Ethiopia arrival shock!

UK: 6.50 am, Pete drops me off to the Park & Ride to catch the coach to Heathrow. Three hours later, I find myself arriving & taking a couple of elevators to Terminal 1. Immediately, I get greeted by Compassion leaders & welcomed by the few early birds. My new room mate turns out to be the first to introduce herself - cheerful lady with sunny disposition. This all looks good! Next, do coffee with another Compassion advocate (retired headteacher). Plane flight without incident, taking off 12.30 mid-day & arriving 7ish - + 2 hours. Usual fair & films onboard.
FIRST SHOCK: As our Compassion group (numbering 35 in total) came out of Addis airport the scene before us could have been Crete or anywhere ... but then out of the mist of the night, appeared a tall elegant lady carrying a baby with a cripple man by her side: one leg and a stick. It seemed we were all trying desperately not to "see" them ... that they were somehow invisable i.e. I remembered "What doI do in Cambridge when I see a tramp? Of course, I give them some food ... no money ... " I then remembered a large bar of Cadbury's chocolate I'd purchased back at Heathrow, that was stowed in my backpack. I retrieved it quickly & asked our new guide if that was OK to pass on to the mother & baby. She nodded! The crippled man however was empty handed & pursued me with lamentable pleas "A Euro!" .... oooh, I knew my heart strings were being sorely stretched ...
All safely on board & all facing forward, we had a prayer. But I could not contain myself ... "Has anyone got some more chocolate to give to the cripple man?" I can't tell you the relief all round, the tension was palpable ... phew! Cadbury cream eggs came out & a small a small bar of chocolate. It eased our conscience ... but what an introduction to the reality that is Africa?