By Frank Stanko, Daily News - Republished with permission from Wahpeton Daily News
Photos Courtesy Addie Christensen
Addie Christensen believes there’s a big world to explore and lots of people to meet. The 2023 Richland 44 High School graduate, now a freshman at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, recently traveled to Ethiopia, East Africa.
Christensen, whose family farm is in the vicinity of Galchutt, North Dakota, was in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, from Oct. 20-29. It was there that the 18-year-old Lutheran woman experienced poverty, resilience and compassion.
“It was through Concordia Campus Ministry,” said Christensen, a communications major who also has an interest in philosophy. “I was very involved in high school, and when I started at high school, I thought, ‘Well, what can I do?’ Campus Ministry’s Instagram page had information on the ‘Justice Journey’ to Ethiopia.”
After reaching out to the Rev. Kim Adams, one of Concordia’s campus pastors, Christensen was on her way. While she has always loved traveling and knew that she wanted to leave the United States, Christensen laughed as she said she did not expect to do so during her first semester of college.
“We traveled with a pretty big group, about 18 people. It was not just Concordia students. It was open to alumni and people like Pastor Kim’s son, a high school junior. There was also an NDSU student. It was pretty cool,” Christensen said.
Growing up in the Southern Red River Valley gave Christensen values including passion and a deeper understanding of journeying for others. She shared highlights of the 10-day Ethiopia trip.
“We began at Kehdani Mehret, an orphanage led by Catholic nuns,” Christensen said. “There is a building where they take in students for their housing after attending a local school. What we got to do was work and play with the kids. A lot of us came with stickers and suckers. One of the most precious things for me was that I made little bracelets. I gave one to a little girl, who gave me the band for her ponytail in return. I wear it as a bracelet now.”
There are an estimated 4.5 million orphans in Ethiopia, with more than 600,000 living on the streets. About 50,000 youth are malnourished. Kehdani Mehret houses youth as young as infants. For Christensen, it was a precious experience seeing their housing and welfare.
Also precious in East Africa is the coffee. Christensen and her fellow travelers visited Kaldis Coffee, where they discovered more about how coffee is both a commodity and a cultural cornerstone.
“There, coffee is grown in little bushes that only reach about 10 feet tall,” Christensen said. “They have coffee beans that are sold and valued for their rich flavor. Each house has its own coffee beans that they roast and brew for guests and their families. It’s like a daily ritual, a social experience. We enjoyed that kind of ceremony at our guest house.”
Cotton is another previous resource in Ethiopia. It takes months to create the articles of clothing and other items that Christensen and company saw being created at Gabis. The goods, which become softer with each wash, are crafted through traditional weaving techniques.
“A ‘gabi’ is a handcrafted blanket and by making them, many people are able to receive income,” Christensen said. “They use a special machine to take the material and weave it into fabric for the blankets. It was really cool to watch the making of these blankets that serve as a great reminder of Ethiopia.”
Following the excitement of culture and success came the sobering experience of traveling to Korah. A 36-acre landfill on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, Korah has existed for a half-century. It is known as a trash-dump community, where people spend their days searching the waste items that can be sold or consumed. Poverty is rampant in Korah, along with disease.
“Some are physically living on these huge trash piles,” Christensen said. “Others are living in these huts made with spare materials that are close to each other. We went and visited with a man who was trying to find sponsors for these people. I know that the church I play for in Galchutt sponsors a mother and daughter. I was hoping to meet them, and while unfortunately, I didn’t, it was nice to know that you can do that.”
Christensen and her fellow travelers were able to carry supplies for the Korah residents, which she considered an empowering experience. It was also excellent to be able to provide aid and brief relaxation for people like mothers in extreme situations.
There were also opportunities for fun in Ethiopia, including zip lining off of Entoto Mountain. Christensen admitted that the excitement of having a once in a lifetime experience overpowered any hesitation.
“The sights were just beautiful. I opened my eyes, looking around on the way down. It was really cool,” she said.
Entoto Mountain is also the home of Entoto Beth Jewelry, whose artisans are HIV-positive and AIDS-positive women. Christensen said she was inspired by the willingness to give these people jobs and outlets for their creativity.
“On Sundays and Thursdays, the Endihnew Hope charity organization has a feeding program on Entoto Mountain,” Christensen said. “You obviously can’t feed everybody, but they are involved with sponsorship programs, training these women with HIV and AIDS with pottery and weaving, covering the medical bills for locals with terminal diseases and more. All these children were coming to give up hugs and were just so loving.”
Psalm 91 of the Bible declares that those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. God shall be the refuge and fortress for those who trust Him. That message of protecting God’s children amid distressing circumstances was shared with Christensen, and it’s one that she carries in her heart.
“I think you need to go with an open heart and an open mind,” she said. “The people in Ethiopia are loving and it’s pretty safe there. Honestly, it will change your life. You learn so much about yourself and others. You come back wanting to do more and teach others.”