Going to Ethiopia

As my trip draws nearer and nearer, I thought I would post the support letter that I wrote 4 weeks ago and have neglected to send out due to busy-ness and perhaps a little bit of motivation-less-ness. However, I am very excited to embark on this journey and see what all is in store. I can't believe that I leave in 2 weeks (on March 14th)! Time flies! Please keep me and my team, as well as Alan in your thoughts and prayers from March 14th- April 10th. Thanks for all your support!




Hi Friends and Family,

I wanted to tell you all about an opportunity that I have to travel to Ethiopia in March/April. I want you all to know so that you can lift me up in prayer, as well as learn a little more about the country of Ethiopia.
I will be traveling with 7 other students and 2 professors from my graduate school, Regis University. We will work in a hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital city, a children’s home for orphans with polio, and at Project Mercy, in a city near the mountains. We hope to bring our Physical Therapy skills and offer ideas, education, and an open mind. We understand that short-term trips are not a solution to health care problems in Ethiopia. We hope that by learning and educating, we can offer some solutions during our time there. Even more, we hope that we will be motivated to advocate for the people in this country as we return home. We hope that our hearts and lives will be more compassionate and that we will be moved to action that is impacting and sustainable.
Ethiopia is ranked 171 out of 177 countries for quality of life. The culture is very rich, as well as the history, however due to corrupt government and famine, the country as a whole is very poor. Many preventable diseases, such as pneumonia, tetanus, and diarrhea can create life or death situations. Most people in this country are sustenance farmers, which means that they spend their whole lives trying to grow enough food to eat for today. However, Ethiopians are very proud of the ancient roots of Christianity there, as Ethiopia houses some of the oldest churches in the world. They are also proud of never having been colonized by any other country in their history. Ethiopia is a mix of vibrant culture and history, as well as tragic malnutrition, high infant mortality rates, and poverty.
In addition to this trip being an amazing opportunity for myself, it is also an opportunity for both Alan and I as we look into the possibility of getting involved in sustainable medical work in developing countries. I hope to gain knowledge of what this type of work looks like and how our resources can be best used. Please pray for:
• My safety while I am there
• Alan as he is spending the month back in the states
• That our services will make a difference in the lives of many people
• That although this is not a Christian trip that I will be able to share God’s love with many people, including my teammates (many of them are not Christians)
• That I would develop more of Christ’s heart for the poor and will hear his voice in how to respond to injustice in the future

Thank you so much! You all are special to me and your support means so much!
~Susan

Hubby

Another silly questionnaire, but I thought it was fun.

Here's a chance to see how well you really know your husband. Fill out this form and see how many you got right!

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? Two and a Half Men, The Office, or Raymond

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Only Ranch

3. What's one food he doesn't like? Onions

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order? Pepsi or Mr. Pibb

5. Where did he go to high school? Dayspring Christian School

6. What size shoe does he wear? 13 ish

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Science books

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? Probably a chicken, bacon, ranch from Subway with pepper jack, lettuce, bell pepper, a tomato, and salt/pepper

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? reeses

10. What is his favorite cereal? Raisin Bran??

11. What would he never wear? Pink

12. What is his favorite sports team? Broncos

13. Who did he vote for? didn't

14. Who is his best friend? me- hello! (or Paul)

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? touch me with cold hands or feet

16. What is his heritage? 1/2 Kansas farmboy, 1/2 professor

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? Cheesecake

18. Did he play sports in high school? All of the above: basketball, football, track/field

19. What could he spend hours doing? Watching videos about String Theory or the Theory of Relativity or other sciency shows on the internet

20. What is one unique talent he has? He is a great listener, he can also snap his toes like fingers- it's quite impressive (unless you are trying to sleep)

Blah...

I am still sick! I know that it is not really that fun to read a blog post about how some one feels bad and feels sorry for themself, but I'm writing one of those posts anyway. I started feeling bad last Friday and got a little worse over the weekend. I then was feeling better on Tuesday. I went on Tuesday to get my vaccinations for traveling to Ethiopia (this may have been my fatal mistake!). Starting on Wednesday I began to feel worse and worse each day until after work on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I didn't really move from the couch and just slept and laid around all day. Today I still feel pretty bad, so I think I'm going to go to see a physician. My cold has progressed from a runny nose, to a cough, to a cough and runny nose, to sinus congestion, to now bilateral earaches. It wouldn't really be that bad except that I have so much to do and was planning on using the 3 day weekend to get it all done. I haven't really gotten anything done yet, so regardless of how I feel today, I've got to get some major stuff accomplished.
And so ends the self pity post. Sorry about that. I'm just frustrated that it's been over a week since I've felt well. I promise the next post will come from cheery Susan.

Fav of the Week... Echinacea Cold Care Tea

This amazing tea by Celestial Seasonings always seems to help me feel better when I'm getting sick. Although this time around I haven't been able to completely avoid getting a cold, I am feeling that it may be less severe than it would have been. In the past I think I've been able to fully avoid getting sick by drinking some of this stuff. And... it tastes great! I would drink it all the time, except that I know that having too much echinacea isn't that great for you. Needless to say, I am hoping that the tea can help me feel better soon because I have way too much stuff to do than to be laying around sick. Echinacea help!

25 Random Things

Yes, I have finally jumped on the bandwagon...


1. I have been going to school for 20 years straight! I will be done in May though!
2. I hope to be a pediatric physical therapist when I graduate.
3. My husband makes me laugh everyday and helps me be more light-hearted. It's amazing how much you can still be in love everyday, even after 3 years of marriage!
4. I love living in Denver, but do miss my family. I hope that all of us can live within a weekend visit range at some point. I really enjoy living close to Al's family though- they are great.
5. I have the baby bug, although I know it wouldn't be wise to have one for at least another year or two. How come everyone I know is popping out the babies!?
6. I am traveling to Ethiopia in March with 6 other students from my PT class.
7. I hate it when the laundry is not put away, but am often too lazy to put it away. Therefore, I'm often stressed when I go to bed because of the clean laundry in the laundry basket and all the dirty laundry on the floor.
8. I love chocolate.
9. Really... I just love eating. It's a really good thing that I have a good metabolism. One of these days I'm going to be in trouble.
10. I love the church that Al and I have finally found. It is called Stapleton Fellowship Church. It's only a 4 minute drive or 15 minute bike ride away. It's also small enough to really get involved and get to know people.
11. I want to start a group at church to discuss simplicity and social justice and how God wants us to live.
12. Al and I have been reading a book called 'Love and Respect' with our small group at church. It has truly transformed our marriage. I would totally recommend it to anyone who is married- whether you have a good relationship or are struggling.
13. I really like snowshoeing, but don't like skiing that much.
14. I hope to visit all 6 (excluding Antarctica) someday- hopefully sooner than later. (After Ethiopia, I will have been to 3).
15. I hate being cold. I do like snow in moderation... BUT I can't wait til it's summer again.
16. My first CD was Amy Grant, Heart in Motion. My sister, Stephanie, and I used to dress up and dance around our living room to all the great songs. haha.
17. I don't have a Southern accent, even though I lived in Arkansas for the first 22 years of my life.
18. I love planning. Especially people's lives. If I get carried away, just tell me you weren't serious when you asked me to help you find a job or what you should do this summer or that you really didn't want that spreadsheet of real estate options. If you do want help- I love it!
19. Sometimes I feel like I am playing grown-up, but then I realize I am one.
20. My dog is awesome. He is half standard poodle and half chesapeake bay retriever. His name is Nigel and he is a goofy, proper dog. He crosses his front legs when he lies down, cleans his ball off if it gets dirty and likes the side walk. He also jumps in circles when I say the word, "Walk."
21. I hate Rocky's Auto commercials.
22. I have run a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon. I hope that I keep running as a habit through my life.
23. Although I like to give and receive massages, I did not learn any massage skills in PT school. Contrary to popular belief, PT's don't really do massage. We do a technique called soft tissue mobilization, but this is different and not primary.
24. I have never had a cavity, but I was born without 2 teeth and no wisdom teeth.
25. I love gardening. It's a new love, so I'm definitely still learning.