I just got back from the market where... we found Sami! I was able to talk to him for about 15 minutes, find out information about him, and give him all the pictures and money.
Finding him was miraculous - I prayed the entire way to the market. None of the Ethiopians with our team thought I would find him, so I was dreading this hour long fruitless search. We drove a ways through the market until our driver randomly pulled over by a row of stalls. There were two boys standing by the road, so Addisu and Binyam (our Ethiopian friends/translators) showed them the pictures and asked if they knew Sami. "Sami?" they asked. "Oh yeah, he's right over there!" Sure enough, standing fifteen feet away was Sami! They called him over and he came and sat in our van to talk. I kind of felt like we were kidnapping him. :) Poor boy, one minute everything's normal at the market, and the next he's in a van full of white people with this strange blonde girl asking him questions. Anyway, here's what I found out:
His full name Samuel Hxxxx Sxxxxx Kxxxx and his mother's name is Amit Hxxx. He doesn't know anything about his father. He is fifteen years old and has three younger brothers and an older sister who lives in the countryside. He works in the market (as you know) selling gum and shining shoes because his mother doesn't have a job. He's the supporter of the family with the money he makes from the market (by the way, I just gave him the 200 birr you stuck in the envelope). He said that his mother and his health are good, neither of them has HIV. His phone number is (0112) xxxxx. He doesn't have an address, but if you want to send him something, you can send it to Fikardu Exxxx at Mekenesia Church who will contact Sami and give it to him. His email is f.xxxxxx@yahoo.com. He says it would be best if you email him before sending something, and he'll give you all the sending information.
The name of his school is Exxxx Bxxxxx but he stopped attending in January because he cannot afford it anymore. He attends a protestant church called Biza International Church (I don't know if this matters, but it's by the airport) but he's the only Christian in his family and the only one who attends this church.
That's what I found out. At first he was kind of bewildered, but as we pulled away, he pulled out the pictures and showed everyone around. He was so excited. I have a lot of pictures, but I don't have time right now to upload them and send them. I'll try to do it by tomorrow night!
Emma Button
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