What I am missing

I miss Ethiopia. I miss the warm sunshine and the smell of frankincense. I miss the sounds of the city and our sweet guides and their smiling faces. I miss the gentle calmness of the Ethiopian people. But most of all I miss a little boy and baby girl that have taken over a part of my heart.

I have a blanket that smells like Sarah Faith and every night I take time to hold it and think of her and it physically hurts to smell that blanket and think of her so far away.

I have looked at the 500+ pictures we took so many times and each time I see Micah's smiling face I count 8 hours ahead and wonder what he is doing and if he is smiling still. Does he understand how we so very much want him home with us? Does he understand why we had to leave and that we will come back. I hope and pray he does. I ache to feel those skinny little arms around my neck again.

I told someone before we left that it was a good thing two of my children were still in the states or I would have sent Greg on back without me. That is still true. If it wasn't for the desperate need to see Nathan and Esther, I would have been happy to just stay on in Ethiopia until Embassy.

Our next court date is one week and two days away. I am praying God will allow us to pass and that we will be able to return soon to bring our children home.

The thing is....I think Ethiopia has already taken a piece of my heart and will keep it, long after all five of my babies are under the same roof.

Why Ethiopia

*There are more than 5 million orphans in Ethiopia.

*One-tenth of Ethiopian orphans will die before their first birthday. One-sixth will die before their 5th birthday.

*Malnutrition is the cause of more than half of all child deaths.

*60-150 million Ethiopian children live on the streets.

*Half of Ethiopian children will never go to school. 88% never attend secondary school.

*Only 24% of households in Ethiopia have access to safe drinking water.

*The average life expectancy for men in Ethiopia is 48; for women it's 50.

*One out of every four women die in childbirth.

*There is only one physician for every 34,988 people.

*In the US there are approximately 65,000 domestic adoptions each year. 14,000 of those are private infant adoptions. Yet in 2009, there were less than 13,000 international adoptions in the US, and less than 2,500 children adopted from Ethiopia.

Ethiopia Donations

This is the video we made for Vacation Bible School at our church. We are collecting donations to take with us when we go to Ethiopia.

* If you click on the middle of the video screen TWICE , it will take you to Youtube and you can watch the full screen video.*

We are so excited to announce some important news! We were just matched with a precious sponsor child in Ethiopia! Her name is Kidist and she is 8 years old..the same as my Esther! We have partnered with Children's Hopechest to help provide this beautiful girl with food, water, access to medical care, education and discipleship.

Children's Hopechest is working with a care-point center in Ethiopia called "Trees of Glory." There are 84 children there currently hoping for a sponsor.... Wait, make that 83 now!! These children are mostly orphans who are living with a family member who can barely provide for them and many of them are severely malnourished and frequently ill.

A sponsorship will help ensure these children access to a better environment, improved health, tutoring, and Bible training. It also allows for the sponsor to communicate one-on-one with the child, offering them encouragement, guidance

, and the love of Christ.

If you have ever thought about sponsoring a child, please let NOW be the time. Your decision to sponsor a child will have a lasting impact on their lives.

You can read more about Trees of Glory and view the pictures of children who still need sponsors by visiting the blog of Karen Wistrom. Go check out her blog HERE

Trees of Glory is a location that Greg and I will be able to visit when we travel to Ethiopia. We will be providing them with donations as well meeting our sponsor child! I am so excited, especially for Abigail to be able to go and spend a day at this

location playing with and ministering to these children.

If you decide to sponsor a child at this location, please let us know as we would be so honored to meet them and take photos for you! Here is a photo of Tigist. Would you please add her to your prayers too?

TOMS Shoes

Please take 3 minutes and watch this YouTube clip about what the people at TOMS Shoes are doing to help the people of Ethiopia and then go to TOMS and buy some super cute shoes that will make a difference.

WATCH HERE

SHOP HERE

It would make a great Valentine's gift (hint hint!)