We have been thinking a lot lately about our dear teenagers in Ethiopia. We sent Christmas presents for them with a very nice family who was kind enough to take our heavy boxes with them in their suitcases. We haven't heard yet whether they were able to deliver the gifts ... hope that they weren't confiscated at the Addis Ababa airport! Those guards might look awfully silly wearing the pink and purple toe socks we sent for the girls!
Anyway, back to the story. I think about Aschalo and his living conditions at Kolfe Boys Home quite often. I remembered reading some great news about plans for Kolfe and the boys on Eileen Mestas' blog and decided to catch up on my overdue blog stalking (check out her two posts from January 8th). So on Wednesday, I sent Eileen an email asking some questions about Kolfe and, specifically, Aschalo. I was checking my email the next day to see if Eileen replied (she did ... thank you!), and there in my inbox is an email from a new friend of this past summer when the kids were with us, Melani. Melani mentions to me that her parents are in Addis now for some mission work and they will be checking in with the Kinfe kids and will let us know how they are doing. Thank you so much, Melani!
Ok, stick with me here. I'm getting to the really good stuff. Today, day three, I am at my work desk eating my lunch and typing a reply to Melani (I promise, my bosses ... I was on my lunch hour!) when my husband calls me. He just happened to take the afternoon off from work today and was home to receive a phone call from Scott Brown of Gladney. Scott gave Rick some fantastic news ... no, the kids have not been adopted yet, but they are now well on their way! The adoption expenses for Aschalo, Genet and Yesalemush are no longer an issue for the lucky family that will step forward to bring these children home!
Ever heard of David Nasser? We had not until this afternoon. Landree had ... we had dinner with her this evening and asked her if she had ever heard of him. She looked at us warily and said, "Yes ... why? I just ordered his book yesterday." Yesterday we did not know who these people are, but today David and Jennifer Nasser are the two most wonderful people on the face of this earth! What a gift they and the students of Liberty University have gathered for these kids! This is truly amazing! Sorry folks ... you're just gonna have to click on the link to get it all. I don't think I could do the story justice if I tried to repeat it myself. All of the details have not been worked out quite yet ... all of this happened only yesterday ... but the current plan is to pay all adoption expenses for these kids and possibly put some away for their education.
Anyone who ever has anything bad to say about the youth of America these days had better not say anything to me!
And now to finish the story. The mail came today and we received a beautiful letter from Genet and Yesalemush. The end of the letter ...
"We are so busy, we spend our time by study. Many children are finish their process and goes to U.S.A. we are very sad. Every day we pray to God to help us to get a family from Texas. We ask you again don't forget us to find a family to adopt us."
My dear children, you are NOT forgotten!!!
And for the non-Texans, I'll interpret ... "a family from U.S.A"
We know the day is just around the corner now when we will receive that next call from Scott telling us that the Kinfe kids are coming home! Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the most spiritual person they've ever met, but that doesn't mean I am not a believer. I believe in the goodness of people and I find myself believing with all of my heart that God has had his hand in this one. Three solid days of Kinfe kids on the mind and heart, and oh what a happy almost-ending!!
As the song says, "... the rest is still unwritten."
13 comments:
Becky - that is awesome! Thanks for sharing such wonderful news. I'll email you soon so we can all begin planning a "get together!"
Carol
Wow, I am shaking in awe. My parents are still in Ethiopia and will be at Kechene and Kolfe again in the next day or so. This is huge and exciting news. I am praying for their family right now!
I haven't been able to sleep for two nights, Becky. It's just amazing what God is doing here.
I am so excited to hear this news. I have prayed for these sweet children ever since you first posted on them...keep us updated!! YAY!!!! Natalie
OH-MY-GOODNESS
That is so freakin' great and wonderful...I have goose-bumps and tears. So should we start finding someone who wants to adopt and money was just the issue? How will this work?
I am soooooo happy!! I bet you are in shock!
Rach
Hey, it was a blessing reading this. I found your blog through google. I'm actually one of those students @ LU who was challenged by Nasser to give the cost of our jeans. It's so great to see other folks who have been involved/thinking of these kids. :) I'm really hoping this will 1-make a permanent, beautiful impact in these kids lives and 2- challenge others to reach out to those in need.
God bless :)
~Laura
That is awesome! Can't wait to hear the rest of the story as it is written!
I am absolutely amazed! A dear friend of ours called the other night to tell us his daughter, a student at Liberty, called home in tears because she just witnessed the miracle of $70K dollars being raised to help a family that wanted to adopt. And now, I see it is these precious children that are in Ethiopia and we are connected to them! I am amazed to see the hand of God so real and the thread he is weaving amongst us! I just sent an note to Aschalo at Kolfe with my friend last week. I am so sure of God's hand in all of this and so honored to be so close to it. God really has a plan for these children. If only I had a bigger house I would call Scott today. Space is the only thing stopping us. I am praying for the LORD to get these children home soon. How exciting this is to stay tuned as the rest of the story unfolds. Thank you for your love and prayers for these children. It is such a blessing to all of us! Keep me posted please!!In His Timing & Care, Eileen
Hi Becky, Searching the internet on Ethiopia Adoption, I came across your blog and I realize that your last post was in January but you have had comments as late as February.So I would like to ask if the adoptive parents have to be paper ready or a client of Gladney? The reason I'm asking is there may be a family that is interested in these children for adoption. Please let me know.
Lynn
Lynn,
Wish I knew how to email you. If there is a family interested in adopting these kids, PLEASE have them contact Gladney! They do not have to have all of their paperwork ready yet at all, although it does take a while to get it altogether. I am not even sure that they have to go through Gladney, although Gladney is the agency most familiar with these kids. Please email me with any questions you may have!!
Thanks!
Becky
Becky, Please e mail me @ ma2_4@msn.com and we can further discuss these kids and the family who's interested in them and who they need to talk with at Gladney. I'll reframe from getting excited until we e mail one another. Thanks so much.
Lynn
Hi, we emailed you but got no response. We have a gift for you from one of the boys at Kolfe, we brought it back from our recent trip to Addis. Please email us. scottlydick@gmail.com
Scott & Emily Lydick
Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!
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