Day 9

We drove from Nazret (crossroads city for truck transport) to Debre Zeit (home of the Air Force Academy) in the morning; our destination was an area of several lakes popular with Addis residents as a weekend getaway. The Kuriftu is a new hotel that is built with elements of style from traditional Ethiopian homes. Each room is in a bungalow with a thatched roof and a porch, and the whole place overlooks a tranquil lake with many varieties of birds. We spent time digesting our intense experiences of the past few days, trying to understand God's perspective on Ethiopia, HIV/AIDS, and our own lives. Later in the afternoon, we gathered to share our thoughts and poems, and to affirm each member of the team. The six of us have gotten along so harmoniously, and each person has enjoyed knowing the others better. God has stretched our hearts in so many ways on this trip.

The Kuriftu Resort in Debre Zeit is constructed in traditional style and surrounded with a combination of lush tropical and desert vegetation, like the countryside here around the small Lake Kuriftu.