Meeting Solomon- Ethiopian Travel Stories

I want to share so many of our amazing experiences, yet I have struggled for a way to share without cheapening the experience. Sometimes, my lack of writing skills as well as linguistic knowledge leave me writing posts that barely reflect my hearts desire. It is a challenge for me, but when I look back, I am always happy to have shared the moment, rather than worried about the syntax. So, in that regard, I will continue to share some of our unique experiences so that others may enjoy them and we might remember them in years to come!

On our way home from Ethiopia with Tirfe, we flew first to Karthoum and then to Amsterdam before heading across the big lake towards home. We left Ethiopia in the late evening, I think around 10pm or so. I was already enjoying some cocktails. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I have a wee (enormous) fear/challenge of/with flying. I am working on it. I continue to do it. I really don't like it. Maybe one day I will, but for now cocktails help with the preflight anxiety. Sooo.... we flew into Amsterdam 8 or 9 hours after leaving Addis, the trip was smooth, I slept through the landing in Sudan (imagine that, cocktails plus jet lag plus sheer exhaustion and you can sleep through a landing- I just might be on to something!!) We had a four hour layover in Amsterdam before boarding our next flight. We say goodbye to the last of our travel group as they catch their planes to their homes in States.

We waited to board our flight for a while. I have no idea what time it was in Addis/Amsterdam/River Falls during any of this time. Doesn't matter anyways, we know we are tired, we know we are experiencing a tiny minutia of what our baby girl is experiencing. Peanuts in reality to her experiences in the last 8 months of her life. She is beauty. She is peace and calm. She is snuggles and thumb sucking. She is helping me to find my center, to face my (irrational) fear more resolutely.

Point of this post, in line waiting for our things to be scanned or something to be checked or something or whatever (remember I have a mind numbing fear of flying) we have an interesting exchange with a "stranger". This man, in line in front of us, looks at Tirfe and says, "She is from my tribe." with a smile. We are all grins, walking with him toward the plane. Really? we say? He says, "Yes, definitely. She is Tembarissa." Wow. We ask where he is from. He is from Mudula, the town of Tirfe's birth. We make some more small talk as we board the plane, acutely aware of what a small world it is. Amazed by the chance to meet this man, this Ethiopian man, from Tirfe's hometown, who gives her blessings and kisses. Meeting him, in Amsterdam, in line, boarding our plane, seemed so serendipitous. We didn't see him until we were in MPLS again. We said our goodbyes and headed on our way.

His name was Solomon. He was a soldier in Iraq, headed home on leave. His home was in Canada. I loved the way his eyes sparkled at Tirfe as he talked about Mudula. I loved that he embraced her just because he knew they shared these bonds.

Weeks after we were home and settled, we met a family from our travel group at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant in the cities. After lunch, we headed to the Ethiopian Market to buy some injera and some spices. We paused and chatted. We took pictures and began to hug goodbye, when Andy waved to someone across the street. It took me a minute to realize what was going on. It took Andy a minute to realize who he was waving to, even though he knew he knew him. It was Solomon. Our friend from the Amsterdam airport. He was on vacation, from Canada, in Minneapolis with his family. He had just finished eating at the restaurant we were eating at. He recognized us because he remembered Tirfe. He remembered her because she was from his tribe, his people.

How does that happen. I think it happens for a reason, and we are meant to take from it what we will. But I don't think it is the last time Solomon and his family will be in our lives.