Posts tagged with ‘Ethiopia’

Walk for Water

A small glimpse of what life requires just to have water in Ethiopia

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

Ethiopia:  The Whole Picture by Paul Hassell

This is truly beautiful.  Just in awe watching this…

Thanks to Gladney for allowing us share a little bit of our story & experience about bringing Sosi home from Ethiopia! “Both Sides of Home” in latest Africa Program Newsletter Rest of the story can be found on our blog at Our Adoption Journey

Thanks to Gladney for allowing us share a little bit of our story & experience about bringing Sosi home from Ethiopia!

“Both Sides of Home” in latest Africa Program Newsletter

Rest of the story can be found on our blog at Our Adoption Journey

Alexander's Ethiopia Trip

this already has been an incredible story, but I encourage you to follow along as it continues in the coming month.

Ethiopian Orphans Need Families

The Kidmia Foundation

Kidmia means priority in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. Our priority is to facilitate lasting change in the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children in rural Ethiopia. To do this, Kidmia provides holistic care and shelter to children in need, while being the catalyst of their adoption into local gospel-loving families. We are driven by a passion for Jesus Christ and a desire to see the people of Ethiopia changed by His grace.

Soli Deo Gloria

Corrie and I had the absolute joy and pleasure of spending an evening with the Alexander family to complete our trip to Fort Worth for the Gladney Family Association Summit.

Do you know those moments when people just breathe life into you?  This was one of those evenings.  What an incredible family with an incredible story.  Their passion to follow the way of Jesus and be His hands and feet literally draws you in. 

May Grace & Peace fill their home.

amazing family… Six Baer Essentials {Ethiopia} walking on water in Ethiopia serving the Dahley Community with food, shelter, clothing, water, health, education through the generous ideas and contributions of dreamers in the USA.

amazing family…

Six Baer Essentials {Ethiopia}

walking on water in Ethiopia serving the Dahley Community with food, shelter, clothing, water, health, education through the generous ideas and contributions of dreamers in the USA.

…on the streets of Addis Ababa

as I was downloading video from my camera last weekend, I was able to post the video of the boy in Addis Ababa that I mentioned in my Ethiopia - Day 4 post.  This is still hard to watch…

…from post on Day 4

After lunch we traveled back the guest house for some time with Sosi and then out into Addis to try and do a little shopping in order to return to the States with gifts and memories.

…but this is a moment that I will also never forget.

As we waited for the traffic light to turn green (it seemed to take an eternity), this boy who could not be any older than John Michael came to our van window begging for money. As I reached into my pocket, the driver asked me not to give the child anything because the traffic police could fine our driver (I assume the police do this so that the children will not run into the heavy traffic to beg).

And so with the equivalent of only one US dollar in my hand, I turned to the boy and looked into his eyes to motion that I could not give it to him. For what felt like the next hour, he looked back into my eyes and begged for this money…

…I was broken, and not because I could not give him the money. I was broken because the eyes of this child held no promise for a better tomorrow. One US dollar or even a hundred US dollars could not do anything for this child that would make a meaningful difference. What this child needed was a home with a mother and a father so that he could be a child. And there in that moment, I saw the face of the children who by some difference in circumstances never made it to the Care Centers I had visited just hours before.

…I was broken because even though I can’t help him in that moment, I can help him and the thousands of children just like him.

It simply does not have to be this way.

…window at Kechene Girls Orphanage in Ethiopia

…window at Kechene Girls Orphanage in Ethiopia

Arkins Family...On the Wait List!

So much fun to know that Sosi’s little soon to be cousin is one step closer to coming home!

picture of a woman begging on the streets of Addis Abba

picture of a woman begging on the streets of Addis Abba

“God, if you have a child for us somewhere out there, I will be their Mommy.”

…amazing journey that is just beginning. Can not wait to see this little child come home.

Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters… I had the honor of receiving an advance copy of Kevin Hendricks’ book “Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters”, and, I must say… …well done. I had the opportunity to connect with Kevin last summer through our mutual friend Mark Horvath, and despite our “hardly normal” beginning it has been a joy to follow along with Kevin’s journey and glean the wisdom of a father whose heart beats for justice and mercy. Kevin’s collection of life’s little moments along the road of adoption has been captured in such a unique way that I found myself unexpectedly drawn back into my own story of adoption.  I was drawn back into those moments when life is normal, and then into the very next moment when the reality of a child half way across the world is waiting for me as the only thing I could focus on.  Kevin’s story is full of life’s little moments that we wish we could hold onto forever.  It was in these moments that I found myself bursting out in laughter and sometimes holding back the tears.  It was a true gift to hear part of their families adoption journey through the mind of his daughter Lexi.  Through out this book she tries to capture the essence of what was really happening a world away; however, I think Lexi’s answer to one very profound question wraps up the metaphor of adoption very well. Lexi:  “I want to go see Jesus.”  Mom:  “Where do you think he is?” Lexi:  “Jesus is in Ethiopia!” Yes.  Yes he is. It’s in those words we find a truth that shines through the heart of adoption. Kevin’s commitment to work towards “an ideal world [where] adoption wouldn’t be necessary” doesn’t stop there.  He’s putting action to his commitment and a portion of the proceeds will go to charity: water in the hopes of building a clean water well in Ethiopia.  Because in Ethiopia, a water well can be the key to saving lives and creating opportunities for families to thrive together making adoption a last resort. Don’t miss the book & don’t miss the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of a child. Limited Pre-order:  April 13-20 (cheaper & more money to charity) Official release:  May 11 (available on Amazon.com) More:  http://www.KevinDHendricks.com/books/adoption Kevin, thanks for your heart and for sharing your journey with us.  Grace & Peace

Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters…

I had the honor of receiving an advance copy of Kevin Hendricks’ book “Addition by Adoption:  Kids, Causes & 140 Characters”, and, I must say…

…well done.

I had the opportunity to connect with Kevin last summer through our mutual friend Mark Horvath, and despite our “hardly normal” beginning it has been a joy to follow along with Kevin’s journey and glean the wisdom of a father whose heart beats for justice and mercy.

Kevin’s collection of life’s little moments along the road of adoption has been captured in such a unique way that I found myself unexpectedly drawn back into my own story of adoption.  I was drawn back into those moments when life is normal, and then into the very next moment when the reality of a child half way across the world is waiting for me as the only thing I could focus on. 

Kevin’s story is full of life’s little moments that we wish we could hold onto forever.  It was in these moments that I found myself bursting out in laughter and sometimes holding back the tears. 

It was a true gift to hear part of their families adoption journey through the mind of his daughter Lexi.  Through out this book she tries to capture the essence of what was really happening a world away; however, I think Lexi’s answer to one very profound question wraps up the metaphor of adoption very well.

Lexi:  “I want to go see Jesus.” 
Mom:  “Where do you think he is?”
Lexi:  “Jesus is in Ethiopia!”
Yes.  Yes he is.

It’s in those words we find a truth that shines through the heart of adoption.

Kevin’s commitment to work towards “an ideal world [where] adoption wouldn’t be necessary” doesn’t stop there.  He’s putting action to his commitment and a portion of the proceeds will go to charity: water in the hopes of building a clean water well in Ethiopia.  Because in Ethiopia, a water well can be the key to saving lives and creating opportunities for families to thrive together making adoption a last resort.

Don’t miss the book & don’t miss the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of a child.

Kevin, thanks for your heart and for sharing your journey with us. 

Grace & Peace