more things about themselves. We didn't have much time so we only ate a small portion.

We then visited a sister and her family. They wanted to sing a song so her son lead us in I think, Count Your Many Blessings. Fun and uplifting. They were such a happy family. We ended with a prayer and again the warmth of the holy Spirit filled our hearts with joy.