Save the date!
March 13-21st...Addis Ababa here we come!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
A story from Kelly
It is a million stories, all similar, all heartbreaking, all totally unbelievable... but today it was only one story told to me (kelly) by a beautiful 14 year old girl, Meg (not her real name).
As we sat on the steps by the playground she began to open up to me. I’m not sure why, maybe because it was our last day, maybe she felt safe with me, maybe she just needed to talk. The story begins with all of the children receiving mail from their “new” families. Meg did not have a letter, but we all know she has a family... which she has been oddly shy about... almost mad or bitter. She has only been at the orphanage for 3 or 4 weeks. She has a family waiting for her in America...here is her story. Her mother is dying of AIDS. Her brother is grown and gone. For as long as she can remember it has been Meg and her mom. I’m not sure how long her mom has been sick, but here is what she told me:
“it has been my business, and only my business to care for my mother. I love my mother. When she is thirsty I give her drink. When she needs food I give her food. I am the only one. When she needs I give her medicine. Who will care for her now? Who? When I was nine, I was on street to find birr. This is my only business. This is how I work for my mother. This is all I do. When I was nine I was hit by a car while I was begging for birr (she has a large scar on her ankle). I never knew of my father. My grandfather wanted my mother to take me out of her stomach, or to leave me in the garbage. She would not! I hate my grandfather. I do not talk to him. Who will care for my mother now? I am the only one. I am the only one.”
So, Meg is going to the United States to be with her new family within a year... and she is heart broken. Her Mother has given her away, and she doesn't want a “new” family. I think I just assumed that is all these kids wanted... a new family, a good life, but there is so much more... the picture is so much bigger than I thought. My heart is broken. All of our hearts should be broken for these children... a “new” mom and an ipod is not going to make things, better is it?
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Day 5 Thursday - Carnival Day!
** Disclaimer** Long day, short blog!!!!
In a nutshell, the day was absolutely fantastic!!! We held a carnival for the kids, and to give you an idea, here’s what we did:
Kelly & Rocky-face painting
Mardi-Lollipop tree
Joey-punch balloon station
Hannah & Natalie: bowling (a kickball knocking over water bottles!)
Grace-football toss in a basket
Cheryl-Basketball station-shooting hoops
Laurie-Ring toss
Delora-Noah’s Ark duck pond
We brought all the supplies over we needed for the carnival and more than 2000 prizes for the kids! The classes were brought in (no more than 30 at a time) and even the kids from Opportunity House (the special needs section) got to take part in this fun event. It went so well, we were shocked-the kids were well behaved and respectful, and even the caregivers and workers took part!
Here are a few quotes:
"What a day, what a carnival!"--caregiver
“Today is a happy day for everyone”--Jamal, teacher and driver
"Is this a holiday??" -- child
Everyone had a smile on their face, the sun was shining and God is good. Everyone had a ball and we are all absolutely exhausted to the BONE.
Just a sidenote: Laurie and I (Joey) were able to travel to an orphanage where both us sponsor a child. The adoption coordinator for Layla was able to "talk" us in the door of the agency, which is run by the government and “closed” to outsiders.
We were able to go in and meet our boys--Laurie’s, who is 11, and my boy, who is 8 were shy at first, but then they clung to us when they heard we sponsored them. We brought some soccer balls, crayons and coloring books, watercolors and toys for the kids--which they readily shared with the mass of children that surrounded us.
This orphanage is by far much poorer than Layla, with dusty play areas, 30 kids to a room with only 2 caregivers, and cramped quarters. My precious boy inched his way towards me slowly, then put his arm around my waist and snuggled in. I could feel his heart beating and prayed over him-a privilege that I will never forget.
The rest of the group for the afternoon played with babies, tutored the kids, and then headed back to our hotel. We are tired, hot and dusty, but you’ve never seen a group with bigger smiles on their faces--except, maybe, for the kids at Layla today.
In a nutshell, the day was absolutely fantastic!!! We held a carnival for the kids, and to give you an idea, here’s what we did:
Kelly & Rocky-face painting
Mardi-Lollipop tree
Joey-punch balloon station
Hannah & Natalie: bowling (a kickball knocking over water bottles!)
Grace-football toss in a basket
Cheryl-Basketball station-shooting hoops
Laurie-Ring toss
Delora-Noah’s Ark duck pond
We brought all the supplies over we needed for the carnival and more than 2000 prizes for the kids! The classes were brought in (no more than 30 at a time) and even the kids from Opportunity House (the special needs section) got to take part in this fun event. It went so well, we were shocked-the kids were well behaved and respectful, and even the caregivers and workers took part!
Here are a few quotes:
"What a day, what a carnival!"--caregiver
“Today is a happy day for everyone”--Jamal, teacher and driver
"Is this a holiday??" -- child
Everyone had a smile on their face, the sun was shining and God is good. Everyone had a ball and we are all absolutely exhausted to the BONE.
Just a sidenote: Laurie and I (Joey) were able to travel to an orphanage where both us sponsor a child. The adoption coordinator for Layla was able to "talk" us in the door of the agency, which is run by the government and “closed” to outsiders.
We were able to go in and meet our boys--Laurie’s, who is 11, and my boy, who is 8 were shy at first, but then they clung to us when they heard we sponsored them. We brought some soccer balls, crayons and coloring books, watercolors and toys for the kids--which they readily shared with the mass of children that surrounded us.
This orphanage is by far much poorer than Layla, with dusty play areas, 30 kids to a room with only 2 caregivers, and cramped quarters. My precious boy inched his way towards me slowly, then put his arm around my waist and snuggled in. I could feel his heart beating and prayed over him-a privilege that I will never forget.
The rest of the group for the afternoon played with babies, tutored the kids, and then headed back to our hotel. We are tired, hot and dusty, but you’ve never seen a group with bigger smiles on their faces--except, maybe, for the kids at Layla today.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Day Four: Wednesday
The prayers were felt today; it was as if a covering was on an entire group from the moment we left our hotel for Opportunity House until the moment we arrived back with the children. I’ll try and explain our field trip with the special needs kids, but honestly, no words will give it justice.
Most of our group was terrified at the thought of taking 17 special needs kids swimming in a hotel; most have no “training” in dealing with these children with VERY difficult issues. I am very proud of the group for putting their personal feelings aside and jumping in (literally!!)
We knew we were in for a special time when we pulled up to the gate at the Opportunity House and the children screamed and jumped up and down with excitement. Some of the children hopped immediately into the car and put their faces out the window in anticipation--think children running down the stairs on Christmas morning multiplied by a thousand! These children live in a very small space most of their lives and to take them out of their environment can be wonderful--or scary!!
We got to the Hilton, which from the poor street of Addis, was a green garden of eden with large black wrought iron gates. As we walked through the marbled lobby, we got some strange stares--but also many kind smiles and words.
Here are Kelly’s words about the swimming:
“I can't give each detail of what happened over the next three hours because there are too many.... but it was precious... and we found that God gave each of us exactly what we could handle... I got a spunky downs syndrome boy (3) who splashed me non-stop, Mardi had a beautiful little girl (brain trauma) with a sweet face and a peaceful spirit, and Delora had a precious paralyzed boy (brain cyst) who sat quietly with her and did not splash at all... she had dry hair!!!! Joey, of course had a wild man who lost his pants numerous times and hit her over and over. Joey was soaked and nearly drowned within the first second! GOD is good... amen... we did it!”
For some caregivers it was the first trip to a pool and they loved it. It felt so good to watch them relax and play games with each other and take a break from the kids. For those of you who donated to this trip, we were able to pay for this “field trip”, and it was priceless.
After returning to shower and catching a quick bite to eat, some of the group headed back to Layla to finish the mural, hang out with the kids and make crafts. Delora and Mardi did a “Salvation Bracelet” with the kids, and were able to share Jesus with many of them. Delora said they hung on to every word as she explained what each bead meant: black for sin, white for a clean heart, red for the blood of Jesus, blue for water to wash away our sins, green for growth, clear-God is pure and holy, and yellow for heaven. Rocky was even able to share the love of Jesus with a caregiver. This craft was a precious time for us and the kids.
Cheryl and I got a chance to visit with the founder of the Children’s Home Family Services of Ethiopia-he has helped more than 100,000 people through this organization which includes adoptions, sponsoring AHOPE & other orphanages, clinics, schools, nurses training school and so much more. His quote to us today was, "How can you eat three times a day; relax and sit still-you have to give back.” He certainly has, and his dream is to break the poverty cycle in Ethiopia. He was amazing.
Lastly:Last night was PHENOMENAL!!! Yo Abysinnia is an Ethiopian Cultural Restaurant with traditional food and crazy dancing! I can’t even explain how they contort their bodies to the tribal music. The costumes, hair and dancing were wild to watch. Our food arrived on a large platter, buffet style: one vegetarian (non fasting!) with six different sauces served with injera (the spongy bread). We also ordered meat which was served with garlic and butter-it was wonderful.
Tomorrow we are holding a “carnival” for the kids-it should be an exhausting day, but fun!
Most of our group was terrified at the thought of taking 17 special needs kids swimming in a hotel; most have no “training” in dealing with these children with VERY difficult issues. I am very proud of the group for putting their personal feelings aside and jumping in (literally!!)
We knew we were in for a special time when we pulled up to the gate at the Opportunity House and the children screamed and jumped up and down with excitement. Some of the children hopped immediately into the car and put their faces out the window in anticipation--think children running down the stairs on Christmas morning multiplied by a thousand! These children live in a very small space most of their lives and to take them out of their environment can be wonderful--or scary!!
We got to the Hilton, which from the poor street of Addis, was a green garden of eden with large black wrought iron gates. As we walked through the marbled lobby, we got some strange stares--but also many kind smiles and words.
Here are Kelly’s words about the swimming:
“I can't give each detail of what happened over the next three hours because there are too many.... but it was precious... and we found that God gave each of us exactly what we could handle... I got a spunky downs syndrome boy (3) who splashed me non-stop, Mardi had a beautiful little girl (brain trauma) with a sweet face and a peaceful spirit, and Delora had a precious paralyzed boy (brain cyst) who sat quietly with her and did not splash at all... she had dry hair!!!! Joey, of course had a wild man who lost his pants numerous times and hit her over and over. Joey was soaked and nearly drowned within the first second! GOD is good... amen... we did it!”
For some caregivers it was the first trip to a pool and they loved it. It felt so good to watch them relax and play games with each other and take a break from the kids. For those of you who donated to this trip, we were able to pay for this “field trip”, and it was priceless.
After returning to shower and catching a quick bite to eat, some of the group headed back to Layla to finish the mural, hang out with the kids and make crafts. Delora and Mardi did a “Salvation Bracelet” with the kids, and were able to share Jesus with many of them. Delora said they hung on to every word as she explained what each bead meant: black for sin, white for a clean heart, red for the blood of Jesus, blue for water to wash away our sins, green for growth, clear-God is pure and holy, and yellow for heaven. Rocky was even able to share the love of Jesus with a caregiver. This craft was a precious time for us and the kids.
Cheryl and I got a chance to visit with the founder of the Children’s Home Family Services of Ethiopia-he has helped more than 100,000 people through this organization which includes adoptions, sponsoring AHOPE & other orphanages, clinics, schools, nurses training school and so much more. His quote to us today was, "How can you eat three times a day; relax and sit still-you have to give back.” He certainly has, and his dream is to break the poverty cycle in Ethiopia. He was amazing.
Lastly:Last night was PHENOMENAL!!! Yo Abysinnia is an Ethiopian Cultural Restaurant with traditional food and crazy dancing! I can’t even explain how they contort their bodies to the tribal music. The costumes, hair and dancing were wild to watch. Our food arrived on a large platter, buffet style: one vegetarian (non fasting!) with six different sauces served with injera (the spongy bread). We also ordered meat which was served with garlic and butter-it was wonderful.
Tomorrow we are holding a “carnival” for the kids-it should be an exhausting day, but fun!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Day 3
The electricity is off today! We heard everything power down while we were in the lobby this morning and our waiter shook his head, shrugged his shoulders and gave us a big smile. Hopefully this will get to all of you--we will see!!
Here’s our day in a nutshell: First of all, I need to go over our breakfast buffet this morning: another fried beef pastry, hard boiled eggs, bread, and cantaloupe. The food has been really fun to try-thankfully none of us have been sick!! Today was a really productive day for our team and everyone had a great day of work.
Here’s a breakdown of what we did:
Cheryl, Hannah & Laurie: headed to the Opportunity House (the special needs facility) just down the street from Layla. Tomorrow, Wednesday (***PRAYER REQUEST***) we are taking 17 special needs kids on a field trip to the Hilton Hotel to swim in the hot springs pool. This will be not only the first car ride, trip to swim, but honestly the first time these children have been out of the Opp House. Please pray these children will be calm, enjoy themselves, and that the pool would be therapeutic to their muscles-some of which are quite rigid. We also pray for guidance for our group, patience and wisdom in this difficult-yet hopefully rewarding-experience. We will take them for about an hour to swim, but we plan on taking the entire morning to prepare them to go there, and then to come back.
Mardi & Delora-these two are the Craft Queens--extremely organized, efficient and proficient in handling many, many children all at once. Most of our crafts have a Christian theme, and the kids are very receptive to hear about Jesus. The kids get slightly out of control when presented with a lot of craft items--some of them, instead of using them for art, shove them in their pockets to horde items for themselves. It takes a lot of direction and perseverance to get the kids to listen and obey during crafts! One girl asked ,“What is your religion?” Delora said...I love Jesus”. The girl replied “I do too!” These moments make it all worth it! Rocky spent her morning in the medical clinic at Layla, observing and offering her input when needed. One baby came in today for an entire battery of tests who was abandoned at a local hospital, and just arrived for placement at Layla. Kids come throughout the day with colds, fevers, sometimes broken bones, and more. The staff was THRILLED with the medical supplies we brought--especially the ointment, bandages, cold syrups and tylenol.
Grace, Kelly & Natalie: Ivy (the school director) requested a mural in the dining room that was bright and cheery. So, after purchasing paint-not your regular paint, but an oil based paint-they tackled the dining room and after two coats, it looked much better!! Grace took on the kindergarten boys room where she painted trucks, instructional murals (Left & Right)-(Up & Down) and labeled (window, door, etc). They did a great job working with lots of fumes and needless to say they have sore arms. Grace also had the chance to teach a health class today (at the last minute!) and we are counting on her expertise as a teacher this week.
Joey-I looked at the 33 totes staring at me in the main office and decided it was time to go through them and separate them into a more organized system. We brought enough to share supplies with Little AHOPE (the HIV orphanage for kids up to 7) and Big AHOPE (7 & up). I was overwhelmed at the amount of hygiene products, school supplies, books, medical supplies and toys we were able to share with the children of Ethiopia. The smiles on the kids and caretakers faces makes it worth all the effort--It is really priceless.
Tonight we’re going to an authentic Ethiopian Dance Restaurant called Yo Abysinnia. The dancers have a fantastic reputation of being incredible showpersons! We’re all excited for a chance to be together and wind down. Please remember to pray for us as we take the special needs kids to the pool tomorrow. We hope it will be a wonderful memory for them.
Here’s our day in a nutshell: First of all, I need to go over our breakfast buffet this morning: another fried beef pastry, hard boiled eggs, bread, and cantaloupe. The food has been really fun to try-thankfully none of us have been sick!! Today was a really productive day for our team and everyone had a great day of work.
Here’s a breakdown of what we did:
Cheryl, Hannah & Laurie: headed to the Opportunity House (the special needs facility) just down the street from Layla. Tomorrow, Wednesday (***PRAYER REQUEST***) we are taking 17 special needs kids on a field trip to the Hilton Hotel to swim in the hot springs pool. This will be not only the first car ride, trip to swim, but honestly the first time these children have been out of the Opp House. Please pray these children will be calm, enjoy themselves, and that the pool would be therapeutic to their muscles-some of which are quite rigid. We also pray for guidance for our group, patience and wisdom in this difficult-yet hopefully rewarding-experience. We will take them for about an hour to swim, but we plan on taking the entire morning to prepare them to go there, and then to come back.
Mardi & Delora-these two are the Craft Queens--extremely organized, efficient and proficient in handling many, many children all at once. Most of our crafts have a Christian theme, and the kids are very receptive to hear about Jesus. The kids get slightly out of control when presented with a lot of craft items--some of them, instead of using them for art, shove them in their pockets to horde items for themselves. It takes a lot of direction and perseverance to get the kids to listen and obey during crafts! One girl asked ,“What is your religion?” Delora said...I love Jesus”. The girl replied “I do too!” These moments make it all worth it! Rocky spent her morning in the medical clinic at Layla, observing and offering her input when needed. One baby came in today for an entire battery of tests who was abandoned at a local hospital, and just arrived for placement at Layla. Kids come throughout the day with colds, fevers, sometimes broken bones, and more. The staff was THRILLED with the medical supplies we brought--especially the ointment, bandages, cold syrups and tylenol.
Grace, Kelly & Natalie: Ivy (the school director) requested a mural in the dining room that was bright and cheery. So, after purchasing paint-not your regular paint, but an oil based paint-they tackled the dining room and after two coats, it looked much better!! Grace took on the kindergarten boys room where she painted trucks, instructional murals (Left & Right)-(Up & Down) and labeled (window, door, etc). They did a great job working with lots of fumes and needless to say they have sore arms. Grace also had the chance to teach a health class today (at the last minute!) and we are counting on her expertise as a teacher this week.
Joey-I looked at the 33 totes staring at me in the main office and decided it was time to go through them and separate them into a more organized system. We brought enough to share supplies with Little AHOPE (the HIV orphanage for kids up to 7) and Big AHOPE (7 & up). I was overwhelmed at the amount of hygiene products, school supplies, books, medical supplies and toys we were able to share with the children of Ethiopia. The smiles on the kids and caretakers faces makes it worth all the effort--It is really priceless.
Tonight we’re going to an authentic Ethiopian Dance Restaurant called Yo Abysinnia. The dancers have a fantastic reputation of being incredible showpersons! We’re all excited for a chance to be together and wind down. Please remember to pray for us as we take the special needs kids to the pool tomorrow. We hope it will be a wonderful memory for them.
Comments about the Autism Center from Cheryl Dieter
Today I spent the day at the autism center. They have multiple classrooms where they teach speech, do sensory play, learn to sit quietly, etc. Mostly I worked on press releases and re-doing some Joy Center informational media info. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind but it needed to be done. I saw horrid pictures of children whose hands and feet were bound because they were hurting themselves and witch doctors told the parents they were possessed. Another child had been kept in chains and confined to a dark room for months. When released she could not tolerate the sunlight as she had not seen any in so long. It was pretty unbelievable and sad.
They were thrilled with the items that were brought especially the autism awareness braclets as they are having a big festival. Zemi was also grateful for the CARRS tests thanks to the Autism Center at Fresno State and the things I brought from Exceptional Parents in Fresno.
I went back to Layla House and almost immediately headed out to Big and Little A Hope. This is an orphanage for children with AIDS. They are given the AIDS cocktail and most of the kids appear to be doing okay except for one little guy with a distended stomach who was 4 and looked to be about 2. The facilities themselves, however, had huge needs. New cribs, stimulating toys, more clothes, etc really appear to be needed.
The kids at Big A Hope were doing homework when we were there. They were so proud to show what they were learning. I saw a lot of women carrying water containers down to a local well. Also saw the local butcher with his goats in front of a store, one of them down to just feet and entrails if you get what I mean. Lots of interesting sights. Men carrying bundles on their heads and construction done with wooden scaffolding. The women here are just beautiful. It is funny there is a sort of pit barbecue place out front and I hear country music coming from it!
Life is good.
They were thrilled with the items that were brought especially the autism awareness braclets as they are having a big festival. Zemi was also grateful for the CARRS tests thanks to the Autism Center at Fresno State and the things I brought from Exceptional Parents in Fresno.
I went back to Layla House and almost immediately headed out to Big and Little A Hope. This is an orphanage for children with AIDS. They are given the AIDS cocktail and most of the kids appear to be doing okay except for one little guy with a distended stomach who was 4 and looked to be about 2. The facilities themselves, however, had huge needs. New cribs, stimulating toys, more clothes, etc really appear to be needed.
The kids at Big A Hope were doing homework when we were there. They were so proud to show what they were learning. I saw a lot of women carrying water containers down to a local well. Also saw the local butcher with his goats in front of a store, one of them down to just feet and entrails if you get what I mean. Lots of interesting sights. Men carrying bundles on their heads and construction done with wooden scaffolding. The women here are just beautiful. It is funny there is a sort of pit barbecue place out front and I hear country music coming from it!
Life is good.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Day Two, Monday
Today our group met for breakfast (this morning: minced meat fried triangles, egg casserole, bananas, papaya and bread with marmalade). The food so far has been wonderful and tasty-we’ve met many people who have remarked that our hotel has “safe” food to eat so some of our group is getting adventurous during mealtime. So far we are all heathy and energetic, although some in our group haven’t been sleeping well!
We went to the Layla House this morning for the official orientation and tour of the compound. Layla House has had a 100% gradution rate--meaning no one has ever left Layla House without a family, which is awesome. After the tour, we headed to the Ritmo Guest House, where families who are adopting from the Layla House stay while in the adoption process. At Ritmo in the back of the compound is where they house the overflow of babies from the Layla House. (Lynn-if you’re reading this, I got fabulous pictures of your baby!!) After we snuggled and loved on the babies and took them to the wall garden to enjoy the outdoors and flowers, we headed to lunch at the Caribou-which is an American-friendly food restaurant with nice views of the city.
After lunch we headed to Opportunity House, which is the special needs facility operated by the Layla House just down the street from Layla. This was the most difficult time for the group, as the incredible needs of the children were seen by all of us: children with cerebral palsy, blindness, autism, downs syndrome and other issues. We got on the floor and just started engaging the children as best we could. Most of all-they want to be touched and held.
Delora got on the floor and held a precious blind boy who wasn’t more than ten-he instantly took to her and snuggled into her. I (Joey) was sitting next to a boy, probably around 7, who had cerebral palsy. I was touching his cheek and stroking his head, and noticed his hand twitching. In the next few moments, he started having a seizure-not a large one--just one that took over his entire body and he shook. I didn’t know what to do except stroke his cheek and wait for it to pass-Rocky, who’s a nurse on our team, helped me understand what was going on. When it ended, the little boy locked eyes with me-it was a precious moment. We spent the rest of the afternoon singing songs with the kids, clapping, and watching a little girl (who was nicknamed Beyonce) dance while the caretakers banged on the cabinets mimicking a drum.
Ivy (the school director) asked Kelly & I to go to AHOPE (which is an orphanage specifically for kids with HIV) to see if we could do crafts, paint or help in someway while we’re here. Cheryl and Natalie went along to see the facilities too. We plan on doing crafts there with the bigger kids, and bringing some toys and hygiene products from our group. It is a tough place to visit-but the children are loved by their housemothers and they do have a home. One baby was found on the side of the road-and was brought to AHOPE to live. She now has been adopted by a family. AHOPE is in great need of everything-literally everything. The visit was difficult and heartbreaking.
Cheryl took time today to volunteer at the Autism Center. She is a travel writer and is helping them get some much needed publicity for the center. I hope she’ll share more about her time there tonight with us so I can write about it! Street scenes we took in today include : cows in the street while little boys in school uniforms held hands walking home from school, teenagers playing foosball in a small area against a concrete wall on the street; walking along the street and smelling the open sewage running through a creek; and men carrying large loads of lumber on their head. The scenes are surreal.
Tonight we’re taking it easy at the hotel, and hopefully getting the sleep we need! Spending the days with so much to take in can be brutally exhausting. I am very impressed with our group and how they’re handling all the sights and scenes at once.
God is good and has shown that many times throughout the days!!
We went to the Layla House this morning for the official orientation and tour of the compound. Layla House has had a 100% gradution rate--meaning no one has ever left Layla House without a family, which is awesome. After the tour, we headed to the Ritmo Guest House, where families who are adopting from the Layla House stay while in the adoption process. At Ritmo in the back of the compound is where they house the overflow of babies from the Layla House. (Lynn-if you’re reading this, I got fabulous pictures of your baby!!) After we snuggled and loved on the babies and took them to the wall garden to enjoy the outdoors and flowers, we headed to lunch at the Caribou-which is an American-friendly food restaurant with nice views of the city.
After lunch we headed to Opportunity House, which is the special needs facility operated by the Layla House just down the street from Layla. This was the most difficult time for the group, as the incredible needs of the children were seen by all of us: children with cerebral palsy, blindness, autism, downs syndrome and other issues. We got on the floor and just started engaging the children as best we could. Most of all-they want to be touched and held.
Delora got on the floor and held a precious blind boy who wasn’t more than ten-he instantly took to her and snuggled into her. I (Joey) was sitting next to a boy, probably around 7, who had cerebral palsy. I was touching his cheek and stroking his head, and noticed his hand twitching. In the next few moments, he started having a seizure-not a large one--just one that took over his entire body and he shook. I didn’t know what to do except stroke his cheek and wait for it to pass-Rocky, who’s a nurse on our team, helped me understand what was going on. When it ended, the little boy locked eyes with me-it was a precious moment. We spent the rest of the afternoon singing songs with the kids, clapping, and watching a little girl (who was nicknamed Beyonce) dance while the caretakers banged on the cabinets mimicking a drum.
Ivy (the school director) asked Kelly & I to go to AHOPE (which is an orphanage specifically for kids with HIV) to see if we could do crafts, paint or help in someway while we’re here. Cheryl and Natalie went along to see the facilities too. We plan on doing crafts there with the bigger kids, and bringing some toys and hygiene products from our group. It is a tough place to visit-but the children are loved by their housemothers and they do have a home. One baby was found on the side of the road-and was brought to AHOPE to live. She now has been adopted by a family. AHOPE is in great need of everything-literally everything. The visit was difficult and heartbreaking.
Cheryl took time today to volunteer at the Autism Center. She is a travel writer and is helping them get some much needed publicity for the center. I hope she’ll share more about her time there tonight with us so I can write about it! Street scenes we took in today include : cows in the street while little boys in school uniforms held hands walking home from school, teenagers playing foosball in a small area against a concrete wall on the street; walking along the street and smelling the open sewage running through a creek; and men carrying large loads of lumber on their head. The scenes are surreal.
Tonight we’re taking it easy at the hotel, and hopefully getting the sleep we need! Spending the days with so much to take in can be brutally exhausting. I am very impressed with our group and how they’re handling all the sights and scenes at once.
God is good and has shown that many times throughout the days!!
Playground Sunday afternoon
This picture was taken Sunday afternoon on the playground at Layla House. The kids were having a ball with their new visitors!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Day One
Day One:
As I (Joey) sit here and write this, Kelly and Mardi are sitting next to me in the hotel lobby quite exhausted. We’re watching a torrential downpour outside which is actually quite lovely to see and hear.
After a good night’s sleep and a breakfast buffet that consisted of egg casserole, Chinese egg rolls and injera with goat’s meat, we headed to Layla. It was very hot here today-probably in the 80’s--with no wind. At one point it was painfully hot. Thankfully the clouds rolled in and with it a cool breeze. Somehow the kids never seem to be fazed by the heat. One of our favorite sites were the boys (ages 8-12) playing soccer...and when they got too hot, they went straight to the water hose to pour water all over their head--then headed back to the game, somehow refreshed!
Since there was no school today (Sunday) for the kids, it was quite chaotic. The group of us decided to get the sock puppets out (thank you Kelly for the idea) and tried to make sock puppets with the kids in a controlled (ha ha) manner. Needless to say, the kids went absolutely bonkers. They LOVED it! Best of all, it was something they could play with the rest of the afternoon. Kelly has since named this afternoon craft “The 2009 Sock Puppet Fiasco.” The kids will have school tomorrow so things will be more organized and under control. We also brought nail polish and did a make-shift salon for the girls (and some boys--the little ones loved it).
In the afternoon, most of us decided to help in the baby rooms. Babies are everywhere-it really is amazing--and best of all, the caregivers are so patient and loving, that it’s wonderful to be a part of and watch. It’s nice to be able to give them some encouragement and a break to eat or have tea time. We bathed, sang, rocked, cuddled and walked them outside-there was never an empty arm or someone not crying in the background. When naptime came for the babies, it was time for toddler time! Laurie enjoyed having her hair braided by a 2-yes-2 year old...the rest hugged, chatted with us, and sat on our laps while we enjoyed watching the younger boys play soccer-with a deflated basketball.
Cheryl got a chance to walk down to the Autism Center, which is just a short walk down the street from Layla. We were all thrilled to hear that the center has incredible resources-even a sensory room-where they help kids throughout the day from Monday-Friday. Members of the Ethiopian Parliament are visiting the center this Friday, and they were excited for the exposure. Autism is not well understood here, and the woman that began this program is teaching others what exactly autism is. Most believe it is a possessed spirit in a child, so they often are shunned by others. We plan on going there sometime this week to volunteer. She has a an amazing spirit for helping others learn about children with autism.
Tonight we’re going to have pizza at the hotel. I just want you all to know what a fantastic group of women we have on this trip. Everyone has a different gift, and I am so thankful how God knitted this group together. We are all healthy and energetic for the week ahead. Thank you for your prayers! We will update again soon!
P.S. We do have a peanut butter update: Natalie was able to buy peanut butter at a tiny convenient store-needless to say, it has made Kelly’s day. (She still harbors a bit of resentment toward the guard in Germany that took her peanut butter in security : )...)
As I (Joey) sit here and write this, Kelly and Mardi are sitting next to me in the hotel lobby quite exhausted. We’re watching a torrential downpour outside which is actually quite lovely to see and hear.
After a good night’s sleep and a breakfast buffet that consisted of egg casserole, Chinese egg rolls and injera with goat’s meat, we headed to Layla. It was very hot here today-probably in the 80’s--with no wind. At one point it was painfully hot. Thankfully the clouds rolled in and with it a cool breeze. Somehow the kids never seem to be fazed by the heat. One of our favorite sites were the boys (ages 8-12) playing soccer...and when they got too hot, they went straight to the water hose to pour water all over their head--then headed back to the game, somehow refreshed!
Since there was no school today (Sunday) for the kids, it was quite chaotic. The group of us decided to get the sock puppets out (thank you Kelly for the idea) and tried to make sock puppets with the kids in a controlled (ha ha) manner. Needless to say, the kids went absolutely bonkers. They LOVED it! Best of all, it was something they could play with the rest of the afternoon. Kelly has since named this afternoon craft “The 2009 Sock Puppet Fiasco.” The kids will have school tomorrow so things will be more organized and under control. We also brought nail polish and did a make-shift salon for the girls (and some boys--the little ones loved it).
In the afternoon, most of us decided to help in the baby rooms. Babies are everywhere-it really is amazing--and best of all, the caregivers are so patient and loving, that it’s wonderful to be a part of and watch. It’s nice to be able to give them some encouragement and a break to eat or have tea time. We bathed, sang, rocked, cuddled and walked them outside-there was never an empty arm or someone not crying in the background. When naptime came for the babies, it was time for toddler time! Laurie enjoyed having her hair braided by a 2-yes-2 year old...the rest hugged, chatted with us, and sat on our laps while we enjoyed watching the younger boys play soccer-with a deflated basketball.
Cheryl got a chance to walk down to the Autism Center, which is just a short walk down the street from Layla. We were all thrilled to hear that the center has incredible resources-even a sensory room-where they help kids throughout the day from Monday-Friday. Members of the Ethiopian Parliament are visiting the center this Friday, and they were excited for the exposure. Autism is not well understood here, and the woman that began this program is teaching others what exactly autism is. Most believe it is a possessed spirit in a child, so they often are shunned by others. We plan on going there sometime this week to volunteer. She has a an amazing spirit for helping others learn about children with autism.
Tonight we’re going to have pizza at the hotel. I just want you all to know what a fantastic group of women we have on this trip. Everyone has a different gift, and I am so thankful how God knitted this group together. We are all healthy and energetic for the week ahead. Thank you for your prayers! We will update again soon!
P.S. We do have a peanut butter update: Natalie was able to buy peanut butter at a tiny convenient store-needless to say, it has made Kelly’s day. (She still harbors a bit of resentment toward the guard in Germany that took her peanut butter in security : )...)
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009 We have arrived!!
Greetings from Ethiopia!
We have arrived after a (thank you, Jesus) very smooth travel day(s). Everyone on our trip traveled well and except for Kelly having her peanut butter confiscated in Germany, we had no worries. All our luggage arrived and we sailed through customs, getting our visas and arriving at our hotel.
We are going to Layla House tomorrow afternoon and are doing a day of crafts with the kids and hanging out.
We have arrived after a (thank you, Jesus) very smooth travel day(s). Everyone on our trip traveled well and except for Kelly having her peanut butter confiscated in Germany, we had no worries. All our luggage arrived and we sailed through customs, getting our visas and arriving at our hotel.
We are going to Layla House tomorrow afternoon and are doing a day of crafts with the kids and hanging out.
Thanks for all your prayers--especially the ones weeks in advance : )
We will write tomorrow- good night!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
48 Hours to Go!!
I think we're ready!
Let's go! We hope to be able to post and update the blog-they are rationing power right now, but we have faith we'll be able to communicate. Please pray for us, and especially for the children and workers at Layla. Thank you for sending us!
- 10 women ready for an adventure
- More than 30 totes of supplies
- Overwhelming financial support from our church, family and friends
- 200 kids waiting
- 70 babies to hold
- Caregivers to nuture
- Kids to play with
- Field trips to take
- Zone bars to eat
- Prayers to pray
Let's go! We hope to be able to post and update the blog-they are rationing power right now, but we have faith we'll be able to communicate. Please pray for us, and especially for the children and workers at Layla. Thank you for sending us!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
8 Weeks and Counting-Can You Help Us?
January 25, 2009
Dear Friends,
In 8 short weeks (March 28-Apirl 4), I will be traveling with an amazing group of women to volunteer in orphanages in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This will be my second trip to this beautiful yet devastated country, and once again I am asking in advance if you could help in the following areas:
Joey
P.S. You might wonder what my dear friend Jennifer is up to: she will be picking up her three new daughters in Ethiopia in just a few short weeks and will obviously be very busy!! She will be working in advance for us while she is there and will be our prayer warrior here at home when we go. Please pray for their new additions and their expanding family!!
Dear Friends,
In 8 short weeks (March 28-Apirl 4), I will be traveling with an amazing group of women to volunteer in orphanages in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This will be my second trip to this beautiful yet devastated country, and once again I am asking in advance if you could help in the following areas:
First and foremost, we need your prayers. I will be leading a group of 9 women who have never been to Ethiopia before, and for many this is their first international missions trip. I specifically ask for prayer for peace, travel favor and mercies, health, and strength to minister to the women and children we will encounter. Pray God will work through us to do what He needs us to accomplish while we are there. We want to honor Him by being the hands and feet of Jesus…this obviously cannot happen without prayers from all of you.
Financial support. We are collecting supplies and personal hygiene items to transport to Ethiopia. Since there is no shipping/mailing system, it is necessary for us to physically take them with us on the plane. It costs approximately $135/tote to do this. Currently we are expecting to take anywhere from 15-20 totes full of necessary items for the children, if not more. The money we had left over last year (around $600) we donated to Opportunity House (the special needs orphanage). This was enough to cover their budget for the rest of the year! It was amazing to see their joy and relief of this burden lifted.
Infant formula: any kind, including Soy. This year, due to the ravaging famine throughout the country, the Layla House Orphanage is bursting with babies. Last year, there were no more than 10; this year, there are more than 60 in their care. Some of the babies are arriving very small and undernourished, requiring specialized care. There is also a shortage of formula available in the country at the current time. Babies are requiring 8 bottles a day and their supplies are next to nothing.
If you can help with any of the mentioned items, please let me know! I can come pick up items, or feel free to drop them by my house. If you would like to donate money, you may make the check to: Brookdale Church-Ethiopia Fund and send directly to the church: 203 South 31st Street, St. Joseph, MO 64501.
Please let me know if you have any questions! You may reach me at mja@stjoelive.com .
Joey
P.S. You might wonder what my dear friend Jennifer is up to: she will be picking up her three new daughters in Ethiopia in just a few short weeks and will obviously be very busy!! She will be working in advance for us while she is there and will be our prayer warrior here at home when we go. Please pray for their new additions and their expanding family!!
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