The Electric Spark, The Long Wait, and The Love That Stayed

 Part 12: The Electric Spark, The Long Wait, and The Love That Stayed

After that morning in the cafeteria, my heart never felt the same. Going to work every single morning became exciting and terrifying all at once. I was nervous, my hands would shake, and every second I wondered when I would catch his eyes again.

The next Saturday, we both had our day off. It was a scorching hot day when he invited me out. We went to the Hilton Hotel me with my close friend, and him with his. We laughed and had such a wonderful afternoon, but when night fell, he expected that I would go home with him. I smiled and said no. I chose to go back to my own place with my friend. He was so surprised that I didn't go, but I wanted to protect my heart and take things step by step.

A Leap Across the Sea

A Leap Across the Sea & An Electric Spark

Returning home to my family was filled with pure joy, although my heart ached because I couldn't see my father. My mother told me he only returned home once every six months. I missed him terribly, but seeing my brothers and sisters filled me with pride. The greatest blessing was that every single one of them was attending school. That was my ultimate goal, and I bought them all the school supplies and clothes they needed.

Coming Home After Five Years

I am back with the next part of my life.

This is how I started my life in a big city. The woman I lived with was so good to me. She became like a big sister to me. After six months, I started school. It was only half a day, so I could manage both my work and my studies.

She helped me with everything, even cooking. I felt so free with her. I could tell her how I felt, and I never felt afraid to speak. She always treated me with respect. Every month, she gave me my salary, just as she had promised.

Slowly, my dream was coming true.

Abdisa Aga: The Ethiopian Hero Who Took the Fight to Fascist Italy

 

There are heroes whose names are known around the world, and there are heroes whose stories remain hidden in the pages of history.

Colonel Abdisa Aga was one of those forgotten heroes.

An Ethiopian patriot from Wollega, Abdisa Aga became a soldier when he was still very young. At around fourteen years old, he joined the Ethiopian Army, just as his country was entering one of the darkest periods in its history.

In 1935, Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini invaded Ethiopia. The following year, Ethiopian forces fought desperately against a much larger and technologically superior Italian army.

Abdisa Aga was among those who resisted.

Hard Labour & A Life-Changing Promise

I started working for this new family, but my life quickly became very hard. They did not let me go outside at all. I was trapped in the house day and night.

Every single day, I had to clean the entire house and wash all the family’s clothes by hand. It was exhausting. Worst of all, they were never happy with me and never appreciated my hard work. Still, I tried my best to make them happy. At night, whenever the baby cried, the mother would wake me up and force me to soothe the baby back to sleep.