Traveling This Weekend!

We received news that we are a go for traveling this weekend. We're packing and gathering all our things to head out on Saturday afternoon. We'll be gone for a week of traveling around Ethiopia and then spend Memorial Day - May 29th doing adoption stuff in Addis.

It's so exciting it doesn't even seem real to me. I just keep wondering if I'm allowed to receive this much blessing in two weeks. Seriously, I can't even conceive of the fact that I'm leaving for Africa or bringing home a son. (I also still haven't cried - at all for the last two months. I've woken up smiling every day, but no tears yet. Pray that the inevitable flood of tears comes at a good moment :-)

Our travel guide sent us the following description of our trip:

• Driving south to our son's birth city.
• Drive to Nech Sar national park to see the endemic Wayne’s hearte beaste, Burchel’s Zebra, Kudus and Gazelles. A boat trip on Lake Chamo to see the largest crocodiles in the world some of which are up to 7mt long.
• Drive back to Addis, en route visit the Dorze village and market, A long section of the road offers magnificent views of lake Abaya, surrounded by mountains. The lake has volcanic origins and is almost pink in color. Next we visit the Dorze, one of the many small groups of southern Ethiopia. Once warriors, the Dorze have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. Their success in the field of weaving has been phenomenal and the Dorze name is synonymous with best woven cotton cloth. Each amazing Dorze bamboo house has its own small garden surrounded by beds of spices, cabbage and tobacco. Our overnight stay is in a modest hotel, but one that has a panoramic view over lakes Abaya and Chamo.
• Fly to Bahir Dar on the shores of Laka Tana, the source of the Blue Nile. Take a scenic drive to the Blue Nile Falls, which is known locally as Tiss Issat Falls. The fall is 100 meters wide and the water plunges 45 meters below, giving rise to steam clouds and rainbows. Those who may wish to descend to the base of the falls must climb back up the other side and cross the Nile in a papyrus boat (locally known as "Tankwas") in order to return to the point of departure. Afternoon we take a boat cruise on beautiful Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia. There are 37 islands on the lake and 30 of them have churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. Some of the islands are forbidden to women. We visit the monastery church of Ura Kidane Mihret that allows both genders.
• Fly to Lalibela. We drive to the site where we find a concentration of some of Ethiopia’s famous rock-hewn churches, built in the 12th century and attributed to King Lalibela. In his youth, King Lalibela was attracted to monastic life and later made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. After he came to power, he had these amazing churched created without using mortar or wood. Elaborately carved into solid rock, they were all completed in just a 23-year span. The largest, Bete Medani Alem, is 100 feet long, 70 feet wide, 35 feet high, and has walls that are up to six feet thick. Its basilica has five naves. This particular church is though to be a copy of the great cathedral of Saint Mary of Zion, built in the Ethiopian city of Axum in the 4th century.
• We will have a mule ride (it is also possible to trek to the place for about 2 hours) to Asheton Mariam Monastery a cave church built in 12th centaury at the dramatic scenic beauties of Lasta mountain ranges with the front view of Abune Yosef Mountain chain which is the 4th highest point in the country. We will walk back or mule ride to the town for lunch and in the afternoon we There are no less than 1000 churches in the Lasta region of Lalibela, some hidden in enormous caves. After lunch, we continue our journey into Ethiopia’s long and marvelous history with a visit to other of Lalibela’s remarkable churches-their architecture and artistry must be seen to believe.

Then we fly back to Addis and have a day to sleep and hopefully catch some of the Sovereign Grace Church service in Addis.

Monday we meet up with our adoption group and begin paperwork for our consulate appointment. The adoption week is the following:
Monday (Memorial Day) Meet our son!!!! Do more paperwork - blah.
Tuesday - Tate stays with us for ever :-)
Wednesday - Consulate appointment
Thursday - Free day
Friday - Get Tate's visa and fly home.

So, needless to say we'll be exhausted by the time we come home! We trust it will be well worth it though.

We're not taking a computer with us and the internet connection in Ethiopia is very, very slow, so we probably won't be posting while we're gone. We will give you a full report when we get back though!

Pray for:

• Safe travels for us and our luggage
• Preparation for all of us as we transition to being a family
• Health for us and Tate
• Sleep for us and adjustments to jet lag
• Patience for Joseph and me as we travel and deal with, well, traveling
• That we would be able to get a good view of life in Ethiopia and give as well as receive
• That we would make all our flights (international and domestic) on time
• The long flight home with our new son

Thank you all so much and we can't wait to come home with our son!!