Ethiopia November 2012 Day 6

Sunday November 11th

One of the best days of the whole trip started early Sunday morning the almost 2 hours drive to Trees of Glory.  It was our first time really being with the HopeChest team and we really enjoyed the ride getting to know everyone and catching up with our HopeChest friends.

When we arrived, they had the whole place decorated--a true celebration was in store.  Singing, drums, beautiful children everywhere--it was amazing.

I don't know what it is, but every time I hear children singing it makes me tear up.  Magnify that by about nearly 200 and I was a watery mess.

Prior to our last trip, we raised money for books and bookshelves.  We weren't able to purchase the bookshelves while we were there, but we left the money with Simret and this is what was waiting for us just three months later--a wall to wall bookshelf with the books we had ordered on them.  Simret is hoping to fill the shelves with more and more books for the kids.  So THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the TOG Back To School Fund back in August--you really helped make a difference for the TOG school!!

Just so you can experience the pure joy these children have, click the videos below to get a glimpse of the welcome celebration.

This one really got me--"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus"--in Amharic.  Just beautiful and you can tell, these kids mean every word they are singing.  I want to follow Jesus with the same pure heart as these children do.

My dear friend Simret--I just love her!

This trip, my friend Devin (who traveled with me in August) sent curtains that she and some of her friends sewed for Simret.  We had asked her when we were there if there was anything she wanted or needed.  She immediately said curtains.  It sounds like a simple request and what I love about it is that it was something that we could bring to her that was for her.  She has literally given her life to help the kids and community of TOG and this was a simple way to show her that we appreciate her.  Devin had asked her what color she would like--she said PURPLE!  So she got her purple curtains and LOVED them (so much so that she requested curtains for the whole compound ;-)

Then the best part of the day--spending time with the kids.  We are lucky that so many of our friends and family sponsor kids at TOG and that we have been able to visit three times so far.  We now know quite a few of the kids and I always love seeing them and how they have grown.  The difference in these kids is unbelievable from the first time we saw them in their profile pictures until now.  Sponsorship makes a difference here--no doubt about that!

Nick and his little brother-his parent's sponsor child.

Sweet Muse-the Lesley's sponsor child.

Fonosa-Devin's sponsor child.

The Bracken's sponsor child-they are also adopting a little girl from
Ethiopia and will hopefully get to meet him soon.

One of the cutest girls there-my Aunt Debbie's little girl Muri.

 

My little sister--always wanted one--my parents sponsor Zewditu.

The Armstrong's sponsor child Tigist-such a sweet girl.

And then, the most special one to us-our precious girl Meseret.

She looked so sad in the first picture we saw of her in 2010.  With each update, she emerged a little more.  Even the first two times we met her in person, she was so different.  Shy, reserved, very quiet and definitely a little unsure of us on our first visit

Meseret summer 2010

Meseret November 2012

But this time, it was different.  Maybe it was because Caleb was there to break the ice.  Or, maybe it was because it was our third trip in a year and a half.  Whatever the reason, I sure was glad to see our girl full of life, playful and smiling with us. I thank God that we have been able to visit her so often.  He must have known that she needed that in order to warm up.  I am just amazed at what a beautiful girl she is.  We have been so blessed to have her in our life!!!

Meseret in the green jacket.

We have watched this girl open up and become such a beautiful, happy and hard working girl.

 

It was so great for Caleb to be able to finally meet Meseret after years
of praying for her and hearing us talk about her.

Before we left, we helped Meseret put on the new tennis shoes we had brought her.  I had traced her foot the last time I was there and I was so glad that they fit her perfectly.  

Her little feet had been crammed into these shoes that had to have been a few sizes too small.  They were even swollen around the edges from all the walking she had done that day in them.

After one final picture, she literally jogged off with a spring in her step we had never seen.  

Such a beautiful girl and such a beautiful day.

If you're interested in making a difference in the life of a child served by Trees of Glory, please contact Karen Wistrom at kjwistrom@yahoo.com and visit her blog at family-from-afar.blogspot.com for more information and updates.

There are currently about twenty new kids recently enrolled at TOG who are waiting for sponsor families.

Up next, Kind Hearts.

Ethiopia November 2012 Day 5

So after nearly a month, I'm back on the blogging band wagon (at least for today)....back to Ethiopia:

Saturday November 10^th

We flew back to Addis this morning, headed over to our guest house to collect our other luggage, did some shopping at the post office (all of our kids have out grown their Ethiopian clothes, so I wanted to get them all new outfits) and then headed over to our new guest house.  

We would be staying a block away from the HopeChest team to make transportation to and from the care points easier.  We stayed at the Ethiopia Guest Homes-highly recommend them for mission trips and other stays in Ethiopia.  They also specialize in adoption visits.

We had some free time before the team got back-they had been doing home visits at TOG that day, so we headed out behind the guest house so Caleb could throw a few baseballs.  Before you knew it, Nick was teaching a group of boys how to throw and catch a baseball.  One of the boys ran off and came back with a bigger group of kids to start up a soccer game.

No ordinary league ball here—these kids throw down and play to win (in their beat up sandals no less).  I don’t remember whose team won, but Caleb had a blast and said this was one of his 

favorite parts.

It was one of my favorite parts too.  We were a little ways out of the city, so it was really quiet here.  As I sat and watched Caleb playing in the streets of Ethiopia, it was amazing how totally natural and comfortable it all felt.  I kept looking around and thinking, that's my son, just playing in Africa.  4 years ago, we would have never (NEVER) thought we'd be hanging out half way across the world and now, I can't even imagine if I never went back.  It's a crazy feeling how somewhere so far away and so different can feel so much like home.

Chatting it up-this kid spoke pretty good English.

One of the kids playing with the camera.

After dinner, we met up with the HopeChest team—I finally got to meet Karen Wistrom in person—a treat as we've emailed countless times over the past two years.  I love and share her passion for orphaned and vulnerable children in Ethiopia, so it was an honor to finally meet.  How cool that our adoption trip overlapped with this mission trip— I've wanted to go the past few years, so it was nice to at least get a taste of being on the team.

We also got to see some more of our good friends.  Nick hasn't been back since February 2011, so the guys were especially glad to see him.  They all took right to Caleb as well and really made him feel a part of the group.

Next--one of the big highlights--our trip to Trees of Glory!

It Would Have Looked Like This

 So if you normally receive a Christmas card from us, you weren't cut from the list.  I just didn't send any :-)

I intended to, but there never seemed to be a time to get all NINE of us dressed and ready for a family photo (well, we did manage to get dressed, just not for a picture) before Christmas.  Between bringing Eli home 7 weeks ago, Thanksgiving, Nick's and my brother's birthday, a family ginger bread decorating party, 3 baseball tournaments, doctors appointments (and lets not forget stool samples--my favorite!) trying to resume some semblance of school around here, Advent, preparing for Christmas and doing all the regular stuff......well, it just didn't happen.

But, if I would have had it all together, it would have looked something like this:

Not bad--this was our second attempt (not second picture-second time we tried to get the one and only thing I wanted on our vacation--a family picture-is that too much to ask for-I may or may not have lectured.....).

Eli trying to escape.

Nick, Caroline and Colton looking a little bored...

Eli says, "No more pictures mom."

What it was really like.

And the best we're going to get.


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from our family to yours!!!