(Reflections on Ethiopia)

Our trip to Ethiopia was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.  I really can never thank you all enough for bringing that experience to me.  I know that it has changed me profoundly, and I’m so, so grateful for the gift of new perspective.

Although I had heard that Project Mercy was a beautiful and tranquil place, and I’d certainly seen enough video to think that I knew what I was getting myself into – I really had no idea.  The landscape is stunning, one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.  And October is such an amazing time to visit – the weather was perfect and everything is so green and lush.  We in America tend to associate Ethiopia with famine and I think most people, myself included, expect the country to be barren and dry….Yetebon in October is about as far from that picture as I could possibly imagine.  It’s gorgeous – I couldn’t believe how beautiful the mountains and how green the fields were.  It’s a photographer’s paradise, really. 

But by far the best thing about Project Mercy is the people.  I still have dreams about all those sweet, sweet kids and their smiling little faces.    For me, one of the biggest of the many blessings I had while I was there was that I stayed outside the compound in the medical housing area – because walking down the road every morning to breakfast turned out to be one of those rare gifts in life that will stay with me forever – the countryside is so peaceful and beautiful, but, most importantly, it gave me the opportunity to get to know the kids better by walking to school with a huge group of them every morning.  My morning walk with my little commuting buddies was one of the greatest pleasures of my trip.  I will always remember (and will forever treasure) the first time I was walking, surrounded by cute barefoot kids saying “Hallo”, when a tiny hand reached up to hold my hand as we walked together. 

I think the thing about Project Mercy and Yetebon is that it brings it all back to the most basic joys in life, that we in America tend to forget.  We have so, so much to learn from Ethiopia about generosity – people take care of one another in a remarkable way, but it’s the generosity of spirit and of heart that so completely changed the way I look at things and was the unexpected lesson of my trip for me.  When I went to Ethiopia, I thought in some way that I could help them…but I left knowing that Ethiopians gave to me far more than I could ever give to them. When you strip away all the barriers we Americans have built up for whatever reason…media saturation, acquisitiveness, lack of community….in Ethiopia you get to the heart of what it is to be human and it’s such a wonderful thing to get back to that pure joy of just being alive.

Marta and Deme.  All I can possibly say is….I now feel like I know what it is like to be in the presence of true greatness.  Their kindness and compassion is matched by their wisdom and vision.  They are truly the most remarkable people I have ever met.  And yet – they are absolutely so warm and approachable.  And funny! 

The people in our group were so incredible and I feel so very blessed to know each and every one of them.  It takes a special talent to put together a group as diverse as ours and create an environment of love and compassion and understanding and patience, and that’s what you did, Tammy and Noel, and I want to thank you for that, too, because it made the trip all the more special for each of us.  You are wonderful, wonderful people and what you have brought into my life is of such infinite value to me that I can never possibly repay you.

I’ve struggled quite a bit since I’ve returned to connect with my life here.  I think because the connections at Project Mercy felt so much more real and more human than we normally have here.  And I know that it’s made me work harder here to find those connections in the little moments of life when here we would normally look right past someone here.  It’s the little things – like saying “Hallo” a hundred times on your way to work, that I so completely miss in my life here.  Being part of such a wonderful community, both within our group and within Project Mercy, was I think what made me feel so truly happy there.

The housing and food were great.  In fact, if anything, I felt guilty for how generously and lavishly we were treated in the midst of poverty.   Again, it’s such a generous culture that I know Marta and Deme wouldn’t have it any other way, and yet I hate to think that others went without in any way because of me.

The access to people was great – I so appreciate that because it was what made the trip especially worthwhile.  I felt like we had true interaction and built true friendships, and that was so special for me.  

The Reception Tour maybe a bit too long – only because we all know that Deme really doesn’t have time to be spending all day on that, and it was fairly exhausting for us, so I’m sure it was for him as well.   My only true complaint would be that, during Peggy’s orientation speech, she made several references to “better people…Christians”, which offended me, not because of any religious practice of my own, but because in a community with such a large Muslim population, it struck me as an insensitive position to articulate out loud.  Especially since there were people from other religions within our group, as well.   

I love and deeply value our talks together as a group.  It’s so important that we are able to share and process our feelings and you’ve both created a wonderful climate to encourage that type of processing.  And it’s so crucial because of the complexity of the situation – both within the country of Ethiopia, Project Mercy and it’s place within the Yetebon community, and within the personalities and philosophies within Project Mercy.  It’s been a fascinating process and it’s amazing how much I continue to think about our experiences and think about how to continue my involvement in the future.  I really am trying to be strategic and set myself up for a situation where I can make a real contribution that can have longer benefit.

In all honesty, I feel a little bit intimidated by the goodness of everyone there.  Seriously, my biggest concern is that something I will say or do will damage what Marta and Deme have worked for so long to build.   As a first-timer, in retrospect, I felt like it would have been helpful to talk through a few potential issues before arriving only because I felt like I may have done things differently right away had I thought things through better  – especially the taking photos and giving gifts protocol issue.  Only because I think that it’s one thing to hear “no gifts”, or “only give photos if you have one for everybody”, but it’s a far different thing when you get there and find yourself unprepared for the emotional bonding that happens so quickly there, and aching to help these people as individuals.  I guess, as a group, I think it would maybe be helpful to work through these issues together, so we don’t feel like we’re doing any harm, but also feel like we can be lovingly human as well.  But, then again….maybe there’s no real way to prepare for such a life-changing experience.  

I love you both very much and hope you know how much I will forever carry our trip in my heart.

Patti Bonnet

(Reflection from Awon Atuire of Regis University who led a team of nursing students as part of the Denver Strength Corps for Ethiopia -June 2003)

I came to Project Mercy in Yetebon with visions of giving hope.
I left being the grateful recipient of much hope, kindness, and many examples of humanitarianism at its best.

I came to Project Mercy with a team of nursing students with lots of questions and ideas on how to get things done.
What we found was a lesson in humility and exemplary dedication from Project Mercy’s healthcare workers and program staff as they worked tirelessly to literally save the lives of children from severe malnutrition, kwashiorkor, and the effects of the famine.

I came to Project Mercy as an *African returning to Africa in a new capacity of international volunteer coming to help with community development and healthcare. What I found was an opportunity for soul development and spiritual health.

I came to Project Mercy with plans and programs from graduate NGO management classes and working experience in service learning.
What I found was a holistic approach to self-sustainable development and a commitment to excellence by Marta and Deme in all aspects of Projects Mercy’s work.

I came to Project Mercy wondering if I would have the opportunity to meet with Marta and Deme even for a few minutes to discuss plans and projections.
What I found was Marta and Deme who were completely accessible to children, staff and volunteers.

I also found a Marta who sat down with me on a log offered me two very important things to reflect on: (paraphrased below)

1. The children are the future of Ethiopia and indeed Africa, and we must nurture them in the most empowering way for their future roles and avoid making them recipients of our individual baggage or guilt.
2. In order to build lasting solutions we need to begin from the root and respect the process with sincerity, integrity, and unflinching determination.

I cried when I read the information on the famine before our trip to Ethiopia
I cried I saw severely malnourished children in Ethiopia
I still cry now that I have returned from Ethiopia, but it is a different cry now.
I no longer cry only for the children of Ethiopia
I cry also for the many individuals like myself in the U.S.A. and elsewhere who are not taking the full advantage of connecting with humanity where it matters the most.