Thoughts on Ethiopian street kid experience

Thoughts on project

Foreword:

I first became interested in Ethiopia in highschool in my introduction to the culture and religion of Rastafarianism. The belief that Haile Selassie the final emperor of Ethiopia was the messiah for his role in keeping Ethiopia uncolonized against the Italians in the final showdown during World War 2 keeping Africa from ever being fully colonized by Europe, (which I refute that Europe ever truly colonized Africa). My mothers boyfriend at the time was another mentor for me in my journey of becoming a man and he was a staunch rasta for better or worse. Hanging with Rasta’s and eventually meeting one of the descendants of haile selassiee in Hawaii at a resort (which should have been one of my first signs into my passion for Ethiopia). I followed Rastafarianism and in my final year of high school I was walking down the hallway with all of the science classrooms and a flier caught my eye that was a mission trip from my catholic school to the sister school in Addis Ababa and Dire Dawe Ethiopia. I showed my mother and my grandparents and the pushed for me to go and they ended up financing the trip. I was off on a plane to Ethiopia months later with some 14 students and two teachers landing in Addis Ababa at night. Being picked up by Brother Kassu in a van i was more than ecstatic to be where my curiosity has flowed. He took us to the mission where we would sleep and the next day we took a bus to Dire Dawe where for much of my next few years I would always think of.

On my journey there our driver drove typical African style where that style has led to many forgotten accidents on the side of the road. We arrived in dire Dawe at the school and spent several days with the students there having fun and playing with them, teaching me many things about their culture.

One night with brother Frezer, now one of my dear friends , took me for a walk and on my re-arrival I was berated by my teachers and told they would send me home if I do something like that again. I was never afraid, this felt like home to me. I was happy to be there in the kingdom of Haile Selassie.

Fast forward some months and I stayed in contact with Brother Frezer and he would reach out to me when students were unable to pay tuition and I would send money for their tuition, schooling materials, and uniforms. I ended up financing some kids (2, 3, or 5) at a time for a whole year. Coming around to some $180 each a year. I would work for my grandfather and pay Rezene, he would always send me a certificate of the kids' enrollment and a paper they would hold saying they have gotten to go to school for another year. Fast forward sometime later and my grandfather, a wealthy businessman by trade, asked me if I knew anywhere he could give cash to to simply feed kids. I connected him with Rezene Frezer and they quickly started working together. Feeding 5 kids then 10 then 25 soon 50 and a hundred now 225 kids three meals a day at two locations in the city. Four cooks and three help men at each location, there is a lot of work to be put in to feed these kids. In my trip across southern Europe and Northern Africa I had plans to stop in Ethiopia to be reunited with Rezene after some years and continue my trip down south through Africa. Going south after Ethiopia never happened for many reasons such as: lack of money and ultimately the welcoming hospitality in Ethiopia. I ended up staying for 6 weeks in Ethiopia with the kids spending ample time making them laugh, making sure the operation was fine, and finally with Rezene who is tigrayan, taking a trip to Tigray where the war just ended to see his family. A humbling experience for me to say the least to be in a place that has experienced war and famine. Horrible things to an individual and group was done. I returned to America with the idea of leveraging my business connections in America from my business school to start a coffee importing company to America and using the profits to finance this project to a bigger level, ultimately it did not work out for many reasons. Returning as a strong advocate for what was and what I have seen I have always kept a special place in my heart with him hoping to return to build a School and orphanage in my grandfather's name.

I returned to Ethiopia in March 2024 and planned to be with my grandfather after my sister's wedding in India but he was unable to come due to catching an illness. It was unfortunate but he will come one day. I bought a film camera with an idea to write a story about all of the things I see and being a voice to the pidder paddering of the little feet of these sacred beings. I give you this colelction of our dream and to give voice to those with none.

End note:

 I am very grateful for the time they have given me. The overwhelming theme was home and school, the idea we have conjured up is to build a school and an orphanage but this school will educate housed kids and the profits from the tuition will pay for the orphans to go to school. There are some issues I don’t know how they will pan out such as there being three major languages in the city but the city school managers are well familiar with all of these issues I have dreamt up. I simply will let this be in their hands and I will get the financing to get this project done. Hearing the many issues that these kids and women face is so sad. Three week journey over 1400 kms after going through grueling three year war of famine, rape, and loss of friends and family. There are no men, they stayed behind. They fought and they died, and now they rebuild the countryside. Some want to return but many don’t. The crimes and scenes they have seen disrupt their concourse to an inner and deep level that they are weary of awakening. I don’t blame them, who can. I wonder what mental health resources could be of use. The women have been deeply offended, the only option was to choose strength in their eyes a deep escapade of dark blue light a light that is shaded of information..  to much information. They have seen too much but they still choose not to be broken, they still awake every day and move on for what may be out there, survival and a better tomorrow. Simply put a home, education, food and clothing. Things I take for granted more than anything. Their feet are rough and rugged, they must be sore. Their backs are strong and weary, they must be sore. Their eyes are deep and sunburned. They must be sore. One can see so much looking into their eyes. Deepness, stand on a mountain ridge on a new moon and stare into a valley. There is something you can see and feel… it is the right infant of you, but it is hidden to everyone but the mountain, but you know it is there. God got them through this they say, and humans put them through it I say. And now we who have said we pray for those who have only prayers. Prayer is strong but is a tool that prayer works through. Through trial and error actions are refined to gold. Be a component of this prayer. Prayer is very strong, listen to the prayers of these women and children and be compelled to let it move you. Loose everything in your pursuit to fulfill an honest prayer just as they have lost everything in their pursuit to fulfill an honest life. I wish healing for these people but in the meantime we will build a mighty orphanage for them, an orphanage with a school they can go to with fruit trees they can pick from. We will help the children.

My desire is to give them spaces to dream and know they are worthy of the things I have if they want them and that we can get there through self empowerment… I will go at all lengths. I will reach out to Amrita in India and start talking to professors or managers of the schools and get their input along with Rezene here in Ethiopia we will be able to get something of serious quality going here. My connections in America for wealth will be able to provide these things for the kids.

As I sit here at 3:26 soon. The kids will arrive again for dinner around 5-6. It is blistering hot. It is time for a siesta but I can’t stop writing. This is my mission, be the voice of the kids.

The refugees, for good reason… hold no trust towards me. Towards a man I believe. They have no reason to trust a stranger. The same archetype that has afflicted so much pain and sorrow on their bloodline causing real trauma. A trauma that is spread intergenerationally.

Many of the kids will sit and peer out at me calling me to give them time and attention. A handshake or a hello usually is all they want. I often spend my time making them laugh, giving what I know how to give a genuine smile. Some are harder to crack though. They hold a resolution within not to be swayed towards a smile. I don’t blame them, I hold an archetype in their brains that is very harmful and dangerous,,, the stranger. The Stranger who comes is often a male, of status and leaves as quick as he comes. Unfortunately for our relationships I hold those first three descriptions. Although, these strangers cause insufferable harm that they would never want to be exacted on themselves or their loved ones. Perhaps it’s a cycle with these strangers. They were once this kid being fed by an American on their escape from domestic harm. This domestic harm has plagued the country for many years. Different tribes, political forces domestic and international have always viewed Ethiopia as a jewel to beget on one's crown. I don’t know why, maybe for the simple fact of conquering a foreign land with beautiful people and a royal essence. Maybe there is something that this land holds, a secret. It feels like there is a secret held here. They say the ark of the covenant is held here in Axum, Tigray, Ethiopia. I have seen the temple. If my memory holds correct I believe it is the st. Mary church that holds it, built by Hailee Selaisse the final emperor of Ethiopia. The conquering lion of all the tribes. I wonder what he would say if he saw his country around the world has so much technology and innovation they could benefit from. But they haven’t yet, as foreign powers are becoming more and more involved in Ethiopia. I wonder if Ethiopia will be able to be on the winning side of history once again. An unconquered indomitable landscape and people.

It is very hard organizing photos with the kids when it is hot and they haven’t eaten. The one here today with my specs 100 words of English, a lot of room for error. Hahaha.

Even though many of the people I have talked to are from the villages of Tigray  in the larger city of Addis you can find the educated ones who have degrees from local colleges begging on the street.

Going to the local mosque and Orthodox Church you can see the food they give to the children and their mothers, nothing more than a morsel of bread to share. A question I keep wondering is, how do you teach resource management to a population under extreme resource scarcity and survival?

Today after a long day of navigating a photo shoot two young dark skin boys, twins I believe, Oromo. Can’t say much older than 8 not younger than 6. Marred in dirt and torn clothes, they approached the doors of the kitchen as I was playing with the kids as they finished supper to go back to the street corners and nests that they occupy and fly into the dreamscape. They stood about 30 yards away sheepishly approaching where we played when I saw them looking at me piercingly with their white eyes, red shirts, and ebony black skin. I called them in swiftly to eat where they sat for supper. I taught them to wash their hands before eating and they scarfed down their food. As they got up to go they grabbed a handful of macaroni to take home with them, incredibly sad. I told them to eat it with the hopes that they return tomorrow to fill their bellies once more. As they left I called them to take  pictures to be featured in this book. Surprisingly out of all the kids I have taken pics of, these were the first ones to give off a goofy smile and hand signs. Many of them look deeply into the camera, looking past it and deep into my soul. Deep into my existence I am afraid that if I did not say this, the essence of this book would not be understood. It intimidated me, it shook me to my bones, they peered past the lenses into my soul and for those moments I too looked past the lens I was peering into their soul feeling what they felt and the experiences they hold. It is hard to look at many of the things I thought to be troublesome back home after feeling our soles touch each other and hold a moment's long conversation that is bound for eternity.

From Rezene to Bill and on behalf of the kitchen and the staff and the cooks and the locals, we are so good and so grateful. We just wish that God will keep you safe and healthy.  Let your family know that the good work that has been done in the last year and a half has been appreciated by every person that has seen this project. Everyone has appreciated the care, the respect, the dignity. People appreciate what we do here, people appreciate the dignity, the care, respect and the love that we give to the kids. And we are the only kitchen feeding stray kids in the region. We are beyond grateful and we hope the project continues and we can continue this project with the will of God, into an orphanage and a school. Not only just feeding the kids and sending them back to the streets we can hope to give them somewhere to sleep and schools to learn.

We want you to come and visit, your visit is a blessing and we feel respected. Really? Yes, you are here because you respect us, because you love us. Anytime you feel like coming here, welcome.

From Rezene to the kids- keep eating well, keep appreciating bills, keep respecting one another, keep being disciplined, enjoy, be happy and life will be much better with time.

Rezene 30 years old from I(E)rob, Tigray on the border of Eritrea 5 minutes drive grew up catholic with a strong focus on education. Going to primary school and Erob from where he is from and going to college at a nice quaint seminary we visited this summer in Adwa, seeing many of his old professors we even saw the olive tree he planted several years ago now being over 20 feet tall. Perhaps this was a prophetic sign of what he would become in his life, dedicating it to peace, education and taking care of the poor. From college he went directly to teach with De La Salle in Addis Ababa (2014-2016) and was transferred to dire Dawe (2016-2023) in the middle going to Nairobi Kenya for one year. His health got the best of him and his heart remained in Dire Dawa; he now lives here full time. Last year in 2023 he decided to do Sarah's kitchen full time and teach at the local university as a professor in business administration and a concrete broker on the side. Rezene, a dear friend of mine, holds a special place in all of the hearts of the people he meets. Going down the street with him he seemingly knows the top to the bottom, restaurant owners coming out to say hello, politicians slowing down their cars, police men walking across the street, old and current students, and most importantly the street kids from every corner and bush come running across sometimes looking both ways sometimes not with smiles gleaned across their faces yelling out his name to give him a fist bump or high five, to give a quick update of their life before they see him for the next feeding.

Sarah's Kitchen (2022-Present) is a mission started by Bill Teater and Rezene Berhe. The two have never met face to face but stay in constant daily communication managing and supporting two kitchens that now feed 210 kids and some mothers who have dependents due to age or disability three times a day high quality food, water, and service. Washing their dishes, giving them utensils, having someone fill their water and four cooks at each kitchen putting hours into the cooking of the meals. There are three other men who help with setting up, cleaning, distributing food, keeping order and protecting the compound. They are able to give out 630 meals a day, setting up and breaking down after every meal. The most beautiful part of witnessing this display of titans hip is even when kids arrive late after all the others have fed and the tables are put away, the dishes are cleaned, and there is no more food. The cooks throw something of good quality for them to eat before going to bed. A true bed of trust is being formed here. Sarah's kitchen seems to be upheld with the prayers of beings around and not around, a miracle in all manners to feed the afflicted. With plans to build a full time orphanage and school that educates homed children we believe we can break the cycle and improve the quality of lives for our future descendants' memories.

The future plan: to build an orphanage that can house 225 kids. A building for the staff, A school not far from there that will have a capacity of 900 kids, with the profit from the tuition of 675 people to pay for the other 225 kids to go to school. They will be taught 1-12 and will have a serious chance of going to college if they apply themselves. Having the best facilities, the best teachers, and a prime location we believe we can benefit this area on a sizable scale. Mixing in the kids from stable backgrounds in a controlled environment built on respect, discipline, and education with the former street kids we can reintegrate these kids into society so they can use what they have learnt to benefit themselves, society and the next in line. The school will also have a non for profit clinic on sight to treat the students and surrounding locals for various ailments. This clinic will also allow interns from all around the world to learn and give care here for various time tables not requiring any money other than the plane tickets to and fro. The interns would be then treated to food and board, and a meaningful experience and impact in this area.

Bill Teater is a remarkable man. Once in a lifetime simply does not explain him; it is more in the realm of once in a eon. From humble beginnings self-made into intellectual financial and familial success. He has become a beacon of hope for more people and I think you will ever be able to fathom. His idea and self-financing of this kitchen has made it possible for all of these kids and their mothers to eat three times a day and wash themselves which previously was an uncertainty of their day-to-day lives. Never even stepping foot in this city country or even Africa itself he has decided to do something that many people with or without the means to help actually do. Remotely managing and taking care of this project he has insured the survival of these people beyond this day and week and turned their lives into something more of an indefinite nature such as mine or yours. The people I have met share a genuine gratitude and love towards him for feeding them even though they have never even met him. It blows the minds of many of these people here to see such grace from someone especially from a foreign land. They have never seen such love from someone who is not on a religious mission or trying to get something from them simply for the fact of helping. I'm proud to call Bill Teater my grandfather. I'm proud of the things he has done because I know many people with much that have never spread out to help to a percentage that he has.

No mothers, no kids.