Day 5, swimming and sun

The weather here is amazing. It is crisp and cool in the early mornings and late evenings, warm in the middle of the day. If feels like a warm fall day but looks like summer time year around. It really is perfect weather. We spent the day at the Hilton and went swimming. It was the first time swimming for my kids and Guta got in the water and immediately started to dog paddle, very shortly later he was swimming and even racing Derara across the pool! Selamawit did not swim though. I think her modesty won out and she didn’t want to put on her suit. She wagged her finger no at me and said “In Amedica”. I felt sorry for her just sitting there so I took her to the salon to let her get her hair done. She picked a braided do from a poster of braids. It looked lovely. Then, the boys wanted to get there hair done so we took them.
That evening we went to Fasika for traditional dancing and food.

Day 4 spoiled American

Today I had a litany of complaints. The shower wasn’t warm. It also is outside on the balcony. The toilet isn’t flushing and it is dirty. We are all staying in the same room. When I woke up at 2:00 because I couldn’t sleep I had to wait hours for coffee. Even after the cooks were awake the coffee wasn’t ready for an hour. I miss high speed internet. I can access facebook but not my email or my blog. I miss TV. I would love to say I’m so super spiritual that I don’t but I do. I miss my family.
Did I mention I saw a man crawling up the street because he has no feet? Did I mention there are mothers and babies sleeping on the streets with simple shawls as a covering? Did I mention I saw an elderly lady totally naked washing her body in the sewer? Did I mention you can see all the ribs of the dogs and cows and goats that walk these main streets? Did I mention there are 5 million people in this city and 3 million orphaned children in this country? No, I guess I didn’t mention that.
This day has revealed to me how far I have to go. I am ever thankful that he who began a good work in me will carry it out to the day of Christ Jesus. May he protect me from my selfishness.

Day 3, our kids

We arrived at the guest house at 4am. We were greeted by our case manager, Sue, on arrival. She told me “I have a surprise for you.” In my mind I was like “There are more kids. NO couldn’t be…” We walked up the three flights of stairs to our room and out ran our kids! We were expecting to see them later in the day. Selamawit came straight to me and embraced me and bawled. She was crying so hard that I think everyone around us was crying. Guta went straight to Derara and wrapped him up. When they broke their embrace hugs and tears were shared around the room. Than we began the dance of smiles that we are still doing. With no shared language between us we just smile at each other. It’s awkwardly comfortable.
After we’d had a couple of hours of sleep, I joined Sue downstairs and she told us of the things she has learned about our kids. They have a BIG faith. Selamawit wants to be an evangelist. They told her their mother came to Christ a month before she died. We walked to a local restaurant for lunch and coffee/tea. Guta (Manny) has not let go of Derara for more that a minute or two! Everywhere we walk he has his arm around him or is holding his hand. Maybe he is afraid he will slip away from him again. Selamawit walks shyly occasionally taking my hand. She is so delicate and feminine. She is truly lovely.
The first evening brings us to the transition house that has been our kids home for a couple of months. Wow! There are so many beautiful children. I wallowed in babies. It was so much fun. We were all carrying babies around. The older kids sang for us and came curiously around to talk to us. There are truly a great group of children there. The wonderful part of being in a transition house is that all these kids have families working toward bringing them home. There is Hope in the house.
Before we left the house, Selamawit Grace and Guta Amanuel went upstairs to pray with the staff…We bid our farewells to the beautiful people we may never see again this side of heaven, but will never forget.
We arrived back at the guest house and then set out on foot to the Imperial Hotel for dinner. Derara had an insatiable attack of the giggles that got all of us started. Ryan well…the vomitting began at the hotel….

Day 2, Istanbul

Turkish airways was nice. We flew into Instanbul at 9am their time. I had a fever and a headache. We rented a airport hotel room for 6 hours and slept. Then we spent too much money on dinner and went to our gate. Our plane was delayed -really delayed.
To sum up our experience in Turkey…sick…tired…gone.

Day 1, The journey begins…well sort of...

The journey begins…well sort of
We woke up this morning to the smell of coffee and breakfast cooking, thanks to my dear mother. Then we bid our farewells. The goodbye is always tearful for me. I will miss my kids. I always wonder “what if”. What if this is it? What if I don’t see them anymore. Do they know? Do they know I love them? Do they know I want only the best for them? Did my life speak of a loving God? Overly dramatic? Yep. But I'm like that sometimes.
We took a rental, compliments of the dear ex-husband to the Cinci airport. (If you don’t know the story of my ex husband, ask me sometime. It’s another story of Gods grace and faithfulness.) I am sitting in the coffee shop at that airport as we speak. Ryan gave Simon D and I both a copy of our passports and a 100 dollar bill to carry in our pockets. As we sat looking out the window I asked Simon “If you could keep your $100.00 what would you do with it?” He very passionately said “I’d give it to my grandma.” I’m thinking his sweet grandma is about to get 100 dollars richerJ My pleasure.
I look at my handsome son, Derara and I am overwhelmed with emotion. What a journey this life has taken him on. Three years ago he lay in his new bed crying for his brother and sisters. Last year he was reunited with our own little Mercy Bond. In two short (well not so short) days he will have his other brother and sister back. He will get to visit his grandma. Get to visit the very place he was born. Go back in time, if only for a little while, if you ever can really go back in time.


We board our flight in a bit to JFK. Then we ride Turkish airways to Istanbul. Maybe I’ll chat more then….

Story

This picture really is worth a thousand words. I wonder what she is writing. I wonder about the map on the wall. Did she put it there? Or did the staff? Has she searched for Kentucky? Does she even know she is coming to Kentucky? Maybe all she knows is that she's coming to the US. Our case manager had this to say about her, "She just wants to serve the Lord." Maybe she is looking at that map and thinking of the peoples around the world who don't know Jesus. Maybe she writing scritures in her notebook. When we met her she had scriptures on her walls at home. In fact that was ALL that was in the room, just papers on the wall she had written verses on. SHE has lessons to teach us all. The WORD is all we really need. "The word was with God and the word was God." John 1:1. Saturday sweet Grace and Manny, Saturday we begin the travel to bring you home.

Thanksgiving

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, much to be thankful for. My brother and his family came to stay with us a couple nights, as well as my Mom and Dad. We headed to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt and Uncles home. This was the first Thanksgiving my brothers children celebrated, having came from Ukraine in the Spring. We love them so much, hard to imagine that haven't yet been home for a year. We celebrated one year on November 21 for our little Mercy Bond. Tomorrow we will be booking our flight to Ethiopia to pick up Manny and Grace!
For more pictures of our Holiday see http://betheglory.blogspot.com