"The Needs Come a Knockin"

Two people came by around lunchtime today requesting assistance with a young man who had flunked out of the Govt. University program. "He's such a nice young man who just needs help getting a job to support his parents and then he can continue his studies privately", she said. Similar situations are popping up every week now. In fact, we have noticed now that we are 5 months from leaving, we are getting an average of 5 requests per week from agencies, NGO's, people at the door, etc. needing money from anything from wanting to study in the US to starting an orphan outreach to you name it. This is common for foreigners, and it is tough to determine where God really wants you to give since giving to one means 5 more may come the next week as a result. About an hour later, a young mom greeted me at my gate with a tiny 1 month old baby girl in her arms saying something I couldnt understand and waving medical records from the hospital at me. I could only gather that the baby was sick, she had seen the doctor, she had some xrays of her abdomen, and the woman showed me her breast and said, "surgery". I couldnt find a translator in sight and simply brought the lady into my house and tried to read/understand the records and what she needed. It was very frustrating, as there was this tiny helpless crying baby and this poor sweet little mama trying to knock on the gate of a big huge house just in hopes someone there might be able to help. She mentioned money and doctor and medicine...so I just gave her some money and she seemed very very grateful. We've tried to have a policy of not handing out money from our home, to reduce beggars and con-artists, but I just didnt have it in me to refuse this sweet mom and baby.I wish I knew what was wrong and how to better help. I prayed for her and her baby after they left, since she had told me there was no husband alive to help, and I have no idea what was really the matter. I got to hold the baby while she packed up her things, and she was so tiny and innocent. I teared up thinking about it after she left, how many of the tiny babies who end up in orphanages started out with this type of situation...mom is alone, baby is sick, mom has no money, or no milk from her breasts, and out of simply a desire to keep the baby alive, mom leaves the baby on a porch somewhere. Still praying God will provide a way for us to be involved here making a difference for the long haul. Curtis came down and saw me discouraged and said, "mom, we are making a difference! We're telling people in America and they're getting inspired, and who knows...maybe my friend's son will grow up and come here as a missionary/worker some day because of our being here!" I thought it was just so cool that he said that and is making that connection in his mind about our time here. God is good.

"GOTCHA DAY!"

Hard to believe today is Nati's "Gotcha Day". We have been reminiscent all day, especially living in Ethiopia of this being two years since Steve was here in Addis meeting him for the first time, getting to know him, and then finally today arriving in Kansas with this tiny bundle who wouldn't even look at his new mother for the first 2 hours. Nati was excited to feel special and got to of course choose all the meals and tonight's movie. Even once when he wanted to watch his brother play Nintendo, he used the, "Curtis...pleeze....can't I watch you today since you're so glad you GOT ME?" Being here and visiting orphanages on a regular basis has been good for all of us. Nati has become more comfortable with his history, his story, and is very aware of his ethnic heritage (Oromo/Amhara), his coloring according to Ethiopians,("chocolate") and the many strengths of being Habesha (he was the only one to not get FRIED by the sun in Addis recently on our vacation, for example). He is quite the little superstar around here and he knows it! Today was a fun time to celebrate the wonderful gift he has been to all of us.