Our Trip to Ethiopia: The Middle

An unforgettable trip to Dire Dawa

Now that you have heard about our rough start in Ethiopia, it’s time to delve into the wonderful remainder of our trip. But just as a side note, Donovan and I do intend to call her Noemi (many of you have asked). Currently she answers to “Sosi” which is what everyone in Ethiopia called her; and Donovan and I have fallen in love with it. It is customary in Ethiopia for children to have a name that is an endearing name used in the home. I think we will use Sosi as such, but introduce her as Noemi. So if I flip-flop with her name when I refer to her, that’s why. It’s hard to call her anything other than Sosi right now cause it’s just so darn cute, but we are calling her both.

Now on to The Unforgettable Middle:

As Noemi started to feel better, we began to get out more and more. The middle of our trip consisted of lots of hanging out at the Ritmo Guesthouse with other adoptive families, a visit to the US Embassy where paperwork was finalized and we vowed to be Sosi’s parents, play time and photo shoots at Layla House with the older children and babies and an unbelievable trip to Noemi’s home town.

By day four Noemi’s fever was lessening and she had settled into having Donovan and I carry her around in our carrier. We began to feel like she was becoming comfortable with us, despite her still feeling mighty punk. She generally felt settled when being carried so we decided (after much debate) to take her with us to the town where she was from, Dire Dawa. So glad that we did. The day trip consisted of a one-hour flight with our fellow AAI adoptive family friends, Jon and Rachael Oren and their cutie-pie son Mekonen. Sosina and Mekonen both came into our agency’s care on the same day back in February from Dire Dawa so we had arranged for us to all travel together.

The gang at the airport

Overlooking dried up river beds on our flight to Dire Dawa. (So I forgot to turn the vertical photos before I uploaded them--it's late at night and I'm not going back to fix it--too bad.)

Donovan and his pooped girlie

The new family with Henok, our fantastic social worker through AAI. We are indebted to him for leading us around town, interpreting for us and providing us with a magical day.

What an amazing trip. Dire Dawa was by far the highlight of our time in Ethiopia. During our flight, I watched out of the plane window as we passed over dried up river beds: screaming reminders of the drought. The dry, hot and colorful town was very different from the bustling city of Addis. We felt like we were transported back in time. All around us women were draped in beautiful layers of colorful scarves and people carried their goods on their backs. At one point our car had to yield to a herd of camels crossing the road. It doesn't get better than that.

Jon and Rachael's taxi following behind us.

Sosi waking up in the taxi...what a little trooper.

Donovan couldn't stop shooting his camera while hanging out the side of our taxi.

A young boy happily chased our car all over town.

We met numerous people important to Noemi’s history, including the woman who found her, the police officer who named her and the women who lovingly cared for her in the local hospital/ children's home where she stayed for a few weeks before coming into our agency’s care. It was a tremendously moving day filled with tears of thankfulness and mourning. What a gift to be able to give Noemi the story and photos of the people who first loved her. They were all so delighted to be able to see Noemi again after many months and know that she now has a family. We were also grateful to share the experience with our friends, Jon and Rachael, who recorded much of it for us. Noemi moved through the busy and hot day with grace, allowing many people to hold and kiss her. This day proved to me that we have been gifted a tremendously strong and resilient child with a rich, spirited people in her blood.

Sosi's "intake" photo at the hospital/children's home. This is now the earliest photo we have of her at only 2 months old.

Sosi, back in her old crib at the hospital/children's home.

Mekonen and Sosi together where they first met. How romantic.

Two of Sosi's first caregivers at the children's home, Almaz and Genet.

Me with Genet, the director of the children's home, Elizabeth, the police officer who proudly named Sosina (which means "you will find happiness") and Tigist, the woman who found Sosina.

While in Dire Dawa we purchased a beaded decoration that is native to that region of Ethiopia. We will use it as an ornament on our Christmas tree to remember Noemi's hometown. It will serve as a symbol of the people who loved and cared for Noemi—her first family and community—and remind us to hold them in our prayers as she grows. We look forward to someday returning to this brilliant town with Noemi so that she can see for herself why we fell in love with it.