God is so good! We received a court date of May 13!!! If we pass (30% of families don't pass the first time) we will travel 2-4 weeks later...That means we could be traveling by the end of May!
Please pray that we pass court on the 13th!!
Visiting Lalibela
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The numbers
Last night I read the Wistrom Family Blog, and read some startling statistics.
We know there are 5 million orphans in Ethiopia right now. So, how many of those children are finding forever families in the U.S.? Last year, 1,725 did. 1725 out of 5 million!!! (I really thought it would be more).
There are over 143,000,000 orphans in the entire world. Last year, 17,433 children were adopted into our country. 17,433 out of 143,000,000!!!
(I had hoped it would be more)
Have you considered adoption? Is God whispering in your ear to love the least of these? I pray there will be more!!
We know there are 5 million orphans in Ethiopia right now. So, how many of those children are finding forever families in the U.S.? Last year, 1,725 did. 1725 out of 5 million!!! (I really thought it would be more).
There are over 143,000,000 orphans in the entire world. Last year, 17,433 children were adopted into our country. 17,433 out of 143,000,000!!!
(I had hoped it would be more)
Have you considered adoption? Is God whispering in your ear to love the least of these? I pray there will be more!!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Important way you can help! Long post- but a must read!
I copied this from a YG (yahoo group)friend's blog. She received the referral for a little girl the same day we received our referral and we hope to be traveling together. It describes the DESPERATE situation with regards to a shortage of good formula in Ethiopia...
From Cindy Foote: Our adoption agency is seeing an increase in the number of significantly malnourished babies coming in to their partner orphanages. Our agency has a transitional home in Ethiopia where children/babies chosen to be adopted are taken in and cared for until the parents can travel to get them. Many of the babies can not be referred to parents until they are healthy. This was our daughter's story. Our agency cared for her for 3 months before she was well enough to be referred to us. That entire time, America World was paying for our child's care - and the care and restoration of many many more.
Often, these babies tummies are suffering from Giardia or other illnesses on top of the malnutrition. And the malnutrition alone can be severe. Just south of Addis Ababa is a region hardest hit by the current famine. We are expecting to see many severely malnourished babies coming in to the orphanages as a result of this. For these reasons, our agency is hoping to build up a supply of 2 special kinds of formula which have a molecular structure that alloww babies to digest the formula with great ease, put on the necessary weight and take in the nutrients for which they are starving. But our agency can not take on this task without donations of this formula and then sending that formula over with traveling families who are headed to Ethiopia to get their children and can take extra suitcases of this formula.
From the Sweeneys: We hope to be traveling to Ethiopia by July (if we pass court). So we are currently accepting any shipments of these 2 formulas that are donated so that we can pack them up and take them to these precious orphaned babies.
The 2 formulas we need to send are called Nutramigen and Alimentum Powder Formula. They can be found at Wal-Mart - BUT since you are going to have to ship them to me from where you are, the best way to do this is to go to www.amazon.com to purchase the formula and then ship the formula directly to me through Amazon. We need the powder form - NOT the liquid as the liquid needs to be kept refrigerated once opened AND it is too heavy to fill our luggage with. It is usually around $27 a can. It takes 2 cans to feed one baby for a week. These formulas are broken down so that weak, malnourished babies can digest it and get the nutrients they need. These formulas will save lives! We used Nutramigen with all 4 of our other kids and know what a great formula it is!
If you are from Sheridan, we will be having a formula drive 2 weeks before we leave and hope to take several rubber maid tubs full of formula to these babies.
From Cindy Foote: Our adoption agency is seeing an increase in the number of significantly malnourished babies coming in to their partner orphanages. Our agency has a transitional home in Ethiopia where children/babies chosen to be adopted are taken in and cared for until the parents can travel to get them. Many of the babies can not be referred to parents until they are healthy. This was our daughter's story. Our agency cared for her for 3 months before she was well enough to be referred to us. That entire time, America World was paying for our child's care - and the care and restoration of many many more.
Often, these babies tummies are suffering from Giardia or other illnesses on top of the malnutrition. And the malnutrition alone can be severe. Just south of Addis Ababa is a region hardest hit by the current famine. We are expecting to see many severely malnourished babies coming in to the orphanages as a result of this. For these reasons, our agency is hoping to build up a supply of 2 special kinds of formula which have a molecular structure that alloww babies to digest the formula with great ease, put on the necessary weight and take in the nutrients for which they are starving. But our agency can not take on this task without donations of this formula and then sending that formula over with traveling families who are headed to Ethiopia to get their children and can take extra suitcases of this formula.
From the Sweeneys: We hope to be traveling to Ethiopia by July (if we pass court). So we are currently accepting any shipments of these 2 formulas that are donated so that we can pack them up and take them to these precious orphaned babies.
The 2 formulas we need to send are called Nutramigen and Alimentum Powder Formula. They can be found at Wal-Mart - BUT since you are going to have to ship them to me from where you are, the best way to do this is to go to www.amazon.com to purchase the formula and then ship the formula directly to me through Amazon. We need the powder form - NOT the liquid as the liquid needs to be kept refrigerated once opened AND it is too heavy to fill our luggage with. It is usually around $27 a can. It takes 2 cans to feed one baby for a week. These formulas are broken down so that weak, malnourished babies can digest it and get the nutrients they need. These formulas will save lives! We used Nutramigen with all 4 of our other kids and know what a great formula it is!
If you are from Sheridan, we will be having a formula drive 2 weeks before we leave and hope to take several rubber maid tubs full of formula to these babies.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Referral Received!!
We received the most wonderful tax day present!! On April 15, we finally received Gavin's referral. He is a beautiful 5-year-old boy, whom we hope to meet by early July. We are all so excited, having sent in our acceptance letter, reading over his profile and starting to think about our trip to Ethiopia.
Gavin (our name for him, since we've started this whole process- we can't reveal his Ethiopian name until after we pass court) should be getting his first care package from us by next Tuesday. Thank you Short Family for taking this for us, as you pick up your little girl! We can't wait to see his pictures!
We're new to this whole blogging things, so bear with us as we figure it out!
Gavin (our name for him, since we've started this whole process- we can't reveal his Ethiopian name until after we pass court) should be getting his first care package from us by next Tuesday. Thank you Short Family for taking this for us, as you pick up your little girl! We can't wait to see his pictures!
We're new to this whole blogging things, so bear with us as we figure it out!
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