As usual, any journey is difficult in Ethiopia. We have a very old, unreliable jeep and we never know what we are going to face. This time, brakes were the story. Our car brakes suddenly went out in the midst of a road crowded with cattle and people and goats. Thanks to Toms gutsy driving and downshifting we avoided hitting anything. We stopped to repair the brakes and had to stay overnite in the town of Soddo. The next day, Tom was commenting that the brakes were adjusted too tight. I told him to quit complaining and just drive! A few minutes later he smelled smoke and pulled over.....Yep. The brakes were on fire! We threw water on them to cool them down and he made some other adjustments on them. Then we were on the road again. Of course, I will NEVER live it down that I said "quit complaining" all the while the brakes were on fire!!!
We finally made it to the airport in Addis Abba. There we boarded a plane for America for two months of relaxation with family and friends--and smooth roads with no cows and a car that has brakes. It's good to be home. Although, we must admit, part of our hearts are still back in Ethiopia. We miss our new friends who have become our family over there. But we will be back there soon enough. For now though, we will enjoy being with our families, enjoy the conveniences of life here in the US, and enjoy pizza and ice cream and cheeseburgers!
But we also have a mission while we are here: to share what we have been privileged to experience in Ethiopia this past year and to try and make it real and personal to you, our blog readers. I have not been able to stay very current with the blog before this-but now that the restrictions have been lifted on blogspot in Ethiopia, I will try and do better!
So until the next blog, Tom and I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! We hope that you will feel God's love for you in a very special way this season--and that you will also feel compassion and love for the poor in southern Ethiopia.
Please help support Project Ethiopia this new year!
In His joyful service,
Teresa and Tom Rieder
We finally made it to the airport in Addis Abba. There we boarded a plane for America for two months of relaxation with family and friends--and smooth roads with no cows and a car that has brakes. It's good to be home. Although, we must admit, part of our hearts are still back in Ethiopia. We miss our new friends who have become our family over there. But we will be back there soon enough. For now though, we will enjoy being with our families, enjoy the conveniences of life here in the US, and enjoy pizza and ice cream and cheeseburgers!
But we also have a mission while we are here: to share what we have been privileged to experience in Ethiopia this past year and to try and make it real and personal to you, our blog readers. I have not been able to stay very current with the blog before this-but now that the restrictions have been lifted on blogspot in Ethiopia, I will try and do better!
So until the next blog, Tom and I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! We hope that you will feel God's love for you in a very special way this season--and that you will also feel compassion and love for the poor in southern Ethiopia.
Please help support Project Ethiopia this new year!
In His joyful service,
Teresa and Tom Rieder
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