We got the following email from Daniel (next to Moody in the white jacket).  Daniel is currently studying at the University and grew up in Dube Bute.  It is our understanding that he is the only student currently (maybe ever) to have left the Kebele to study at the University in Awassa.  That will change once they are all able to get a quality education!!

Words can not describe the joy his words bring to my heart.  Can you see it?? This email is written to everyone that has contributed to helping bring HOPE TO DUBE BUTE.

Dear brother Moody,    Every thing is good with us. Since last week, contraction materials has been transporting to Dobe butte and first stapes work started like school and bridge work.   Yesterday really very impressive things has happened in butt's kebele.As you saw animal health post place, it is not comfortable for construction and looks like hilly place .it needs much dig before start building. For that, all the kebles people including old women, men and children were participate on digging of the place and leveling.     At the end of work there was miracle worshiping and praying. Finally they bless living God and pray for you and you r family as well as your country.               In other way, we are arranging the pastors and evangelists for seeds conference.     Dear Moody, this week I started to collect a data and will proceed for a month I believe you are searching options for a laptop.                  Be blessed. Yours Daniel

Little late on recap of our weekend with Hoffman crew............it was awesome.  Just so refreshing to spend time with passionate people.  Felt like we had spent many weekends together already, it was THAT easy.  Hope to do it again soon, next time with all 4 Hoffman's.  Praying sweet M home with them........love looking at her face on my fridge each time I open it!

We celebrated Abe's birthday with a low key backyard bash. He loved it, until everyone clapped after singing Happy Birthday.  That, he didn't love. :(  Sweet boy.

March 22 is World Water Day, please help raise awareness! In Ethiopia, women and children walk an average of 4 miles and carry 40 pounds of contaminated water to their family daily.


You can help make a sustainable difference by giving to the people of Dube Bute, a village in rural, Southern Ethiopia.  This was the home to my son Eyasu for the first 2 years of his life.  They have no access to clean water and instead draw water from 
But that is all about to change as the people of Dube Bute will have 27 new water points to collect crystal clear and clean water!  Thank you to the many of you that have already helped to bring HOPE TO DUBE BUTE.  


We stand in awe that so much has already been raised and trust the remaining funds to come in as well! 



ethiopiasmile: Hope For Dube Bute from Kurt Neale on Vimeo.

We have had a restful week!  Several days at the farm with some of our favorite farm cousins. Eyasu caught his first fish. He LOVED it.  Gigi, send me more pics when you can!!

The Hoffman gang are headed to town for a wedding and will be staying here.  We are so stinking excited!  They feel like family to us here at Team Alexander and the chance to hang out with them is amazing........even if they are Yankee fans.

Someone is pretty excited about being a big 3 year old!!  Hard to believe.  We love you buddy and are SO proud of you!  Thank you for teaching us so much on a daily basis.  You are a great gift.

The tears flowed this morning as I watched this new video by Third Day.  Take the time to watch the WHOLE thing, it is worth it.

My heart is heavy, heavy for a country that I love dearly and the recent news about potential changes that could slow things down there to a crawl! I have been around Internation Adoption long enough to know that rumors swirl, changes take place and eventually things settle down and are accepted as the new norm.  If the news about Ethioipian adoptions slowing down like they speculate becomes reality, SO many children will spend YEARS living in orphanages, not families.  This breaks my heart.

I am all for reform and am well aware that there are agencies not playing by the rules and they absolutely should be stopped.  My heartbeat is for all of the children there that are true orphans, legally available for adoption, in the care of ethical agencies, doing everything they can to process cases in an ethical manner.  These children deserve homes, deserve moms and dads to tuck them in at night.  Deserve the security of a loving home.

I am not so naive to think that unethical practices don't exist, that some families aren't torn apart by greed and lack of options. That definitely needs to be stopped!  I am a HUGE supporter of family preservation, and DOMESTIC adoption within Ethiopia (check out this amazing new initiative if you haven't already). Sometimes though, IA is the best option for them.  Their chance at life.

I can only speak to my 2 experiences so far.  Speak of my 2 precious sons.

Abe- I honestly don't allow my mind to go to what life would be like for my little guy had he stayed in Ethiopia.  Had his precious birthmom not known in her heart that she wasn't able, didn't have the tools, the resources, the means to care for her son.  The son that she thought was healthy.  She made the decision based on what she knew.  She simply didn't know the needs this beautiful child would have, the therapy he would need, the access to neurologists and orthopedic surgeons and nutritionists......she didn't know, but HE did.  "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.  God sets the lonely in families," Psalm 68:5-6


I can't think of anything more lonely than lying in a crib, unable to move and having your muscles severly contract due to lack of stretching.  International adoption was Abe's best option and our greatest gift.

We would have missed out on moments like this.  When his legs move in a way that an MRI simply says they shouldn't.  We get to experience the miracle.

Eyasu- A double orphan, extended family doing the very best they could to care for him, to love him, to meet his needs. I imagine, and have been told, that the decision to relinquish was extremely difficult.  When a 2 year old weighs what a typical 6 month old does, sometimes you don't have a choice.  So he moved to care, he got well.  He got a family.  Our joy, our blessing.

So today, I am prayerful.  Prayerful for the children that need homes, that deserve families. For those already referred, about to be referred, those waiting...... I am prayerful that the necessary measures needed to make sure that unethical practices, people and agencies are stopped, and prayerful that His glory will be shown and revealed in ways that we simply can't imagine.  His plan is best.  He writes the script and I am learning to allow Him to move the pen.

For I know the plans I have for you, (orphan and adoptive parent) declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Abe has been killing it in therapy this week!  One of the many joys of parenting a special kiddo is watching them progress.....sometimes it is simply slower than others.  Sometimes it seems as if things aren't moving forward at all and then BAM!, huge strides will be made.  Just love getting to witness it all.

He is baring so much weight on his arms now and gaining better head control. All of his therapists have mentioned how great he has done this week.  Way to go buddy.  Keep it up.

To those of you praying for Abe, keep it up!  We SEE the results daily and are simply blessed to not be on this journey alone.