Missionaries In Service to Africa: Journey Into Africa

JOURNEY INTO AFRICA - PRESENTATION

HERE WITH PRESENTATION MATERIAL ON ETHIOPIA AND AFRICA !

Ethiopia, its Land, People
And its Problems

Land of Contrasts

Beauty and Resources

With Poverty and Suffering

Why?

There are different parts of Ethiopia. The central highland area can receive significant rainfall, called the “Krempt”, for 3 to 4 months from June to September/October. From 2003 through 2007 Ethiopia received 5 consecutive years of significant rainfall. A bumper crop was reported in 2007. Land is owned by the government and leased to the farmers, thereby removing land capital from the masses as well as discouraging future land investments.

Ethiopia’s Resources

Favorable History – Only occupied for 5 years, but really never colonized. One of the oldest countries in the world – Genesis 2:13

Has “Mercato” reputedly the largest open air market in Africa.

Has very large cement factory (Mugher) – employs about 5,000

Home of the Blue Nile

Reputed home of Coffee

Hot Springs, mineral water, beautiful building stone

In the year 2000, ranked 168th out of the 173 countries on the Human Development Index (UNDP _ United Nations Development Program), 2002

BBC radio reported on August 7, 2003 that – more than ½ of Ethiopian’s then 68 million people live on less than $1/day.

In 2000/2001 – Ethiopia has 2nd lowest per capita income (IMP 2001) - $US 100.=

In a land of no Unemployment Compensation, Welfare, or Social Security.

Many of the homes are made out of mud and bamboo, with no running water, nor electricity.

There were 5 consecutive significant long rainy seasons in Ethiopia from 2003 through 2007, and a bumper crop in 2007. One must ask therefore why are the people hungry, since there is rain and food?

In Ethiopia fields tilled by ox-drawn wooden plows, done by children. And if even with these plows, there are efficiency issues:

a. Land owned by government – discourages long term investment

b. Feudal mentality and low work ethics – China – 7% of world’s farming land feeds 22% of world’s population. Farmer there works, studies, and works with experts.

c. Ethiopia – bumper crop – yet people still hungry. At the time we were there 2003 – 2007: five years of significant rainfall.

Gender specialist from Uganda, Thelma Auuorri or something, noted that Ethiopia treats its women as donkeys. In general, the women of Ethiopia work very hard, are paid low wages (e.g., $0.93/day for construction work), do not receive decent education and work opportunities, are beaten, raped, and subjected to such harmful traditional practices such as “marriage by abduction” and FGM (female genital mutilation).

It is very common to see girls to elderly women walk barefoot carrying heavy loads on their back from jars of water to wood to straw.

Generally, the cost of ONE BAG OF CEMENT would be greater than the wages a woman would earn for one week (6 days) of construction work. It is simple. Hard work and low pay. It is exploitation.

Some beg out of a “culture of begging”, and others out of necessity.

An estimated 150,000 to 600,000 street children in Ethiopia. Not all are orphans.

When we arrived in 2003 there were hardly any street signs in the capital of Ethiopia – the seat of the African Union. Later they added more, diplomatically naming some after the names of African countries. It didn’t seem to matter to most people. Most taxis (mini-buses) travelled along specified routes, calling out stops according to destinations and landmarks.

Ethiopia is endowed with exquisite natural beauty. Compare this with the pictures that UN agencies show. The real story is how could devastating poverty and suffering be sandwiched in between natural resources and beauty??!!

Ethiopia is the reputed home of coffee. It can reportedly grow wild in Ethiopia’s “Kefa” (kaf-fa) region. Coffee has been a mainstay of Ethiopia’s exports, along with oilseeds, and leather. Recently, Ethiopia has seen the dramatic rise of the export of cut flowers. Ethiopia has a beautiful climate for the cultivation of flowers. Many African names have significant meanings attached to them.

Addis Ababa means “New Flower”!

Guenet with her step - mother and “sister”, but it is her cousin, and her children Bamlach, Yeabsira, and Onesimus (with Evelyn). She decorates mud house with evergreen branches and balloons. She covers walls with newspaper. One of a country’s resources is their people. But in many parts of Africa there are not even sufficient parks for the children to play in. There appears to be little investment into the future of Africa. In Ethiopia many dads either do not know the birth dates of their children or do not even celebrate them. Boys will typically kick around a deflated ball.

Right now we have two mother with children that needs our help. Not going to Africa to watch people suffer, lacking church support, we left Ethiopia in Sept. 2007 for America to gather aid for Africa and to visit mom living alone.

Sitting middle: Guenet Liben has three children, she had to put her two sons in orphanage because she doesn’t have the funds for food and medicine. During our stay, one of the sons was always sick. Guenet is aware that the children need to wash their hands before they eat. But children sometimes like to eat dirt, & play with dirt. Children just plain get dirty.

Standing on the 3rd from your right: Meheret W has a son and unemployed.