Things For Our Things

We came to Ethiopia with two bags each; admittedly mine were pushing the 50 lb. limit, with all that we would need for our time here.  Clothes for the rainy season, games to keep us occupied on weekends, books, DVDs, a crazy creek for each of us and even some of our favorite food all made the cut.  Lalmba’s Director forewarned us during our orientation that while we would be worried we wouldn’t have enough stuff; in all likelihood we wouldn't even unpack half of what we brought.  While I thought she was nuts at the time I must admit that I have an entire bag of things stored under our bed unused and not missed. Obviously being here puts you into a different mind frame. Whereas at home it wouldn't be appropriate to wear the same outfit for three days in a row, here no one gives it a second look.  I used to wear a simple twenty-five dollar stone necklace I bought at the Washington DC flea market, but noticed it attracted too much attention and so have foregone it. People here simply don’t have much and being excessive, ie-- changing clothes every day and having a gold necklace, draws attention. It’s funny how something in one situation can be looked upon so differently in another. The clothes that have holes and stains, which my sisters and friends love to tease me about at home, are considered high fashion and top quality here.  If I used all the clothes I brought, changed them everyday and had them washed each time they were worn I would feel like a complete snob.   

As I have described in other posts, some of my hikes to get to the communities we serve are quite difficult.  A few are two hours plus each way, up and down mountainsides and not very forgiving. Needless to say I bring plenty of water and an energy bar or two.  A few months back I was hiking along and began to think about the Camelback bag I had with me.  The other Ethiopian staff members either didn't have water at all or maybe had an old plastic disposable water bottle that was a cast off from one of our trips to Addis or Jimma.  Not only did I have a special water bottle, but also I had a special bag to hold my special water bottle. Then I noticed my shoes.  Not only did I have shoes, but I had special waterproof hiking shoes--different from my special (trail) running shoes-- and special insoles, not to mention special pants and shirt that wick away sweat.... heaven forbid I wear I cotton shirt. 

Daniel and I talked about this and then came up with all the many “things for our things” that we have back home.  Just yesterday I saw in a magazine a contraption to cut your banana into perfect slices, as if using a knife is just too difficult or archaic.  A towel heater to ensure its warm after you get out of a hot shower, paper towels so that you don’t have to be troubled washing a dishrag, pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a phone that can use the internet so that I don’t have to bring a recipe to the grocery store or write down directions before I leave the house... the list is endless.  

Here we see kids making toys from anything they find; scraps of wire can become a wheel, plastic bags can be made into a soccer ball and patients use our old cans for cups.  I think it will be interesting to see what its like when we go home.  Being here you see very clearly just how little you need to survive and be perfectly happy.  I would like to think I’ll be able to resist the urge to buy unnecessary things just because they are there and able to make life a little easier, but I have my doubts.  I have a feeling I will be making an b-line to the first Starbucks I see at the airport, eager to go to Ikea to furnish our new house in Ann Arbor and ready to have my smart phone back.  I know there are things to do to curb this ever-present temptation to buy and consume yet it’s still a challenge. Now that we are six weeks away from returning home Daniel and I have begun talking about what it will be like to be back.  I hope this is one of the things I can take with me and try to integrate into our lives back home-- that you don’t “need” so much.  Obviously we work so that we can make our lives comfortable and nice, but to what extreme does it take us? How much time do we spend at work so that we can buy a nicer car, stay at a fancier hotel on vacation, have the newest flat screen tv?  These things are all so out of place here, it almost seems crazy after being in a society where most people work to survive and nothing more.   People here barely have things, let alone things for their things....