That We Might Be Adopted

Time in Nekemte

2012-02-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

from Joy Casey
written on Tuesday, Feb. 14

We loaded up orphanage supplies and formula and headed west in our 4WD vehicle. The road from Addis to Nekemte is a long rough one with most of it under construction. The dust was unlike any I have ever experienced before. There were times when a truck would pass us where our car was in a dense cloud of red dust and we would have to wait for it to dissipate before we could go on.

Upon arrival in Nekemte we were glad to put our feet on solid ground, change our clothes and wash the accumulated layers of dust off. Someday soon that road will be a piece of cake, but right now traversing it is an adventure!

Right after breakfast Tuesday morning, Jeff and I headed to the orphanage. It was so nice to see the dear faces of our social worker, project coordinator and the nannies and they were delighted to get the needed supplies and formula.

I was made welcome by one of the more outgoing 2-year-olds who immediately took to me because I gave her a chewable vitamin and a dolly (bribing is okay in my book!) while the 2-year-old boy refused the vitamin and hid behind the nanny. He didn’t start interacting until a soccer ball was brought out; only then did he show us his “moves” by bouncing the ball and kicking it. He is quite coordinated! It is fascinating to observe the differences in personalities and to wonder what each future holds. The other sweet children toddled or crawled around and Jeff got new pictures of everyone as well as video. I introduced two children to their new adoptive families and gave them the gifts their families sent.

It is a gorgeous, warm day here in Nekemte and I am loving the weather! This afternoon we are going to drive to some other parts of the town that we haven’t seen much of so Jeff can get some good pictures and video to give to the families who adopt children from here. YWAM makes a life book for each child adopted from one of the Widows and Orphans Homes, and a CD of all their pictures and a DVD of all videos taken of them over the months is included. We also want to include a DVD of what the town and orphanage looks like.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Gimbie, a town two hours away. Fortunately, that road is a good one and will be a pleasant drive.

Ciao for now!

From Becky: I want to let our YWAM families know that the photos they send with Joy to share with birth families mean so very much and the project coordinators, social workers and nannies absolutely LOVE seeing these pictures of the children. A wonderful bonus is that these pictures are also hugely influential in our adoption work. When government officials come to the orphanage, they are shown where the children are and how they are doing. The project coordinator has told us that this shines a very favorable light on adoption and is a huge help in the orphanages’ work in every town we work in. We would appreciate it if even those families whose children have no birth family would make a book of pictures (as some have already done) for the orphanage staff, Joy would be happy to deliver them next time she goes to Ethiopia.
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Adoption Book Report

2012-02-14T03:00:00.000-08:00

I read a book this last weekend that I can highly recommend to anyone who has adopted, is in the process of adopting or who is considering adoption. It’s called “Love You More – The Divine Surprise of Adopting My Daughter” and is written by Jennifer Grant.

Jennifer is an excellent writer who shares her story of adopting her daughter from Guatemala with transparency and detail – all with a heart to help others who share this wonderful and sometimes difficult journey. I hope that by sharing some quotes, you’ll be motivated to get the book and appreciate its insights as much as I did. Jennifer covers so many aspects of and questions about the adoption process. Here are a few quotes from the book to whet your appetite…

On Divine providence:
“I believe God nudges us toward the people with whom we’re meant to share our lives. And, sometimes, I think God uses adoption to rip away the curtain that keeps us blind to poverty and suffering. In finding our children and falling in love with a country far from home, many adoptive parents find a calling to change their lives and serve those whom they have met there.”

On claiming your child as your own:
“When you give birth to or adopt a child, you are in for the long haul. You must commit to sleepless nights, vulnerability like you’ve never known, and moments when you can’t even wrap your mind around how much you adore your child. There will also be times when your child’s selfishness makes you think, Who is this nasty little person? and, even worse, times when you can’t believe how brittle and small your own heart is. But because you know you were meant to be together, you wade through the hard times and know that the good ones await you. You ask for help. You admit your faults. You stop, breathe deeply and count to ten. And you know that whether the weather is stormy or fair, you are your child’s true parent.”

On the difficult times of waiting:
“Agencies warn you: the adoption process is unpredictable. Regardless of how diligent they are, agencies are not in control. Schedules can slip. Documentation can get lost. Birthmothers can change their minds. Foreign governments can close their programs, change their fees or halt all adoptions for indeterminate periods… I had days when I was at peace, certain that our baby would come home when she was meant to be with us. But more often, I struggled with the wait… Please, please God. Take care of her until I can do it myself. Please… Having a child – whether by birth or adoption – is a risk. No parent is guaranteed an easy time or a child who is healthy or gifted or easy to parent. There are moments when accepting that lack of control makes being a parent easier – and times when it doesn’t. But for some adoptive parents, Tom Petty’s line about the waiting being "’the hardest part’ might be true.”

On that adjustment period:
“Why was this happening? Why couldn’t my three-year-old just use her words and clearly explain the various ways her sister’s homecoming had affected her? Why couldn’t Mia see that I really really needed her to buck up and get with the system? No more contrariness. No more of this possessive behavior. No throwing food off the high chair. No screaming in her crib. In retrospect, what they were going through could not have been more normal. But at the time, it felt like the end of the world.”

On post-adoption blues:
“On the bright side, all four children seemed to be transitioning well… It was me who, increasingly, didn’t know which end was up…What had I done? What had become of that confident mom who always knew how to handle her children? Was I both a bad person and a bad mother?”

On bonding and attachment:
“It took more than months to build complete trust; it took years. It would be three or four years after her homecoming before Mia awarded me with the same easy trust that I receive from my other children.”

Jennifer also writes about the ethics and questions surrounding international adoption, about being a transracial family, about how she has shared her daughter’s adoption story with her and with others.

I think you will love this book!

*A happy surprise for me was to find out – in the pages of the book - that some of Jennifer’s dearest friends are a YWAM adoptive family! Mark and Mary Lewis have adopted four girls from China and are now getting ready to bring home their daughter Sena from Ethiopia. Their Ethiopian adoption journey has been incredibly difficult and I have so much respect for how they have walked this long, hard road with faith and hope.

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From Joy in Addis Ababa

2012-02-12T22:24:00.000-08:00

Addis Ababa is lovely this time of the year! The mornings and evenings are cool and the days in the 70s. Sunshine greets me every morning. I am used to waking up early and having my quiet time in the Word and prayer. The steeple of the Catholic Church is framed by my window and I delight in watching the morning wake up with the cross emerging as the sky turns light pink until it is silhouetted against the blue of a new day. Jeff Burns is traveling with me, and we enjoy our time together over coffee, tea and breakfast with the sun flooding the room. How can you possibly have a bad day with such beginnings?

Catholic Guest House

We arrived in Addis in the morning and hit the ground running, mainly because we had to keep moving so we wouldn't fall asleep! It might be 9:30 a.m. in Ethiopia, but it was bedtime back home. We met with the contractor that has been selected to begin construction on a worship center in a village where God has moved mightily and there are many new believers. For the past several years, the church has been meeting under a tree that we affectionately call the "worship tree". Through a benefactor and the sacrifice of a small church in Idaho, enough money has been made available to start construction. In a couple of weeks I will be going to that village and will report (with pictures) the beginnings of a permanent place of worship for that area. We also made arrangements for a 4-wheel drive vehicle to take us to the orphanages in the western part of Ethiopia. The roads are so bad that only a 4-wheel drive can navigate them. We plan on leaving tomorrow (Monday).

Girum and Joy

Friday, Jeff and I had a wonderful time meeting and getting acquainted with the new YWAM director for Ethiopia. Girum is a solid man of God and it was rewarding to get to know him. I will be meeting my other YWAM friends when I get back from my upcoming trip to Nekemte, Gimbie and Dembidollo.

Kathy, Joy and Tezera

Yesterday, Jeff and I, along with a social worker from Spokane, Washington named Anne and Kathy from Children's House International (the adoption agency who processes adoptions for children in our orphanages), trekked to Adama to visit the widows and children in the Widows and Orphans Home.

Jeff!

Jeff had a great time behind his camera trying to make shy little ones smile, bringing suckers to the widows (they love "caramel") and helping to unload donated formula. The orphanage director, Kathy, and I had work to discuss, but we took time out to have fun with the babies and to kiss the weathered cheeks of the grandmothers (widows).

Some of our wonderful nannies in Adama

I brought pictures and a few small gifts to several of the children from parents in the U.S. who are on process to adopt them. That is always a great joy for me, and it is such fun to see the nannies ooooh and ahhhh over the pictures of the family that will be for one of their precious charges. I have seen how hard it is for these dedicated nannies to say good bye to children they have raised since infancy, and yet they have the foresight to rejoice when a child gets their very own family to love them forever.

Today is preparation for leaving early in the morning for Nekemte. Even with the rough roads and lack of amenities, I enjoy getting out of the city and seeing the "real" Africa. Right now, the bougainvillea is a riot of color everywhere and the days are sunny and warm. I get a glimpse into the agrarian lifestyle of the country folk.... young boys herding cows, women washing clothes in a muddy stream, oxen pulling a blade through the soil, women gathering firewood and half-naked children enthusiastically waving at the "ferengi" as we pass by. I will be taking supplies to the orphanages as well as gifts and pictures to many of the children.

I am hopeful to meet several birth parents of children already adopted and in America. Their grateful parents have sent lovely pictures to their child's Ethiopia mom or dad, and what joy and peace a happy picture can bring to a birth parent longing to know how their child has adjusted. Jeff will be taking "millions" of pictures and video of the children. What a blessing he is to our program and to me personally as well. Jeff is a man of God, unassuming, always good-natured, and a friend I can count on through thick and thin.

I am always aware as I travel this beautiful country that I am kissing babies and talking to social workers in proxy for the many families who are waiting for their children. I am also mindful of the faithful ministry partners who sacrifice to make Adoption Ministry's work in Ethiopia vibrant and fruitful. My heart overflows with affection and thankfulness!
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ONE Ordinary Mom

2012-02-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

Lisa Boyl-Davis is a wife, a mom, an emergency room social worker, a musician and a prayer warrior. She’s been married to her husband Ted for 22 years and they have four kids, ranging in age from 18 down to 2. Lisa has never adopted but through a set of circumstances only God could have arranged, Lisa has been raising funds to support YWAM’s orphanages in Ethiopia.

“As a little girl, my sister and I didn’t play house, we played adoption agency! We would line up our dollies and stuffed animals on the bed, I would take little scraps of paper, and fill out one “form” after another when Marcy (my little sister) came in to adopt this baby and that. I smile now when I think of it, seeing how God has allowed me to help pass on my passion, and raise some money for some of the 6 million orphans in Ethiopia.

I find it amazing how God has driven me crazy with a desire to help raise money to feed babies and children and to help the rest of the world understand the problem from a the place of the heart and not just the mind. In saying this, God knows I have little-to-no organizational skills, yet he has surrounded me with people who are filling in those gaps. He is using a heart even when the skills don’t match up.”

Lisa is such an awesome example of the power of one…

one busy wife and mother
one person who loves to pray
one person who likes to problem-solve
one person who enjoys helping people do what they love to do (sewing, singing, dancing, art, writing, photography, running, walking, biking, etc…) to help meet the needs of others

She began her fund-raising for our orphanage food budget with a Christmas Alternative Craft Fair in 2011 and proceeds were donated to Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia. In March, she’s organizing a Concert for the Value of Human Life where a love offering will be taken for YWAM’s orphanage support. There is a Hoedown planned for May with a Western band playing in a grange hall. Also in the spring will be a school fund-raiser where kids will get involved. She even has a Triathlon in the works!

God has honored her willingness and her availability to be used!

Thank you Lisa for responding to God’s urging and for your generous and diligent heart of compassion for orphaned children in Ethiopia!
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All their bags are packed

2012-02-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

…they’re ready to go! Joy Casey and Jeff Burns are leaving tomorrow for a three week trip to Ethiopia.

They’ll be traveling to all four Widows & Orphans Homes as well as to several villages where we do humanitarian work. Joy will be interviewing many new families who qualify for sponsorship in our “Adopt A Family” program for Adoption Ministry 1:27.

While internet connections are often spotty, I hope to get updates and post them here on the blog.

Would you be praying for this trip? The spiritual battle seems to rage whenever we go there (as it does at all times surrounding God’s work) and we covet the prayers of those who will stand with us. Pray for physical health and strength for Joy, Jeff and all of our staff, for safe travels and for God’s favor and wisdom in every decision and every encounter.

Stay tuned!
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Good Links

2012-02-02T14:00:00.000-08:00

Compassion Is The Answer. What’s The Question?
@Empowered to Connect
As I read through the pages of scripture there is no escaping the abounding and relentless compassion of God. I am loved by a forgiving and gracious God that is slow to anger, abounding in love and compassion. So too must my parenting be informed, motivated, infused and overflowing with this same kind of compassion.

Your Child’s Adoption Life Story
@icareaboutorphans.org
Experts cite four compelling reasons why children need to know their adoption story and provide tools for telling a child their story, not as a one-time event but an on-going process.

Enjoying This Adventure Called Life
@Show Hope Blog
We started our journey to adopt from Ethiopia in 2009. I can’t say that we were prepared for all the obstacles we would face. Or, the wait…oh, the wait! However, what we learned about our family and ourselves during that time is irreplaceable.

Adjusting to Life After Adoption
@Focus On The Family
The first challenge was surviving the process… The good news is the adoption process came to an end. The second challenge has proven to be our greatest challenge: raising a multi-cultural (or transcultural or transracial) family.

Both Ends Burning
@BothEndsBurning.org
We exist to create a culture of adoption and to help facilitate changes in the current system. Adoption can serve as a champion for human potential, and as a responsible society we should be encouraging and promoting the practice of adoption.

And finally, one adoptive dad's assessment of our government's stance on international adoption
@The Carroll Story blog

Berbere!

2012-01-29T22:37:00.000-08:00

by Liane Wolbert
Liane is the Director of YWAM's domestic adoption program - Adoption Ministry of YWAM. She also does homestudies for our local families adopting from Ethiopia. Liane, with her husband Mark, has led several mission teams to Ethiopia for YWAM's many outreaches there.

Berbere-The spice of comfort for Ethiopians
After spending extended periods of time in Ethiopia, we come home with the scent of berbere exuding from our pores and the tips of our fingers. We don't mind - we like it!

When ordering food in a resturant we have the choice of a Western menu or Traditional food. We always have Awaze with whatever choice we make. Awaze is berbere that is mixed with oil and lime and served in a little dish for dipping bread while you wait for the rest of your meal. Awaze takes the place of butter. Berbere is mixed with scrambled eggs in the morning and with rice. I really can't think of anything cooked in Ethiopia where it cannot be used (except injera). I have even been offered fruit that was cut up on a platter with berbere sprinkled on the top. It really was tasty!

Many of my adoptive families make sure to visit the spice store to purchase spices and lentil powder before they come home with their children. When visiting homes to complete post-placement reports, I am often told stories about Ethiopian children putting berbere on everything. One family reported that their child put berbere on pizza and spaghetti. After a while they had him try one bite without berbere before eating the rest with a heavy portion of the delicious and comforting blend of spices.

Last weekend Mark and I were visiting the home of good friends who have Ethiopian adopted children and the older girl who loves to cook prepared a traditional Ethiopian breakfast. Our eggs, rice and vegetables were infused with a 'ferengi' portion of berbere. She even prepared the coffee from the clay coffee pot that her parents purchased in Ethiopia. When we were cleaning the kitchen after eating, she snapped the lid of the tupperware container holding two pounds of berbere and placed it in the cupboard next to the sea salt and pepper!

I was chatting with one of our adoptive moms just last week on FB about how her daughter was adjusting, having been in the States just 24 hours. With jet-lag, brain overload and everything new she was feeling very sad. Her mama's heart was aching for her, wanting to take away the pain but she knew she could not. Well, it looks as though this mommy was able to comfort her girl in a way that, for that moment, brought some needed relief:

Here's a short video clip about this wonderful Ethiopian spice:

He Giveth More Grace

2012-01-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

Can I share the words to an old song with you in the hope that it will be an encouragement to someone reading the blog today? The fact that it was written by a young woman who was adopted is a happy ‘coincidence’ but isn’t really part of the story behind the words.

The song was written by Annie Flint, who loved to write poetry and had dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. But as a teenager, she began to suffer from crippling arthritis, the disease that eventually left her unable to even open her hands. She wrote these words – and later put them to music – out of her own discovery of God’s unlimited ability to give her everything she needed.

I can imagine all kinds of situations these words apply to – physical pain and suffering, loneliness, broken marriages, financial stress, relational hurts, repeated defeat and discouragement – and yes, even the emotional journey of adoption. Though it's full of old English ‘giveths’ and ‘sendeths’, these words are SO full of life and hope! And they're straight out of God’s word.

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE
by Annie J Flint

He giveth more grace as the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as the labors increase,
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.

Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth, and giveth again.

I rewrote the words (with no disrespect to the author or her beautiful phrasing) into a prayer and it’s one I love to say out loud, especially when I’m at the end of my own wisdom, strength and ability…

Lord, You give me more grace as my burdens grow greater.
You send me more strength as my needs increase.
To my added afflictions You add Your mercy.
To my multiplied trials You add multiplied peace.

No fear that my need will exceed Your provision
Your resources are endless and You love to share!
I’ll lean all my weight on Your strength given to me
Both myself and my burdens I know You will bear.

When I have exhausted my store of endurance
When my strength has failed before the day is half done
When I reach the end of all my resources
I know Your full giving has only begun.

Your love has no limit. Your grace has no measure.
Your power has no boundary known to men.
For out of Your infinite riches in Jesus
You give and You give and You give again!
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Adoptive Moms Supporting Each Other

2012-01-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Girls like to get together. We need to get together! And when you are navigating the process of adopting internationally and then of doing the hard work of parenting those kids, it is such a blessing to have the support and shared experience of other women doing the same thing.

In the Spring of 2011, a group of YWAM adoptive moms in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area began meeting once a month – to share, laugh, cry and pray. The women switch off being hosts and of course not everyone can make it each time. But it has become a really special source of fellowship and strength for these moms, not to mention a fun night out to look forward to!

If you don’t have something similar in your area, consider starting a group! Haley Ballast wrote a great post for us about how she began this group, with some tips on getting your own group started – be sure to click on this link:

Needing Each Other

Why step out in faith to start your own group? Who better to ask than these great moms! In their own words…

“I've learned that parenting can be a lonely journey, and being an adoptive parent can add yet another layer of isolation... but it doesn't have to be that way! I am so incredibly grateful for the group of adoptive (and soon-to-be adoptive) mamas with whom I gather monthly. They not only open their homes and bake yummy treats, they also remind me that I am not alone. These women have listened to my crazy stories, spoken loving encouragement to my fears and anxieties, and rejoiced with me in the small but significant triumphs of motherhood. I don't know what I'd do without them!” ~ Haley

“This group has created a place for adoptive moms to meet and offer support to each other through friendship and prayer. It has been a way to meet other parents of Ethiopian children, and to ‘give back’ by being a support and encourager to moms who are waiting for their children to come home.” ~ Wendy

“Being part of this monthly mom's group has been a wonderful thing! To be with other mom's that are walking, or have walked, this same journey is a great source of encouragement. Sometimes we share tears, sometimes laughs, sometimes needed advice, and always prayer for each other. It's nice to have a place to share the joys and the struggles and the other moms who really "get it". No one claims to have all the answers, and we're willing to walk through things together, as sisters. I am so thankful for this group and would highly encourage others to start one in their area, or find one that is already meeting. After all, what better excuse to get together with some awesome women!!” ~ Chris

Sharing the journey with these sweet women is a blessing. I am encouraged by their faith and there is a sweetness in these gatherings that is from our God! It gives us a chance to share our stories and I always learn something that stays with me and often that I can share with another mom. Together we have funny moments to share that are really great! It's therapeutic! ~ Jaci

Our adoptive moms group has been a huge blessing for me! Getting together with other Moms and sharing and learning from each other’s experiences is invaluable. It’s great to get connected with strong Christian women who can lift you up and give you the spiritual encouragement that you need. I’m so glad I got connected with this amazing group of women and I would encourage other adoptive families to do the same! ~ Sarah

During those long and difficult months between Court and Embassy, the prayers and encouragement from the women in this group were an irreplaceable blessing and source of comfort to my aching heart. Since bringing my daughter home, the group has become a place where I feel free to express myself honestly with other women who understand the unique difficulties and blessings involved in bonding and attachment. The camaraderie, tears, support, love and prayers that are shared in this group have already helped me to be a better mom to both of my kids, biological and adopted. I am excited to see how this group evolves as it continues to be a place for women to find room to breathe, laugh, complain, seek God, and share hugs- all with the purpose of equipping us to be a refuge for children in need of families. ~ Melissa

As an adoptive parent as well as a first time mom, I am immensly blessed by this group of ladies! It is such a special bond that we share together. Sitting face to face instead of communicating through a computer screen is truly a gift. I find encouragment when I am lacking faith in this journey, a place to cry when no one else quite understands, and probably most important, a safe place to be honest and transparent with women who "get it". There is no shame in feeling weary and no guilt in sharing grief. As I learn, sometimes struggle, to become more and more like Christ Jesus, I am blessed beyond measure to be accompanied on this journey with these sisters and fellow mamas. ~ Jill

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Forever, Jewel

2012-01-13T16:58:00.000-08:00

We have the privilege of sharing a wonderful children’s book written by one of our very own YWAM adoptive moms, Kate Hannula. Kate and her husband Todd live in Wisconsin and are the parents of seven children, four of whom are adopted (one from Ukraine and three from Ethiopia). All of the Hannula’s kids were adopted as ‘older’ children.

Kate’s book, Forever, Jewel is the story of the friendship between her two oldest daughters. “One dreams of having a sister while the other dreams of having a family.” In Kate’s own words…

We adopted Jewel in 2004 from Ethiopia. It was love at first sight for the three of us, Jewel, Todd and I. We bonded immediately, and we had such a good time together in Ethiopia. I did have a moment of fear on the flight home from Ethiopia with Jewel. I thought, “Faith has been our Princess for over four years. She may have prayed for Jewel for two years, but how is this really going to turn out? What if Faith insists on continuing to be our little Princess?” I prayed about it right then and the fear subsided as quickly as it came.

Faith was very talkative as a two year old and she had a large vocabulary. She reported to Todd and I that she was praying for a little sister. I thought to myself, "My poor daughter is going to have her heart broken when her prayer does not come true!" But, slowly, God was working on our hearts as well! And more than a year later, we found ourselves preparing to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia. How does that work? God had already placed it in our daughter’s heart before we received it from God!

It was love at first sight for Faith and Jewel as well. They immediately hugged and began playing even though neither knew the other’s language. They became instant best friends!

Their love for one another would turn heads wherever we would go. Many people would stop to look at the two of them as they were always arm in arm and giggling. Some would ask,”Are they always like this?” Yes. “Do they ever fight?” No. “I never heard of such a thing!” They are a match made in heaven! God answers prays of the little children!

And so it continues to this day at the ages of ten and eleven. Best Friends. A Match made in heaven. God speaking to the hearts of children and answering their prayers to perfection.

It is our prayer that our book touches your family in some way. And that you also may experience greatness when you hear and listen to the voice of God.

Blessings,
Kate

Faith Hannula wrote the following last year for her 5th Grade Original Speech:

Six years ago, was the happiest day of my life. God blessed me with the greatest gift of all, a sister named Jewel. My family adopted Jewel when she was three and I was four. She is the love of my life. Jewel means everything to me. I prayed and prayed for a sister. I couldn’t ask for a better one. Sisters are a gift, because they’re always there for you. They’re someone to lean on in times of trouble and a shoulder to cry on. They become your best friend.

Adoption made our family realize the amazing love God has for His children. He finds the perfect family for each and every one of His beautiful children. The best day of my life was when my mom and dad brought Jewel home from Ethiopia here to me. I didn’t quite understand all of it at first, but when I learned that Jewel would be my sister and friend for the rest of my life, I was so happy. Jewel didn’t speak any English at first, but that didn’t prevent us from talking and playing with each other. We crossed the language barrier and became best friends.

Jewel and I love each other. We sleep together, play together, get our pajamas on together, brush our teeth together, and we pretty much do everything together. When my mom tells one of us to do something, the other one will do it, too. Even through hard times, like relatives dying, we lean on each other for help. A sister is always there for you and with you.

God knew in the beginning that we were meant to be together. He had an amazing plan for our lives. Some gifts can’t be put in a box, or be wrapped up. The greatest gift of all might just be a blessing from God, or, in my case, a sister. God has an amazing love for me, for Jewel, and for each one of us. Jewel is by far the greatest gift I have ever received.

You can order the book on the Faith and Jewel website/blog: www.faithandjewel.com

Links for You

2012-01-10T14:27:00.000-08:00

His Story. His Glory. Period.

@We Have Room

My life is not my own. For nearly five years now, that has been both our mantra and our testimony as our family has followed the heart of Jesus to the heart of the orphan. We are thankful for the sweet, intimate way God has carried us through it all. We have witnessed the wonderful. Walked the unimaginable. Experienced the painful. Praised Him for the provision. We have rejoiced in the miraculous. We have been filled only to then be poured out. We have given our all, only to receive His all. We have been broken, and we have been mended. We have been horrifically hurt and wounded, but also deeply loved and defended. We have celebrated and we have mourned. And all along the way, we have beheld His glory. His indescribable, unmistakable, irreplaceable glory...

Can You Love God By Loving Those Around You?

@Bring Love In

I want to propose something that I have been thinking about today. It is sort of a new way of looking at things. One that I hope you will challenge, test and perhaps even adopt a little of into your own life...

A Love Beyond Boundaries

@This I Believe

I believe in adoption because of its intentionality; because of how it changes lives; because of the way it puts skin and bones, laughter and tears on the whole idea of hope...

When God says, "Not Yet..." Because His Plans are Greater

@Babe of My Heart

Have you ever been there? When your heart longed for something? When you were certain you heard His voice? You thought hearing His voice meant NOW? So much so, that you jumped–you followed–and then you heard WAIT...

Tell It Well: Alone

@One Thankful Mom

Today I want to tell you the most profound and only important story of my life. If I had to give it a title, it would have the word 'redeem' in it, because Jesus has gone into the grimy corners of my life and redeemed it all...

Melkam Genna in Washington!

2012-01-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

If only every YWAM Ethiopia adoptive family could have joined us yesterday to celebrate Christmas! (You can read about another YWAM family Genna celebration which took place in N. Carolina here!) As many local families as were able met at Lighthouse Christian Center in Puyallup, Washington for a family potluck lunch and celebration.

There was lots of preparing…

Haley made Key Wat – a spicy beef stew

She had lots of help!

Jackie made Doro Wat – a spicy chicken stew that is the Ethiopian national dish.

She had a helper too!

Hannah Schmick made a delicious version of kitfo – we were happy to know that she cooked the beef!

Joy Casey, our ministry director, welcomed everyone. We had about 70 people in attendance!

Then it was time to eat! In addition to the traditional dishes mentioned above, families brought salads, desserts and popcorn.

Liane Wolbert planned some crafts and games for the kids…

including a rousing game of MonkeyMonkeySnake (DuckDuckGoose):

What a blessing to gather with all of these families to celebrate Christ’s birth and also what God has done and is doing to put children in families.

If you thought it was difficult to get a good Christmas photo of your family, imagine getting everyone in this group together! But we did it!! First, all the kids…

And then, all the families…

Thanks to Mark and Liane for all of your hard work making this event such a success! Thanks to Lighthouse for providing such a great facility. Thanks to Jeff Burns for capturing these moments for us. Thanks to everyone who came and we missed all of you who couldn’t be with us.

And a special thanks to those who stayed to help us clean up!

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THANK YOU!!

2012-01-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

by Joy Casey
Director, Adoption Ministry

We ended 2011 rejoicing in the huge success of our gift catalog. $12,000 worth of goods and services have been purchased to help the extremely poor in Ethiopia.

Children will have soccer balls and shoes, water filters have been installed, small businesses are started and women will receive surgeries that will drastically change their lives.

We will expand our feeding projects, and animal husbandry with goats and sheep can bring much needed income to many poor families. It is an indescribable joy to see a blind woman receive the gift of sight or to watch the eagerness of a family when a bio sand filter is installed in their home.

God will bless each person who sacrificially gave so hope can be kindled in lives living in a country far away on the other side of the globe.

To view our Gift Catalog, go to our website:

Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia

Much Praise!

2012-01-01T17:13:00.000-08:00

In 2011, 30 YWAM families passed court and officially became forever families for 31 children from Ethiopia. Not all are home yet with their children so we continue to pray for their cases to clear the US Embassy process.

When our staff sees photos of these precious children surrounded by loving parents and siblings, a deep feeling of gratitude and praise rises in us. We've known their stories - of abandonment and rescue, of loving but desperate birthparents who have sacrificed to make a plan for their child's future - and we've seen little faces and bodies change from hungry and weak to healthy and strong. It is miraculous how God's plan for them has come about right before our eyes!

Here are just a few of the children God placed in families in 2011...

(To our YWAM families: If your photo isn’t here, I’d love to add it! Please send me an email with a jpg attachment!)

Lord, You have faithfully watched over and directed the adoption plan and timeline for each of these, Your children. Your plans are good. Your ways are right. We commit to continue the battle for these precious ones. And we give You much praise!!

I know the One in whom I trust and I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him. 2 Tim 1:12
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Gifts of Clean Water

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

I don’t think twice about going to the faucet and filling up a big glass of cold, clear water – preferably with ice.

I’ve never had to choose between sending my child to school or to the nearest water source for our family’s supply of water.

I don’t dip water from the same place livestock stand and drink.

I don’t ever peer into a murky bucket, hoping there isn’t something living in the water I’m about to give my family, causing all kinds of waterborne illness.

But for most people in Ethiopia, this is reality.

For the last two years, YWAM has been purchasing bio-sand water filters (donors give these via our Gift Catalog) and delivering them to families and communities. We are also working on a source for less-expensive, portable filters which can be more widely distributed and used.

For $100, a family and their neighbors have a way to filter the water they can access and it does a very effective job of screening out pathogens from dirty water.

This gift of clean water is a LIFEsaving gift.

THANK YOU to all who have given the gift of clean water!

Some Christmas (and some other)...

2011-12-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

First Christmas Together ornament
@ethiopiadad’s etsy shop

Why Christmas Stinks Sometimes
@Empowered to Connect
It instantly occurred to me that somehow I managed to have the only elementary school-aged child in all of America who actually hates Christmas. But I quickly asked the obvious question, “Why?”

Adoption Is Hard, But It Is Worth It
@Show Hope blog
“I now have so much more of a picture of what Christ endured for me. I have a glimpse of His heartache and passion.”

Motherhood is Application
@desiringGod
”In the same way we take the food we eat and make it into something the baby can eat (and our bodies simply do this without us willing them to), so we take what we believe about God and the gospel and faith and life, and we apply it in the places that seem too little for it.”

The Other Shoe
@The Stanley Clan
”The beauty of life, normal life, fills me to overflowing. And yet, I feel an uneasiness underlying it all. Like I'm just waiting for something to go wrong.”

While You Wait: Preparing Your Family for Their New Siblings
@Hope at Home
”Here are some ideas to make the time fruitful by building up your family even before your adoption.”

Melkam Genna
from all of us at
Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia!

Working it out

2011-12-16T13:23:00.000-08:00

Please bear with us as we work through
some issues with our website and email.
We'll get it all untangled as soon as possible!

Meet some pretty awesome kids...

2011-12-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

Two years ago, Kristan Smith traveled to Ethiopia with a friend, Heather Mitchell, who was adopting a little girl through our YWAM/CHI program. When she got back home, she shared with her six children (ages 6-15) how differently kids in that poverty-stricken country live. No toys. No new clothes. Very little of anything American kids consider to be normal life necessities. Their joy just doesn't come from 'stuff.'

The Smiths have been intentionally scaling back on Christmas gifts for a while but this year, the children have decided to give up all of their Christmas gifts and instead, to give to children in Ethiopia who really NEED something.

The kids spent time pouring over our YWAM Gift Catalog, talking about what things kids in Ethiopia might need the very most. Food, for sure. Clean water. Formula for babies. And Bibles! They carefully figured out how they wanted to spend the $325 they'd been given for Christmas and placed their order.

So there won't be any gifts under the Smith's Christmas tree this year. But for Symone, Alona, Camille, Gabby, Josiah and Kerah, Christmas will be FULL of the joy of giving to children and families who are in great need. A big THANK YOU to the Smith kids! I only wish they could be the ones to see how gratefully these necessities are received.

Would you like to give a Christmas gift from our 2011-2012 Gift Catalog? There are lots of ways, big and small, that you can make a real difference in the life of a child or family in Ethiopia.

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Language Acquisition - Let's Share!

2011-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it’s good to put yourself in an adopted child’s sandals. I try to imagine moving permanently to another country and culture with no knowledge of their language. Add to that having to learn what family life is all about, odd cultural behaviors and how you fit into this strange new place.

It is normal to expect some delays in gaining English language skills when bringing a child home from Ethiopia. Most internationally adopted children evaluated by a speech therapist test significantly below age expectation for language skills. Their native language has been ‘prematurely arrested’ and depending on their age, development and attachment, learning English can take quite a while. Having said that, many parents are really surprised at how quickly their Ethiopian children pick up and become fairly proficient in English.

While there is a great deal of scholarly information about second language acquisition available on the internet, I wanted to provide a place here for families to share some very practical ideas for helping a child make the transition from Amharic (or Oromifa in the case of YWAM’s orphanages) to English. Leave a comment and answer one or all of the following questions, being sure to give your child’s age at the time you brought them home:

What did you do to prepare in advance for helping your child learn English?
What worked for you? What didn’t?
How long did it take for you to be able to effectively communicate with your child?

Make It Count!

2011-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

All of us have probably given a gift that was – shall we say – less than enthusiastically received.

What if this year at Christmas, you gave a gift that was guaranteed to be
Appreciated…

Loved…

Needed…

The latest Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia Gift Catalog is full of ideas to make your Christmas giving count! There are items for every budget that will make a tremendous impact in the lives of widows and orphans in Ethiopia.

Lots of parents have given the Gift Catalog to their children or helped them look online here and let them pick out things they want to give to a child across the world using their own money. What a tremendous way to live out God’s heart of love for people – the reason He came.

You can also give a gift in someone’s name and we’ll send your loved one a card, indicating what you’ve chosen to give on their behalf.

Go to our Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia webpage to make your selection here:

Gift Catalog 2011-2012

Thank you from all those in Ethiopia who will be the grateful recipients of your Christmas giving!

“I do this every weekend.”

2011-12-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

In May of this year, my husband Jeff had the opportunity to help Mark Wolbert, our Missions Director, lead a team of folks from the University of Kentucky on a mission trip to Ethiopia. (You can read more about their trip here and here.) They spent a week with the head football coach and his wife, the athletic director and his wife, the assistant athletic director and two members of the Wildcats football team. They visited the poorest of the poor living at the garbage dump in the capital city of Addis Ababa, where they delivered food and coal, shirts, soccer balls and footballs. They painted the walls of a latrine that had just been built at a local church. They visited a village where they delivered shoes to children whose footwear was in desperate need of replacing.

Pretty amazing to see these guys – successful in college athletics and used to a lot of perks – serving and loving on those who have virtually nothing.

The athletic director plans to send athletes to Ethiopia in 2012 on a similar trip. What a great way to give these young kids a taste of life for so many millions of people in this third world country and a view of the world so different than what they know. It’s an awesome commitment on the part of the school to teach life lessons beyond the football field or basketball court.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. Mark and Jeff were given tickets to fly out to the UK/Univ. of Georgia game being played in Athens, GA. The guys flew from Seattle to Kentucky and spent the night in Lexington. Friday morning was a team walk-through for the game the next day. Mark and Jeff were introduced to the football team and presented with UK shirts and jackets and a plaque, thanking them for hosting the group in Ethiopia. They got a tour of the UK campus and athletic facility.

They wore sport coats and dress shirts (appropriate travel attire) and drove through the Kentucky countryside to the airport. Kentucky looks a little different than the Pacific Northwest – or Ethiopia for that matter!

They boarded a charter jet and flew to Atlanta. There was LOTS of food. Football player amounts.



They were met by a fleet of buses…

which took them the next morning from their hotel to Sanford Stadium at the Univ. of Georgia. They had a police escort – lights flashing. So bizarre.

My text to Jeff: Wow, VIP status.
Jeff to me: I will try to stay humble.

The guys had been given game-day gear to wear as well as sideline photographer and all-access passes.

They headed to the underground parking at the stadium.

Sure, come on into the locker room!

Here’s the semi that carried Kentucky’s equipment…

Here is Georgia’s mascot. Does he look like he’s got his game face on?

Danny T, a linebacker, was one of the guys who went to Ethiopia with Mark and Jeff. He has hopes of a promising career in the NFL.

Stuart H, offensive guard, also went to Ethiopia last May. He is a big guy. Like 6’4” 295 lbs big.

This stadium holds 92,000 and this was an especially big game for the Georgia Bulldogs – a win would mean they’d secure the SEC Eastern Division title. There were a LOT of people in those stands. Predominantly red and white.

I can’t really imagine what it felt like to be standing on the sidelines with the players and coaches in a game this big.

Surreal is what Jeff said.

Can you hear the crowd noise?

Kentucky Head Coach Joker Phillips…

Mark with Assistant Athletic Director Jason Schlafer…

Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart…

The Bulldogs won but Kentucky played a great game – one of their best of the season.

Then, after the game was over, they headed back to the locker room with the team where the team chaplain lead in a prayer...

They got a little box of something to eat for the bus ride to the airport…

The guys may not have played any football but they did their best to eat like they did.

They loaded onto the buses and headed to the airport – where each of the four buses was met with a charter jet bound for Kentucky again.

Jeff and Mark are SO grateful they got to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Many thanks to the University of Kentucky Athletic Department for making it possible!   We look forward to partnering with them for future trips to Ethiopia.

Ordained Praise

2011-11-30T01:23:00.000-08:00

by Joy Casey
Read more about the bicycles given to these evangelists here and here.

The bicycles given to the evangelists working in a remote village in central Africa recently got facelifts! A church team from the Anthem Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho has a particular heart for the work in this village. When they were there in October, they brought all kinds of things to repair the bicycles.

The bikes take a beating on the hard terrain and it would be interesting to clock their mileage, but they are in constant use as the only means of transportation for these men. Most of the tires were shot, so those were replaced with an upgrade so they can more easily withstand the sharp rocks and thorns that are everywhere. Many needed new pedals, and so those were replaced as well as some of the seats.

Now they are good as new, and the evangelists are pleased as punch and so grateful. A new evangelist added to the team has been walking 6.2 miles (one way!) from another area to help disciple the new believers in this village, so one of the Anthem team members bought him a new bicycle. THANK YOU ANTHEM CHURCH!

A few members of the Anthem team visited the families of some of the children enrolled in the kindergarten we have started. It was such a treat to be invited into their homes to meet their family and to understand a little better the living conditions of these children. The children were so proud to “show off” their friends from America. It is a delight to see the development of these little ones. The school has been in operation for only one year, but the children have come a long, long way. When we started last year, the children were listless with dull hair and eyes. They rarely smiled and exhibited fear around adults. After receiving milk twice a day along with their breakfast and lunch, with tutelage from a gentle teacher, they have blossomed into happy, rambunctious children who love to play on the play equipment. They have come to know that the “ferengi” who visit enjoy playing with them and they are eager to receive big hugs. We hope to have an update to our sponsors very soon!

In the future, we would like to have a team of teachers come and instruct children and women converts in some of the fundamentals of Christianity. The village is a patriarchal society and many times the women and children are not considered important enough to be taught. Until just recently, evangelism was the thrust in this village, but now we need to also focus on discipleship.

They have seen the Jesus film in their own language and correlate the Americans with Jesus. Through the many mission teams that came to their village this year they are beginning to internalize the love that Jesus has for them. Most of the children come from backgrounds that are not Christian, and Christ is going to ordain praise in that village from the voices of their children.

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalm 8:2

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Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 4

2011-11-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Butler
Adoption Ministry 1:27 Program Director
Jeff recently returned from Ethiopia where he visited many of the families in our Adoption Ministry 1:27 sponsor program, both in Korah and in Dembidollo. In part 4 of this series, Jeff tells about a joyful meeting with a widow whose life has been saved and whose child has a mother because of a family in the U.S. who have chosen to sponsor her.

Photo taken in earlier this year

This dear woman is a widow named Waganesh. She is crippled and has tuberculosis, to name a few of her challenges. She also has the task of raising her little 4 year old boy, Shambelu. She has no way to earn a living at this time except for begging. They live in a dirt floor hovel along with many others along a dark back alley next to the City Dump.

When we visited this woman back in March of this year, she was near death. Tuberculosis was taking her life. Another widow in the area took care of her son because she was unable to. The caseworker told me that although the government was providing the needed medicine, it was too strong and she couldn’t keep it down. She couldn’t keep it down because she had no food!

A few months ago, an American family began providing monthly support through YWAM’s Adoption Ministry 1:27 “Adopt a Family” Program. The case manager told me that the generosity of the American family giving through this program has literally saved this woman’s life! Because of the support, our case manager was able to purchase food for both Waganesh and her son, taking her food morning and night and giving her the medicine. She was finally able to keep down the medicine and is now getting much better and stronger! She’s also now able to be with her son which makes her very happy.

I asked our case manager if this was like Lazarus, one who comes back from the dead! He smiled and emphatically agreed! I saw the transformation of this woman as a result of good food, medicine, personal care and the kindness of a family on the other side of the planet!

Can we really make a difference in this world? I think we can see the answer on this dear woman’s face!

If you would like to sponsor a family or get more information about Adoption Ministry 1:27, please go to our website here or contact us at:

jamie(at)adoptionministry(dot)net

If you would like Jeff Butler to come to your church and share about ways your church can become involved in widow and orphan care, please let us know! He travels to many churches with a passionate message of how to answer God's command to care for orphans and widows in their distress.

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 3

2011-11-26T03:00:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Butler
Adoption Ministry 1:27 Program Director
Jeff recently returned from Ethiopia where he visited many of the families in our Adoption Ministry 1:27 sponsor program, both in Korah and in Dembidollo. In part three of this series, Jeff introduces us to a woman in Ethiopia who is preparing to lose her husband to HIV and faces the prospect of raising her children alone.

I was deeply impacted as a result of spending time with the Basada family. I was saddened to learn that the entire family is HIV positive. This family is so grateful to God for the help they have received through the Adoption Ministry 1:27 “Adopt a Family” Program. They are doing better as a result of the food and needed supplies they are now receiving.

Sadly, the father of the family is just days away from dying. He has full blown AIDS. After we spent time with the wife and children, the other Ethiopian pastors and I walked into the little hut to go see the father. There he lay, back in the dark corner of the room, motionless and lifeless. The family followed in close behind us.

The room fell silent. What do you say to a man who speaks a different language, has a different culture and is within days of death? What a journey it had been for me to leave comfortable American suburbia, travel half way around the world to one of the poorest places on the planet, and then enter the room of a man who is about to leave this world.

More silence….. I ask the other pastors, “Does this man know Jesus?” They affirmed that he did. I asked God to give me the words to say and the strength to hold back the tears for a few minutes longer… With a lump in my throat I said, ”Dear brother, I believe you will be leaving this world soon. I don’t want you to worry at all about your family any more. The church is here and we are committed to caring for them when you leave. I will see you again in heaven one day.” I barely made it through with those words.

The next thing pushed me over the edge, as the dying man began to slowly, ever so slowly, raise his hand, higher and higher. With all the strength he could muster, he raised his hand in praise to Jesus and held it there! It was one of the most powerful expressions of worship I have ever witnessed! I will never be the same.

The reason I and the other pastors could assure this man that his family would be taken care of is because they had been adopted by a family in America through the Adoption Ministry 1:27 “Adopt a Family” Program. An American family provides monthly support to this poor Ethiopian family, so they can survive and stay together. We can’t save this man’s life, but we can save the family, by keeping them together and providing them the essentials they need to live.

You can read the previous posts in this series here.

For $40 per month, you can help change the quality of life of a very poor family and also prevent a child from becoming orphaned. We match families in the United States with a family in Ethiopia who has been identified by church leaders there as ‘at-risk’ of collapse or those willing to take in an orphaned child. For more information, visit our website here or contact us at:

jamie(at)adoptionministry(dot)net

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 2

2011-11-24T03:00:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Butler
Adoption Ministry 1:27 Program Director
Jeff recently returned from Ethiopia where he visited many of the families in our Adoption Ministry 1:27 sponsor program, both in Korah and in Dembidollo. In part two of this series, Jeff shares about the hope brought to a single mother through sponsorship.

This young mother is named Shibre Setarge. She is pictured with her little baby girl, Hymanot. Shibre struggles to survive by begging in Korah, the community at the garbage dump in Addis Ababa. .

When I last saw her in April 2011, she was in intense pain as a result of an abscessed tooth. She was in so much pain she wasn’t able to effectively nurse her baby. Some from our YWAM Team took her to a local dentist to be treated. They also provided a bed for her and her baby to sleep on. When I saw her again recently, she looked like a different woman!

This was the first time I had ever seen her smile! Both Shibre and her little girl seemed much happier and healthy! One of the members of our Missions Team who took her to the dentist also stepped up and “adopted” this little family through our Adoption Ministry 1:27 Program. Shibre has been receiving food and necessary supplies to live. Not only are Shibre and her baby getting good food and support, but she has been able to start a small charcoal selling business!

One of the long range goals of Adoption Ministry 1:27 is to provide the families within the program with income-generating activities so they can get on their feet and sustain themselves! Shibre is a great example of how lives can be helped and changed by families in America, partnering with the local Ethiopian church, to care for the poor. Caring for Shibre and her baby keeps this little family together. Keeping this family together helps to prevent one more child from becoming an orphan. This is what Jesus has called us to do!

Be sure to read Part 1 in this series here.

Would you like to sponsor an at-risk or guardian family in Ethiopia? For $40 per month, you can help change the quality of life of a very poor family and also prevent a child from becoming orphaned. We match families in the United States with a family in Ethiopia who has been identified by church leaders there as ‘at-risk’ of collapse or those willing to take in an orphaned child. You can read more about our program here. Contact us at:

jamie(at)adoptionministry(dot)net

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 1

2011-11-22T13:20:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Butler
Adoption Ministry 1:27 Program Director
Jeff recently returned from Ethiopia where he visited many of the families in our Adoption Ministry 1:27 sponsor program, both in Korah and in Dembidollo. This is the first in a series of posts where Jeff shares how much of a difference your monthly financial support makes in the lives of the very poor in Ethiopia. Jeff and his wife Chris are adopting their third child from Ethiopia.

This dear woman is the widow Tedesu. Here she is pictured with her two of her three children. Her husband died in a car accident some time ago. Since then she has struggled to feed her three children. She works as a common laborer in Dembidollo whenever she can find work.

This family literally has nothing except the clothes on their backs. When we arrived to visit her, she welled up with tears and began to share how she and her children have been strengthened by the food and support they have received. She cried as she thanked God for His care for her.

It was such a blessing to see the pastors from her church ministering to her and praying with her. It was amazing to me to see the connection of care that started with a family in America adopting this family through our Adoption Ministry 1:27 “Adopt a Family” Program. Then how that monthly support was given to the local church, who in turn purchased the food and supplies and gave them to this family.

How amazing that God can support this little family by calling another family on the other side of the planet to care and to give! They are going to have what they need to survive and be sustained in the midst of difficult circumstances. God has shown Himself strong through His personal attention and care for this family! He cares for each family though His Body on earth, His church.

At this time, we have 140 families in Ethiopia in our program and 60 families still need to be 'adopted.' Would you like to sponsor an at-risk or guardian family in Ethiopia? For $40 per month, you can help change the quality of life of a very poor family and also prevent a child from becoming orphaned. We match families in the United States with a family in Ethiopia who has been identified by church leaders there as ‘at-risk’ of collapse or those willing to take in an orphaned child. Read more about our program here or contact us at:

jamie(@adoptionministry.net

Be sure to read Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 of this series!

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EthiopiaSmile

2011-11-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

One of our adopting families, Moody and Emily Alexander, take dental teams to Ethiopia to serve widows and orphans and families in desperate need of dental care. On this latest trip in October 2011, most of their dental supplies and donations were confiscated at the airport. But God provided in miraculous ways so that they could still serve the poor in Addis at Koreh (the community at the city garbage dump) and in Adama.

The work they do is born out of hearts of compassion and obedience. It's sacrificial and, as you will see in these videos, extremely rewarding. Thanks to all of the team members with this ministry for sharing your stories with us!

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Must Reads

2011-11-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

Have I already told you how amazing our YWAM families are? Well, I’m here to tell you again – we couldn’t be more impressed with their maturity, wisdom and honesty. These folks ‘get it’ when it comes to all the issues surrounding adoption. That’s not to say they aren’t learning as they go – just like we all do.

I have appreciated that many are able to share some of these lessons in parenting adopted children on their blogs. Just recently I’ve read two posts in particular that I don’t want you to miss.

Kristen Halvorson and her husband Glen have adopted four children, three of those from Ethiopia through YWAM. They are in the process of adopting another son from Ethiopia. Kristen writes very candidly and there is a tremendous amount of grace and wisdom to be gleaned from her experience. In a recent post titled “Paper Pregnant at 48” she writes about expectations, being in control and how pain can be an effective teacher. Don’t let the title throw you off – this article is for YOU!

Haley Ballast and her husband Jon brought their son Zeke home in 2010. I often refer families to Haley’s blog because she is a gifted writer who has taken the time to share so many of the things she is learning – in a way that is both relatable and helpful. Her post “Feelings and Grace” is about many of the emotions common to adoptive parents after coming home. This is something we don’t often talk about but it must be said – these feelings are common, normal and very real. You’re not a bad parent for feeling them. Sometimes you can deal with them on your own, with your spouse, with other adoptive parents. Sometimes you’ll need professional help. And that is okay.

Please grab a cup of coffee and spend some time reading these two posts and then read all of Kristen and Haley’s posts. You will be helped and encouraged, I promise! Many thanks to these two moms and to all of our families who share real life and God’s amazing grace in adoption.

Kristen's blog: The Halvorson Family
Haley's blog: We're All Yours

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What a great weekend!

2011-11-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

We just returned from our fourth International Adoption Training weekend in Puyallup, Washington. Five couples - from Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington – joined us for a day and a half of intense teaching and discussion. At the conclusion of our training, we had a panel of YWAM adoptive families and their children who shared some of their experience and perspective. We ended in a time of prayer – families who have brought their children home prayed for those who are at the beginning of the process.

Time for fellowship was squeezed in between a very full schedule of input. We did enjoy dinner out together on Friday evening at a local Mexican restaurant.

Anne Kalkbrenner presented the medical portion of our training and she brought her sweet daughter with her to ‘help’ (and to keep us thoroughly entertained). Blin asked each person if they were going to “Opiopia” and handed out tiny bottles of hand sanitizer saying “You need this!”

A highlight for everyone was seeing five children from Ethiopia happily planted into their forever families.

Our prayer is that God will equip these families with all they need for doing His will in raising their families, through the power of Jesus Christ. Heb 13:21

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This weekend - International Adoption Training

2011-11-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Liane Wolbert, Joy Casey and I are looking forward to being with five couples this weekend in Puyallup, WA. to learn about...

Identifying and setting expectations in adoption

Parenting children of a different race and ethnic background

Establishing a network of help and support

Developmental issues

Dealing with grief and loss in adopted children

Making decisions about education and addressing language acquisition

Strategies to enhance attachment and the behaviors related to trauma

Family dynamics and how family frameworks change in adoption

Abuse and sexual issues

Parenting strategies targeting specific behaviors with the goal

of healing and attachment

Medical issues common to many children adopted from Ethiopia

Preparing to come home and cocooning

The (long) adoption process

Travel to Ethiopia

We'll be joined by

Sally Carmen, OTR/L who is an adoptive mom and the director of The Center for Therapeutic Intervention where she works with adoptive families and children with sensory issues.
Anne Kalkbrenner, RN/MN, YWAM adoptive mom and pediatric nurse at the University of Washington.

These training weekends are scheduled approximately three times a year, depending on the number of families in Washington, Oregon and Idaho who are ready to participate. We also have families joining us from across the country.

Be sure to let us know if you'd like to be contacted about our next training: support(at)ywamethiopia(dot)com
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Part of His Masterpiece!

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

We’ve been so blessed by the great folks who travel to Ethiopia on our many mission teams. They give. They serve. They work. They pray. Stephanie Dulin is one of these dear servants who recently returned from a trip with Anthem Church. She painted several murals on the walls of our Widows & Orphans Home in Adama. You’ll see how cheery and colorful they are, while also writing God’s word “on the doorposts!” Stephanie shares a little about her experience here. Thank you Stephanie and Chase!

I went to Ethiopia in October 2011 with Mark Wolbert and a team of 12 other people. My main 'mission' on the trip was to paint a mural at the Widows and Orphans Home in Adama, however, when I met the team and started working with them, I realized that God had a lot more in mind.

Originally I was set to paint for 8 days, but another artist on the team helped me and we finished in just 2 days. Because we got done so fast I was able to spend the rest of the time with the team and experience things that I had not planned.

It was definitely a 'happy snap' for me to be used by God to paint the mural and to be a part of His masterpiece. I painted Noah's Ark and a poem on the walls to share the Bible story with the children. It was so much fun to be able to bless the children with something bright and happy for them to see everyday.

It was also an incredible experience to pray over frail babies, provide shoes to shoeless children, and to show love to people with leprosy. I will carry these memories with me for the rest of my life.

Stephanie Dulin

I hope to get more photos from the Anthem team to share on the blog! (hint hint)

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Seeing the way God sees

2011-11-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

We'll be praying for all those of you who are involved in Orphan Sunday at your churches.

Every time you offer the opportunity for others to be involved in caring for widows and orphans in their distress, you too are bringing hope in Jesus' name.

Be sure to ask us about Adoption Ministry 1:27 - our outreach to prevent children from becoming orphans and to meet the needs of those who are orphaned. There are opportunities to sponsor families who are taking in orphaned and abandoned children. There are ways you can give toward the growing monthly budget for our four orphanages in Ethiopia so that children and widowed women have HOPE.

We can all help one.

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Hope

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

John and Kelly Rosati have a wonderful story to share – a story of hope and conviction about children who are without parents. It’s called “Wait No More – One Family’s Amazing Adoption Journey.” You’ll be inspired by the story of how God brought their family together and challenged by their honest look at the desperate need of children still waiting for families. Here is an interview with the Rosatis…

In recognition of National Adoption Awareness Month, we’re sharing a recent broadcast on Focus on the Family where John and Kelly Rosati share their passion for helping orphans and describe how they adopted their four children from the foster care system. The two broadcasts are linked below.

Bringing New Hope to Kids Part 1

Bringing New Hope to Kids Part 2

November - National Adoption Awareness Month

2011-11-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Did you know this is National Adoption Awareness month? Here's a little history...

The first major effort to promote awareness of the need for adoptive families for children in the foster care system occurred in Massachusetts. In 1976, then-Governor Mike Dukakis proclaimed Adoption Week and the idea grew in popularity and spread throughout the nation. President Gerald Ford made the first National Adoption Week proclamation, and in 1990, the week was expanded to a month due to the number of states participating and the number of events.

During the month, states, communities, public and private organizations, businesses, families, and individuals celebrate adoption as a positive way to build families. Across the nation, activities and observances such as recognition dinners, public awareness and recruitment campaigns, and special events spotlight the needs of children who need permanent families. It also includes National Adoption Day, traditionally a Saturday, which is observed in courthouses across the nation as thousands of adoptions are finalized simultaneously.
from Adoption.com

Here is a link to a calendar with lots of activities for families and individuals interested in celebrating adoption: Adoption Awareness Calendar 2011

National Adoption Day will be celebrated this year on November 19. Be sure to check to see about local events in your area.

National Adoption Awareness Month can be made meaningful and effective in promoting adoption in many ways, including

support for adoption ministries and foundations
contributing financially to help families who are adopting
letters to the editor of your local newspaper about a positive adoption issue
blog and Facebook posts that highlight the blessing of adoption
honor your child's birthparent in a meaningful way
encourage your library to do an adoption display and share adoption-related materials
more ideas found here

Heart for Adoption video

2011-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Another great video shown at Together for Adoption...

The Miller family's adoption story - Heart for Adoption

Our Adoption Story video

2011-10-28T17:56:00.000-07:00

A video shown at Together for Adoption last weekend...

This is the story of how God is working in the Stewart family's adoption journey.

Defending the cause of the fatherless

2011-10-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday, November 6 2011 is Orphan Sunday.

“Orphan Sunday is your opportunity to rouse church, community and friends to God’s call to care for the orphan.”

In the comments below, please share what’s happening at your church on Nov. 6th for Orphan Sunday.

Below are several thought-provoking and convicting articles well worth your time and consideration.

Small Churches Doing Orphan Care

“In larger churches orphan care can simply become one ministry among many, many others. But in smaller churches orphan care is much more easily seen as an essential part of who they are and what they do. It's not as easily obscured by a forest of other ministries. As a result, smaller churches have the opportunity to lead the way by more visibly demonstrating that orphan care is not a missional add-on.”

The Prodigal’s Suspicion and the Global Orphan Crisis

“There are a number of challenges within the evangelical church that would be greatly helped if our churches recovered afresh the beautiful truth of our adoption in Christ.”

A Night on the Streets of Addis Ababa

“Last night Yabi and I spent the night sleeping on the street here in Addis Ababa, we have been talking about the life that many of the kids who are going to be coming into our orphanage came from and it became clear that neither of us really fully understand what its like to live as a homeless person in this city. We felt that the only way we would be able to even begin to grasp what it is like is if we were to go and get down in the dirt with them for a night.”

A great weekend at T4A!

2011-10-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

How to recap an amazing weekend spent at Together for Adoption? Well, it won’t be with amazing photos because almost all of mine are blurry - wrong camera setting?? Sorry about these!

Liane, Miles, Debi and I flew to Phoenix on last Thursday. We left changing leaves and brisk air for desert cactus and temps in the 90’s. It really felt like we had landed in a foreign land! But we soon joined hundreds of other ministry-minded folks who love adoption and are passionate about orphan care around the world.

We got our exhibit set up that afternoon and met our partners at Into the Streets of Ethiopia, Tulio and Kara Portilla, who were also setting up a display table where they sold lots of jewelry, t-shirts and scarves with the proceeds going toward formula for the babies in our orphanages.

Bright and early on Friday morning we began meeting so many people – some who are also ministering in Ethiopia, some who work in other countries and many who are or have adopted internationally or through the foster-care system. I even met a woman who told me she was born in Dembidollo (a town in western Ethiopia near the Sudanese border where YWAM has an orphanage)! Her parents were missionaries in Ethiopia and she spent most of her young life there. Another young Ethiopian man working with Food for the Hungry told me his father lives in Dembidollo. A small world indeed!

We heard really insightful messages in the general sessions. The main thing I came away with from these times was that God’s incredible grace has been given to us for the purpose of extending it lavishly to others. There is no patting ourselves on the back for this obedience – any trace of self or ‘works’ in our motivation must be dealt with. It’s all His work – the resources, the strength to obey, the motivation and the glory.

Becky and Kristen Tober-Halvorson

We had the opportunity to meet face to face for the first time with several of our YWAM families who live in Arizona – what a blessing that was for me! (Hi Dane and Lori, Ryan and Tracy, Dawn and Kristen!) I talk to our families from all over the United States on the phone and via email but believe me when I say it’s a treat to give a hug in person! A few even brought their kids adopted from Ethiopia. To see those little faces in 3D was amazing. Thanks to all of you who visited us!

We're heading to the desert...

2011-10-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Becky, Liane, Miles and Debi are heading to Phoenix to take part in the

Together for Adoption Conference 2011

We are SO excited!

Be sure to stop by and say hello if you're there!

Resources on the Web

2011-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Travel and Transition in Adoption

@Center for Adoption Medicine

Travelling half-way around the world with a shell-shocked child who's rarely been outside of the orphanage, let alone the country, is understandably a source of anxiety for most adoptive parents; it ranks high up on the top 10 list of things to obsess about while waiting.

Adoption Nutrition

@Spoon Foundation
"The go-to nutrition & feeding resource for adoptive & foster families"

The Battle for Bonding

@sharidragovich
What if it’s a battle–this struggle to bond fully with my adoptive children? Two years after bringing them home from Ethiopia, mournful thoughts of pre-five children still attack my mind. A moment of all is well, followed by hot flashes of frustration and questioning.

Post Adoption Depression

@RainbowKids
There is a crisis of epidemic proportion within the International Adoption Community. It has the potential to compromise the health and well-being of many adoptive families. It affects over 65 percent of adopting mothers according to a recent survey... The public and medical attitudes toward Post Partum Depression are a far cry from the silence and secrecy that surround a much more pervasive problem - Post Adoption Depression Syndrome (PADS).

Understanding Sensory Processing and Difficult Behaviors

@Tapestry.org
Sensory processing issues often play a significant role in some of the challenges that adoptive and foster families face. And yet, parents are often completely unaware that sensory processing is in fact the issue.

Confessions

2011-10-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

Today I want to share an excellent article written by Michael Monroe for Empowered to Connect. Michael is an adoptive dad who, with his wife Amy, leads the Tapestry Adoption and Foster Care Ministry at Irving Bible Church.

I want to be a good father. I even like to think I work pretty hard at it – certainly much harder than I ever imagined I would. But despite my best intentions and in spite of all of my efforts, I am still a pretty sorry father at times. Sorry as in bad, rotten and no good. I can think of some other ways to say it, but I think you get the picture...

Click here to read the rest of the article Confessions of a Sorry Father.

Together for Adoption Conference 2011

2011-10-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

"To live missionally means that the Gospel is increasingly moving and empowering us to care for those who live on the razor-sharp edge of our world’s brokenness."

From the Together for Adoption website:

Join us October 21-22 in Phoenix for Together for Adoption Conference 2011. Over 1,200 people will gather together at Redemption Church to explore the theme Missional Living, the Gospel and Orphan Care. One of our primary objectives for this year’s conference is to create a forum to consider the good news of the Gospel, explore its implications for how we think about and implement orphan care strategies, and discuss how we can move toward greater collaboration as the people of God for the sake of orphans worldwide.

Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia will be there, sharing about our Adoption Ministry 1:27 program. Our partners at Into the Streets of Ethiopia will also be there. If you come, be sure to stop by our exhibitors table and say hello!

Let's Make A Deal

2011-10-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

One of our wonderful adoptive dads, Brandon Monahan, told us a story that's just too good not to share with you. I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of so many people!

Kassandra and her husband have been facilitating a Dave Ramsey Financial Peace class. Because they were in a leadership role, they felt they should carefully follow the guidelines suggested in the class. One of the foundational steps is to pay for your purchases with cash, using an envelope system to divide it into spending categories. Kassandra was a little nervous about carrying cash but did it anyway.

One night when they were out to dinner, she accidentally left her purse at the restaurant - with $800 cash in an envelope inside. By the time she realized what she'd done, the restaurant was closed.

After what I'm assuming was a fitful sleep, she got up at 4:00 am and traveled 45 minutes to the restaurant. I imagine prayers were being said during that whole drive! The purse was there, all right, but the cash was gone.

Kassandra was understandably upset but she went to God with her feelings and, although she said she knows you shouldn't make deals with God, told Him that if He brought back the $800, she would give it to help provide formula for orphaned babies (which she'd heard about through the Clothing is Optional - Formula is Life program via Heritage House). And God decided to take her up on her offer! The money was found.

Kassandra called Brandon who works for Heritage House, to help her place an order for 10 cases of Parent's Choice milk-based formula. Heritage House has helped raise money for formula for YWAM's four orphanages in Ethiopia. The formula will be taken to Ethiopia with one of our families hoping to travel soon for their Embassy appointment.

Here it is, all ready to go!

We're so grateful for the giving hearts of God's people. Thank you Kassandra!!

Linking You Up

2011-09-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Two Months: This Just Got Real
@My Outside Voice

The last 60 days can be measured more accurately by emotion than by time.

After The Airport

@Jen Hatmaker

After an arduous adoption journey, our kids were safe in our arms, tucked into their bunk beds their dad built with his own two hands, surrounded by the dearest, most sincere community we have ever known. God delivered them from poverty and abandonment back into a family, no longer alone in this big world; now wanted and loved and welcomed with great fervor.

The end.

Not.

5 Things You Need To Know If Your Kids Are Adopting
@Grandparents.com

Five important things every new adoptive grandparent needs to know.

Medical Issues Common to Ethiopia Adoptees

@Orphan Doctor

Information compiled from parent experiences and from various websites to provide general descriptions of various medical issues common to children coming to the U.S. from Ethiopia.

Signs of Healthy Attachment

@A4everFamily.org

Even children who are experiencing attachment strain may have some of these signs of healthy attachment. Knowledge of positive attachment will help parents build on the areas that are strengths, but should not be used to ignore indications—even mild ones--that a baby/child is experiencing difficulty.

It Takes A Team

@Empowered to Connect

Since adopting our children, our world has expanded to include many others who have become very important in our journey and in our lives.

Created for Relationship

2011-09-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

I've asked another of our wonderful YWAM moms to be our guest blogger today. Jennifer and her husband John adopted Sena and brought her home in February of this year. Jennifer just returned from a conference put on my our friends at Empowered to Connect and does an excellent job in this post of sharing some of what she gleaned. Jennifer's blog is 7,739 Miles Away. Thanks Jennifer!

Dr. Karyn Purvis is known to many in the adoption community as the author of The Connected Child - a book that every adoptive parent should consider reading before and after they bring their child home. She is the director of the Texas Christian University Institute of Child Development and is a gifted teacher. I had the opportunity to attend the Empowered to Connect conference in Nashville featuring Dr. Purvis this past weekend and I came away from it with knowledge and tools to help me be a more effective parent not only to the daughter who came to us through adoption, but also to the sons who were born to us.

The principles that Dr. Purvis teaches are based on the premise that we were created for relationship. Deep within each person is a desire for connection with others and the connection between parent and child is one of the most important. In children from "hard places," that connection is compromised usually as a result of abuse, neglect, or trauma. It can then be very difficult for these children to develop secure attachments with subsequent caregivers.

Those of us who have welcomed a child into our family through adoption have the responsibility of helping that child heal from emotional wounds that can run very deep. That can seem like such a heavy burden, but there is comfort in knowing that the very One who created our complex minds, bodies, and souls, and who knows us and our children from the inside out, is right here with us on this journey. He has entrusted these children to us so that we can be agents of change in their lives.

I often think about how it must grieve the heart of God to see His children suffering at the hands of those who should be protecting them. Conversely, I know that He is pleased when His people step up and say, "I will do it. I will open my heart and my family to a child in need." Isn't it just like God, then, to throw us a lifeline and give us some tools we will need for such a big undertaking?

It would be impossible for me to give an adequate summary of the weekend, but here are some of the key points that I learned:

1. Children need to have a voice. They need to know that they are heard and that they are precious. In a newborn baby, a healthy cycle of attachment is formed when the parents consistently answer the cries of the baby and meet whatever need that child has. In doing so, a foundation for healthy interactions and the ability to resolve conflict later on without aggression develops. For the first months of a child's life (in a loving environment), they receive "yeses" consistently from us. Yes, I will feed you. Yes, I will change you. Yes, I will hold you....

2. We should practice "Investment Parenting." When we bring an adopted child into our home, we should strive to give them as many "yeses" as we can because they are the building blocks of trust. With a newborn, we expect that we will be inconvenienced. We will lose sleep. Our meals might grow cold while we tend to our baby. We instinctively and continually give of ourselves to meet that child's needs. We shouldn't expect it to be any different with an adopted child - whether they are 7 months or 7 years old. They need us every bit as much as (or more than) that newborn baby did. Dr. Purvis suggests that for every year that a child spent outside the comfort of a loving family, approximately one month of very intentional parenting/mentoring is necessary to help bring healing to that child.

3. We need to be fully emotionally available to our children. In order to do that, we need to examine our pasts and consider how the experiences in our own upbringing may be impacting how we parent our children. We need to resolve our own issues before we can hope to bring resolution to our children. According to Dr. Purvis, "You cannot lead a child to a place of healing if you do not know the way yourself."

4. The IDEAL response. Dr. Purvis emphasized the importance of teaching our children how to resolve conflict using respectful words, logic, reasoning, and the sharing of power. The goal is mentoring, not dominating, to bring resolution. In addressing misbehavior, we can keep these in mind:

I: Immediate - within three seconds

D: Direct - proximity and eye contact
E: Efficient - a measured response (not a lecture)
A: Action-based - give opportunity for a re-do
L: Leveled - at the behavior and not at the child

Ultimately, we want to help our children make good decisions by practicing under our guidance. This requires us to be very intentional and consistent. Children from hard places are much more apt to respond to a "coach" rather than a "warden."

5. We need to make our churches a safe place for adoptive and foster families. The church is embracing adoption like never before, but along with that comes a tremendous need for support. Families cannot do this alone. Too often, a family who is struggling keeps quiet because it is hard to admit that the thing they willingly signed on for has gone south. As adoptive families, we need to be there for each other with no judgment. It can be a hard road - it shouldn't be a lonely one.

There is so much more material that was covered in the course of the weekend. I highly recommend checking out the Empowered to Connect website at http://www.empoweredtoconnect.org/. There are many helpful resources available there. If you ever have the opportunity to attend an ETC conference, it would be an extremely worthwhile investment in your family. The stakes are high and I am thankful to have resources and research that weren't available even ten years ago to help us as we endeavor to be the very best parents we can be to the children God has given to us.

Waiting

2011-09-20T19:19:00.000-07:00

If you are home with your adopted child, it doesn't take much effort to remember how difficult the waiting time can be before you board that plane to finally bring them home! Or perhaps you are right in the midst of that looooong waiting period.

Waiting for references.

Waiting for fingerprints.
Waiting for approval forms.
Waiting for court dates.
Waiting for paperwork.

Waiting for travel.

Our prayer for our YWAM families is a promise from Isaiah that almost seems impossible...

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength
They will mount up with wings like eagles
They will run and not get tired
They will walk and not become weary
Isaiah 40:31

Is it possible that we can actually gain strength while doing something as difficult as waiting?

While it's not the way most of us would choose to put on some spiritual muscle, the answer is YES - if we wait the right way.

Waiting in faith - trusting that God knows the right time for everything

Waiting in hope - knowing our faithful God is the One who controls every circumstance

Waiting in peace - surrendered to God's plan, God's way and God's timing

Isn't it hard to be "out of control" when something means so much to us? For me, that's what waiting on God centers on. And I'm convinced He knows that's something we need to learn.

Let's share a favorite verse that has been particularly meaningful to you during your waiting time. Leave a comment below, printing out the verse and the reference so we have a whole list of encouraging truths to read out loud, pray and believe!

Needing Each Other

2011-09-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today we have a guest post! I've asked Haley Ballast, one of our YWAM adoptive moms, if she would share about the adoptive mom support group she facilitates in the greater Seattle/Tacoma area. Haley and her husband Jon adopted Zeke and brought him home in February of this year. Her blog is We're All Yours - be sure to take some time to read all of Haley's posts!

Typically when I have experienced the Holy Spirit putting words in my mouth it has been during challenging situations, like sharing my faith with a non-believer, or helping a friend through a crisis. This time, however, it came right out of the blue: "I think I want to start a support group for YWAM Ethiopia moms," I heard myself say to Becky.

We were chatting above the cacophony while dozens of children enjoyed the Tacoma Children's Museum at a YWAM fellowship gathering last May. After the words left my mouth I immediately felt silly for saying them.

Who was I to do this?

Why didn't I think before I opened my mouth?

God has so much more work to do in me, but one thing I have managed to learn is that it's no good arguing with the Holy Spirit. On the way home that night half of me was giddy with excitement and the other half was secretly hoping Becky would forget our conversation.

No such luck on the latter -- by the next day Becky had already emailed all the YWAM Ethiopia moms in the area and told them about the group, listing me as the leader! As emails started coming in from other moms excited to meet together, willing to help, and wanting to participate, my anxiety faded. God was in this, and I was along for the ride.

A few of the local YWAM adoptive moms

(They promised more photos to come!)

Our group has been meeting monthly since June and I cannot begin to describe how much it has blessed me already. The Holy Spirit put the words in my mouth to get things started, but His work didn't stop there. As we have met together He has been faithful to bless, grow, teach, encourage, and comfort us through one another, through prayer, and through His presence with us.

If you are a YWAM mom in the greater Seattle / Tacoma area, we would love to have you join us at our next meeting! We meet the 2nd Friday evening of the month - contact me for more details (go to Haley's blog and leave a comment). If you are outside the area, maybe its time to get a group started where you live! Here are a few suggestions to get things rolling:

*Pray! Prayer is always a good place to start. :)

*Start connecting with other adoptive moms in your area through social media -- blogs and facebook are a great way to make initial connections. Search for a facebook group for adoptive moms in your area, or start one of your own if there isn't one yet.

*Decide what your focus will be for the group (fellowship, education, topical discussions, prayer, etc), and arrange the format of your time together accordingly. For example, our group is focused on building relationships and prayer, so we spend time connecting and sharing with each other and then praying together. A group focused on education might want to bring in guest speakers, read books together, or watch teaching videos. Of course your focus can change over time, or you can mix things up from time to time, but I think it helps members know what to expect if the focus is clearly communicated from the beginning.

*Be open and flexible with the group -- if there aren't very many Ethiopian adoptive families in your area, think about widening the scope to international adoptive families, transracial adoptive families, etc.

*Don't let insecurities stop you -- this is about providing space for God to work through community, not about having all the answers. If you (like me) are not a long-time veteran adoptive parent with lots of experience, that's OK! You can probably still write emails, make snacks, rearrange your living room furniture into a circle, and pray for God to work, right? Yes? Then you can do this! Go for it.

We were simply not made to do this alone - adoption, parenting, life - all of it was meant to be experienced in community. My prayer today is that God will draw us to one another as we follow Him down this crazy amazing adventure of adoption and the even crazier and more amazing adventure of adoptive parenting!

Counting the Cost of Adoption

2011-09-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

from our friends at Empowered to Connect

"The adoption and foster care journey is filled with joy, blessings and beauty. But it is a journey also marked by loss, pain and challenges of various kinds. As a result, parents must be mindful to ‘count the cost’ of traveling this journey. Watch as Dr. Karyn Purvis encourages parents to ‘count the cost’ as they engage the adoption and foster care journey in a way that leads to true hope and healing."

Counting the Cost of the Journey from Tapestry on Vimeo.

To our mission teams...

2011-09-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Bonney Lake, WA

University of Kentucky

Virginia Beach, VA

Tennessee, Florida and Washington

Nova Scotia, Canada

Puyallup, WA

"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement because you brother/sister, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."

Philemon 4-7

Wow! How could we have expressed what is in our hearts any better than this? This is truly our prayer for all of the individuals who have partnered with Adoption Ministry in Ethiopia during this past mission season.

We have witnessed your service and love to the poor, marginalized and afflicted. You have fed the hungry, poured out your lives, extended your hands, hugged and kissed the lonely and sick a million times. You have carried your tired and exhausted bodies into vans for long rides down donkey and goat laden rodes. You have sacrificed creature comforts and familiar foods and when your physical bodies were affected, you have pressed through.

You have respected and honored the customs and culture of a precious people. You have obeyed the call to "Go." You have been a vessel of the Holy Spirit and of God's love lived out to orphans, widows, men, women and children in Ethiopia. You have refreshed the hearts of the saints!

How is it that so many of you tell us, "I would go back tomorrow!" as you're leaving Ethiopia? Why do we spend inordinate amounts of money, have garage sales, car washes and bake sales to fly to the other side of the planet to live for a while in these conditions and then ask for more? It must be the deep sense of contentment, happiness and fulfillment we come home with. It is losing our lives and finding our lives. "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it." Matthew 16:25

Is that the "full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ?" Is it the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit which encourages and helps us to become servants and not think so highly of ourselves? (Philippians 2) Is it standing in proxy of Christ Himself to feed, comfort and love His children as He would do? Is it seeing the grace, acceptance, faithfulness and kindness of God so visibly in our serving that we understand our own lowly position and desperate need of that same grace?

Paul's exhortation to "BE ACTIVE in sharing your faith" appears to be the key to our "understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Our hope and prayer is that the Holy Spirit will continue to increase your understanding, even now that you've returned home.

We love you all and cherish the time that we were privileged to spend together.

Mark and Liane Wolbert

Bringing Good News

2011-08-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

There have been five Adoption Ministry of YWAM mission trips to Ethiopia so far this year. Mark Wolbert, our Missions Director, along with his wife Liane, have served as leaders, preparing and organizing teams to serve in many different cities, villages and outreaches. They have shepherd's hearts and have worked really hard to provide these teams with opportunities to minister and to catch God's heart for the poor, the widowed and the orphan.

We tease Mark about having dual citizenship, as he's been in Ethiopia in April, May, June, July and August of this year, with two more trips ahead! Liane also gets an award for letting him go!

The team from Puyallup's Lighthouse Church is on their way home now and Mark is heading home in a few days . I wanted to share part of an email Mark sent me today because it describes the caliber of people who go on these mission trips...

This was such a great group of people. They had a lot of hardships but never expressed a word of discontent or tried to shirk their duties. Some hotels had no water or sheets, some had cockroaches 2-3 inches long. Never a complaint. They took every difficulty in stride. They had happy hearts and were willing to dive into any and every task they were asked to do. Simply good, hard-working soldiers doing great work for the Lord. I am deeply impressed. I sure hope they return again. They were loved by everyone who met them!

Your prayers for these teams are so important and greatly appreciated. These team members are just like you and I - regular folks with the same fears and insecurities about living and working in a third world culture that you might have. But they are so blessed to discover first-hand how faithful God is. There is nothing like taking that step of faith and going where He leads - He opens your eyes to His heart for the poor and needy and you are never the same again.

Consider going.

Consider supporting our missions program and our director.

Consider being the hands and feet that bring Good News!

For more information about Missions, please contact us at:

support(at)ywamethiopia(dot)com

*We hope to share some photos from these latest trips here very soon!

From Abortion to Adoption

2011-08-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

by Joy Casey

A missions team from Virginia Beach planned on doing a lot of repair work in the Widows and Orphans Home in Gimbie located about twelve hours west of Addis Ababa. There was much to do there and the team was ready with hammer, drill and paint to bring the facility up to snuff. Real estate in Gimbie is at a premium. Most places don’t have good running water and if you are lucky enough to have electricity to your building, it is one small line, enough to light one light bulb in the ceiling. In this orphanage, the electrical system would not support a refrigerator or water cooler and we learned the hard way not to plug in a computer.

Unexpectedly, a compound more centrally located in the town and closer to the doctor’s office and hospital became available for rent. It was spacious and had better electricity and the plumbing worked! Halleluiah! Plans for the old facility were put on hold and the team turned their attention to this new place.

When they walked in, they gasped with shock. This recently vacated clinic was gruesome. There was blood spattered on the walls and pooled on the floor. Buckets were left standing with tissue and blood still in them and death permeated the atmosphere. As the team wandered in shock from room to room, they knew that something terrible had been going on in these rooms. Their worst fears were confirmed. This space recently had been an abortion clinic where hundreds of lives were forcefully taken and carelessly discarded.

Several of the women started weeping as the reality of the violent deaths settled like a heavy weight on their spirits. They could no longer remain within those walls and regrouped outside to pray and discuss what they should do. With the large quantities of blood, no gloves and needles lying around, it was dangerous for them to attempt clean-up. They left shaking their heads and wondering if renting this facility was a good decision or not.

A month later, after hours of back-breaking cleaning and painting and a new floor installed, the rooms were spic and span and ready for occupancy. It would be so nice to have plumbing that worked and reliable electricity! But before we would allow one baby or nanny to step foot in this former clinic, three pastors came and prayed over every inch of this new space and dedicated the former tomb to be a beacon of hope and life for children.

The next day, twelve little people, many of them saved from abortion themselves, moved into their new home. Every morning and every evening at shift change, the nannies gather and sing praises to their Lord and pray for the children in their care.

Our hearts break for the young women who face an unplanned pregnancy in Ethiopia. The social pressure is immense and comes with severe consequences in most cases. Their options are limited. If a single gal has a child and is not married, she most likely will never marry because a man will not consider her or her child worthy. If a woman should find someone to marry, most times her new husband will not accept her child and she has to make other arrangements for her offspring. It is no surprise that abortion seems like the only way out to many women.

Living Hope Maternity Home and pregnancy counseling center was opened last year in Adama, Ethiopia. It is the only one of its kind in Ethiopia and offers security and shelter to pregnant unmarried women. Here the women are loved and discipled, given healthy food and a safe delivery. They can come back with their babies and live until they have earned enough to live on their own and support their little one. Jewelry-making and sewing are taught and the items are sold here in America. 60% of the proceeds go into a savings account for the women and 40% goes toward the support of Living Hope – Ethiopia. Hats off to the visionaries who have pioneered this good work in Ethiopia! We cannot just say abortion is wrong; we must provide alternatives for these desperate women and give them and their babies a hope and a future.

The Widows and Orphans Home in Gimbie is a visual of how God can take death and turn it into life. Living Hope is another example of turning a despairing circumstance for a young woman into a life full of His love, forgiveness and courage to face the future.

Water!

2011-08-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 …. yep, they are all there. The Schmiesing kids get a small allowance for doing chores and from an early age have learned to tithe on money they get. Last year the older children got ahold of an Adoption Ministry gift catalog and decided to pool their tithe money to buy something for the people in Ethiopia.

Periodically they would take the saved money out of the oatmeal box bank, count it and look over the gift catalog only to decide they needed more savings. Finally, after more than a year of saving, the day came when they had $100 and knew it was time to make a selection. Should it be balls? Kids need to play, for heavens sakes. But wait... they need shoes, too. Clare thought that maybe goats would be nice, but the older boys overrode her in favor of the balls.

One night at dinner they were again discussing what they should buy with their hard-earned money and Abe, the Schmiesing’s 7-year-old son adopted from Ethiopia who up to now had not expressed an opinion, said emphatically, “Water! They don’t need balls, shoes, clothes or goats; the people in Ethiopia need water!”

For the first time in the 17 months Abe has been home, he started recalling events from his life in Ethiopia and sharing with his new family the hardships endured and the bleak survival mode of his Ethiopian family. Everyone stopped eating and allowed Abe to spill out memories of his young years - sleeping on a dirt floor with no pillow, not having plentiful water or enough to eat. He recalled some fun times, too, with an older brother or uncle whose name he could not remember. When he finished, he simply said, “They need water.”

The next day, the oldest child, Jacob, called Adoption Ministry’s office and proudly and confidently said he would like to order a bio sand filter from our gift catalog, please.

Thank you
Jacob, Clare, Max,
Jude, Abe, Maggie and Tim!

Our new 2012 Gift Catalog is coming out very soon! It's a great way for you to give a gift that keeps on giving!!

Hope for Orphans Institute

2011-08-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

from Hope for Orphans...

Introducing the Hope For Orphans Institute

A crisis is brewing in the adoption movement. As more and more families adopt, the number of adoptive families struggling with a special needs, older child or at risk adoption continues to rise. In fact, at Hope for Orphans, we have been seeing the impact of these struggles – maxed out stress levels, families, marriages, & kids in crisis and adoption disruptions increasing at concerning levels.

In light of this, on September 16 & 17 at the Hope Center in Plano, Texas we will be hosting the first HFO Institute. This two- day conference will tackle these issues head on with eight of the leading experts in the US.

Orphan Ministry leaders will learn about tools, resources, and skills that will help them implement a plan for their church. Professionals will learn skill sets they can use, but more importantly how they can partner with the local church. Licensed Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors can earn credit for Continuing Education Units (CEU).

Now is the time for the Church to have a vision for serving the families of special needs and at-risk children and addressing the issue of adoption disruptions. We hope this event will be a catalyst for mobilizing the church to respond. For more information, go to hfoinstitute.org

Unimaginable

2011-08-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Thursday... It was a long day. It was a good day ...no, it was an incredible day!

The Woman’s Touch mission team deposited much more than new clothes and food to twelve women in a remote village in Ethiopia. They gathered the wives and children of the twelve evangelists in this village who have dedicated their lives for the past eight years to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ through friendship evangelism and practical helps. Their wives work tirelessly gathering water and wood, tending a small garden, raising children and making sure there is something in the pot for their families to eat. They live as their neighbors do... in mud and straw houses, cook outdoors, their children have few clothes and fewer shoes and food is scarce. The wives were amazed that ladies from America would want to meet them and wondered what they could possibly want with them.

This team of ten women wanted nothing more than to share Jesus’ love with these hard working, seldom recognized women and unfolded several ways in which to show Christ’s love to the women and children gathered. When bowls of water, soap and towels were produced and the American women knelt down and picked up hardened, dust caked feet and began to wash them, the Ethiopian women pulled away saying, “No, no! You must not do that. We are not worthy. We must wash your feet!”

Gently but persistently, the American women indicated that they were following Jesus’ example and it was their privilege to kneel before these courageous women and wash their feet. As they washed, another team member prayed for them with the interpreter telling each woman the blessing being bestowed. Tears erupted from each woman and, many times bent over double sobbing, the women heard and felt God’s love for them and began to understand that God held them in the highest esteem.

It was almost overwhelming for them to take in... but as the sweet aroma of lotion was massaged into the cracked, rough feet and the Holy Spirit began comforting their parched spirits, each woman looked up with renewed hope and beautiful smiles glimmered through the tears and the American women were rewarded with grateful hugs and kisses.

Liane Wolbert, the team leader, arranged for a full meal to be cooked so the American and Ethiopia women and children could share food together. What a feast! Injera, wat, vegetables and fruit were in abundance and all had their fill.

In normal times it would be an incredible experience for these women to have someone serve them food they did not prepare and to have delicacies so plentiful, but two weeks ago their village was hit by a terrible storm and most of the crops were damaged and houses were destroyed. They are facing the potential of famine not only this year but in the future if crops cannot rejuvenate from the torrential rains and tornado velocity winds. So understand their wonder at sitting on the grass for the first time with white people, sharing delicious food, and laughing in the afterglow of an intensely spiritual time. This day filled with blessing and love was something that not one of the women would have ever dreamed possible.

In preparation for their time in Ethiopia, the Women’s Touch team gathered skirts and shirts to give to the ladies they would have the privilege of meeting and touching with Christ’s love. After tummies were full, the team joyfully gave each wife a new skirt and shirt …. a luxury unimaginable to these humble village women.

For months the Women’s Touch team saved money, had fundraisers, gathered skirts, shirts and VBS supplies and planned how to bring hope and laughter into the lives of women and children in Ethiopia. They had little inkling how powerfully the Holy Spirit would use their willing hands and hearts to impact lives.

Are these women super Christians? Are they more spiritual than most? No, the difference between them and those reading this is simply that they said, “Yes, I will go.” God only asks for us to respond to His call. He will do the rest.

Under the 'worship tree'

The Woman's Touch team leaves Ethiopia today with wonderful memories of the many places they got to serve together and with many Ethiopian women in an unforgettable place in their hearts.

Post Script …..

Nine of the twelve evangelists are sponsored by families here in the U.S. This is the only source of income they have, and their lives and the lives of their families are examples of extreme dedication to furthering the Lord’s work in this village. We need three more sponsors at $50 a month so all twelve can have income. 100% of the money goes to the evangelist. Will you say, “Yes, I will do it,” and allow your finances to supply basic necessities for these steadfast disciples?

Linking You Up

2011-08-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Defining "Care"

@Show Hope

I think James 1:27 scares people... Through this verse, God directs us as believers to care for widows and orphans. I have commented many times that this verse is wonderfully vague as it doesn’t tell us

as Christians exactly what to do.

The Puzzle I Love

@Shaun Groves.com

Our case worker prepared us well for international adoption. The classes we were required to take have been incredibly helpful, reassuring – we’re not the only ones who’ve ever parented a puzzle. He is a puzzle. Emotion, cognition, body, attachment – every piece of this child is at a different stage of development.

Seeing Beyond Mad to Sad

@Empowered to Connect

I don’t know about you, but I’m not fond of those moments when my child stomps away in a huff, or crosses her arms as she looks at me. She is mad, and my initial response is to be irritated. As she settles deeper into “mad,” I can feel myself pull away from her. I get short
with her and find I don’t want to look in her eyes.

Practice Practice Practice
@Empowered to Connect
Watch this video clip as Amy Monroe explains the importance of
practice for both parents and children.

Practice is an essential part of life — that is, if improving competence and confidence is our goal. This is no less true for adoptive and foster parents as they begin (and continue) down the path of parenting in a manner consistent with the principles and strategies of The Connected Child.

Cheap Mission Trips
This travel agency offers Missionary and Humanitarian fares if you are traveling for adoption or working with a non-profit or church organization. Check them out!

A Woman's Touch - Days 3 and 4

2011-08-01T09:43:00.000-07:00

Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia has a women's mission team in Ethiopia right now, serving in many places Adoption Ministry does humanitarian work in Ethiopia. The pictures were taken earlier this year.

written by Shelly, Elise, Mallory and Jillian

Saturday (day 3) began with hosting Vacation Bible School at the church in Kore for approximately 350 children. We taught a lesson on the fishes and the loaves in John chapter 6, made bracelets with the children, sang songs, played with bubbles and had snacks.

Afterwards we gathered with the pastor who was beyond grateful for our help and learned more about the church’s organization, ministry, needs and direction. The church leaders joined us for lunch which was a great time of fellowship and a whole lot of fun!!! They loved to share their own life stories and testimonies, were inquisitive about America’s history, culture and religions. They were genuine, attentive, thoughtful, kind and humble. God used the last two days in Kore to forever touch and change our hearts through this community.

Kore church leaders

The rest of the evening consisted of some local shopping, a hilarious episode at a local bakery, dinner at the Catholic Guest House and a team gathering. The best part of the night was Shelly rehearsing the Noah’s Ark puppet show for Sunday morning. We are not sure if it was really that funny or if we were delirious but it was half an hour of laughing until tears. We only wish we had it on video to share with you.

Sunday (Day 4) was another wonderful time in Ethiopia. We drove to a local village where we were blessed with a traditional Ethiopian church service. By traditional we mean… 5 hours and still going when we had to leave for our next stop. Can you imagine??? It was amazing to witness these people walking from afar to worship God together all day long with joyous hearts. They were excited to have us worship with them. They had bottled water, seats next to the preacher near the podium and allowed us to share the puppet show with the congregation (which was a big hit). We had lunch and coffee with the pastor and his wife before we left. The people of Ethiopia have shown us such incredible hospitality and kindness.

After church we returned for one stop in Addis and traveled to the village of T’ede on our way to Adama where we will be serving for the next five days. Our time in T’ede was to give a baby shower for the wife of Pastor Zarahun to celebrate the birth of their daughter. Pastor Zarahun met us on the main road to lead us into his village. We walked through the village to the gate of his home and church. Compared to the previous days of being in the busy city, T’ede was serene, the air was clean and the land was beautiful. Pastor Zarahun is a man of great joy… joy for God, joy for his family, joy for his village and joy for our visit.

Pastor Zerahun

His wife had prepared injera with wat (vegetable stew), a cabbage dish, popcorn, toasted barley, coffee and homemade bread that required a days cooking and had to be at least three feet in diameter. We came to honor and serve and instead we were the ones who were honored and served. Pastor Zarahun and his family generously gave us so much when we they have so little. What a true testament to God’s spirit in His people.

The baby shower was fun. We played a silly game that the ladies really enjoyed. Laughter is universal. We brought gifts for the family and had a wonderful time. We look forward to returning to their church at the end of the week to serve the widows and children of the village.

Pastor Zerahun's wife and children

(she is Tezera and Abonesh's sister!)

From T’ede it was on to Adama where we are excited about the new hotel. We feel spoiled with now having shower doors, toilet seats and a few more feet to roam around in!

Our team has really come together during this journey. We came as nine individual women and we are now sisters. God has shown His love, mercy, protection and provision time and time again throughout this trip. We experience Him personally, as a team and through the people we are meeting every day. We are so excited to continue to share this journey and God’s work with you in the coming days.

A Woman's Touch - Day 2 in Ethiopia

2011-07-31T08:33:00.000-07:00

Adoption Ministry of YWAM Ethiopia has a women's mission team in Ethiopia right now, serving in many places Adoption Ministry does humanitarian work in Ethiopia. The team is sending blog posts as often as they're able. We haven't received any photos yet so these pictures were taken earlier this year at Kore (Kor'-ay). This post was written on Saturday July 30th.

My name is Jillian and I am a team member from Knoxville, Tennessee. We are taking turns each day updating the blog to share part of this incredible journey with you. First of all, please let me say from the deepest part of my heart and the other team members THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS… THEY ARE WORKING!!! We are all here - happy, healthy and having a great time serving our Lord. God is introducing us to His Ethiopian children… our brothers and sisters. We are just wrapping up our second full day in Ethiopia. I am not certain how to adequate describe all that we are doing or seeing as I am not sure I yet can fully understand and comprehend how God is working but I assure you that He is. He is here with us, protecting us, providing for us, guiding us, uniting our team, strengthening our bodies, minds and souls as we go through each day.

By the world’s perspective and understanding, we would have every right to be full of fear. The fear of disease, the fear of the unknown and unfamiliar and even the fear of inadequacy of being able to do enough to love and serve these people well. Yet I look around and I see no fear; I see faith. I see excitement to go and do whatever God places before us in His strength. We all realize this is way beyond ourselves and our own abilities; this has to be God’s show and we are His vessels living in His strength and doing only His will. This morning after breakfast we met for our devotional time (which was an incredible time lead by Elise who is 15 years old and amazing) and during this time we put on the armor of God. We literally stood up and as one read the scripture, we put on the belt of truth, etc. It is beautiful.

After breakfast at the Guest House, our devotional and preparation time, and a wonderful lunch at The Cottege (Ethiopian spelling), we went to Kore. For those who are unfamiliar, Kore is a village built at a landfill by lepers who had been cast out of society.

The village now consists of 120,000 people who live in poverty that is beyond our comprehension. We went there because there is a local church lead by Pastor Noonish that Adoption Ministry has been very involved with and supportive of. It is the kind of church you see on documentaries with one room, minimal walls and shelter and people excited for Christ.

We had told them we would come to minister to the women and it is my understanding the women waited hours for us to arrive. They are so humble, welcoming, appreciative and loving. They are beautiful inside and out.

We washed the feet of the women who were shocked that we would come there to love and serve them. We gave communion and gift bags of shirts, skirts, undergarments, socks and hair bands. You would have thought we had just given them a million dollars. We even had people refuse to accept our love and gifts due to feeling unworthy until we assured them it was our blessing and honor to be there with them. There was not an ounce of feeling that the women in the church were there for the items we could bring, though they were the most appreciative; they were simply honored that we would come share our time with them and travel so far to see them. Liane did a wonderful job speaking to the ladies, making them laugh and creating the common bonds of every woman.

After Kore, we went to another nice dinner with couples from the U.S. who are here visiting their soon-to-be adoptive children. We are now back at the Catholic Guest House visiting with each other, getting much-enjoyed and needed showers, relaxing and heading to sleep soon. We are heading back to Kore tomorrow to lead a vacation bible school for the children who are beautiful, smart, adorable and fun.

I want to take this moment to say a special thank you to the most loving and wonderful friends and family in my own life who continuously pray for me and that have so generously gone above and beyond helping me in my preparations to be here. I love you so, so much.

~Jillian

A Woman's Touch Mission Team

2011-07-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

UP, UP AND AWAY! An excited group of women will be meeting in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, July 27th to fly together to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They have been planning and packing for this trip for months and finally they are off on an adventure of a lifetime. Four of the women are from the Northwest, four of them are from Tennessee and one lives in Florida. Liane Wolbert, our Missions Director’s wife, will be their fearless leader.

Adoption Ministry’s mission in Ethiopia is ministry to very poor children and women, and this Woman’s Touch team will be augmenting that purpose by bringing fun and laughter to many venues. Puppets, songs, crafts and VBS-type evangelism will delight the elderly widows in our care as well as the children. Many times the pastors' and evangelists’ wives are in the background, silently caring for the children and running the home and there is no recognition of their hard work and sacrifice. In one remote village where we are just starting to build a worship center, the wives of the evangelists and their children (no men allowed!) are invited to share a meal with the women’s team. God’s words of encouragement will be shared and each will be the recipient of the team’s "Skirts ‘n Shirts" project. The gals have been saving up hundreds of skirts and shirts to give away.

At the Widows and Orphans Home in Adama, A Woman’s Touch has a grand party planned for all the nannies, cleaners, cooks and washers. These women work tirelessly day after day. The women on this team want to celebrate them and let them know through word and deed how meaningful their service is to the orphans and widows and that they are appreciated. Liane and her crew will make sure there is plenty of food and festivities mixed together with lots of love, laughter and hugs and will bless each worker with a skirt and shirt, also.

People are the focus of this team. Women who serve in the background with little to no recognition will be brought forward and honored and appreciated. Children and widows need to know that they are valued and that God loves them to pieces. Life is hard in Ethiopia, and the enthusiasm and fun these women will bring will lift spirits and rejuvenate hearts. As they pass out food or do a craft, as they hug and pray for a woman, as they laugh with the staff and hold and kiss babies... through their actions, the women and children associated with our ministry in Ethiopia will feel blessed by God Himself.

Please join us in lifting this team up in prayer as they travel and minister to women and children in Jesus' name!

Use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.
Ephesians 4:28 NLT

Street Kids of Addis Ababa

2011-07-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

by Joy Casey
The YWAM base in Addis Ababa cares for children who, through the vagaries of life, have found themselves parentless trying to survive on the streets of the teeming capital city of Ethiopia. Over the past seven years, many children have been rescued from dangerous and abusive situations and given a place where they receive unconditional love and are introduced to the Savior who heals all wounds. The boys live in Joshua’s House and the girls live in Ruth’s House.

Jerusalem has been living at Ruth’s House in Addis Ababa since she was fourteen. She is now a lovely young woman, twenty years old, who has graduated from school and is in training for hotel management. The mom and dad of Ruth’s House will care for her until she finishes school and can find a good job, and then they will help her get settled in a safe place to begin her career.

Raised in a M*sl*m home in the Harar area of Ethiopia, Jerusalem miraculously came to know Jesus as her Savior when she was 11-years-old. When her relatives and village heard of this blasphemy, she withstood several years of intense pressure to deny Jesus and turn back to her old faith. Upon becoming a woman at thirteen, she was given an ultimatum: turn back or leave. She could not deny Jesus, so she had no choice but to leave her family and village.

It was months of walking, begging for food and surviving the threat of snakes and hyenas before this young teen found herself, frightened and alone, among the 3.5 million people in Addis Ababa. Every day she prayed, “Please, Lord, cover me with your wings! Be at my side and protect me!” It wasn’t long before the YWAM street ministry team found her and took her in to live at Ruth’s House.

Small Acts of Kindness

Jerusalem is very involved in her church, leading the youth and worshiping with the choir. She radiates her love of Jesus and old and young are attracted to her. Ruth’s House is in a very impoverished part of Addis Ababa and Jerusalem began to notice a very poor, blind, lady living close by who obviously needed help. Jerusalem started going to her house, washing her dishes, making her tea and cleaning her tiny, dirt-floor room. If she had extra money, she would buy her coffee or vegetables and took it upon herself to check on her daily. The two have become very close with Jerusalem referring to her as “my mother”.

Jerusalem with her pastor

About a month ago, her pastor asked her to share during church about her service to this poor woman and she was amazed when her story ignited many of her peers and other people in her church to want to reach out to the less fortunate. Other young people are now wanting “their own widow” to take care of and Jerusalem is more than happy to introduce them to the many needy people she knows. She has had church people press a few birr into her palm “for your widow,” and Jerusalem faithfully uses every penny to pick up a little something for her. If she has nothing, she will pick a flower beside the road and place it in her hand for her to smell and in this small way express her love. Her “mama” does not rebuke Jerusalem when she shares about Jesus, but simply states that she knows she was sent to her by God.

This gentle, beautiful Ethiopian woman is an example to me and many others. She reminds me that I don’t have to do big things, only small things with great love. Every act of kindness is seen by our Heavenly Father and brings unbelievable joy to His heart.

Consider This

2011-07-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

Preparing Your Kids For Global Missions

@We Are THAT Family

Be sure to read all of Kristen's posts about her family's

trip to Kenya where they started a maternity home.

(Kristen's sister Kara is our ministry partner at

Into the Streets of Ethiopia!)

International Adoption Stats for 2001-2010

@US State Dept

Replacing Dread With Joy This Summer

@Tapestry

"Summer means that my kids and I are together much more, and this serves to remind me that I simply cannot do this on my own. I need help; some days I need a lot of it. So what to do?"

Self-Assessment Adoption Quiz

@Adoption.com

A good pre-adoption check on goals and motivation for adopting.

Also a good mid-stream check as well!

What to do when your baby is anxious

@Owlhaven

Addressing 'neediness' in adopted children

Life or Death

@World Magazine

July 30 cover story on Ethiopian adoption

(CHI and several other agencies just aren't seeing the slow-downs mentioned in this article.)

Family Picnic

2011-07-11T14:55:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day we had yesterday at Bradley Lake Park in Puyallup! Great food, fun games, awesome families - all who have or are adopting through Adoption Ministry either domestically or from Ethiopia.

Many thanks to Shelly Luthi for organizing the picnic and rounding up so many great volunteers!

All afternoon, I looked at the evidence of God's wonderful miracle of adoption and said to Him many times... "You are amazing!"

Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!

Psalm 126:3

And our commission?

Publish His glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.

Psalm 96:3

I Love My Hair

2011-07-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

I had to add this...

Hair Help!

2011-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Caring for your Ethiopian child's hair can seem like a daunting task and I know there is a steep learning curve. But you can do it! And you don't have to know how to braid hair like these photos to keep your child's hair looking healthy and well-cared-for. I have heard more than once from families who have been approached in public about their child's hair - with compliments but also criticism along the lines of "White people can't do black hair" and "That child's hair is nappy!" Hair is very important in black culture so it's worth the time and effort it takes to learn how to take good care of your child's curly locks.

My purpose here is to give a few resources and then have as many people as possible leave comments with what's worked or not worked for you. This isn't intended to be the definitive source of information on black hair care for kids and all links are here for you to check out and decide if there's anything helpful there you can use.

First, a few websites and blogs that offer great advice, product recommendations and tips for styling.

Happy Girl Hair

Hair With Purpose Blog

Kurly T-Spot Blog

Beads, Braids and Beyond Blog

Beautiful African Hair

@Nations Around Our Table blog

Hair Care Videos

(Scroll to bottom of page to section titled 'Keeping It Real'
and click on hair care videos)

Several YWAM families have shared what they've learned about hair care - much of it from personal experience! You have to find what works for your child's hair and your own budget and time schedule. But do take the time to glean as much as you can from as many sources as you can. It's definitely not an area you can just overlook! Click on these links to YWAM family blog posts about hair care:

ReSoNate - Hair 101 and 102

Lessons, Routines and Products

7,739 Miles Away

Products

Six Little Bunkers

Braids Braids Braids!

Okay, now we'll open this up for your suggestions, helpful websites, product reviews, tips and tricks. Please share!

Perspective

2011-07-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

by Becky Burns
My husband takes pictures. He doesn't get paid to take pictures but somehow God is using his photography and videography skills in a whole bunch of different and awesome ways.

The first time I met Jeff, his face was behind a camera. He had just turned 17, he had long hair, converse high-tops, thrift store pants and a fedora (think Indiana Jones before he existed). Back then, he developed his photos at home in his mom's guest bathroom (imagine what it looked like in there) - black and white only. When I went away to college, he would send me 'postcards' which were letters written on the back of one of his black and whites with a stamp up in the corner.

Fast forward 38 years. (What? Wait a minute. We're not even that old!)

The other day he had the opportunity to sit behind a video camera and help to film the founder of a really big and successful sporting goods company tell about how that company got started. This man has it made in the world's eyes. Jeff said it felt pretty amazing to even be in the same room listening to him talk about the beginnings of an empire.

Now go back about four weeks. Jeff was behind the camera again - this time in a little town in Ethiopia just east of the Sudanese border - Dembidollo.

This time he was taking pictures of destitute families for our newest ministry called Adoption Ministry 1:27 (James 1:27 Care for orphans and widows in their distress.). Not one of these families included both a mom and a dad. All had children on the verge of being orphaned or who were at risk.

Their faces spoke volumes.

We hope to match each of these 60 families with a family here in the United States who will sponsor them.

And the great contrast hit me. In the world's economy pyramid, Jeff has photographed those at the very top and those at the absolute bottom. A bazillionaire and those with n-o-t-h-i-n-g.

In God's eyes, they are exactly the same. But He does give us pretty specific instructions on how we're to treat and prioritize people.

Whoever is the least among you is the greatest. Luke 9:48

I tell you the truth - when you did it to one of the least of these you did it to Me. Matt. 25:40

The 'least' are those who have nothing to offer me; nothing to make me feel important or honored. Jesus prioritizes these as the greatest.

And the real proof of my faith in Christ? Serving them. Meeting their needs.

So although it was a thrill to be a part of filming a very wealthy businessman telling how he'd risen to the top (Jeff said he seemed like a nice guy too), the real honor is to try to help the blind mother who is somehow raising her child. Or the desitute widow with four hungry children.

If you would like more information on how you can become an Adoption Ministry 1:27 partner, please go to our website here: Adoption Ministry 1:27

Perhaps you or your small group could provide monthly support for a family in Ethiopia who is willing to become a foster family for orphaned children - it's only $40 per month to help the church in Ethiopia recruit, train and sustain parents within the local church to do this important job.

Or maybe you could commit to $40 per month to help meet the monthly budget to operate one of our four orphanges in Ethiopia. A contribution of any amount would be so gratefully received!

Please email j_wollen(at)hotmail(dot)com for more information or to sponsor a family.

That We Might Be Adopted

Time in Nekemte

Adoption Book Report

From Joy in Addis Ababa

ONE Ordinary Mom

All their bags are packed

Good Links

Berbere!

He Giveth More Grace

Adoptive Moms Supporting Each Other

Forever, Jewel

Links for You

Melkam Genna in Washington!

THANK YOU!!

Much Praise!

Gifts of Clean Water

Some Christmas (and some other)...

Working it out

Meet some pretty awesome kids...

Language Acquisition - Let's Share!

Make It Count!

“I do this every weekend.”

Ordained Praise

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 4

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 3

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 2

Preventing a child from becoming an orphan – Part 1

EthiopiaSmile

Must Reads

What a great weekend!

This weekend - International Adoption Training

Part of His Masterpiece!

Seeing the way God sees

Hope

November - National Adoption Awareness Month

Heart for Adoption video

Our Adoption Story video

Defending the cause of the fatherless

A great weekend at T4A!

We're heading to the desert...

Resources on the Web

Confessions

Together for Adoption Conference 2011

Let's Make A Deal

Linking You Up

Created for Relationship

Waiting

Needing Each Other

Counting the Cost of Adoption

To our mission teams...

Bringing Good News

From Abortion to Adoption

More Great Links

Water!

Hope for Orphans Institute

Unimaginable

Linking You Up

A Woman's Touch - Days 3 and 4

A Woman's Touch - Day 2 in Ethiopia

A Woman's Touch Mission Team

Street Kids of Addis Ababa

Consider This

Family Picnic

I Love My Hair

Hair Help!

Perspective