Tuesday!

And finally, today, here we are. This morning was shoppping! We went to a place with lots of little shops selling traditional Ethiopian items--wooden animals, clothes, instruments, leather goods, etc. When we pulled up we were surrounded by street children, kids around age 12, offering to shine our shoes and sell us gum. Some of them were part of our guide, Robel's, ministry to the street children, where he helps them with school, sports, etc, and teaches them how to work rather than beg and steal. They were very kind. When I could not find Ty in the shops, they would take me to him immediately. I gladly let them shine my shoes and I bought their gum. Most of the shops were about 8'x8' any very crowded with stuff. It was expected (and fun!) to bargain for things, and I am very happy with my purchases!

Then we had lunch at a pizza place which was very good, and then back to the AW Transition Home. We took some pictures of other children whose parents will be coming for them soon, and then we got our children again, for the 'forever" time! We gave a lot of donations (clothes, toys, etc) to the home and wento the 2nd AW transition home for older kids and played with them a bit.

Seeing all the kids in the transition home, though they are orphans, did not make me too sad really. They are all well cared for, or as well as can be in a 3rd world institution, but they all also have families that will be coming for them soon. I think I will feel differently when we see the government run orphanages where these kids actually start off. We'll see those on Thurs. and Friday I think.

We had dinner tonight here at the guest house--chicken and rice--pretty good! Now we are here in our room. Ty and Audrey just gave Micah his first bath with them and he is "army-crawling" all over the room. He loved his bath. He is such an easy going, sweet baby. He smiles easy and is so easy to love! His right eye lid goes way up when he sucks on his bottle which is a funny little quirk. He has a little upper repiratory stuff going, and is on antibiotics because he seeemed to be starting a little cold or something yesterday. But he is doing great. What a great baby, what a great trip!