A few months ago we took old race/club team kits and gave them to Berhane. He is an Ethiopian national who works at the Hilton in Charlotte NC. We have become friends over the years as he has watched the Dornier Racing and Unknown Racing p/b Sunbelt Rentals juniors team get ready for race trips - when they meet at the hotel. We, since then, speak a common language of cycling together.
A few months ago, before his annual trip home, we took old team clothing and gave it to him to bring to Ethiopia where they are just not able to afford $150 club kits. They also struggle to afford bikes and, obviously, helmets. But they are smiling and now riding bikes in cycling clothing. According to Berhane, on his last trip there these old kits brought so much joy to the town of Gondar that we are already planning the same thing again for next year as well as some money for bikes/helmets. He gets new photos every few weeks thanking him. This, practically speaking, is one of the easier things we have done as a club to help - but it is becoming a favorite since it is so straightforward and directly impactful and helps our new friend.
A few months ago, before his annual trip home, we took old team clothing and gave it to him to bring to Ethiopia where they are just not able to afford $150 club kits. They also struggle to afford bikes and, obviously, helmets. But they are smiling and now riding bikes in cycling clothing. According to Berhane, on his last trip there these old kits brought so much joy to the town of Gondar that we are already planning the same thing again for next year as well as some money for bikes/helmets. He gets new photos every few weeks thanking him. This, practically speaking, is one of the easier things we have done as a club to help - but it is becoming a favorite since it is so straightforward and directly impactful and helps our new friend.
Debre Berhan Selassie church: ceiling paintings of 80 cherubic faces
Berhane is from Gondar - a city in northern Ethiopia founded In 1636 by King Fasiladas, which became the country′s permanent capital for two centuries. It's now known for the walled Fasil Ghebbi fortress and palace compound, once the seat of Ethiopian emperors and the 17th-century castle of Emperor Fasilides. Another famous structure is the Debre Berhan Selassie church, with an interior of elaborate murals, including a ceiling of faces shown above. The church also houses wall murals like the one below. I could not help but draw a parallel between the wall mural of people on horses and the modern smiling faces of the cycling group on bikes loosely formed around the love of cycling and the newly acquired cycling gear.
Berhane will be going home again in December 2019 and again we will assemble some cycling clothing, and other items, to make his trip just a little more fulfilling and bring a smile to his and other faces in Gondar. Maybe someday there will be a wall mural painted for the faces of the cycling group formed around this effort. Until then we can enjoy this small project and appreciate how much we have and how even small gestures can go a long way in helping others.
Debre Berhan Selassie church: wall painting of people riding horses - stanford.edu
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