Pushed Back, A Special Visit, Shoes

Process

We’ve all waited so long for Rakeb’s visa interview! Now we have to wait a little longer. Rakeb received a phone call late last week from the embassy stating that her interview got moved to May 6^th. Hopefully this just means that she will have more time to practice and be prepared for it. So we’ll continue to keep you posted on how it goes, and hopefully we will be able to tell you that she is good to go next week!

Rakeb

Rakeb’s father, who I mentioned in a previous post, appears to be planning a trip back to Ethiopia soon! If everything goes according to his plan, he will be spending 2 to 3 months with his family this summer. I have talked with both Rakeb and Akleysia recently and they are both so excited for him to be back for a while. It has been 3 or 4 years since they have seen him last, so this would be such a boost to both of them.

Street vendors sell corn on the cob for about $0.15. Be aware that the culturally acceptable way to eat it is by plucking off one kernel at a time with your fingers.

Ethiopia

Did you know that supposedly the only “fair trade” shoemaker in the world is in Ethiopia? An amazing Ethiopian woman, Bethlehem, founded the company by using old car tire rubber for the soles of the shoes, organic cotton for the rest of the shoes, and started paying local workers a fair wage for their time and effort. This company is now being talked about worldwide and becoming a huge success! Check it out at www.solerebelsfootwear.co . 

Ethiopia uses a different electrical current than we do in the U.S. When you don't take the proper precautions your electrical devices blow up... such as my hair trimmer. 

12 Days, National Exam, & 50 Cents

Process

12 more days until her interview at the US Embassy!

Rakeb

Rakeb is not only preparing for her visa interview. When students complete 10^th grade, they must take a national exam. If they pass the exam they can move on to 11^th grade. If not, they must redo 10^th grade and take the test again the following year. Just a little pressure on Rakeb this month…

Rakeb smelling soap that is handmade by survivors of human trafficking.

Ethiopia

I work for an organization in Boulder, Colorado called iEmpathize. We work hard to prevent human trafficking, rescue children who are trapped in human trafficking, and restore survivors of human trafficking. This is an issue in the United States, Mexico, Canada, etc. Really in every country! Ethiopia is no different. After 9pm on the road I walked to reach my apartment each day, the shops would close and young women would appear in front of the metal bars protecting the shop door. These girls stand outside in the rainy 40-degree weather with no umbrella, waiting for drunk men to leave the bars and desire “company”. Some may try to argue differently, but to me there is no way that a young woman would willingly do this. It only gets worse when you learn how much these girls are selling their bodies for, 10 Ethiopian Birr, or the equivalent of about $0.50 or $0.60. 

This beautiful hotel courtyard is where I spent much of my time in rural Ethiopia. Unfortunately European members of the United Nations' World Food Program stayed here as well and supported human trafficking by buying women that are forced to have sex against their will. 

3 Weeks, Fun, Deeper Impact

Process

Only three weeks until Rakeb’s interview! I talked with her for a few minutes yesterday, and she is working hard to prepare for it. In her words, she is “… really excited and a little bit nervous.”

Rakeb

As I mentioned in the last blog update, Rakeb loves music. One of her favorite bands is Fun, and while I was in Ethiopia she was always listening to their songs. As a coincidence Fun happens to be playing a show at Red Rocks on August 28^th. As this is shortly after we hope Rakeb will arrive in Denver, we got her a ticket to go! Since no musicians ever aspire to play in Ethiopia, this would be the first concert Rakeb has ever been to. 

Ethiopia

Something about Ethiopia has obviously impacted me deeply! The food is so unique, the people are incredibly kind, life there is chaotic and simple at the same time, the rituals are mesmerizing, etc, etc, etc… The impact goes further than trying to help Rakeb come study here next school year. In fact this afternoon I have a meeting with a refugee organization here in Denver. They have deep ties to a small orphanage in Addis Ababa and I am working with them to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. 

Leadership Training for street kids in Addis Ababa

A small orphanage in rural Ethiopia

Money, Interview, Music, and the Education System

Process

We did it! The rest of the money needed to cover the final $3,800 program fee came in, and I am sending the check to Amicus this afternoon! Thank you all so much for your generosity. There is no possible way that Amanda and I could have come up with the entire $7,600 fee. To ensure transparency throughout this process, just over $2,500 came in from supporters in Ethiopia, just over $3,000 came in from U.S. supporters, and Amanda and I covered the remainder.

In other exciting news, Rakeb was finally able to set up an interview with the US embassy. As a reminder this interview is the crux of this entire process! The representative she speaks with will be the final word on whether or not she is awarded a visa to come to the US. So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers leading up to that monumental occasion! It will occur on May 1^st at 7am in Ethiopia, May 1^st at midnight for those on the East Coast, and April 31^st at 10pm for those of us in Colorado.

Rakeb

Rakeb loves music! She often forgets about her surroundings and starts singing her favorite song while on the bus, walking down the street, or at a restaurant. She received a guitar from our friend Aaron a while ago, but hasn’t found anyone that can give her lessons yet. Luckily a good friend of ours has already volunteered to help her learn how to play it once she arrives to Colorado! This will be just one of many things Rakeb will finally have an avenue to pursue once she arrives here!

Rakeb chillin'

Ethiopia

As I have hinted at previously, in most instances, the quality of K-12 education in Ethiopia depends on how much money you can pay for it. That all changes when it comes to college though, as all universities are government run and offered to students for free as long as they pass a national exam. Sounds great huh? Unfortunately the government has unchecked power and has taken it upon themselves to determine what each student will study. So, say Rakeb wants to study to become a psychologist. The chances of the government selecting that path for her are almost non-existent. Instead she may be forced to become an oceanographer, a teacher, or a construction worker. You just don’t know until the government decides for you. So at the heart of it, we are hoping to give Rakeb an experience in the United States that opens doors for her future beyond going to the college in Ethiopia, that opens her imagination to what is possible, and that provides her with alternative opportunities for collegiate study once that time comes. 

A presentation at Addis Ababa University