Farewell orthodox church, and a cross cultural fun night

Last weekend was our last visit to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Our last service where we couldn't understand a word being said, stood for over 2 hours and wore white headscarves. It was a classic service - the lilly flower arrangement caught alight up the front, I was placed up the front wedged between about 7 devout old mamas, none of whom sat for one minute, a small boy gagged on communion bread and his parents pushed it down his throat  (exactly the way we used to administer a tablet to our cat) and then when we left,  Lucy's shoe had gone missing in the huge collection of shoes outside (i would guess there were about 350 shoes). Someone had accidently kicked it inside and it took about 15 mins of searching to find!! But after all of this, I met two beautiful new girls.They came here 4 yrs ago as refugees alone and with no family, but they have such a resilient attitude, and don't complain. It was a privilege to chat with them, and we have planned to meet again this week for coffee which I'm really looking forward to. We may have been uncomfortable in the new surroundings, but the people at church were warm, welcoming and gracious. We are now looking forward to seeing some more of them outside of church, and learning more from them, about what we may be heading in to. If they are anything to go by, we will have a wonderful time with the people in Addis.
Later in the week we held a cross cultural fun night where we (the MIT's here at St Andrews) all invited new friends we've made from another culture. Seven of our Ethiopian friends came and saw where we live and we fed them Middle Eastern food and played a game involving sayings and what they actually mean. For some reason the single girls we invited thought the saying "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" was hilarious (once we explained its meaning). I think they had pictures in their head of cutting up men!! We also told stories of times we were happy, embarrased, sad etc and some of them were very funny. The Chinese student who went and especially bought a bottle opener for his new bottle of Aussie wine, only to discover they have screw top lids here was quite amusing. Then my friend shared a time she was frightened..... which she said was all the time. She lives in a council unit (they have huge high rises of them here like something off the Bill on TV) and her neighbours fight, take drugs and keep her awake all night. She has had blood on her doorstep in the morning, and she won't go home alone in the dark. It was so sad to hear her speak - I had tears in my eyes. Our safety is something we take for granted, and having a big strong husband in my life is such a blessing.My trials in life seem so minimal when I talk to her.

Fun with our new friends at the cross cultural fun night

A weekend of culture

Last weekend we had a wonderful time and learnt sooooo much I wanted to share some of it with you!! It was a time of new experiences.
Friday night we drove to our new Ethiopian friends house for tea. It was quite a way out of Melbourne but when we arrived we checked the address thinking we were at the wrong house. It was a brand new 2 storey town house. There was our 1st expectation blown out the water!! Mame and her hubby Brahanu have been here since 94. She had cooked all day for us and couldn't have been more hospitable if they'd tried. They had every type of alcohol to offer when we arrived (2nd surprising thing) but Mame wouldn't drink any because she was fasting for 2 weeks to impress Mother Mary (yes the virign mother) so she can pray on behalf of Mame to Jesus. This will mean her prayers have a greater chance of being answered. We ate injera (Ethiopian pancake) with wat (stews). She had made 5 different sorts - lentils, cabbage based, chick-pea, and an egg and chicken one that was made especially for us, because the fasting means no meat, egg, dairy, alcohol, and no eating before 3pm each day.The food was really spicy, and poor Oli's eyes were watering at one stage!
For desert we had baklava which is quite Ethiopian (surprise 3) and a home-made bread with orange rind. We finished off with a coffee ceremony which was fantastic. No Nescafe - real Eth coffee beans roasted on the spot, crushed etc and fantastic. It was small and a little like Turkish coffee and with a teaspoon of sugar in it was sweet and yummy. It smelled great but as for sleeping that night.......forget it. We got to talk lots and found out so much, but it's too much to put here. The one thing I will say is mid-sentence and while 'chatting' they let it drop that both of them had been in prison in Ethiopia (one for 3, the other 5 years) and were allowed into Australia as political refugees. (Big surprise)
On Saturday we had a lovely family day watching the boys play basketball and then playing at a fantastic park we found (with flying fox) that was right near the old pentridge prison! There is a new housing dev right in the middle of the old prison, but the thick stone walls and guard towers and still there. We even saw some old razor wire along one wall! It looks quite strange, and an atmosphere 'inside' I'm not sure I'd like to live in!
Saturday night I then went to an Islam Iftar meal with an Islamic group called Benevolance. Iftar is the name given to breaking the Ramadan fast after sunset and the food was fantastic. I tried a lebanese salad made of chick peas, fried pita bread, and yogurt and garlic, that I would recommend to anyone! The people were extremely warm and hospitable to non-muslims, but it felt strange to know I was on the receiving end of an effort to reach out to the unreached!! I felt sad to see the big number of young women especially in their early 20s that have been drawn to the religion. They are modern, made-up, with silk head scarves, and obviously attractive to outsiders. They had a speaker for us, that advocated the relationship we can have with Allah and how to be a better person by fasting in Ramadam. It was slick, appealing (eg - warm, welcoming,great food) but also disturbing. I sat next to a wonderful Indian woman who was 90 lived in Sth Africa, and Australia. She travels fairly constantly, and has been a muslim her whole life. She was in an arranged marriage from age 16 and her husband died 12 years ago, and she still had tears in her eyes when speaking about him. It was so cute. She made no effort to evengelise me which was quite nice, but was simply friendly and kind.I am praying she will find the truth....and fairly soon as she grows older each day!
Our final day of the weekend Sunday was spent at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (week 3 - 1 to go!). This week there were so many people there Shane and the boys couldn't get inside. They were quite happy to escape the bells and smells, and spent the time chatting with men outside. Shane learnt more about politics than reading all our books, and they bought him coffee, hot chips adn fried lentil parcels.I on the other hand did fit in the church foyer part but there was no spare wall space this week so I stood unsupported for the 2 hours. there wasn't any space to sit down. Lucy was on the floor at my feet and did some drawing with little Eth girls which was very cute. She seemed unfazed by it all - after only 3 wks she is an old hand!!
Because we saw the sun in the arvo we walked to the playground near Visy park and felt very trendy. Yuppies were out everwhere, plus joggers, cyclists, walkers in the nearly spring air. I felt like I was in a movie - when you see families out at the city park, with bare trees all around us. Very inner city living!
Well that was our interesting weekend. I hope it was interesting to you too....I guess if not you would have stopped reading by now!! We are loving learning new things, but best of all is meeting new, fascinating people, all with their own stories.God has made us all so different, and in his image. Amazing!!

With my new friends Mame and Sisey

Some of the women outside the church

We found a new playground near the basketball stadium. Lots of fun!!!!!

culture shock!!

I remember speaking with many of you before we came across to Melbourne and saying we thought the course would put us out of our comfort zone as much as possible. Well so far our course facilitators have been extremely kind to us, and our entry into new things has been gradual and easy. Not so the last week!!
We have had to visit a non-English speaking church for the past 2 weeks and we have 2 to go. We decided to visit an Ethiopian Orthodox church last week and if we were to rank uncomfortable, and cultural shock it was a 10!! This week we returned again and although the shock wasn't as great certainly it was physically uncomfortable......let me explain.

Week 1 we had friends hint I may need a skirt and shawl - just in case I needed my head covered. So we turn up and I have a medium length black skirt and black top on, with a grey shawl. I immediately watch women walking in and realise big mistake!! Everyone is black skinned and wearing white,with long skirts and white veils over their head! I'm white skinned in black with a scarf on my head which I have no idea how to tie. Shane also is in a black jacket, while all the men are covered in long white shawls. If our skin colour alone didn't make us stick out like sore thumbs our clothes certainly do.
When we enter the tiny church (it used to be used as a Uniting church) we take our shoes off like everyone...oops my socks have a hole in them! when we get inside we walk into the foyer and there are women and children everywhere. They hustle Shane and Tom and Oli into the church to the far side ...oops Men should enter from the back door and are on the left. An old mama motions Lucy, max and I into the church too..there is a small gap near the back (right hand side only for women and kids) and for us the service begins. We learn later the service began at 7am (thankfully the priest told Shane on the phone to come at 9am) and will go to 12.30 usually but today they finish early at 11.45 because they have white visitors (Oh, that would be us......how nice of them!) 
There is lots going on to watch if one can see through the smoke and incence.Everyone is standing, and only sit to pray if they cant kneel and prostrate on the floor. there is continuous chanting on a microphone although the space is so small and the priest voice so loud a mike is really not needed. We don't understand a word, and within 10 minutes Max is quite upset. I want to go home, its too noisy, it smells. etc etc. I sit down against protocol to comfort him and distract him with a book. Meanwhile I notice all the Ethiopian kids have no toys to play with but are sitting or lying quietly on the floor! It must have worked though because soon Max is unconsciously humming to the chants and swaying to and fro! Soon a bible comes around wrapped in lace and white material and we all kiss it and let it touch our head. Its carried to us by an alterboy in beautiful gold trimmings and another carrying a blue and gold umbrella to be held over the bible. To cut a long story short the chanting prayers, and smoke go on, sometimes before us, sometimes behind a curtain at the alter. 1.5 hours later they begin communion but its mainly kids that take it, from a spoon like medicine and it must taste this way, because they all screw their faces up when it enters their mouth! Then they get a small silver cup of holy water to wash it down and its all held in their mouths by dutiful mums who somehow hold the toddler, keep white veils on their head, and then hold their mouths shut so the holiness stays in!!We later found out few adults take communion because they have to fast first, and stay that way for the day, almost in solitude keeping the holiness of commn and water within.
After this we discovered later all the kids go out and have food and a break, because they have fasted all morning, but because we're in the church we don't know this (mums and kids were in the foyer) so we sit or stand for another 45 mins. During this time there is some congregational singing in Amharic and all to the beat of a huge drum. This bit is very cool. There are some notices - I think about us??!! then holy water is given to all of us in silver cups and this we can have without fasting. Finally after 2.5 hours its over.
During the service there were 3 mamas behind me, very serious looking but on their way out they pat me on the shoulder and smile beautifully. I haven't followed all their actions and I look out of place but I feel their warmth and acceptance and it means alot. When we leave the church I look for our shoes to put on and there are 2 ladies that talk to me. They are lovely. They share openly, answer some of my questions, introduce us to their kids, and make us feel very welcome. Meanwhile inside the priest and 3 men are all talking to Shane. They are also friendly, welcoming and interested in our plans. So although we felt uncomfortable and out of place, it was worth it to meet these lovely people and feel their warmth and acceptance.
We went again today and there isn't time now to give lots of detail, but I'm surprised that it was so much more comfortable. It was only our second visit, and already we felt much more 'in place'. We wore white, and I had a white scarf!! The boys went in the right door, the little ones came with me through the front. Today there was a visiting Bishop and LOTS of people, so I had to join the throngs in the foyer. It was literally standing room only, so it was quite a long time on the legs! Lucy and Max were able to sit on the floor, and they watched all the kids playing hand games quietly or hanging on their Mums (or I think it was their Mums - they all seem to help each other, as a big family.) There are about 120 women and children in the tiny foyer and many sneak me a smile as we catch eye contact with each other. The little children are gorgeous. Even Lucy whispers, Mum these kids are really cute!! Today we go out after communion because we're in the know, and the kids are happy about this after 2 hours of standing/sitting, understanding nothing!
Outside 2 ladies wipe a wet seat for me with their tissues, and invite me to sit down. We get talking and they are fantastic. Before long we have exchanged numbers, addresses and Mame (the older lady) wants us to visit sometime for injera andwat and coffee. Sisi her good friend who has 3 small children a little younger than ours, lives right near Mame and wants us to come for a play when we visit. Both are from Addis, and promise they will let us know all we need to know.
So in exchange for a little culture shock, we have made new friends, worshipped in a different way, but felt the warmth of others who have accepted us despite our differences. It was definitely worth it!!!

Everyone else was black and dressed in white. Do you think we stood out????Tom liked the big umbrella!!

Oliver was very brave sitting in between two strangers(their big smiles helped), but also very intrigued by all that was going on