Christmas in Ethiopia

Wendy, or driver and all-around great guy, with Oliver.

Christmas is a major holiday in Ethiopia where more than half of the population is Orthodox Christian. The celebrations occur January 7, the Feast of the Epiphany, instead of December 25. We were lucky enough to be in Ethiopia on Genet (Christmas). The Orthodox Christians fast from meat for 45 days prior to January 7. All week long we could see goats, sheep and cattle being walked down the road and occassionally we could see a goat or sheep tied to the roof of a van (it was still alive). The custom is to kill and eat the animal on Christmas.

When we arrived back at the guest house on Wednesday evening there was a brahmin cow outside the hotel. I didn't think much of it until breakfast the next morning when Jennifer told me I missed Wendy, our driver, killing the cow. It never occured to me that the cow was for those at the hotel. I thought it was one of the neighbors. After breakfast we went out to see the cow carnage and take a lesson in cow anatomy 101.

Beef, its what's for dinner.

After the morning's events we went to Toukoul and picked up the babies. Since everything was closed for Christmas we decided to have the children spend the day and night with us. We would return to Toukoul on Friday morning to officially sign them out and recieve the rest of their medical information.

We arrived at Toukoul and since school was not in session there was more children than usual out playing in the courtyard. Matt had been handing out Tic Tacs to the older kids all week so they believed he would have something good for them for Christmas. Children ran up to him yelling "chocolate". Unfortunately we were unprepared and the stores were closed. Matt promised the children he would bring them chocolate on Friday.

Our children arrived and we were given one bottle of formula for them. We returned to the guest house where we were treated to a traditional Ethiopian meal in celebration of the holiday. After lunch the women at the hotel made coffee for us all. After lunch we put Oliver down for a nap and in the late afternoon we had more coffee with Aster and attempted to do some traditional Ethiopian dances.

The coffee ceremony

Matt and Brian dancing.

Matt and I dancing. I am mastering what I affectionately called "the chicken dance".

Wendy, our cook, holding Oliver.

We spent all day at the hotel relaxing and enjoying our children and celebrating the holiday. Oliver spent the night with us and he woke up once in the night with a coughing fit. It was pretty scary and we believe he could have asthma. All in all he slept pretty well but I wish I could say the same for myself--I kept waking every few hours to check on him and ended up getting very little sleep.

Brent, Amy & Meaza posing for their Christmas photo.

Oliver, one cool kid.

Dressed in our Christmas colors.