Theodros has a house
Leen Dubbelaar travelled to Ethiopia to see Yeshi and Theodros (Teddy) and the project of JNEF in Allamata.
Mina Dubbelaar wrote his report.
It rained when the plane had landed in Addis Ababa, as might be expected, because it was the rainy season. A taxi drove us to the end of the newly paved highway, as close as possible to the house of our friends. The last kilometer we struggled with our luggage on the muddy trail. We were most welcome. Two days later the full auto bus took us to the North, to Allamata. (In high speed the Chinese are building highways all through Ethiopia; they have employed many Ethiopian labourers).
Yeshi’s three children Dinah (19), Fekadu (18) and Tigist (16) and two foster-children (of her deceased sister) welcomed us at the bus stop in Allamata and in cheerful company we walked to Yeshi’s clay house for the coffee-ceremony (and many to follow in the next days with more and more family-members and friends).
After only one year Yeshi looks so much better. She has married to Assaf in the meantime and obviously their new baby will be born in the course of this year. Under the roof attached to Yeshi’s house Assaf has built a small shop, where Yeshi sells her food products and candy. Needless to say that the children of Allamata are Yeshi’s regular customers!
The next day we walked altogether in a festive procession to the newly built house of Theodros some two kilometers farther. Built of bricks it is one of the better houses in the town, situated near the exit of the highway from Addis Ababa to Allamata. (Everyone entering the place has to pass Teddy’s house with shop.) The house is securely built. We agreed after an advice from Leen that a better access was needed for the wheelchair of Teddy to his home.
This will be done by the family and the family will also take care of the purchase of a refrigerator from Addis Ababa for Teddy.
Teddy intends to sell home made ice-lollipops and drinks which he considers a gap in the market!
Teddy is delighted with his own place and his future turned from hopeless into hopeful.