Happy 2nd Birthday, Ayal!!

March 2nd was Ayal's 2nd Birthday.

We are declaring him now 22 years old,

but his real age and birth date is anyone's guess.

~ ♥ ~

If you want to read the most amazing memory from my 2nd trip...  click here,

and read about his 1st ever birthday, and the story behind this photo.

At the end of February, I began reminding

both boys that Ayal's birthday was coming up.

Yes, it is that insignificant there.

As I reminded them, now that they

have a family, it was important to us...

And so, Emnatu John, became my hands and feet.

Turns out, that my choice of March 2nd?

Well that will ALWAYS be a holiday in Ethiopia,

and provide both boys with the day off from

work and school...

It's almost like I planned it!

(but I didn't...)  

The pictures are grainy, they had to use

 a camera phone, but we were so thankful

 to be a part of this!

Emnatu sprung for cake, soda,

snacks, party ware and dinner.

Ummmm... THAT'S a CANDLE!!!

John and I were planning to pay for this celebration.

Planning being the prime word there...

Emnatu was greatly offended by this.

Sweet kid argued with me profusely

 that he HAD money,

and would pay for this himself.  :O) 

Love his heart...

♥ Fendisha, my favorite food. ♥

Loving the photos of us in the background of these.

Back in January, I sent birthday cards for the kids.

Emnatu's was sent to Ayal,

and Ayal's was sent to Emnatu...

Happy Birthday, Ayal John!

So glad you were able to feel special for a day!!

What it means to have a family...

Well, trip #4 is unknown at this point, but trip #5 is pretty much set already. November 2012.

Emnatu will be graduating college a 2nd time, this time from his night classes. 

 The boys from Kolfe usually don't let their classmates and teachers know they are orphans. Orphans are looked down upon in their society, undervalued, spat upon, rocks thrown at... in general, you just don't share who you are, with 99% of the people around you.

My 2nd trip, Ayal (a driver) showed up at the airport driving a work car. It took me a while to understand just how significant this was. He had told his BOSS that his MOM was coming to town, and that he wanted to borrow a car to drive her home (guest house) from the airport. That was an admission of who he is... it was HUGE, and a great honor.

His first graduation in July 2010, I missed it by a month.

Talking with Emnatu this morning, he suggested I be there for his graduation. This confused me... who would I be? Would I be free to be who I am, his mother??? Would I be a visitor he just happened to give a ticket to? (I have not met his friends aside from former Kolfe boys...) 

I have asked this question to many of the boys, and never gotten an answer. It is a tough decision for them to make when their family shows up... but his answer today melted my heart, and made me realize just how much I need to get on that plane next November...

"i dont care about any people i proud of you"  Proud, not because I am some fabulous person...

nope, that would be PROUD, because he dreamed for 16+ years about having a mom, and now does!

 One of his friends told me a few weeks ago that Emnatu hopes to have his "unofficial" name printed on the graduation program... "Emnatu John", not Emnatu T-----  because having his Dad's name in print with his, is huge for him.  So sweet!

 ♥ Things you and I never have to think about... I am humbled, honored, and in complete awe that God would choose us to be a part of these boys lives. 
God is soooooo good!!! ♥

One year ago TODAY....

...I was in Ethiopia preparing to leave the

children I loved so dearly for the 1st time.

(not knowing God would bring me back

twice more before a year had passed)

A year ago today,

one phone call changed our family.

I didn't think God could bless me

any more than He already had...

but I was oh, so wrong!

Today, we are celebrating the

1 year Family Anniversary

of our oldest son,

Ayal John.

Here's the post I wrote when I got back a year ago.

Time For An Introduction

A glimpse into our ET sons...

It has been a long time since

I have posted about anything

 other than the pillow project.

So, just to make sure you don't

 disappear on me... here's a fun one.

 We have been absolutely blessed

 with our two oldest sons.

They are such a joy to know, and love...

 here are a few of the reasons why

I think they are pretty great kids:

Emnatu John

Emnatu sent an email 2 weeks ago.

He knows that I have been
working endlessly to try to raise
the money for our next trip.
He knows it will eat away at
our "rainy day money",
and his heart is just big enough
 to want to help....

"Mom I want to share my money
for that my family coming
and how much money can I share for you?"
~ Emnatu (age 20)

Now, of course, I reminded him

 that WE are supposed to be

 providing for him,

not the other way around, but...

How great is this kid??? 

I love to get messages from people

 who either know Emnatu or have met him.

  This week, I got a message from

 a Gladney worker in Ethiopia.

  He wanted me to know this...

"Do you know Emnetu is kind'f

"Representative" for all Kolfe boys?

they usually will have a meeting

and money will be contributed

or donated for

 "Emergency Medical Expenses"

 and Emnetu is the one who's always

 elected to handel such funds"

I actually had heard this story from

a Gladney V.P. a few months ago,

 but getting a refresher is great! 

 He is a great kid, and highly viewed

 by the other boys.

One boy in particular refuses to let me

talk about Emnatu moving

out of the orphanage.

G. doesn't cry often,

so this is an off limits subject around him.

He will miss Emnatu like crazy.   

The boys nicknamed him Pastor,

 because he sometimes reads to

 them from the Bible at night before bed.

  Love that!!!!!

I have told him that our hope

and prayer for him is that someday

 he would actually BE a pastor

 to the boys at Kolfe.

I would do everything I could

 to fund that career!

Ayal John 

photo courtesy of C. Gingerich

Two of my favorite posts about

our oldest son, Ayal John, 

can be found here and here.

This is a remarkable young man.

He has been a Kolfe "graduate"

for about 4 years.

  Living on his own in the city,

 struggling to eek out money

 for his rent and food.

  He is a testament to just

how difficult life is in Ethiopia.

 His current rent payment

 requires 100% of his salary.

  No, that's not a typo...
I said 100%. of his salary.

  So, my sweet son works overtime

 as much as possible so that he

can eat, and earn money to pay

for his transportation back to Kolfe for visits,

 and the occasional stop into the

Internet cafe to email John and I. 

I sent both of our boys a letter a few weeks ago

 with some strong motherly advice about dating.

Neither has time for that now,

but with their ages climbing,

and their lovable personalities...

 the girls won't stay away long.

  I worried a bit that he might become angry

 with me putting in my two cents worth,

 as I covered ALL the bases in this topic.

Remember he hasn't had a mom

 since he was 3,

 and now he has been blessed??

 with one who sticks her nose in everything!

 I adore his second response.

This came weeks after he had already told me

 he appreciated my advice,

 and would keep it handy for when he needed it...

 so this second one was completely unsolicited....

"I read that you write by
Amharic about girl friend.

 (A friend translated it into Amharic

 so they would understand it better.)

And I understand it is good.

 It is not making (me) Worry.

 Mom you can tell me any thing
 you wont (want) 

and advise me
whatever you won’t (want)

 because you Are my sweet mom."
 ~ Ayal (age 21)

  Aww... so sweet...

does he know the floodgate of advice

 he just opened?? :o)  

My last few hours in ET, Ayal pulled me aside.

He had purchased gifts for his family...

This was mine.  It means so much,

because I KNOW

he doesn't have the

money to buy this,

no matter how inexpensive

it might be.

He sacrificed to show

us just how much

having a family to call his own

 means to him.

Wow...

I couldn't wear it then,

because it was too small.

I have since had it lengthened.

I will wear this at the airport

in just a couple of months, so

that it is the first thing he sees.

A day of firsts...

Alright, last time, I had you follow me chronologically

on my time in ET... this time...

well, I am going out of order.

One of my travel mates sent me photos,

and THIS one was my undoing,

so I can't wait any longer to share it.

This is the image that is etched into my memory. 

It is of Ayal John's first ever birthday,

and first ever birthday party...

 The moment the light turns on,

and he realizes the party is FOR HIM.... 

 He turns to me and says,

"For ME????  OHHHHHHH, YAH!!"

Which was followed by a bunch of these... 

and more of these...  "Yaaaah!!"

He was so excited!

This is a young man, who has

spent his whole life at a disadvantage.

He's been an orphan, an outcast...

I've seen first-hand how they

 are treated in their society.

Life got tough, he likely got discouraged.

If he is anything like his younger brother,

he hated himself, felt unworthy of love

(no one had chosen to adopt HIM in all

those years of waiting, watching, hoping...)

and so he never graduated high school...

never went to college.

The path was chosen for him

that he would become a driver.

There would have been

no pomp and circumstance.

Life was routine.

Ordinary... until... one day when it all changed.

He asked to be part of a real family...

albeit thousands of miles away.

He now has another brother (actually two!)

a sister, a Mom, and a Dad.

He is loved, cherished, prayed over, and cared for.

He has hope and a future...

and now...

He has celebrated his FIRST birthday.

He has a day which is HIS alone.

A day to remember and rejoice.

With each card he opened (there were 4)

he would hug me,

kiss the card, and hold it up declaring,

" 'dis from my sista!" or  "Awww. My brothda'!"

(To which the boys filling the room would erupt

in cheers, and traditional Ethiopian noises.)

and then hug me again

('cause I was the deliverer of the joyous cards)

we would read the card together,

and he would stop mid-way to hug me again.

Then we would finish, and he hugged me again.

And so it went as my oldest son felt the joy of

being special for the first time in his life.

Blossoming... that's what our 21 year old is doing.

Blossoming, right before our eyes.

It's amazing what a little bit of sun Jesus can do!

God is soooo GOOD!!

By the way...

His birthday present was decided on the spot that night.

A beautiful Old and New Testament -

Amharic Bible for an incredibly precious young man

who has never had one of his own,

in 21ish years of his life....

The cost?  $9.55 priceless!

  - - - - - -

Happy 21st Birthday, Ayal John!

Sweet Christmas Surprise....

(American) Christmas Day at Kolfe... 

 was a pretty fun occasion!

A few of the boys have families,

(Wouldn't it be nice if there were more?)

so Skype and email were working overtime.

Thanks to my friend Fekadu,

for playing errand boy for me.

Fekadu stopped by the mission house to pick up

some things I had sent to ET with Emily,

stopped by a lucky fruit vendor and

bought fruit for the entire orphanage,

and then took some Christmas cheer to Kolfe...

all on American Christmas morning!

The perfect day for this delivery!!!

 Our Emnatu had something up his sleeve.

I'm not known for just letting things happen,

(I am the worst kind of planner.)

so I almost spoiled it!

Christmas morning we got a Skype call from Emnatu,

he asked us to close our eyes,

he had a surprise for us,

for Christmas...

this is what we saw when we opened our eyes.

Emnatu John, AYAL John, and Mezgebu John.

Our three sons...

all together, all on skype,

This was Ayal's first time using Skype.

 - - - - -

Our sweet boy spoke right to the

♥ of my love language.

My favorite gift,

sacrifice (Ayal would be sharing a tiny bed

 with Emnatu again)

for the gift he knows his mom loves best...

T-I-M-E!

"Marry Christmass" from the Kolfe boys.

Time for an introduction....

Update 9/6/2011:

It has been a year today, since this young man

officially became part of our family.

I am no less in awe of him,

than I was 365 days ago.

His emails warm my heart...

and I feel so very blessed to call myself

HIS Mom.

I told him, I knew he wasn't able

to check his emails often,

so I have to remind myself

to space out my emails to him,

so as not to fill his inbox too much...

"Please know that no matter how often

you write to me or not,

your mails are one of the dearest things

I imagine of everyday.

So I like that we stay in touch ever.

Love you mom
Ayal John"

Post from September 2010:

This handsome guy is Ayal.... John.

Um yeah, that's Ayal John, as in one of our sons.

I had told John that there was every chance

 I would come home with a

another son in my inbox, but I really

 wasn't expecting that it would be Ayal.

Ayal is Emnatu's biological brother.

He moved out of Kolfe

3 years ago to start a job.

I think I have loved this kid from afar,

ever since March,

when Emnatu first told us about him,

I just never knew if I would

get a chance to meet him.

and now I have...

he is every bit as sweet

as his younger brother.

He was there Saturday for the

graduation ceremony, and to meet me.

While we were sitting around talking,

Ayal leaned over to show me a photo 

on his cell phone.

He said the word, "Kyle" over and over,

 but the photo was grainy,

 and I wasn't sure what he meant.

 - - - - -

  Until... he switched to the next photo,

and my heart stopped...

it was a photo I had seen before...

one I had sent in Emnatu's last care package... 

of John and I.

 - - - - - -

This kid has been walking around for weeks

with photos of our family close to him.

Saturday night as I was climbing into my taxi,

I told Ayal that it was difficult to leave,

knowing I wouldn't see him again.

"I could stay" was his reply.

He is so shy, but the boys all told me he was a good dancer.
I had already been up to dance,
 it was only fair that he had go up too. :o)

And so he did...Ayal slept at the orphanage.

When he got out of the car at church

 the next morning, I asked him

where he had slept at Kolfe,

thinking maybe an extra bed somewhere. 

His answer surprised me,

 and also made me love

 both boys just a bit more...

Emnatu and Ayal had slept in the

same tiny twin bed all night.

Sunday night after I left the orphanage,

Ayal traveled home.

I didn't expect to hear from him again,

until Gizachew's cell phone

rang Monday afternoon...

It was Ayal,

calling to talk...

to ME!

To wish me safe travels

 on the way home the next day,

to tell me he enjoyed the weekend,

and to ask...

if it would be okay if

he got an email address

so that I could be HIS mom too.

Um... yeah, Ayal... I think I already am.

His email address?

it says his new name...

I love that!

Welcome to the family "Ayal John,"

Welcome to the family!