As someone who has done a lot of traveling, I can tell you that Ethiopia is one of the most remarkable places on earth. We’re talking about a country that has maintained its identity and independence longer than any other African country, save Egypt. Before I visited Ethiopia I assumed it was a poverty-stricken country enduring famine after famine, but this is not the case. Ethiopia is on the rise in Africa. It is a country that is recovering from communist oppression, but they are a growing nation with a real chance to determine their own future.
The people of this nation are some of the brightest I have ever seen — they seem to have a permanent smile. This year I took my seven-year-old son Noah with me, and in each town he found new friends. The children would seek him out and they would play for hours. I tend to be very protective of my children, but I felt more comfortable seeing him play with these children than I do with the ones at home.
While we didn’t make any new discoveries this year, each time we seem to further our relationship with the "Keepers of the Ark." On the island of Tana Kirkos we met with the leadership and I got the distinct feeling that having my son with us deepened their level of trust in us. We discovered later that Noah was the first white child they’d ever had on the island.
When we returned, Chuck gave a trip report to our staff and volunteers, which included pictures and maps. If you’d like to watch this presentation, we have it here.
