Begin with One

Apr 19 2013

On the Eve of Her Birthday…

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I can’t imagine not having her in our lives. She is precious and spirited in the most delightful ways. Tomorrow she will wake up and venture down the stairs, tattered blanket in hand, and snuggle me on the couch and I will look to the heavens and thank God for blessing us with such a special little girl. Our daughter has brought me closer to God in more ways than I can count not the least of which is my gratitude that we were literally called and lead to adoption. I have God to thank for that and not a day goes by that I do not see God in her eyes. I see God in her rescue and survival and see God in her health and well being in our family. I see God is our awareness, insight and peace that adoption was more than we could have ever hoped for.

We are eager to welocome her into her thrid year of precious life. She is so excited about her big day and has been talking about it for weeks. Friday night is a Dora/Mexican Fiesta night with family and next week she chose a tea party with her little friends. Honestly, I can hardly stand it. Birthdays when kids are little are by far the best and what’s no to love about an entire day of celebrating her life, her soulful spirit and her love of all things DORA. She is her own kind of beautiful in more ways than I can even count.

God I know that half way around the world someone might be living with tremendous pain and many questions about the little girl he or she could not care for. Please grant them peace. Give them strength through the day and ensure them your promise of forgiveness and mercy. If only I could allow them to see the beautiful, kind, smart and loving little girl she is in and through you God. Perhaps someday that moment will come, but until then I must rely on you for their protection, comfort and peace. Thank you for the blessing of our daughter’s life and thank you for chooisng us to raise her.

Happy almost birthday sweet girl!

The Birthday Girl…

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Apr 14 2013

Join the Movement {STUCK via Both Ends Burning}

Posted in Adoption, Family, Links, Media No comments

I’m always inspired by those willing to take on a cause. I mean to really take on a cause and not only dig into the whys but also the ways in which we can all work to make change possible. That is exactly what Craig Juunten did when he realized the overhwhelming number of children, how about 10 million who wait to be adopted throughout the world. After entering the world of adoption and bringing home three children for Haiti Craig began to uncover the harrowing statistics that prove how many children and families willing to adopt children are being held hostage by governmental red tape. Juntunen went on to create a documentary and is currently touring 80 cities in order to share the film and edcate those willing to stand up for changes to the declining and suffering international adoption system.

It should not matter where a child is born. Every child deserves the right to have a family to call his or her own and while rules and policies must apply, it is senseless and cruel that so many children around the world are growing up in institutions of worse on the streets. Adoption is one big solution to the orphan crisis but we must use education to create a movement that showcases the awareess and hopelessness many children face if intercountry adoptions do not continue. We need government officials to make adoption a priority so that children can come home to families who have been waiting often for several grueling years.

After meeting our daughter nearly three years ago during our first trip to Ethiopia I can vividly recall the fear I had that our connection was in the hands of many who did not know the love we had for her the instant we saw her precious picture. Adoption must be closely monitored and of course we do not want children to end up in the wrong hands but the idea that so many people are willing to adopt if the process, expense and wait times were easier should tell us all that something needs to change. This week our little one turns three and I cannot bear the thought of her having been STUCK on the other side of the world waiting for us to come to her. This is the reality for many willing parents adopting from countries such as Guatemala and Russia. Both the children and the families are STUCK in the cogs of a broken down system.

Learn more about the documentary STUCK here. Take a look at when STUCK might be playing in your city and see how you can spread the word to help fill the theatres. I am doing my part here in Michigan and please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or insight as to how to get more people signing the petition and also how to make more people aware that this tragedy exisits today in such huge numbers all around the world.

STUCK is coming to Grand Rapids, MI

Tuesday, April 30th at 7:00 to the AMC Grand Rapids 18.

Please consider purchasing tickets early by clicking here.

Message me if you will be attending. I’ll be there helping out where needed. No matter your connection to adoption would you consider standing up this week and using your voice to spread the message of the waiting child. Please sign the STUCK petition here and also share it anywhere and everywhere. It is true that alone we can do so little but together we can do so much. Thanks for spreading the word!

Take a listen to this beautiful tune that so fits the mission of the STUCK documentary:

How will you use your voice this week?

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Mar 27 2013

Washing thier Feet… {Another lesson from our visit to Chapa}

Posted in Africa and Ethiopia, Chapa Sponsorship, Chapa Water Project, Ethiopia MIssion Trip 2013 No comments

We called it a foot care clinic. For months the idea of caring for their little feet swirled in my brian. My sister so wanted to make it a medical teaching moment and while that sounded good, we were unclear how the whole thing would go. We both liked the idea of teaching them the value of caring for their feet and giving each child a footcare kit to take home. As the trip drew nearer we began to price the nail clippers, files, etc that it would take to run the clinic and also create the kits. The costs were very prohibitive. We began to think we would wash the children’s feet but anything more would have to wait. Within two weeks of that conversation my sister called to announce that someone would be donating all the nail clippers we needed to make individual kits for the Chapa children. My sister created the kits and when they cleared customs we knew it was meant to be. Our team would create a simple footcare clinic and my amazing sister, Haven, would carefully and lovingly check each child’s feet for ulcers, chiggers or anything that might require medical attention.

It was a highlight for all who participated and I am not just speaking of the kids. Without a care in the world, the children were able to sit for a few minutes as we washed their little toes and ankles. We trimmed their nails and inspected every angle of their feet. Soon after we began washing, Tadesse had the bright idea to clean each of the children’s shoes. Watching him serve the children in such a way is still difficult for me to describe. His caring and his interest in their comfort was so beautiful. Many on our team were not so sure about washing feet but after watching Cheri and Haven, most took turns jumping right in. We even had the Ethiopian leaders and translators acting as faithful and loving servants of the children. It was a beautiful act of love, trust and faith. Most of the children would slump down in totally relaxation and giggle in delight. It seems that feet are ticklish no matter the country of origin.

As we celebrate this holy week I am reminded of Jesus and the washing of his disciples feet. Can you imagine the Messiah humbling himself to cleanse your feet? They must have watched with wonder as Jesus circled the room, kneeling down to perform that which was intended for the slave of the house. It is easy to assume that the idea of footcare for the children of Chapa surfaced as we asked what we would do as a team to love the children during our visit, but instead I believe God gave us the idea so that we might all experience the power of humbling ourselves as willing servants. It is human tendency to search for ways for others and sometimes even God to serve us. This is often the way of the world, yet Jesus gave us the perfect example of humility and generosity on the eve of his death and then the very next day would give us his life, carrying the cross and the sins of the world to his death. Jesus provided an example of long term benefit. Service to others lives on and on and can be given away over and over again whereas living to our own benefit in our own way only brings temporary contentment and joy.

As you view the images of washing the feet of the children of Chapa I hope you will consider the attitude of humility that Jesus had as he washed the filthy feet of his friends. Jesus did not impose his own conditions, instead he acted with teaching and love in mind. He acted as an example of pure love so that he might show how God the father loved him and tells us to love one another at all times. I’m grateful for the spiritual awareness mission trips often bring but ask yourself where you can wash the feet of another right here right now today. Where can we be the listening ear, perform a selfless act or give away something we might truly treasure during this week of miracles?Jesus died so that we might have life and every day that I seek him in all my actions it becomes abundantly clear that we must be willing to lose our life so that we can find it.

For I have shown you an example, that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:17

best little grin… hands down!

Her passion for the children was contagious…

sweet Tadesse… clean shoes for clean feet

so much love…

a favorite day…

Happy Easter. He is Risen Indeed.

Melanie

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