June 2016

This year‘s trip was always going to be slightly different as we had a more subjective plan than other years.  This year we were to focus on the Daycare Centre and the Porridge Club as we are redirecting funds to the Electricity Project in Dembi Dolo, more later.

For the first time in twelve years we were able to check our luggage in at Heathrow direct to Bahir Dar a great help as usually we have a struggle to get the five 23 kilo bags from the International Airport in Addis Ababa to the Domestic Airport, only a distance of about 400 meters but the terrain of a dirt path and half meter curbstones always poses a challenge.

We arrived in Bahir Dar mid morning on a Saturday all very quite so after some lunch we went out for a walk.  Often in the afternoon the wind whips up the dust into small whirlwinds which tends to smother you. Today however a small whirlwind was whipping up and headed directly for us no matter how many direction changes we made.  As it came closer a small pair of legs was clearly visible and from a meter away a small girl leaped from the dust and into our arms. It was Meuskeureum (September) who is 9 yrs old and whom we have known since birth. A great welcome and many more to come during our 12^th year in Bahir Dar.

 We did much reflection this year and felt proud to see how so many people’s lives had improved.  Ethiopian Airlines slogan is ‘Dedication brought us this far, passion will take us further’ we felt that this was very apt for Ethiopiahope.

Thank you

Angela and Mike