Thursday, March 29, 2012

current events in Ethiopia

Sometimes you find yourself getting a bit down at the damage a country you love does to itself...

Ethiopian Regime war on ancient Ethiopian Monasteries

Ethiopian Regime war on ancient Ethiopian Monasteries

Press Release:
Ethiopian Heritage Society of North America

For Immediate Release
Ethiopian Heritage Society Alarmed by Government Plans
In yet another egregious assault on its own Ethiopian citizens, the regime of Prime Minister Melees Zenawi and the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) are preparing to raze 18 ancient churches, to bulldoze the surrounding forests and pastures, and to force the indigenous people to relocate to substandard environs far from their heritage homelands. The regime wants the land to lease to large international corporations from China, Saudi Arabia, and India.
Deeply concerned about preserving the heritage of the Ethiopian people, the Ethiopian Heritage Society of North American (EHSNA) is especially troubled to discover that the Waldba Monastery in Gondar is among the church-lands chosen for demolition. One of the oldest monastic teaching institutions in Ethiopia, countless religious leaders have been educated within its walls for over 1000 years. Waldba also holds an important archive of scriptures and texts in ancient Ethiopian languages, many of which are very important to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Ethiopian religious and cultural history.
“Villagization” and Theft of Millions of Acres
At least 8.8 million acres of land in Ethiopia have already been leased to foreign and state-owned firms since 2008, and the bandit regime will lease another 5.1 million acres presently. Ancestral pastoral and forest lands and church properties are among them. According to a recently released Human Rights Watch report, around 70,000 people from western Ethiopia have already been forcibly relocated under the government’s “villagization” program. The people are forced to move to environs that lack adequate food, farmland, healthcare, and educational facilities.
Any leasing money will go directly to the Ethiopian regime; none will go to recompense the displaced people who are torn from their heritage forests and pasturelands. The prime minister and his ruling elite will benefit directly from the betrayal of their homeland and the betrayal of their fellow citizens. Much of the lease monies will eventually be funnelled into off-shore bank accounts held by elite members of the regime.
The Ethiopian regime has denied any human rights violations and says “villagization” is vital to the nation’s development plans. In most cases the indigenous people who have lived on these lands for generations have not been consulted about the land leases. Water rights regarding these lands may have implications beyond the borders of Ethiopia and seemingly beyond the concern of the present regime. The leasing companies need large tracts of land to exploit without any ecological oversight. The bull-dozed heritage lands will be used to grow soy, sugar cane, and other soil-depleting crops.
P.M. Melees, Church Primate, and TPLF Cadre Suspected of Arson in Church Burning
Recently, the important Ziuala Monastery burned to the ground and the fire originated under suspicious conditions. The fire department of the local government was said to be unavailable while the chapel turned to ashes. People in the area speculate that the fire was set by TPLF cadre.
The current head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Aba Paulos offered no regret and no condolences for the loss of the religious heritage site. Claiming to be the patriarch of Ethiopia, the primate shares the same district background of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and it is suspected that he is in collusion with the corrupt regime. The Ziquala Monastery was in one of the many areas marked secretly for “villagization” by the bandit regime and its TPLF party. The war against religion is not limited to Christians and Christianity, the TPLF government interfering unjustly with Ethiopian Muslims as well.
Horrific Assault on Ethiopian Christian Heritage
Ethiopia has a long-held religious tradition tracing back to the biblical Queen of Sheba and the Judaic King Solomon. Ethiopia has many monasteries. There are Zuquala Abo and Debre Libanos monasteries in Showa Province, Wegeg Asobot Gedam monastery in Hararge Province, Waldba (previously mentioned) and Mahbere Selassie monasteries in Gondar Province, to name some among many others.
Over 1000 monks live in the Waldba region and their displacement alone will cause a sizeable upheaval for the local population; not to mention the disruption in the religious expectations of their followers and the destruction of their places of worship. Many of the churches and monasteries have been designated World Heritage Sites by the United Nations due to the religious art and archives preserved therein.

Crimes Against Ethiopian Humanity

The land leasing schemes by the government will produce an ecological disaster that has already been played out in other areas of the globe where forest lands have been stripped. According to the legitimate Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church in exile, the government’s assaults on its own Ethiopian people, their freedom of speech, their heritage, their ancestral homes, and their religious and national histories, could make the regime hard-pressed to ever defend itself against charges pertaining to crimes against humanity – Ethiopian humanity.
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State-run ETV denies that no harm was done at the monasteries

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

a look at the water crisis in the Sub Sahara



It is unseasonably warm here on in the mid-Atlantic. Today,  March 13th, is usually still rather chilly and cool and yet it was 82 F. The heat of today got me thinking...
Our kids come in from enjoying the afternoon, all stinky, sweaty and thirsty. They ask for water.
What if we couldn't give them any because we didn't have it?



I got this photo from Catholic Relief Services. It was taken in Kenya.
Look at it closely. You could say that not only is it dry there, it is bone dry.
Here's what has been happening:
Rains that usually fall from October to December failed to appear in late 2010 in parts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. To compound the shortfall, in 2011, spring rains were erratic and deficient. As a result, many areas missed two growing seasons. Food and fodder are running short, and rising prices mean few can afford to buy any food from more fertile areas.
My sponsor child, who's name is Bahati, lives in Kenya in an area called East Meru. He recently told me in a letter that they have had no rain for 2 rainy seasons and their animals are dying. He also said many friends are leaving the homes in which they have lived all of their lives. They are seeking better luck with water and food in Kenya's crowded capital city, Nairobi. My hope and prayer is that Bahati, his 6 siblings and his parents do not have to leave their home to survive.
So tonight, when you toss your sweet, dirt covered baby into the tub or you leave your tap running to warm it up for your toothbrush, please think of this picture. Think of the millions and millions of people in the world who will not have that same luxury and, please, say a prayer for them, maybe even 2....

Friday, March 2, 2012

A water project - before and after

In 2009 K & K began a journey of compassion. The hope was to join Water 1st on a water tour that would end in the building of a well. Thanks to the wonderful generosity of friends and family in Maryland and Ohio we not only did that but we were able to support the building of a hospital in the town of Leku down in Sidama. We supported the hungry through projects and many, many orphans through donations that clothed, fed, housed them in a number of areas across Ethiopia. We helped to send 80 children to school and helped a number of small local charities that benefitted many in Addis Ababa. It was an awe inspiring trip. Seeing what can be done with so little. Right down to the old clothes and un-used medicines we collected from other Americans, nothing went to waste. It was exciting to be a part of.

Here are some before and after shots of the area where our funds built a well:
Before: *please not the disgusting, dirty water that this village drank and used*




After: Please not the clean water and the happier women!


If you give to charities that help in Ethiopia please, think of Water 1st. They are tremendous! And please, help us to bring medicine if you can! We need doctors, nurses, volunteers, eye glasses, supplies, medicines & financial donations to help make it all possible.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Introducing...


People say that you should never sell yourself short. They tell you that one person can truly make a difference. Sometimes though you see yourself in the scheme of things and realize just how small and insignificant you are. It can be overwhelming. That's when you thank God for the BFF he has given you who "get's it". Your BFF get's your need to do and fundraise and collect supplies and ship things and just "get's" you in all of your nuttiness. She truly understands your need to go back to Ethiopia, the country that gave you 3 of your precious children because it has blessed her family with a child too, her only girl. Your BFF knows that you might not ever change the world but, that together, you might just make it a better place.
And, because you have bugged your families and fb friends enough, you decide that the love you both have for Ethiopia has to be shared. You need a place to shout out about Ethiopia, to make others aware of it's beauty, it's needs, it's people and your goals...

So this is our blog, Kathi's and mine. We hope you will check in often to see the photos of our time in Ethiopia, to learn more about the country we dearly love, we hope you will be inspired to help us bring medical care to Ethiopia through our next mission trip and to maybe even make plans of your own!
Thanks for stopping by.

Kristin