West With The Dawn
March 29, 2021
In February 2021 we moved back to the US after working for five years in Ethiopia and three years in Kenya. Five days before our flight, I tested positive for COVID! … More West With The Dawn
Safe Passage
February 12, 2021
***Content warning*** This story is about the murder of a man and includes the sacrificial death of an animal. Abebe Degefu knows the price–and the freedom–of forgiveness. He, along with his community, chose restorative justice over revenge after the murder of his nephew, Tegene Chernet. On a cold October night in 2015, Tegene Chernet left … More Safe Passage
Love in the Time of Covid: Goodbye David Ford, the Only Brony
January 24, 2021
David Ford is alive and well, and to my knowledge has not gotten the coronavirus. This is not that kind of goodbye. Ba Yesus sim! David Ford, like Ford Prefect (who may be a distant relative) is the sort of man you might see in movies. Or read about in books. Ford Prefect came to … More Love in the Time of Covid: Goodbye David Ford, the Only Brony
Timket in the Time of COVID
January 19, 2021
This is my forth Timket in Ethiopia. Even though I’m moving back to the US next month, I hope it is not my last. Timket a two-day outdoor party, decorated with velvet umbrellas, lavishly embroidered vestments, drums, dancing, and a good dousing by a fire hose with holy water. In years past I had watched … More Timket in the Time of COVID
Love in the Time of COVID: Dawa for 2020
December 30, 2020
I was born in East Africa. My dad was born here, and died here. My dad’s mother died here too, in a plane crash against the Ngong hills in 1969. I was one year old. But I’m not a Kenyan. As a white American, it matters to no one here that my birth certificate says … More Love in the Time of COVID: Dawa for 2020
Merkato, merkato, to buy a …?
November 24, 2020
I don’t know how many times this year it felt like the world was ending. But more than a few. We adjusted, adapted, figured out how to live in the new normal. Now things are looking bleak again. COVID rates are soaring in the US and deaths are sure to follow. The promise of a … More Merkato, merkato, to buy a …?
Afar Off Place: Way Out There and Back Again (Part III)
November 10, 2020
Oblivious to the military action taking place next door in Tigray, morning brought only a vaccination campaign for the goats. They were given a de-wormer and were vaccinated against coccidiosis. The clan that hosted us overnight had no camels or donkeys (presumably those were lost in the kirempt floods) but had at least 100 goats … More Afar Off Place: Way Out There and Back Again (Part III)
Afar Off Place: Way Out There and Back Again (Part II)
November 8, 2020
A little relieved that I wasn’t heading into the hills on a pregnant woman rescue mission, and feeling a bit guilty from the relief, I was happy to be wherever we were for the night. Our host was one of the APDA health workers, Abdulla Ahmed Mohammed, and his extended family. We heard again the … More Afar Off Place: Way Out There and Back Again (Part II)
Afar Off Place: Way Out There and Back Again (Part I)
November 6, 2020
The first decision was whether to take the MCC Landcruiser or to rely on APDA’s Toyota “Buffalo” an older, more rugged version of our vehicle. We met with APDA’s driver and it was decided that our car was a city car and not suited for this off-road adventure. So the six of us–APDA’s co-founder Valerie … More Afar Off Place: Way Out There and Back Again (Part I)
Afar Off Place
November 2, 2020
An early morning start to 12 hours on the road, driving from Addis to Semera. This is our first trip out of Addis in forever–well, since the lockdown in March–except a short visit to our preschool to see a COVID relief food distribution. We were ready! We had visited our partner APDA before. That stands … More Afar Off Place
Mystery and Wonder--The Journey Continued 