May 20, 2010 - Field Trip Day

*This post is written by Lincoln. It has been so emotionally draining for me to relive this week through these posts each day that I just couldn't come up with the energy to write this one. Yet again, another example of how blessed I am to have him as my husband!

This day we (and a few other families) sponsored a field trip for some of the kids at Layla House. It was so fun to see them out of the confines of Layla!!

Such a short time that we had known these sweet little boys and look at the bonding!

Lincoln and Blake relaxing by the pool at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Addis. We took a group of about 16 for a morning of swimming.

Ivy and Jessica, unbelievable difference-makers in so many children's lives.

After swimming, we treated the children to icecream by the pool.

No English, just affection!

After the field trip, we did some more shopping with our group. This was a scaffolding system that was set up around this building that was being renovated downtown.

Back to the market for some keepsakes and gifts to bring home.

This was probably the clearest day we witnessed in the city. It was such a beautiful place.

These blue taxis were everywhere! Probably 50% of the traffic in the city were these cars.......



....but then around the corner we were reminded that we were still in an underdeveloped country. Donkeys were commonplace in the city.

As were goat herds.

After a long afternoon of shopping, we were ready to head back and get the kids. You can see the mountains in the background. There were beautiful buildings all along the mountain range. We guessed that they were houses and churches.

Tomorrow would be our last day in Ethiopia. It was a big one - we had to finish up shopping, spend as much time with the kids at Layla as possible, pack to go home, and have a going away party for our boys!