One year ago today, we landed in Chicago with our daughters after a very long flight from Ethiopia. There was a ton of snow on the ground and the girls had no idea what to think of all the white stuff. Ava touched it and did NOT like it at all. Now she is begging for snow.
I can't believe it's been a year. Some days it feel like just yesterday we walked into our home for the first time as a family of seven. Other days, it seems like years since we were in Ethiopia. I miss it, I miss the people, the food, yes, the food - believe it or not. I miss the feeling of everyone being happy with what they have, even in the face of extreme poverty. The Ethiopian people we encountered were sweet, friendly and happy to be alive. I think everyone should experience a third world country, whether it be Ethiopia or somewhere else. The time spent immersed in the culture has forever change my life and outlook on the world. For the better. It has made me a better person, more forgiving, less judgemental and much more compassionate.
Ava and Eliza's family have given us the biggest blessing and responsibility I can think of. They have asked us to love their daughters as they were our own, to teach them about God, and give them a wonderful life. Something unfortunatly, they were not able to do. I know many people feel it is best for children to remain in the birth family home. And I will agree, in some situations it is better to leave a child with their extended family. But - do to death, disease and unbelievable poverty, sometimes that is just not possible. Many times a birth family has to consider adoption or fear the death of their child. I cannot imagine having to even consider that. Can you imagine? Either I let my child go, or I let my child die? What would you do? It hurts my heart to even think of it.
We had the gift of meeting Ava's Mother and Liza's Father while in Ethiopia. I will NEVER forget that moment I first looked at them. I broke down crying. My heart ached for them. They looked so sad, but yet when we approached they both smiled and give us hugs. Unbelievable. The conversation was very hard going from Wolaita, to Ahmaric to English, but they were able to give us their blessings and asked us to teach the girls about God. That is a promise we will keep. We tried to explain to them that we will love them with all our hearts and we promise to give them the best life we can. I hope they understood. I just kept hugging them. When the girls are a little older I want them to understand how they came to be in our family. I want them to understand that their parents did not "give" them away, they "gave" us a huge blessing. To give your child to someone else to love is one of the biggest sacrifices you can make. It's not that they didn't love the girls. Actually, they loved them so much they were willing to sacrifice their "family" to keep them alive and well. Only Jesus has made a bigger sacrifice. So what does that say about the birth families? Well, it says that they are amazing people and stronger than I could ever be.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27 Defend the cause of the weak and the fatherless; Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Deliver the weak and needy from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:3-4
Job 29:12
for I rescued the poor who cried out for help, and the orphan who had no one to assist him;
John 14:18
“I will not abandon you as orphans, I will come to you.
