Not surprisingly, there have been many times that I have found myself feeling quite humbled here in Ethiopia
RCAR is a program that aims to help kids who come from very poor families be able to succeed in school….helping with school fees, food, extra tutoring, scholarships, etc. It’s not a huge program (maybe 20 kids) as Lalmba is a pretty small NGO with an even smaller budget. This has allowed me to get to know several of the students in my short time here. Adnafu is one of these kids, and I cannot say enough about what a great guy he is. Adnafu is 18 years old and attends a technical school in Bonga for plumbing. He has been at our health clinic working all summer with the maintenance guys, always willing to do whatever needs done, always happy with a big smile on his face, and always eager to learn. He is usually the first person to say hello in the mornings, he is happy to help translate (his English is pretty good) for me and lend a hand whenever I need him.
A few weeks ago Ethiopians celebrated the holiday of Meskel, commemorating the finding of Jesus' cross. Everyone gathers wood and makes a huge bonfire at their church. This is a really big deal here, up there with Easter and Christmas and everyone in town did something for it (we closed the clinic, which they don't even do for Christmas). Anyway, the following day at work I saw Adnafu and asked him how the holiday was and which church celebration he attended. To my surprise he replied that he didn't go anywhere. I thought that it was something that everyone did, so I asked why not. I assumed that maybe he was sick or was visiting family perhaps in another town. Nope, not even close. Turns out, he had washed his clothes over the weekend and they hadn't dried yet. He couldn't go because he didn't have anything to wear. People here have very little, maybe two or three outfits makes up an entire wardrobe, so when people do laundry, it can easily be their entire wardrobe. Several things struck me as I thought about what he had just said. First, I felt bad that he missed such a fun and joyful celebration. It's not like there is something big like that everyday here, so I am sure it was a real bummer for him. Second, I realized just how much I take for granted all that I have-- esp. clothes wise. As Daniel, or anyone else that has seen how large my dirty laundry pile can get, knows-- I have a ton of clothes. So much so in fact, that even here I have more clothes then I know what to do with and haven't even unpacked all of them yet.
When I think about "not having anything to wear" in my life it generally means that I want a new dress for a wedding or new pair of jeans to go out with....not that I don't literally have anything to wear, but that I want something new to wear. I can only imagine what Adnafu or anyone else I know here would think if they saw my closet back home. I'm not saying that I am planning on throwing away all my possessions or trying to guilt you into only having two outfits.,--but it does make you think....
Today I was given the task of driving to Bonga to do errands. We had to drop off blood to get CD4 counts on a few HIV patients, buy a new faucet for the kitchen sink, go to the bank......etc. As Andrew, the Project Director, went through the list he mentioned that I would be taking Adnafu as well. School started this week and he is moving there for the year (even though Bonga is 45 minutes away in a car, its a very far distance to commute each day). I went to his house to pick him up and load up all his stuff. Needless to say, it wasn't much. One big plastic bag, a small backpack, an old tape player and a basket to keep bread in (at least that’s what I think its for). We drove I asked how he was feeling about going back to Bonga. We had spoken previously about how he prefers Chiri as Bonga is a big city and all his friends are here. This time there was a difference in his outlook as he replied, "Oh yes, very excited!" When I asked him what caused the change of heart and he explained, "I am very excited to start learning again and be in school." People here take education very seriously, and Adnafu is no exception. For him, going to school is a really big deal and not something taken for granted or just expected. When we made it to Bonga we found the place he would be living, a small room probably no bigger then eight feet by ten feet with nothing but a bed on the floor. We unpacked his stuff and it was time to say goodbye. I honestly felt like a mother dropping off her child at college for the first time and almost cried. The other staff member I was with just shook his hand and was ready to be off on begin our morning's errands. I gave him a hug and reminded him to study a lot (which I am sure he will do way more of then I ever did), not to drink beer (not that he would have the money to do that even if he wanted to) and to take care of himself (which I am sure he will do as he is one of the most capable kids I know).
Two thoughts are running through my head at this point. One is about just how different my college drop off to his. LIke most of my peers, I can remember getting new sheets (only t-shirt sheets would due for me) at Bed Bath & Beyond and stocking up everything from school supplies to the essential shower caddy at Target. My dad flew out with me and made sure I was all set-up and prepared for this new sage in life. He bought me a brand new bike, we ate at nice restaurants, and made sure I had all my books ready for the first day of class. In all fairness, this isn't Adnafu's first year--- yet I can't imagine it was much different, and for sure it was no where close to what I experienced going away to school. Second, I was really taken aback by how earnest and excited he was to begin learning again. Going away to school isn't about frat parties, drinking or football games. Nope, not even close...for Adnafu it is all about making a better life for himself. When U of M begins each year all of Ann Arbor
(Demeke with his new notebooks for school)
My last humbling moment of the day happened when I returned to Chiri. When you take out a car you have to wait to be let in by the security guard. Today it was Demike. As always I asked how he was doing, how was his family. He is also a super nice man (There actually isn't anyone on staff that I have found to be anything less then warm, welcoming and nice) who constantly practices his English with me and reminds me a bit of my own Dad-- mostly because he also has 5 daughters and one son. I remember once a few weeks back he looked really pensive. When asked what was wrong he replied that he "had a lot to think about." I didn't press any further but a few days later we were back talking and he explained that he had to figure out what to do about sending a daughter to school in Bonga. Like others here, continuing after high school is very expensive unless you qualify for a government scholarship. He explained that it would cost him a lot of money for housing, books, food and tuition. You could tell that this was really hard for him and that he wanted more then anything to be able to afford to do it. Okay, fast forward to today.....after our usual greetings he told me that he had been to school this morning. Now Demike must be in his fifties and I couldn't imagine what type of school he was talking about. He explained that today was his first day and that he had worked out his schedule so that he can go in the mornings and work in the afternoons at the clinic. He was very excited and had a huge smile on his face as he told me how important learning is. When I went back to the office I mentioned this to Andrew who explained that Demeke was going back to school to finish tenth grade. They don't have GED programs here, so Demeke was in a regular high school with kids more then half his age. Andrew continued to tell me that this was actually pretty common and another one of the security staff members had finished high school just last year too. There have been others who went back to school and were then able to move up in the organization which was likely Demeke's thinking. I sat at my desk and thought about this for a while. How incredible it was to me that this grown man was going back to school, sitting in classes with teenagers, all before heading to work for the day. I am sure that the culture here is much different from home, making this not so out of the norm, but still. I took going to college, and even graduate school for that matter, for granted. I wasn't doing it to better my life or to in the hopes that I would be able to give a better life to my kids, it was just something assumed I would do. Sure I enjoyed classes and the work, but did I give it my all? Did I appreciate each professor and every assignment given to me the way Demeke probably would...no way. Would I have done it if it meant working full time and sticking out from the other students? I hate to admit it, but probably not. I only wish I had the drive and motivation that Demeke has, and I hope that in the future when I am taking all the experiences and opportunities I have in my own life for granted that I remember Demeke and Adnafu.
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