Coffee Hour Under the Tree of Appreciation*

I believe the group would unanimously agree that we had an extraordinary day yesterday.

The health center was incredibly enthusiastic in their reception of our group. Priests, HEW’s and local female volunteers were all gathered and after handing out coveted nametags to all SCOPE’s workers and a tour of the health facility (that included a bunch of playing around with the mob of kids that materialized—the clinic is right next door to the local elementary school—we all gathered together in the meeting room. Everyone introduced themselves, we showed the SCOPE video, and then we had a great discussion. The priests and religious women made very positive comments about SCOPE but also asked us questions about the future; we asked questions about their needs and received a number of ideas to consider. We all left Aymba encouraged that SCOPE is really on the right path in its partnership work in Maternal Child Health and touched by the thankfulness of  those working at Aymba Health Center. We all felt deeply privileged to have spent three hours with these marvelous people.

Next, we headed back the way we came and then further south of Gondar on the Bahir Dar Road to Tseda Health Center. SCOPE’s work at Tseda has been in progress under Getnet and Geta for nine months. 

After a quick tour at Tseda, we were invited to the home of Almaz for a coffee ceremony. Our bus somehow navigated a very rough dirt/rock track without scraping off the entire undercarriage, then maneuvered through cattle and goats until our driver became unsure of where we were headed. A young goatherd knew exactly where we wanted to be and so he joined us on the bus; from his perch on the front seat, our little GPS-boy directed us over the hot, overgrazed pastures and through a hedge of massive prickly pear cactus to Almaz’s home.

Almaz is one of the religious women who works with the priests at Tseda Health Center and SCOPE’s Poet Laureate. She and her poem of appreciation are featured in SCOPE’s video and she was thrilled with the chance to view. All present expressed a deep commitment to their work with SCOPE and reflected on how deeply and positively their work with SCOPE has impacted both their attitudes toward their jobs but also the lives of those in their communities.

Almaz has a huge tree in front of her home, a fact—believe me!—I’m sure is a great boon for her, and was a great blessing for us. It is the peak of dry season here and it has been downright hot in Gondar (much warmer than in Addis.) Almaz had moved all of her living room furniture out of her house and arranged it on a mat in the ‘gazebo’ erected under the tree. Our entire group, including SCOPE’s three fellows, Almaz, and the priests and religious women working with SCOPE at Tseda, gathered on the coffee mat, complete with the ceremonial grass, and chatted and laughed together (with translation, of course) while the coffee beans were roasted, ground and brewed.

I received a private tour of Almaz’s house and was honored to do so (mostly, I think, she wanted me to take photos of her in her house!) The most surprising site was next to her home, in a big barn-like structure built as most structures are here, from eucalytus poles packed and covered with a mixture of mud, dung and straw. I expected to find goats or chickens but, not a chance. 

Inside, a boom box was nailed to the mud wall and beneath it, an old but serviceable pool table! The transport of that thing from wherever it came to Almaz’s property must have been a very interesting challenge (although yesterday I did see a six-piece dining room set, arranged as if ready for guests being pulled on a flat-bed, one-horse, cart—so I guess it can be done.) The coffee was strong and rich and sweet, and I’m sure we all drank too much. But Almaz (and home roasted and brewed Ethiopian coffee) is very hard to resist. As we were leaving, Almaz brought out the jug of talla, the local Ethiopian homemade beer made from fermented barley. This is something I could resist, as it was turbid and swimming with pieces of grass, straw and other unidentifiable floaties and tasted like an alcoholic version of burnt tobacco. One sip was by far enough….

Dinner this evening was full of talk about what those in our group are learning about SCOPE and its projects, about the dedication of our partners at the health centers, the excellent work of SCOPE’s fellows—Anna, Geta, Adino and Getnet—and about the privilege of being welcomed so warmly by Aymba and Tseda Health Centers and by Almaz. This trip is definitely not your run of the mill, guided tour but instead, a very intimate view of the people of northern Ethiopia, their generosity and their needs.

 * Play on the title of the book: "Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of  Forgetfulness," by Alexandra Fuller.

Photos: Almaz and the group under the coffee tree, on the road to South Sudan (and Aymba Health Center,) welcome at Aymba, Roger and Kate with Aymba kids, all SCOPE workers and SCOPE group at Aymba, contrast in transportation, SCOPE GPS boy, Almaz' popcorn basket, little girl at Tseda Health Center, priest from Tseda blessing our coffee ceremony, Almaz with her pool table, coffee with Almaz, group in front of Almaz' home.