Sunday 30 9 07
on J and M in Assosa (Ethiopia), 30/Sep/2007 08:13, 34 days ago
30 9 07 blogThis week, on 28 th September, is the celebration of‘Meskell’ which I know you will all remember from last year is an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian festival which celebrates the ‘finding of the true cross’ when Orthodox Ethiopian Christians believe a piece of the cross on which Christ was crucified was brought to Ethiopia during the 14th century. The True Cross is reputedly stashed Russian doll style within 4 boxes respectively made of iron, bronze, silver and gold in one of the oldest monasteries of the country, Gishen Debre Kerbe. It can be viewed only by a select few and is kept in a tunnel 20 m below the ground. Gishen attracts manythousands of pilgrims over Meskell. It is a long day trip from a town called Dessie which itself is about an 8 hour drive north from Addis. I don’t think we shall make it there now.On Thursday we were, at 1 30pm, given the afternoon off work in recognition of Meskell– Orthodox Christians had planned to take the day off anyway but the rest of us were uncertain. Apparently a letter was sent from the President giving permission for Bureaus to shut but the letter to the MI will not get there until next week (if at all).As we had not been in Assosa last year at this time we did not know what to expect but Mulatu told us that there would be a bonfire with choirs from each of the churches. I am afraid as it poured at the time of the start of the ceremony we did not go– we reckon it could not better Lalibela which went on for 2 days.Friday is a national holiday but apart from church for 2 hours from 7am there does not seem to be anything on.We celebrated in our own way by having some friends round for a meal on Thursday evening. One, Elyas, an Ethiopian working as a UNV in Assosa is moving to Addis next week with a permanent job with the UN, both every Ethiopian’s dream.At work we have made progress with the networking of the computers as we asked an employee from the ICT department in the Capacity Building Bureau to help us with it. He is young, keen, enthusiastic and a breathe of fresh air in the MI. He worked hard and at the end of the day was reluctant to leave at 5 30 pm when the bus was leaving. He wanted to finish his task. We now have 4 computers connected with the potential for many more when they arrive hopefully in the next few months. This means that each graduate and the Manager should have access to a computer and be connected to each other. A step forward. I know some people feel that clean water and other basic facilities are more important but how can you attract outside investment which in turn pays for basic facilities without keeping up to date with ICT etc. Look at China and India.We would not have been so content here if we had not had phone and internet.Having said that our phone at work still does not work– this makes it over 2 weeks.However the good news is that our parcels are beginning to arrive with 4 out of 10 arriving last week.We celebrated many, many years of marriage this week with a very pleasant home cooked dinner of roasted pumpkin seeds, aubergine puree, pumpkin and coconut curry with beetroot riata and rice followed by jelly and guavas. Doesn’t that sound exotic! I just hope we can keep up this healthy eating on our return. Pumpkins have been missing for a few months but are now back and to us they are delicious – will be just perfect for Thanksgiving and Pumpkin Pie.We also harvested our sunflower seeds this weekend– hard work if you do not want to chew the husks.