Only God...

Three times today alone, I have been asked to share the story of how my love for these boys began.  Here goes my attempt to make a long story short...  no grading please, I know already I won't pass!

November of 2009, God began to stir my heart towards adoption.  I thought at the time it was towards paper adoption into our home. (who knows what the future will hold)  When I finally worked up the courage to tell my husband, he laughed.  We had just downsized, where was I going to put these kids?? (By the way, I don't believe the size of your home should factor in... these boys live in rough conditions.) Months went by, but the feeling didn't.  God was speaking... nudging... there was more he had for me than my current life.

In January of 2010, a friend at the time shared a video of a woman who had been to Kolfe.  This woman had begun a "family"/email relationship with a boy from the orphanage.  Hearing her story about what this relationship had done for him, and for her... I cried.  I knew this was what God had been telling me to do.  John and the kids watched the video and knew too.  It was a foot in the door towards adoption.  A chance to be a part of a young man's life who otherwise would never have a family, due to his age.

From January to March, we waited, and prayed, it was agonizing.  We had asked to be matched with a boy, and were waiting on pins and needles for his name and an email...  Already, God had placed this boy "our son" in our hearts, and we were anxious to begin to get to know him.  We knew there was a name, a face, a story waiting for us.   I can't begin to imagine what true adoptive families go through during the wait, because this was on my thoughts day and night.  I checked my email constantly, and the kids would pray at lunch/dinner each day, "God please keep our brother safe...  Show our brother your love..."  We just needed that name!

Our two sons on the right and left.  Emnatu John and Ayal John.

Three months later, I got a call from a third woman, who's "son" had two friends who had asked for moms.  I was asked a very simple question that day, 19 months ago... "Do you want the kid studying to be the baker, or the kid studying to be the auto mechanic?" I had no idea how to choose... but God did.   John and Kyle are car guys... so I went with the auto mechanic. 

A few days later, we wrote our first email.  We weren't sure what to say, so we told him our names, what the kids were interested in, and this, "We are a family that loves Jesus, and has lots of love to share. We would love to share that love with you, Emantus!"  I smile now to read his name... his friend had misspelled it. :o)

Two days later, there was this.  He had me with the first two words.
"Hi mom    First of all thanks God who meets us. My name is emnatu .I was born in Addis .April 2 1991. (a fact made up for us, he didn't know any part of that date) I have one brother. (Now our oldest son, Ayal) My father and mom died when I was two years .The cause of my father death is war because my father was soldier .I remember my mom was so sick .she was attend hospital .BUT I don’t know the disease ,because I was child I interred to kolfe at that moment .not a lot but I am happy by kolfe life .The thing that I am happy is after mom and dad gone .I am trying to change my self .the sorrow (sad) thing is I do not know family love and also mom and dad love. But now thanks to God .I hope I am gone get family love through you"

And so, without knowing what God had in the works, we began to email him regularly.  Unbeknownst to us, he had begun walking the long distance to his school, so that he could use his transportation money to check his email account.  (I just found this out.) He was emailing every 1-2 days, and email became our lifeline to the son, not the kid in an email, that God had given us.

This was the very first photo we recieved.

The first photos he sent us set me back.  He didn't look like I had envisioned.  He was older than I had thought, his hair was very long, and in the first photo, there was no smile at all... but God was working on both of us.  (E. had wrapped himself around our hearts within the first week!)  His friends told me months later that they always loved Emnatu, but the changes having a family brought were really noticeable.  His heart was healing, and his smile...  well, that was now evident ear to ear!

Just one month later.  A photo taken by a friend.  By the way, I won't tell him, because culturally it is better for him to have short hair, but a part of me now misses the long 'fro.  It's what I will always remember about him from those first 2 months. :o)

He asked within the first month if I had been to another country besides America.  In my heart, I knew the real question he was asking.  Would I come to Ethiopia?  I broke his heart, when I told him no, I would not come.  That was March... by the end of May, my answer was... "Pray, I will try to raise the money to come."  but it was beginning to look like I was going to lose my travel buddy, because her trip wasn't coming together as she hoped. 

My husband's response was, "You can't go alone. You have to at least travel with someone."  And so God moved in my heart, again...  I had to go... He was calling me to Ethiopia, of all places.  Names, faces, stories, laughter, and love... all rolled into one package... were waiting for me in AFRICA!!

Hugging our precious son face to face for the first time.
He was hugging so tight, I couldn't stay on my feet. ♥
I can't look at this photo without crying... oh, what JOY!!!

Most of you know the rest of the story.  A God-ordained video posted on facebook showing Korah, where my sponsor girl in Ethiopia lived.  An open wall of the owner of that video, where I read that she was traveling to ET 9 days later... and a leap of faith, involving this complete stranger from another state that I would travel with, and eventually call my friend.  I still remember her message to me when I basically asked (in the first message) if I could go with her...  she said, "Oh gosh let's talk." 

"Wow today I meet with her in kolfe and when I saw her in front of us, I was can't believe. we were had a great day. She is so sweet and lovely mom. She have place in my heart and love her so much!!!!!!"  His fb post that evening.

God had given me a travel partner, and made a way for me to spend 9 days away from home, and 7 days in country, literally all day long, every day of my trip, (I didn't leave the orphanage, even to eat or go to the bathroom... again, only God could do that.) with a group of boys who will forever be in my heart.

My first trip, I had NO plans other than them.  We sat for 10-11 hours a day talking, laughing..
 just enjoying the time God had given us.

Along the way, our "family" would grow from 1 son, to 2, to 3, and now back to 2 young men.  One trip, would turn into 2, and then 3, with my entire family being together in Ethiopia for 11 wonderful days, before a year had gone by.  This God given passion would grow and grow... and with it, my heart would swell with love for these boys and their culture.

It has been a crazy ride, but one I wouldn't change for anything!!  We are blessed to be a blessing, and we want to live our lives to make a difference...  Never underestimate what a Holy God can do when you ask Him to open your eyes and your heart, and you tell Him you are willing...  The thing that saddens me the most is to watch people sit on the sidelines cheering me on, acting like we are doing something they can't... shouldn't.  This is not about us...  really, it's not about you either...  jump, leap, run full on... to our Savior's arms.  Ask him where He would use YOU...  He may not call you to another country, but make no doubt about this... He WILL CALL YOU, in a way that
 ONLY GOD can!