soli deo gloria: Eyasu

Showing posts with label Eyasu. Show all posts

Monday, February 28, 2011

when will abey grow up?

Still processing the massive amounts of information we heard at Idea Camp! It was extremely challenging, inspiring and humbling to be there. So many people with such passion for changing the plight of the 147 million orphans in the world. As I process, I will share. For now, here is a story that happened today.

Eyasu has never asked any questions about Abe, until today. He always has referred to him as a baby. "Abey can't eat that, he is a baby!" and so on..... Abe has always been a baby to Eyasu and I guess it simply has never occured to him that Abe is a mere 15 months younger than he is..........so today, seemingly out of nowhere, Eyasu asked me when Abe was going to "grow up."

I asked him what he meant by "grow up". He said, you know learn to walk and talk. My heart hurt a little.

We had a precious conversation about how God made Abey's brain special. How he can't walk and talk YET like most 3 year olds. His next question, "did God make my brain special too?" Oh sweet boy, he sure did, but not is the same way that Abe's brain is special.

I further explained to him that we are faithfully praying for healing, that we trust he will one day indeed walk and talk.............to that he said, "he will talk mommy, he will talk."

The things to learn from a 4 year old. Thank you little man.

Labels: abe, Eyasu | 26 comments

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Eyasu's Hope

Imagine farming for a living in Southern Ethiopia. You are raising your 4 children with the help of extended family as your wife has passed away. Your brother and his wife live in the same village and have 4 children of their own, with one on the way. Your brother passes away and you begin to care for his children and their pregnant mother. 4 months after she gives birth to her 5th boy, she too passes away. You are now responsible for 9 children, one of them an infant. You work hard to provide for them, but it is difficult. You do your very best, but the baby is sick, really sick. Weighing only 16 pounds at 23 months old.

You ultimately relinquish this child in an effort to better provide for his needs, to save his life. This is a painful decision, evidence is shown in your eyes 13 months later when you see him again with his adoptive family in Addis.

You return to your village that is lacking in clean water and the only school for your children and nephews to attend ends in the 4th or 5th grade. You most likely think of the child that is no longer there, but hope he is healthy, happy.

What you don't know is that the family that adopted your nephew has a burning desire to do something in your country, has been praying for an opportuntity to give back, to provide sustainable help in someway since their first trip to Ethiopia two years ago.

You don't know that they have been divinely appointed to partner with an organization called A Glimmer of Hope. That they traveled with them to the Southern Region of Ethiopia to see the work they are doing. The family was told they didn't work in Sidama and doubted if they would any time soon, or ever. This organization does their due diligence and very carefully chooses what development associations they work with in country. Most of their partnerships are in the north, only recently working in the Dawro zone, in the Southern Region.

You don't know that a few details have changed to allow Glimmer to explore new areas in the south to work in and Sidama is one of them. You don't know that Gladney was instrumental in helping Glimmer know exactly where you live. You don't know that a car drove as far as one had ever driven in your district and then the occupants of that car walked an hour through beautiful, mountainous terrain.

You don't know until you see this.

A group of men walking towards your home.

You then begin to see HOPE. Hope that the water source your village currently uses will be replaced with crystal clear, clean water! That your children, the biological siblings of your nephew, and the children of your kebele will be able to get an education. You now see the bigger picture, the beautiful story of redeeming what was lost. Turning ashes into beauty. That your family is now knit perfectly together with a community of people in the States that simply can't NOT do someting to help.

Can you imagine???

More details to come, more amazing characters that have been permanently woven into our lives, and how YOU can help, coming next. We simply can't do this alone. We have a peace that those who are led to help, to change the lives of those from Gorche and Sidama, will come along side with us on this incredible journey!

Labels: A Glimmer of Hope, ethiopia, Eyasu, Gorche | 41 comments

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

water source

This is the current water source in Eyasu's village in the Southern Region, Sidamo zone in Ethiopia. He is from the district of Gorche.

This image, the life of these beautiful people, is about to change. You will have a front row seat and can actually play a role if you choose.

I have so much to share with how it all came to be, how the Lord knit our hearts with those at A Glimmer of Hope and ultimately how He brought our family here, right back to the village that gave us our precious son. It is a beautiful story of love, redemption, and HOPE. We are so very humbled to be given the opportunity to play a role, but ultimately, like everything, this is HIS story. It just so happens to be one that touches us to the core, and is shaking things up around Team Alexander in a great big way.

I will start unrolling the details in a series of posts as there is so much background, so many details and I so NEED to do it all justice. So, thank you for being patient, for wanting to know, for asking for more-- I do pray you will come along this journey with us back to Ethiopia.

Labels: A Glimmer of Hope, ethiopia, Eyasu | 11 comments

Saturday, April 24, 2010

firsts

Adopting a toddler has brought much joy to our household! One of the many blessings is to witness "firsts" in his life- through his eyes. We are continually amazed at this gift we have been given. Most nights we all laugh around the dinner table and thank the Lord for the addition of Eyasu into our crazy crew! He is a crack up.

First snowman