We are finally home with the boys! (Well, we've actually been home a week now, but I just haven't had a chance to post an update.) It was a good trip, very busy, but we got a lot done.
Some of the things we did:
- Picked up the boys the first day and brought them to our guest house, where they stayed with Trevor and me the whole week.
- Took a trip to Melaku's home village in the Soddo area to see his family and siblings - drove 2 hours, then hiked another hour (though they got a horse for me to ride back!). It was a very special time.
- Visited with Zerihun's family, who all live in Addis - also very special.
- Had our Embassy appointment - everything went well, though after we left the building, they ran after us, calling us back in, and myheart dropped! But they had just forgotten to fingerprint Z, which is the policy if a child is over 14. Did not need that stress!
- Went to the Ethnological Museum, on the campus of Addis Ababa University, which was very interesting.
- Went horseback riding in Solulta, on Entoto Mountain. It was Messie's and Melaku's first time, but they did great. Once our horses all shied when we were passing through a cow herd and a cow jumped up from behind a bush, but everyone hung on. Beautiful scenery, and a fun time, though we got soaked by a rain storm on the way back down.
- Had lots of meetings concerning Meseret, arranging her situation. She was able to move out of the orphanage and stay with us at the guest house for a few days, which was nice; then she moved in with her aunt. Since we've been back, she's already gotten her ID card and applied for her passport, and once she gets it will hopefully be able to apply for her student visa soon.
- Went to the final soccer match and going away party for the boys at Layla, which was bittersweet; lots of goodbyes.
(Z and Messie with their older brother)
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