MAI Staff Training and Preparation for President Abadula

Apr. 7^th, 2010

I awoke very refreshed this morning although I was sore from our work yesterday.  The birds were singing and a misty fog covered the farm.  As the sun rose, the mist burned off leaving the farm very beautiful.

Abera instructing the MAI Kokosa Staff

We met with our staff for several hours discussing the past, present and future of our farm.  I challenged them to set goals for themselves and told them several success stories of people that started with little but became rich.  We talked about being a team and using all our resources to make the business profitable. I took some story books there and encouraged them to use them to learn English.  Abera challenged them to be able to understand English in one year.

The rest of the MAI Staff in front of the housing area

Abera and I drove back to Shashamene and I spent the afternoon catching up on email and preparing presentations for President Abadula, the President of the Oromia Region, tomorrow. He is going to Kokosa for a big celebration and will be stopping at the farm to see what we have been doing.

I met with Mohammad, President Abadula’s aide, this evening to discuss our meeting.  I was surprised to find out that there will be about 30 people there.  We will not be able to do a presentation inside with the computer so we will do it outside on the new benches that Abera had constructed.

Erika and I worked out insurance and a few other things on Skype.  It is hard being away from home but at least we can communicate.