Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of joining a local Ethiopian church to celebrate adoptive families and the Ethiopian culture. Families from as far as North Carolina and Pittsburgh came to Springfield, VA to fellowship together.
We enjoyed a delicious traditional meal consisting of Ethiopia's national dish, wat (a thick stew), injera (a thin, spongy bread used to pick up your food), and other dishes containing lentils, greens, beets, and more delicious flavors.
After the meal, the church put on a fashion show, with most of their members wearing traditional dress. Each outfit was explained, and features of the clothing were pointed out, such as the hand-embroidered crosses on many fabrics. We saw a large variety of clothing- casual, formal, for young and for old.
One of the most definitive parts of Ethiopian culture is the coffee ceremony. Ethiopia is believed to be the birthplace of coffee! Families, neighbors, and friends can spend hours together during the ceremony. Raw coffee beans are roasted, creating a delicious aroma, and then ground and boiled over water.
There were also stations for learning how to write your name in Amharic, a hair braiding room, traditional Ethiopian games for the kids, crafts, and a mini museum of Ethiopian artifacts and items from the church member's homes.
We are truly grateful to Grace Ethiopian Church and their kindness to our staff and each of the adoptive families that attended this wonderful event.
