How did I get here?

Our first week back in Addis proved to be an exciting one. On Monday of that week, Mr. Kim, the General Manager of the hospital, told us we were to be ready on Wednesday at 9:15 AM for an appointment  with His Excellency, the Honorable President Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President of Ethiopia. Whoa!! Back in February I was asked to rewrite a letter to the president, requesting he write a foreword to the thirtieth anniversary memory book of the Myungsung Presbyterian Church in Seoul, Korea, the sponsoring church of the Myungsung Christian Medical Center here in Addis. Little did I know then that Mr. and Mrs. Kim would hand deliver that letter to the President.
    On Tuesday evening we were alerted that plans had changed and we were now to be ready to leave at 4:00 PM. We had errands to run that day, but planned to be back with ample time to carefully dress for our first ever appointment with a President of a country. We were returning to the hospital and at 2:30 were almost back when Don received a phone call from Mr. Kim with another change of plans. We were now to be ready to leave at 3:00 PM. So much for leisurely getting ready for this very important visit!
    Thankfully, I had already chosen what to wear. In the rush of getting ready, I pulled the hem thread so that more than half the hem of my skirt was now hanging down. Fortunately, I had safety pins. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself thinking, “Here I go to see the President with five safety pins holding up my hem.” I had forgotten my jacket had a three-quarter sleeve length and the blouse sleeve came to the wrist. I pushed the sleeves up hoping they would stay in place and not work their way out from under the jacket. My hair was standing on end from being out in the wind and my nail polish was chipped. Nothing to do, but go feeling not quite put together as I had planned for our first ever presidential visit.
    We have driven by the highly guarded grounds of the palace many, many times. It covers acres and acres and the foliage is so dense one cannot see the palace. Absolutely no photographs are allowed to be taken from the street and the area is not open for public tours. We entered through a gate in the high walled fence into this seemingly forbidden palace. It was almost too much to take in.  A pastor Mr. Kim knows, is also an aide to the President. He was waiting for us just inside the gate. We were asked to step outside our vehicle, and Mr. Kim and Don were taken to one guard house and Mrs. Kim and I to another.  Our purses were thoroughly searched and anything that was considered questionable was removed and stored in a locker. I decided if we ever returned here I would bring almost nothing with me.
    We were escorted up the winding driveway to a gigantic and imposing building, truly a palace. On either side of the entrance steps are colossal statues, which I recognized as David. One statue features David holding a lamb in one hand and a staff in the other. The opposite statue has David playing a flute and a lamb lying at his feet. The Star of David is symbolic in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Some of the carpets in the palace feature the Star of David woven into the pattern.
    After going through more security we were ushered into a foyer with ceilings that must reach to heaven. Greeting the guests on arrival is a huge tiger skin rug with a very big mouth, opened wide and baring his teeth. To our left was the reception hall, another enormous room with sitting areas leading to the far end where there is a very high backed chair, looking somewhat like a throne, on which the President sits to receive guests on special occasions. One wall featured a very large tapestry of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, two very important figures in the Ethiopian Orthodox church.
    We were led into a very beautiful side room off the foyer, and it was about then that my emotions were getting the better of me. Don and I were invited to sign a thick guest book that looked like it had been in use for quite some time. The book contained the names of kings, queens, presidents, heads of state, ambassadors and other important dignitaries. Don and I were now adding our name to this impressive list of guests. I was overcome and said to Don, “How did I get here? I am a country girl from Hampton, Florida.”
    We were to wait in this lovely room until the President was ready to see us. The pastor, who is an aide, stayed with us and made us feel very much at ease. Mr. and Mrs. Kim had recently been to a dinner at the palace, so this was nothing new for them. After about twenty minutes we were taken to His Excellency’s office. Very large curtained, French doors opened into his private office, which like everything else we had seen, was gigantic. President Giorgis was seated behind a beautifully carved desk, and as we were introduced he extended his hand to us in greeting. We were then invited to sit around a lovely, low table, which had a top fashioned of a rich burl, with the patina of fine old wood. We were told the base was carved from one piece of wood. After some conversation, three men in formal attire came bearing a tray of exquisite bone china cups, with wide gold bands around the tops. We were offered coffee or tea from lovely silver pots, and a tray of cookies was then brought and passed around.
    Mr. Kim asked that during our visit Don speak to the President of the continuing vision of the Korean hospital and its goal of improving medical care, specifically in the area of Orthopaedics. Don spoke of the effort of MCM hospital to partner with Black Lion, the government hospital, in establishing a residency program, training young Ethiopian doctors who will be able to bring quality Orthopaedic care to the people of Ethiopia. He did a very good job relating this information and I think the President is grateful for MCM and its ministry.
    We found the President to be extremely charming and gracious, probably knowing more about American history than we do. He has spent some time in the states. He is a devotee of Thomas Jefferson, having visited Monticello ten times! On a visit to Texas, the governor gave him a Stetson hat and a pair of boots, which I understand he wears quite frequently. He autographed a picture for us, in which he is wearing his Stetson.
    After an hour long visit we determined it was time to go, but before we left, Mr. Kim requested we be allowed to visit the lion cage. We walked up a short distance from the palace where two very large Abyssinian or black lions were lying. This species of lion has a beautiful, black-tipped mane. We found them sleeping, but they awakened as we approached, looked at us, and opened their enormous mouths, not to roar, but to yawn. We were told these lions are descendants from the family of lions that were kept by Emperor Haile Selassee.

    The office of the President is largely symbolic, but yet extremely important. He attends to state business, receives many heads of states and is often seen at important functions. He is elected by Parliament. The power of the nation rests largely in the office of Prime Minister. National elections will be held this year on May 23, and the incumbent Prime Minister will once again be seeking office.
    It was an incredible experience and hard not to be awed by the surroundings of the palace and by His Excellency, the Honorable President Grima Wolde-Giorgis, and the position he holds. It is my guess the President is a very approachable official, but nevertheless, the question remained with me, “How did I get here?”

-- Barb