Camels in Ethiopia

On one of our trips, it seemed to be the season for baby camels to be born.
Babies were everywhere, even very close to the car and crossing the road.

                   
We live in Addis Ababa and have a branch close by in Megenagna but we also visit the missionaries and the branches of the church in Bekulobet, Debre Zeit, and Hawassa. We always love to see camels as we drive.  Here are photos of some we have seen lately as we have traveled.

About 100 camels crossed in front of us on the road to Hawassa. You can see one of the herders keeping them going after they crossed with his stick and his yellow jug for water. There are huts in the background and a termite hill in front.

There were about 100 camels walking through the fields between Addis Ababa and Debre Zeit from the expressway to
the hills.

This one lives on a hotel compound in Hawassa.
He couldn't stop chewing his toenails.

Can you see the camels peeking over?

Camels Eating Cactus

The Grass is always Greener on the Other Side
There is a little baby lying down in center.

Gorillas in the Mist

Beautiful misty morning on the way to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.
We started with traditional native dancers and orientation before trekking up
through chrysanthemum and potato fields, bamboo forests and steep slopes.
Then when the trackers located the Agashaya family group, the guides hacked
 through trees and vines till we caught up to them. We were surrounded by 20
gorillas but we couldn't see them all because of the foliage. We were able to
 spend an hour watching and following them. You can't touch them but they
can touch you if they want. We learned to make the gorilla welcome sound. 

 

 

Suddenly, this big silverback(Agashaya) slid backwards down a slope like a child sliding down the stairs then brushed against my knee as he passed by. He was followed by a female with her baby on her back. It was amazing, we had a great experience! 

Genocide Memorial in Rwanda

We went to the Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda.
It's hard to believe that people could spread hatred and commit
such atrocities. It was only 20 years ago.  It was even difficult to
walk through the memorial. The amazing thing though is that
people forgave their neighbors. Anyone we met over 20 years
old, experienced it and lived through it.
 They all said the only way to live, to have peace, was to forgive. 

Beautiful Gardens where 250 thousand people are buried.

They left the gunshot holes in the Parliment Building in Kigali as a remimder.

From Ethiopia to Rwanda

We had the opportunity to go to Rwanda for a few days. It is a beautiful, very
 clean country with a thousand hills. We ate dinner in this restaurant, "Heaven". 

There were fantastic views from the hilltops. This view is from Heaven.

The church has only been in Rwanda for
two years. We went to Rwanda to meet
a young man that has been a member
for two years and was prepared to be
set apart and serve a mission.  

We stopped at a market and bought
this tiny fruit. The dried packet opens
and it tastes really good, like citrus.

We Celebrate Christmas January 7th in Ethiopia

As missionaries, the true meaning of Christmas is what
we are living and testifying of every day-Inviting others
to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored
gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement,
repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost,
and enduring to the end. When Pilate asked Jesus if He
was a king, the Savior responded, "To this end was I born,
and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear
witness unto the truth." We truly celebrate Christmas when
we witness of the Savior's mission and the purpose of his
birth. We hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season!
We love you all,          President and Sister Johnson

We went to a nice hotel to have a Christmas Eve
buffet. The grounds are beautiful like Thanksgiving
Point plus palm trees. We were early so we
experimented with the timer on the iPad's camera.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!