Day 8 – Give me 6 good families…just SIX!

Okay – I haven’t asked for much from you, my readers, but now I want to tell you my 6 wishes. If I could produce 6 families for my “special” children, that is what I would wish for. Can I tell you about them? The first 2 families I need are for the older boys who visited me 2 days ago. One is a 15yo boy, “Z”, and he is gentle and kind and wonderful. He has hopes and dreams for his future like any young boy, and all he has ever wanted is a family. My heart breaks at the thought he will not see that wish come true. He has maybe 6 months left to be adopted. The other family would be for “M”, age 14, and his younger brother “K”, age 11. They were street boys before, but God has shaped their hearts for many years in this project. They asked me, “are we too bad…that you can’t recommend us to a family?” It made my heart cringe. I just have to believe there is a special family somewhere who could welcome these two brothers. The third family would be for my special sibling group containing the 3 kids from the brothel. Really, they are amazing kids – the oldest being a 13yo boy, the one with deep dimples who snuggles me whenever I come for time at the home. They youngest has HIV, and she has been sick off and on for 2 years now since she came into our home. She takes the meds, and she always has a sweet smile. They need a special family – but they need a family nonetheless. The 4th family I wish for is for my dear 14 year old boy and his 2 younger sisters. He recently scored at the top of his 8th grade class not only in his school but out of all 10 schools in Mekelle. He took care of his dying mother 2 years ago and has made sure the 3 of them stay together, but soon he will have to leave the care home to go to the older boys home because of his age. He is still young and tender and has much learning he could do from a family. The girls also are 12 and 8 and want to be part of a real family again. I long to see them in a forever home, together forever. The 5th home is for “M”, our other 14 year old boy. He has the best sense of humor and is incredibly gorgeous with long eyelashes. He is also still very tender, despite his age, and he loves younger children. He asked me as he filmed me with the little girl learning about her family if I could fine one just for him…and I really want to help that become a reality.

Today it was a holiday so I focused on doing what I could despite so many things being closed. So I collected all the kids whose medical information I still needed and took them to the clinic for their bloodwork, among other things. The first place I went was the Mekelle Blind School. My little guy there, “D” is 11 years old. I have known him for 3 years. He sings like an angel and speaks great English and is completely blind in both eyes. Today we talked to the staff and to “D” about looking for an adoptive family for him, since his mother passed away in June. He smiled and said, “really I want this very much”. That of course is my wish #6….a family for “D”. He is an amazing, special boy and he said he would love especially to have some siblings of his own. He has a real gift in music…he studies in grade 5. After overwhelming approval from the school, we took “D” with us and headed to our next appt, an HIV+ woman and her 3 year old HIV+ son whom I had met last October. She was bedridden at that time and worried about her son. We started her on a sponsorship program with 250ETB per month and she immediately improved her nutrition and joined a womens support group for HIV. Today, she showed up looking absolutely gorgeous with her son, very happy. I told her that since my own daughter lost her mommy to this disease, it makes me very happy to see her being able to still raise her son. Then we travelled to pick up the other kids for the bloodwork and I had to hold them or take them in one by one. I wish you could have seen how brave they were…one by one having their blood taken and yet no tears. We checked CD4 and CD8 counts on all the HIV+ kids just to see how they are doing. The results for “D” and for the other kids will be ready Wed. They were so happy to be out in town, with no complaints about being poked. It thrilled my heart. After taking them back to the care homes, I helped braid one of our blind girls’ hair at the house before heading to town for dinner with a few friends. It was good to visit more about the plans and projects. I returned to check emails and work on my travel journal and was interupted by the housemother for the blind girls who lives with them full time. She is blind in one eye and was previously from a muslim family before becoming a Christian. She lost her housing at that time and came to us for work. Now I am humbled to see her kneeling down to a chair, quietly praying and crying as part of her daily routine. She is a tender young woman and the girls are blessed to have her. Tomorrow is another full day of work – my last full day in Mekelle. I have a knot in my stomach when I think still of all that needs to be done, and yet I know that I will leave the programs again in such good hands. Tomorrow we will tie up loose ends, Wednesday we will travel to Adigrat to see about expansion there, and Thursday I will fly to Addis to finish my work there. The kids say, “you are leaving already?” Of course, on the other end of the world, my kids are at home saying, “Isn’t mom coming home yet?” It is always a delicate balance. Next trip, I am praying that God will provide a way for all of us to come together.

Day 7 – Sunday

Today I was blessed to attend an Ethiopian church where I was welcomed and was able to hear many singing and praising God in their own tongue. Despite not knowing what they were saying, I could participate….it is hard to explain. Afterwards, I walked home with 3 of our orphans from House of Promise #1. It was fun seeing so many of our kids at church. I discussed with them at what time to watch the movie today and they told me when to come. They have been looking forward to seeing the Prince Caspian movie I brought from America. The housemother showed me how they were preparing the house, as one of the girls who has grown in Operation Rescue and used to be in the original cell family house 6 years ago is now 21 and has a boyfriend who wants to ask her hand in marriage. Hiwot, the head mother of the care home, and Getachew, the project director, are assuming the role of her mom and dad and the man must come to meet them and ask for their blessing.
I was so touched by this, as the nature of their commitment to the kids is really life-long. Of course for the past 3 years we have been promoting the children who are under 15 for adoption. But for many of the kids, they will stay in the homes until they are done with technical school or university and then they will be out. So it touched my heart to realize that this girl now sees these staff as her parents to such a degree that she wants them to receive this man and take his request for her hand in marriage. Very cool. I spent the afternoon working on profiles, re-arranging the blind resource room in a way that better suits them, and talking girl-talk with the girls in the home. At 5 I went to the HIV house and spent some time with the housemother updating profiles on the kids. She is so careful with their medicaiton schedules and their food…she has grown this amazing vegetable garden and now is thrilled to show off her purified water program she has started to keep their stomachs more healthy. She is also HIV+, so she knows the stigma from which they have suffered. We interviewed the new one, whose name means “happy” and he was such a smiling delight! He told me, very matter of factly, that he had come from a poor community and his mom had died and then he said, “my father he just threw me out when I was sick.” I told him, “bet we are so very happy to have you and you are very welcome here!” and he smiled from ear to ear and laughed a deep belly laugh. Around 6 I headed to the main orphan house where all the kids had gathered – the big ones from the boys home, the ones from the Hiv house, and the 14 from our main home. They were eating, watching a Tigrinya version of Shrek (hilarious) and just enjoying one another as “family”. You really have to undersand Ethiopian culture to know how amazing it is for these very sick HIV+ kids to be snuggling and eating next to healthy kids who accept them. 18 year old boys pull them up on their laps and wipe their faces and they know full well their diagnoses. So much love in this home. After dinner the big kids left and we began our special movie. They all snuggled me and draped all over each other again on the mattress…one 13 yo boy sat next to me fluffing my hair and holding my hand through the movie. They are all still young in this house – pre-pubescent, and they are very affectionate. When one would get tired, another would just pick them up and help them to their bed. One by one we put the little ones in their beds with kisses. After the movie, again, the 3 older boys walked me home. I was tired, but my heart was full. I slept very very well.