Day 4

Today we picked up the kids VISA's and passports! It's official, we have everything we need to go home!

The most fun I had that day was people watching as we waited for our VISA's near the Embassy. Someone walked by the van and tried to sell us a live chicken, others walked by and asked for money, but mostly they just walked by and it was interesting to see the variety of dress and occupations represented in the people we saw.

We later went to a traditional Ethiopian Orthodox church. It was a beautiful building, built only 4 years ago, and so amazing to be part of their Christmas Eve service. The service went from 9 pm to 6 am (we only stayed an hour or so), and people seemed genuinely warm and welcoming to us. I expected to slip in the back and observe from afar, but we were ushered to the front and stood on the outside of the aisle. There was a lot of chanting, and incense, and every once in awhile, a wedding ceremony would come through. People were free to stand, sit, kneel or lay down as they wanted, which I thought was neat...people felt free to worship in their own way, as they felt led. It was hard for me to join in, as I didn't know what was being said, but an amazing experience.