Graduation Ceremony... Part 1

For the record... I didn't take these photos.

Gizachew and Biniyam were the photographers

for Saturday's events.

...felt like that needed to be said, since the Gov't official

 was very specific about photos Saturday.

Saturday was a extra fun.

I had wanted to travel to ET in July to see Emnatu

graduate from Selam Technical College,

but God had other plans.

He replaced that special day with this one.

Saturday, Graduation Ceremony Day at Kolfe.

(This ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of

many of the Kolfe boys and Ketchene Girls both

graduating and those studying with special honors.

The program was sponsored by the Ethiopian Gov't

and Glad*ney Adoption Agency.)

The kids were all very excited

about the special events of the day.

The day before, a few had cleaned up the

multipurpose room, while 30+ others had joined me

in a project of cleaning up the campus grounds. 

Thanks to my flight attendant...

they were rewarded for their hard work.

Boxes for raisins for all those who worked.

Gizachew and Emnatu

Abraham, Joesph, Sisay, Mezgebu, Emnatu, - - - - , and Biniyam

Sweet little Mezgebu

Wearing his traditional Ethiopian vest

for the special occasion. 

How cool to be here on Graduation Day!  

My two favorite Graduates

Emnatu and Sisay (both graduated from Selam)

This was photo 1 of 6.

The boys love photos, watch what happens

when they saw this one being snapped. 

Photo #2

Johannes, the former Kolfe director came running over to be in the next photo.  The boys LOVE this man,  I had a meeting with him at his office downtown a few days later.  I told him I would pray that God brings him back to Kolfe.  He was all for that idea.  He misses all of them so much!  One of the boys later looked at this photo, and said, "She (me) is our mom, and she (we all laughed, he meant, "he") is our dad."  It was an honor to be lumped in there with Johannes, I respect this man very much. 

Photo #3 

Adding Mezgebu.

Photo #4

Adding Biniyam, Biruk and 2 others. 

Photo #5

Adding Gizachew, Abraham, Alemzewd,

 Guwugu, Ephrem, Sintayehu... 

 And finally photo #6...

Johannes said we had gotten too big,

and needed to move to the stairs to fit everyone.

LOVE it!

Coming up next... Part 2... the ceremony