Look what I found!

There are times when desperation kicks in as we WAIT and WAIT and WAIT some more for any news or progress of our adoption. I came across a group online called "Nurses with a Purpose". A great organization that enables nurses to volunteer in needy areas around the world. One of those areas is Ethiopia! AND at Bethel Orphanage where our girls live!!! I couldn't believe my eyes when I found a journal entry by the woman that started the organization, it gave me so many details of where our girls live, and an inside look into their lives. What a great find. Read for yourself!

***Excerpts from Pat’s Journal from her recent trip to Uganda and
Ethiopia.

...then we went to the orphanage. 21 children between the ages of 4-8. All are orphans of HIV parents who have died. First qualification to get into the orphanage
is that they must have absolutely no living relatives. Second is that they are negative for HIV(70% of the children who are positive, test negative at 18mos)Thirdly, they must be Ethiopian. The orphanage was quite interesting. They have a working farm with 50 dairy cows from which the milk is sold to support the school.
They plant to feed the cows, and use the manure to make natural gas for the kitchens.
The school has one teacher, 5 hours a day, who has no books to teach from. The
children know practically no English. They were well behaved sitting at their desks
but without the teachers or the tools – are falling behind on education. I went today
and bought pencils, books, paper, ABC toys and learn-to-read toys to last them 6-
12 months. ………my day has been so abundantly blessed. I feel so far away from home….I feel so alive here – so purposeful. I can make a difference here – I love this country and the heart of its people……

One of the families with children at Bethel is leaving for Ethiopia on Wednesday. They are in the same boat as us with a long wait, and so decided to go for a visit to meet their children. I was able to talk to her today and she is going to get our girls shoe sizes, and shirt sizes and hopefully get a small glimpse into their personalities. She will be taking a few recent pictures of us to give to the girls. We didn't have time to get a package in the mail to her, but she assures me that they have plenty of fun things for all the kids at Bethel.

We are going to be in prayer for their travel, adventure, first time meeting of their children, and the emotional goodbyes as well.