Hello to you all…
It’s three in the morning and I can’t sleep. I thought I would take a moment to shoot an email to you all to say how much we miss you and can’t wait to come home and share the stories — especially the stuff we can’t put on the blog (some of the zingers the kids are throwing around when they’re cranky – yikes!) Just kidding (Yes, Billy, Sid, Matthew, and Yuko — I do know you’ll be reading this).
So far the trip has really been uneventful in terms of mishaps (Jennifer’s blowing up the hotel’s power notwithstanding). Matt and Yuko were both pretty tired today, and I myself was getting a little cranky this evening — our bodies are definitely out of whack. Henry is in top form helping with everything and for that, I am grateful. It’s nice to have someone who will be late to dinner because he’s helping the petite Ethiopian maid move furniture to make room for the extra cot. Billy, meanwhile, is masterfully selling folks on his new dictionary of terms (he and Sid tried to teach Keith a few — I’ll let him explain sickity to you guys), and Sid is proving a remarkably easy-going travel companion. Sadly her hair is not enjoying Ethiopian air, and as a result she may be returning with dreds — more on that later. Jake, the newest addition to our crew, is really amazing with his ability to stay low key with the camera. He’s also showing himself to be incredibly well read on international politics — which is keeping some conversations lively. Isaac and Seth just arrived this evening, and though they’d just traveled around the globe, both seemed eager to get going — and wondering what the rest of us were all doing in bed! Thankfully I think everyone is getting along pretty well (I’ll let Billy explain why he dumped Matt’s soda out). Today’s drive will be the test for that though. Ten hours is the projected drive time. The first 350 k will be on relatively normal roads, but all bets are off with the second half of the drive. I’m a little nervous about the behavior of my own stomach on this one, but we’re all going to load up on motion sickness medicine and cross our fingers.
The people we’ve met are just amazing! Everyone is very helpful and polite. (I just wish one of the workers could figure out why our room feels bit like a meat locker.) Abraham, the WASH engineer (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene — I forget what the A stands for) is very informative. He spent a lot of time telling us about the holistic approach World Vision is taking to changing these communities. And I was pleased to know that so much of it takes into consideration the Millennium Goals we’ve been talking about so much. It’s unfortunate that the budgets for the projects they are pursuing are nearly doubling in price with the increased cost of supplies. We’ll learn more about that as we travel. He also alluded to some of the internal challenges they are having with the Rotary projects which were supposed to have been started a while back (We’ll discuss this when we return).
I hope you all know that we miss you much. Hunter, the very first thing Seth asked when he arrived was where you were. He was very sad to learn you hadn’t made it, but I assure you that you are here in spirit! The rest of you, too, are definitely missed. We’ve already started a shopping list for things to bring back for you all.
Be sure to write us back. www.youthinkwellinethiopia.wordpress.com. Internet is spotty in the city, and I don’t expect to have Internet at all in the field.
Perhaps we may be surprised, but things here definitely work on a different pace. “Africa time” is real, and it warrants taking at least three times as long to do anything. So perhaps Internet will arrive in the rural areas… in 2040? Funny how I feel so lost without it, but I must admit it is liberating not to have a cell phone chirping with Office Depot emails like a relentless macaw.
I guess I should try and sleep for at least one more hour before taking on this incredible day. Before I sign off though, I want you to know how grateful I am to you for all that you have done to bring YouthInkwell to this point. So many of you have poured your love, energy, funds, and passion into the mission of empowering youth and it is only because of the hard work of many in the Well Project that we have been given the opportunity to bear witness to the world in this extraordinary manner. There is poverty and there is extreme poverty, and I believe with all my heart that we can work together to alleviate the systemic flaws, which allow these disparities in living standards to occur. But to do this, we will need great leadership. And it is my hope that YouthInkwell can provide this. I know sometimes we all get tired from the struggle of running a nonprofit—let’s face it, it sucks to struggle—but it is through struggle that we learn and that knowledge is what propels us to the tables where solutions can be found. Raising money and speaking out are two of the key components of “putting your money where your mouth is,” and I am proud that we have been able to accomplish everything we have done so far. Where we go as we move into the future will be up to us as a collective. YouthInkwell may have started with me, but what we do with the power it has generated is now up to all of you. Think about what kind of leaders you want to be. Think about the priorities you set and ask yourself if they are true to you and true to the well being of the rest of the world. I have a feeling we here will be asking that question a lot in the next couple of days. And while the answer may not always be the one we hope for, life is about constantly improving. So, we must try.
My love to you all. I am hopeful that the upcoming year brings good things for all. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
I love you all very much!!!!!!
