A runner's passage

As she slowly regained consciousness, Ladia Albertson-Junkans couldn't help but think: Am I dying? Overwhelmed by heat and altitude and hunger -- and on her first run in Ethiopia, no less -- the Gophers distance runner had passed out, amid the people she had come to help. ¶ Albertson-Junkans had arrived in Addis Ababa just the day before, descending into a steamy, cacophonous city. It had taken five taxi rides to get to the mountain forest where she would begin training with Team Tesfa, a running club that helps teenage girls stride toward a better life. She followed the runners through the trees at 9,000 feet, watching their hands for the signals that indicated a rock or stump ahead. And when everything went black, Albertson-Junkans awoke to an epiphany.

Girls who had no permanent homes flocked to her side to revive her. Runners who didn't know when they might eat next insisted they accompany her to her home, where they tucked her into bed, comforted her and fed her soup.

"Here I was, some strange, stupid girl who couldn't figure out how to live, and they unconditionally cared for me," Albertson-Junkans said. "I set out with the idea that I would provide the service, that I would be helping them. It turned out to be the complete opposite.

"They cared for me. They showed me how to live. They were teaching me more about life than I was teaching them."

That never changed during the two months Albertson-Junkans lived in Ethiopia's capital, a city of some 2.7 million. Driven to aid underprivileged girls in the poverty-stricken country, the senior from Stillwater went to Addis Ababa last fall to run with Team Tesfa's members and help them with their studies. In her tiny dwelling, where a resident rat peeked out from the bathroom ceiling and broken glass kept out intruders, she never felt richer.

"These girls are some of the happiest and most appreciative people I've ever met," said Albertson-Junkans, a two-time All-America in cross-country who will finish her track career at the Big Ten outdoor championships next weekend. "They have amazing hopes and dreams for themselves.

"When I first came, I cried, because it was so overwhelming. But I got so close to people, so invested in their struggles, that it was a lot harder to come home than I thought it would be."

Tesfa means "hope" in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia. The Tesfa Foundation, whose U.S. headquarters are in Minneapolis, operates schools for the East African nation's needy children. The foundation created Team Tesfa as a means to help teenage girls who are poor, alone and at risk of exploitation.

Athletes such as Haile Gebreselassie, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the men's 10,000 meters who has set 26 world records, and Tirunesh Dibaba, who won the women's 5,000 and 10,000 at the Beijing Olympics, are among the biggest celebrities and wealthiest people in this running-mad culture. Girls come to Addis Ababa seeking to become famous athletes, but they often end up working 14 hours a day and living on the streets. Team Tesfa provides housing, education and a small stipend for four runners; for the full club of about 25, it offers a safe environment for training and competition, fatherly support from coach Ato Birhanu and a protective social network.

Under coach Gary Wilson, the Gophers track and cross-country teams have developed a strong tradition of community service. He encouraged his athletes to write letters to their Team Tesfa peers and send the organization toys, school supplies and shoes. Albertson-Junkans, moved by their plight, wanted to do more.

"I said, 'Why don't you go over there?' " Wilson recalled. "Ladia is such a giving person. She wants to help the world outside of here, and this was a great opportunity for her."

Dana Roskey, executive director of Tesfa, arranged for Albertson-Junkans to live in the affluent part of Addis Ababa -- the area where doors have locks and walls provide some protection from the mean streets. She took a semester off from school and arrived in Ethiopia with old Gophers track uniforms, a few words of Amharic and a willing spirit.

The girls of Team Tesfa, she said, are precocious athletes, with small frames built for running and an overflowing passion for the sport. After warmups that are challenging by American standards, their training is tailored to their level of hunger. Empty stomachs lead to light workouts; a recent meal means more miles.

They looked out for each other, and for her. "Any time an athlete could buy a 6-inch piece of bread, the first thing she would do was walk around and offer some to everyone," Albertson-Junkans said. "It didn't matter if there was only one bite left. They would walk two hours to practice, because they had no money for a taxi, with no breakfast, not knowing if they were going to eat when they got home.

"Running comes naturally, and they get so much intrinsic joy out of it. To be part of a team gives them a reason to wake up in the morning; it's empowering, it gives them confidence, and it allows them to be who they want to be. And they never take it for granted."

It also revives their hope for a better life. Albertson-Junkans said that despite their talent, few of the athletes are likely to rise to stardom, because of their lack of resources and the hierarchy that controls Ethiopia's elite running clubs. But the education and jobs provided by Team Tesfa inspire dreams of becoming social workers, child advocates, teachers and lawyers.

"The girl with the big name" -- as the athletes called Albertson-Junkans -- eventually became comfortable in this strange land. She wasn't bothered by the official at the cross-country meet who had a rifle slung over his shoulder, nor was she surprised to find an ox -- dowry for a bride who lived nearby -- outside her door one day. She learned that when the runners cooked for her, they would always give her four times as much food as they gave themselves.

Being among them rekindled Albertson-Junkans' love for running, as well as her commitment to being a citizen of the world. She plans to remain involved with Tesfa and hopes to return to Ethiopia. Wilson and his wife, Suzy, moved by Albertson-Junkans' experience, are going there for their 35th wedding anniversary to work with Tesfa's team and schools.

"It was really exciting to see how running can impact a person's life," Albertson-Junkans said. "This gives them hope that their dreams can come true, and an actual path to make it happen. The things they taught me will stay with me forever."