We left Addis Ababa on Sunday, April 12th and took a 4 hour drive to the village of Kersa Illala, which is where Village of Hope (VOH) is located. The goal of VOH is to take one village at a time and help develop all of the areas necessary for the entire village to improve their health and standard of living, and create a sense of teamwork, cooperation and independence...not only survive, but to thrive... The VOH is about a 5 acre compound which has a medical clinic, high risk children's center (HRCC), gardens, cows, and chickens. VOH was created about 10 years ago by Lon and DeAnna Kennard from Heber City, UT. The Kennards adopted 6 children from the Kersa Illala area and when they took their children back to their village many years later, they were shocked at the horrible conditions and circumstances. The Kennards and VOH have committed their lives to the people of Kersa Illala to help improve the villagers lives and become more self sufficient.
We were greeted with such excitement! DeAnna of course goes to Ethiopia several times a year, so everyone was very excited to see her! Some of the others in our group had also been there before, so it was a nice homecoming for them as well. Then, there were a few of us "first timers" who were just trying to take it all in. Everyone was very friendly and gladly showed us around.
The pictures below are from our initial tour of VOH.
This is the sign outside of the compound. People are constantly waiting outside the gate to see the doctors.
Some of the kids at the HRCC made this "VOH" sign in the dirt next to their dome.
Randy and a baby goat just inside the compound.
Me sitting at the guard station just inside the gate to VOH.
A typical scene. HRCC kids walking around the compound.
Laundry out to dry.
The domes at the compound. The HRCC kids sleep in these and some are also used for storage.
One of the HRCC kids showing me the inside of of his dome.
Me inside one of the empty domes.
The playground at the compound. Swings, teeter totter, slide, basketball court, and soccer field.
Fayisa (VOH employee) showing us around the compound. Obama has a lot of fans in Ethiopia!
Mabrat (HRCC mom) showing us the baby cow. The poor thing is kept away from his mother so he won't take all her milk! They like to use the milk for the kids, so the baby cow is kept in this shed and fed a few times a day.
The front of the medical clinic. This building also contains the pharmacy, kitchen, washer/dryer, and some storage supplies
Some of the kids at the HRCC made this "VOH" sign in the dirt next to their dome.
Randy and a baby goat just inside the compound.
Me sitting at the guard station just inside the gate to VOH.
A typical scene. HRCC kids walking around the compound.
Laundry out to dry.
The domes at the compound. The HRCC kids sleep in these and some are also used for storage.
One of the HRCC kids showing me the inside of of his dome.
Me inside one of the empty domes.
The playground at the compound. Swings, teeter totter, slide, basketball court, and soccer field.
Fayisa (VOH employee) showing us around the compound. Obama has a lot of fans in Ethiopia!
Mabrat (HRCC mom) showing us the baby cow. The poor thing is kept away from his mother so he won't take all her milk! They like to use the milk for the kids, so the baby cow is kept in this shed and fed a few times a day. 
The front of the medical clinic. This building also contains the pharmacy, kitchen, washer/dryer, and some storage supplies (VOH employees: Jenna, Saeed, and Abebe).
VOH office building.
The lovely fruit trees.
VOH office building.
The lovely fruit trees.
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