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The Elephant Cloud

tena yesteleng

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Entries Tagged as 'Africa'

The Road to Mota

February 5th, 2011 by · 4 Comments · Africa, Ethiopia

The tire was flat when the car arrived. When I came out to greet him, Mulu was already under the car and surrounded by the neighborhood children, who were better behaved than I’d ever seen them. There is an adage in Africa that with film and video, it’s best not to linger too long. The [...]

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Ethiopia’s Daughters: Chapter III

February 5th, 2011 by · 7 Comments · Africa, Ethiopia

… continued from Chapter Two of Ethiopia’s Daughters Chapter Three A small unlocked Nokia cell phone with an Ethiopian SIM card floats between the white pockets of Dr. Philippa and myself. The number is scribbled on paper taped in the maternity ward. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for [...]

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Market Day

January 29th, 2011 by · 3 Comments · Africa, Ethiopia

It is market day and the streets are full of donkey carts and barefoot pilgrims wrapped in their white gabi’s, driving their wares to the square. We buy potatoes, cabbage, beets, kale, onions, garlic, eggs and a chicken. Darlene named her Doro Wat, which is the national dish of Ethiopia, a spicy chicken stew. Philippa [...]

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Ethiopia’s Daughters: Chapter II

January 25th, 2011 by · 4 Comments · Africa, Ethiopia

… continued from Chapter One of Ethiopia’s Daughters Chapter Two Without running water, sterility is difficult and conservation is everything, even during surgery. Faded green gowns and drapes, homesewn lap sponges, recycled tubing, everything in the operating room is used again and again. We enter building 24, the operating theater. A clear plastic apron, battered [...]

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Ethiopia’s Daughters: Chapter I

January 19th, 2011 by · 4 Comments · Africa, Ethiopia

Chapter One ‘You want a picture?’ he asked as we drove to the edge of the desolate canyon. ‘How about now? You don’t have camera?’ ‘Later,’ I told him, ‘When we come back, when we return home.’ ‘You sure? You sure you return home?’ he laughed. That was a good question since I was wondering [...]

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